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Recent synagogue attendance is a significant predictor of better health for six of the seven health measures, even after adjusting for age and several other covariates and mediators, including measures of health-related behaviour and social support."
I expect the results of the finding quoted below in more detail are the result of getting up early in the mornings with a sense of purpose, and the social aspect of regularly meeting the same group of people. Interestingly, the protective function came from attendance, not from praying alone at home.
This is why I always say it is better to hold a service in synagogue, even if there will be no minyan. The reward, the rabbis are quite clear, is for attendance. "He who attends the house of study and does not practice, receives the reward for attendance" (Aboth)
The presence of a minyan in synagogue is important, but isn't the main thing: Coming to shul to pray, even if you know there won't be a minyan, is a mitzvah, as it is better to pray in the synagogue than alone at home, as one's kavvanah ( concentration in prayer) will be better in synagogue, even in the absence of a minyan.
Rabbi Chalafta ben Dosa of Kefar Chanania used to say: If ten men sit together and occupy themselves with the Torah, the Divine Presence rests among them as it is written (Psalm 82:1) "God has taken his place in the divine council." And from where do we learn that this applies even to five? Because it is written (Amos 9:6) "And founds his vault upon the earth." And how do we learn that this applies even to three? Because it is written (Psalm 82:1) "In the midst of the gods he holds judgment." And from where can it be shown that the same applies even to two? Because it is written (Malachi 3:16)"Then those who revered the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord took note and listened." And from where even of one? Because it is written (Exodus 20:24) "In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you." (Aboth)
If you are not part of a community, I highly recommend it.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23193779
Religion and physical health among older Israeli Jews: findings from the SHARE-Israel study.
Recent synagogue attendance is a significant predictor of better health for six of the seven health measures, even after adjusting for age and several other covariates and mediators, including measures of health-related behaviour and social support."
I expect the results of the finding quoted below in more detail are the result of getting up early in the mornings with a sense of purpose, and the social aspect of regularly meeting the same group of people. Interestingly, the protective function came from attendance, not from praying alone at home.
This is why I always say it is better to hold a service in synagogue, even if there will be no minyan. The reward, the rabbis are quite clear, is for attendance. "He who attends the house of study and does not practice, receives the reward for attendance" (Aboth)
The presence of a minyan in synagogue is important, but isn't the main thing: Coming to shul to pray, even if you know there won't be a minyan, is a mitzvah, as it is better to pray in the synagogue than alone at home, as one's kavvanah ( concentration in prayer) will be better in synagogue, even in the absence of a minyan.
Rabbi Chalafta ben Dosa of Kefar Chanania used to say: If ten men sit together and occupy themselves with the Torah, the Divine Presence rests among them as it is written (Psalm 82:1) "God has taken his place in the divine council." And from where do we learn that this applies even to five? Because it is written (Amos 9:6) "And founds his vault upon the earth." And how do we learn that this applies even to three? Because it is written (Psalm 82:1) "In the midst of the gods he holds judgment." And from where can it be shown that the same applies even to two? Because it is written (Malachi 3:16)"Then those who revered the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord took note and listened." And from where even of one? Because it is written (Exodus 20:24) "In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you." (Aboth)
If you are not part of a community, I highly recommend it.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23193779
Levin J.
Source
Institute for Studies of Religion, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA. jeff_levin@baylor.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Despite decades of research on religious determinants of health, this subject has not been systematically investigated within Jewish populations, in Israel or the diaspora. The present paper is part of a series of studies using large-scale population data sources to map the impact of religiousness on the physical and mental health of Jews.
OBJECTIVES:
To identify religious predictors of physical health in a national probability sample of older Israeli Jews.
METHODS:
The data derive from the Israeli sample of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), a cross-national survey program involving nearly a dozen nations. The Israeli sample comprises 1287 Jewish respondents aged 50 or over. Outcome measures include single-item assessments of self-rated health, long-term health problems, and activity limitation, as well as validated measures of diagnosed chronic diseases, physical symptoms, and activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL).
RESULTS:
Recent synagogue attendance is a significant predictor of better health for six of the seven health measures, even after adjusting for age and several other covariates and mediators, including measures of health-related behavior and social support. Prayer, by contrast, is inversely associated with health according to five measures, perhaps reflecting its use as a coping mechanism for individuals with health problems.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study presents modest evidence of a salutary effect of Jewish religiousness on this population of older adults. Religiousness, in the form of synagogue participation, was seen to serve a protective function, and prayer a coping function.
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