What does it mean to live? From an incidental Halachic perspective the matter is really clear. When the appropriate confluence of the metaphysical and the universal is dismantled life ends. As the Code of Law (YD 339) articulates it is the moment the soul exits the body. A priori, the soul’s presence in the body is life.
Of course, technical mechanics for the aforementioned reality is not the exclusive prerequisite for being alive.
The Midrash (Tanchuma, V’zos Habracha) unveils the secret to being alive. “An evil person during their life time is like he is dead because he sees the sun shine and doesn’t bless…eats and drinks and doesn’t bless. However, the righteous recite a blessing on everything that they eat, drink, see and hear.” (Also see Brachos 18a) Hence, the difference between being alive and dead is the recitation of blessings.
Rabbi Meir Reiss (Ohr Lenisivasi, introduction) enlightens us to the meaning of this Midrash.
Life is awareness. When one’s senses are awake to the radiance of the shining sun, the blossoming of beautiful flowers, the scent of stirring aroma of a myriad of spices, the taste of succulent foods, the enrapturing panoramic views of the planet’s wonders, and fantastic intricacies of the inner contrivances of organisms, he is alive. On the contrary, drifting through life without attentiveness to one's surroundings is to be as lifeless as a rock. Constant recitation of blessings connected to the vicissitudes of life is emblematic of one’s life-force’s vibrancy.
For example, veterans of war remember every detail of their exploits while they might not recall their experiences a few years past. The reason for this is elementary. In midst of the battlefield every move can be the difference between life and death. They were forced to be aware of every decision. They were alive. Now in mundane existence of common life each decision is not as weighty. Their actions are not of as much import. Therefore, they don’t feel as alive.
Truthfully, the Torah is the ultimate source of awareness, of life as it states in Proverbs (3:18), “It is a tree of life.” It is taught in the Ethics of Our Fathers (6:7) and we declare it in the morning and Torah reading blessings (Siddur).
Understanding, this idea helps us to cope with the almost scandalous and dramatic declaration of Rabbi Dostai bar Yannai in the name of Rabbi Meir in the Ethics of Our Fathers(3:10). “Whoever forgets anything of his Torah learning, Scripture considers it as if he liable for the death penalty.”
Rabbi Meir’s declaration is not a matter of penalty rather of consequence. Certainly, one who forgets his Torah study is not going to be executed by a tribunal but he has severed his connection with Living God (Tiferes Yisrael, ad loc) which is life itself.
Of course, technical mechanics for the aforementioned reality is not the exclusive prerequisite for being alive.
The Midrash (Tanchuma, V’zos Habracha) unveils the secret to being alive. “An evil person during their life time is like he is dead because he sees the sun shine and doesn’t bless…eats and drinks and doesn’t bless. However, the righteous recite a blessing on everything that they eat, drink, see and hear.” (Also see Brachos 18a) Hence, the difference between being alive and dead is the recitation of blessings.
Rabbi Meir Reiss (Ohr Lenisivasi, introduction) enlightens us to the meaning of this Midrash.
Life is awareness. When one’s senses are awake to the radiance of the shining sun, the blossoming of beautiful flowers, the scent of stirring aroma of a myriad of spices, the taste of succulent foods, the enrapturing panoramic views of the planet’s wonders, and fantastic intricacies of the inner contrivances of organisms, he is alive. On the contrary, drifting through life without attentiveness to one's surroundings is to be as lifeless as a rock. Constant recitation of blessings connected to the vicissitudes of life is emblematic of one’s life-force’s vibrancy.
For example, veterans of war remember every detail of their exploits while they might not recall their experiences a few years past. The reason for this is elementary. In midst of the battlefield every move can be the difference between life and death. They were forced to be aware of every decision. They were alive. Now in mundane existence of common life each decision is not as weighty. Their actions are not of as much import. Therefore, they don’t feel as alive.
Truthfully, the Torah is the ultimate source of awareness, of life as it states in Proverbs (3:18), “It is a tree of life.” It is taught in the Ethics of Our Fathers (6:7) and we declare it in the morning and Torah reading blessings (Siddur).
Understanding, this idea helps us to cope with the almost scandalous and dramatic declaration of Rabbi Dostai bar Yannai in the name of Rabbi Meir in the Ethics of Our Fathers(3:10). “Whoever forgets anything of his Torah learning, Scripture considers it as if he liable for the death penalty.”
Rabbi Meir’s declaration is not a matter of penalty rather of consequence. Certainly, one who forgets his Torah study is not going to be executed by a tribunal but he has severed his connection with Living God (Tiferes Yisrael, ad loc) which is life itself.
