62. Sexual Relations
Deios 4:19
A man’s semen is a source of vitality, so one who squanders it damages his body, his strength and his health. This is suggested by Proverbs 31:3, in which King Solomon says, “Do not give your strength to women.” One who engages in excessive sexual relations ages himself prematurely and depletes his strength, among other symptoms. Wise doctors have said that one man in a thousand dies from diseases and the rest die from the effects of excessive sexual relations. Therefore, a person should be careful only to engage in intimate relations when his body is healthy and strong, and he has a lot of involuntary erections that remain even when he tries to think of other things. In such a case, sexual relations are medically advisable.
One should not engage in relations on a full stomach, or an empty one, but after his food has been digested. One should check before and after to make sure he doesn’t need to use the bathroom. One should not engage in relations standing or sitting, in the bathhouse, on the day he goes to the bathhouse, on the day he lets blood, on the day he departs on a journey or returns from a journey, or on the day before or after these days.
Deios 4:20
The Rambam assures us that anyone who follows the medical advice he has outlined will remain healthy his entire life, until he reaches a ripe old age and passes away. Such a person will not require the services of a doctor as he will remain hale and hearty throughout his life. This assurance excludes such things as conditions with which one might be born, as well as the effects of things like plague and drought.
Editor’s note: The Rambam lived in the 12th century and his medical advice incorporates the best knowledge of his day. Consult your rabbi with any questions involving practical application of these halachos.