Anthroposophic treatments, acupuncture, herbal medicine, meditation are some of these exotic treatments. These 'holistic' ways of approaching the world can be somewhat whacky. You cannot transfer insights from non western cultures directly to western medicine. But I don't think that dati-leumi rabbis are in a good position to lecture on this.

halacha a collection of fairy tales is worth for the gullible. to confirm medicine effectiveness, its the duty of science. this is why its essential to separate religion and state. to prevent absurdities sabotaging rational.

Being professional and ardent idol worshippers I suppose that their opinion should be respected.

The country is up in arms about social injustice.What say you about that, heirs to Isaiah and Jeremiah?

Since the beginning of time, religion has been about fear. What not to do, say, wear and think or there will be consequences. Jewish preaching is no different than Islamic or Christian. Just the punishment varies. Has anyone stopped for just two minutes and thought about what religious SHOULD be - about being HUMANISTIC - about truly caring and helping other human beings instead of spewing fear and hate? This is not about what kind of medicine to take. Jews have taken herbal medicine for centuries. Long before MRIs and blood tests. This is all about control. Every August, these rabbis who are obviously bored because their flock is on a 2 week break, stew up another subject for their forbidden list. The men who come out against alternative medicine also blast Magen David ambulance crews for not being modest or our hospital teams for a million and one infractions. Remember, a clown cannot perform without an audience. If the public and media gives them what they want, they will gain power. I say, don't even try to change them. It won't work. Ignore them. Let them come down with a chronic illness, not treatable by western medicine. We'll see how quickly they will back down. Susan (health care professional.)

Some alternative treatments are woo. They have no basis in science. This woo may or may not be tied in to some "new age" worship, or it could just be some money-making scam like you see in all the sidebar adverts about the "mom" who discovered the weight-loss odd trick or the wrinkle cream weird tip.

the rabbis' words bring to mind the witch hunts of the 14th - 17th centuries...and those were based on a perceived power struggle...nothing has changed

Halacha should incorporate a rational and scientific approach to medicine and health. Unfortunately through the ages, superstition, amulets, and mysticisim have overshadowed a rational/scientific approach to helping people. If something can be verified that works and helps people, then there is no Avodah Zara involved. Things left to chance or to the help of "gods" involves idolatry. Please don't discount Torah or all religious Jews. There are rational people out there.

Some forms of "alternative medicine," in addition to being unproven and sometimes even irrational, derive from Eastern religions, such as Hinduism, Zen Buddhism, Daoism and the like. Some of the meditations and exercise forms are actually a re-enactment of certain worship. I had a physical therapist, a devout Moslem, who told me that she was forced to do traditional yoga as a student in elementary school, and the instructor taught them that this pose is bowing to the sun, that pose is for a different deity, etc. Buyer beware.

the advancement of vulgar minds, to ridicule what they do not understand. [author unknown]

...of holistic treatments. It depends on several factors including the patients willingness to accept the treatment, and believe it will work. No amount of scientific studies will prove or disprove the effectiveness of holistic medicine. The question is whether a specific treatment has been associated with idol worship. The better question is why should I care if I'm using it strictly as a healing method?

Efficacy would be the right word ur lookin fur

Oranges contain vitamin C. What does this mean, in terms of Halacha?..for 6 years, you should buy oranges only from Jewish orthodox fruit and vegetable dealers, but in the Shmittah, 7th year, you should buy only from Arabs of Islamic faith, since they are monotheists; so you will not commit sin of buying from idoleters. (????)

...because it's based on science and we all know (or should) how science differs with religion. Maybe they should just get a stick and rap a copper snake around it and pray really really hard for a cure. (no paganism there ;^P

What about things to remove ayin hara - like dropping lead into water (bleigiessen) that the haredi community practice or using chemiot (amulets)? The Jews have always used pagan practices

So basically, alt med uses the wrong kind of magic. Got it.

"alternative medicine" is contrary to halakha on at least 2 counts: first, it does involve a form of idolatry. the "treatments" work best if you "believe" - not in god, but in something supernatural with the power to heal you, in spite of having no scientific or logical basis. i.e. "avodah zarah". and second, by replacing real medicine, it puts people's lives in danger unnecessarily, by encouraging them to avoid treatment for treatable diseases. and it diverts money from the cash-strapped healthcare system that should be going to pay for real, evidence-based medicine. the rabbis are absolutely right!

Is very effective when accompanied with the right prayers.

Susan ! Isn't alternative medicine also a religion ?.with priests and high priests,and why is it ?. that so many oriental students study medicine in the west,while so few westerners study alternative medicine in China,India.

J.K., To answer your questions: No, alternative medicine is not a religion. All serious practitioners must study at colleges, pass examinations, do hours of clinical hours and pass licensing requirements. Most need to be Board Certified in their fields. Next - you have to define what is alternative medicine. The use of herbals? Well, that has been used for centuries - also by Jews. If I make a tea from the organic herbs in my garden to help my cold instead of taking a drug from the pharmacy, does that constitute alternative? Don't forget that "Western" medicine with it's chemical based pharmaceuticals, x-rays and other tests has only been around since the turn of the last century. What else do you consider "alternative?" Massage therapy? Well, that too has been around and used by Jews for aches and pains since Biblical times? Homeopathy? This is a system of diluted (mostly herbal) remedies. Before the days of antibiotics, it saved the lives of thousands during the Spanish flu epidemic around WW1. Next - one does not need to believe in anything. The placebo affect can take hold in ANY remedy- including the aspirin you purchase from the pharmacy. However, animals, the infirm and children have amazing results and are not influenced by placebos. There are plenty of Asian students who study Western medicine to complement their studies and there are lots of Western students who learn Chinese medicine to add to their practices. There are loads of Israeli students who complete their studies at Chinese universities. J.K. - what you are doing is taking everything you don't understand or want to understand and mixing it in one pot. It is your decision what kind of medicine you prefer. But you have to understand what you are talking about. There are many, many different methods of alternative medicine. Some are very, very effective and there are also some non-ethical practitioners (including plenty of so-called "babi" rabbi "healers" down south) who take money and plenty of it to do zero. Susan