Bubonic Plague: The Jewish “Water Habit” That Saved Lives

[FarmLady]

Here’s something most people don’t know — during the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) in the 14th century, when over 25 million Europeans died, some Jewish communities had noticeably lower death rates than the rest of the population.

Historians and scientists believe this difference wasn’t because Jews were immune, but because of their religious hygiene practices.

According to Jewish law, observant Jews were required to:

Wash their hands before eating (Netilat Yadayim)

Bathe in a mikveh for ritual purity

Wash after using the toilet or before prayers

In an era when most Europeans rarely washed at all, these practices unintentionally helped reduce exposure to disease-carrying fleas and contaminated food or water.

Unfortunately, instead of studying or understanding this, fear and ignorance took over.

Many people accused Jews of causing the plague — spreading rumors that they were poisoning wells or plotting against Christians.

The result?
Widespread pogroms — Jewish communities were attacked, thousands were killed, and many were driven out of towns across Europe.

It’s one of history’s sad lessons: instead of asking why are they surviving more?, people chose the easy route — blame.

Fast forward to today, and the pattern still repeats. People still follow divisive voices, still cling to conspiracy theories, still attack what they don’t understand. Different century, same mindset.

The truth is simple:
Sometimes, what looks like a “ritual” is actually wisdom disguised as faith.
And sometimes, survival really does start with something as small as washing your hands.

[Manger]

This also shows why religion and science shouldn’t be enemies. What starts as “ritual” can sometimes be proto-science. The people who mocked those rituals ended up dying because they didn’t understand what was really going on.

[Quack]

Wow, I actually never knew this. Makes sense though. Those washing rituals must have really made a difference at a time when most people didn’t even bathe for weeks. Religion or not, cleanliness literally saved lives. It’s crazy how something spiritual ended up being a survival strategy.

[Trimex]

This is one of those examples where faith and science cross paths. The Jews weren’t trying to prevent disease — they were obeying laws of purity — but unknowingly, they were practicing what we now call germ theory. That’s like being centuries ahead of everyone else without realizing it.

[Hacko]

So tragic that instead of learning from them, Europeans turned around and killed them. That’s how deep fear and ignorance can go. Imagine if the people had studied Jewish hygiene practices — Europe could have advanced public health hundreds of years earlier.

[Farm-sultan]

Let’s be honest though — it wasn’t just hygiene that protected the Jews. Some historians say the lower death rate wasn’t universal. In some cities, Jews died in large numbers too, especially where they lived close to Christians. But overall, hygiene definitely helped reduce risk.

[Hilux]

And then came the hate. Typical human behavior — if someone’s doing better, accuse them of witchcraft or a secret plot.

[MamaGreens]

I remember reading that during the plague, Europeans thought bathing opened up the “pores” and made you catch disease. That’s why they avoided water! Meanwhile, the Jews were washing regularly. The irony is wild.

[Hunter]

Europe was filthy during the Middle Ages. Garbage on streets, open sewers, rats everywhere. The Jewish quarters, because of their laws, were cleaner. That difference alone could reduce the spread of a flea-borne disease massively.