The Book of Assaf is the earliest medical book written in Hebrew. According to the book it was written by Assaf (or Assaph / Asaph) Ben Berhiyahu (son of Birhiyahu) and Johanan Ben Zabda, who lived in Israel between the fourth and sixth century CE. The book discusses illnesses, treatments and prevention. Some of the ideas are still used today, such as exercise, eating healthy food, and staying clean. The Book of Assaf includes Assaf's Oath, which in many aspects resembles the Hippocratic Oath. The Israeli hospital Assaf ha'rofe (Hebrew Assaf the Physician), is named after him. Excerpts from the book appear in a modern Hebrew edition by Suessman Muntner The book draws upon a wide geographic scope of learning: knowledge from southern Europe, northern Africa, Mesopotamia, and southwest Asia. The book shows concern for providing medicine for the poor and an interest in fostering medicine as a distinct profession. The book seems to include interest in a solar calendar different from the lunar calendar that most Jews used.
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“There was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, or so sure established, which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted.”
—Book Of Common Prayer, The. Preface (1662)
“Common sense should tell us that reading is the ultimate weapon—destroying ignorance, poverty and despair before they can destroy us. A nation that doesn’t read much doesn’t know much. And a nation that doesn’t know much is more likely to make poor choices in the home, the marketplace, the jury box and the voting booth...The challenge, therefore, is to convince future generations of children that carrying a book is more rewarding than carrying guns.”
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