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ARSHAS VAYEILECH — YOM KIPPUR

“And Hashem said to Moshe: Behold your days are approaching to die.” (Devarim 31:14)

The Midrash Tanchuma (V’zos Habrachah) quotes Rabi Shimon bar Nachman who asks on this pasuk: Do days die?

He answers that despite the fact that tzaddikim die and their days disappear from the world they themselves continue to exist.

It says in Iyov (12: 10): “In His hand is the soul of every living thing.” Are the souls of the living in His hand and not the souls of the dead?

Rather in Hashem’s Hand are the souls of the tzaddikim who even when dead are called alive and not those of the reshaim who even when alive are called dead. (Rav Meir Rubman Zichron Meir )

We’re stuck in traffic behind a large red truck. The back of the truck is plastered with a picture of a teenager sporting spiked purple hair holding a glass bottle and smiling. The caption? “Coca-Cola. Life tastes good.”

Really? Some carbon dioxide sugar and food coloring make life taste good?

What is the taste of life? Is it a blast of air conditioning on a hot day? A frosty glass of soda? Putting up our feet and zoning out? “A mechayeh” we sigh in relief. Does that really mechayeh give us life?

We find a similar concept in parshas Shoftim (17:6): “By the testimony of two witnesses… shall the dead one die.” Can a dead person die? 

Rather a rasha is considered dead even in his lifetime. A rasha sees the sun shining and doesn’t say the brachah of yotzer ohr. The sun sets and he doesn’t say the brachah of maariv aravim. He eats and drinks and doesn’t make brachos over his food.

But tzaddikim bless Hashem for every single thing — not only in their lifetimes but even when they’re dead they thank Hashem.

We learn from this an incredible lesson for life. We assume that those who eat drink see and hear are considered alive. However it’s really a person’s blessings over these actions that are the signs of life! For the crux of life is a heart that’s alive and thanks Hashem. (ibid.)

To attain life is to bless Hashem.

To fill a clear glass with refreshing water and make a blessing before drinking. Only then do we down the water in one gulp and feel our thirst subside. In one moment Hashem has revitalized us. And we recognize that with our blessing. That’s living life.

Shlomo Hamelech writes in Koheles (9:4):“For the live dog is better than the dead lion.” We assume that a live dog is better because he can eat and drink while a dead lion can’t do anything. And we assume that it’s the same with a human. If he can do something even if he’s on a low level he’s still better than dead.

However Shlomo Hamelech continues in the next pasuk (9:5): “For the living know that they will die and the dead don’t know a thing.” This shows us that the benefit of being alive is the knowledge that one will die in the end. It’s that awareness that’ll cause one to live a different life an eternal life a life of Torah mitzvos and good deeds. (ibid.)

Hashem’s beauty and kindness are all around us. We pass a sweet-smelling flower and stop to inhale its scent. But a living person will first bless then enjoy the fragrance.

The ocean stretched before us foaming waves and vivid contrasts. We stand and absorb the colors the sounds the endless horizon. A living person first makes his blessing and then enjoys the waves.

Fruits vegetables a slice of pie. All are food for blessings and blessings define our lives.

One who makes brachos with proper kavanah and emotion has a life that’s healthy and strong while one who makes brachos with laxity and without kavanah has a life that’s weak and limp.

As it says in Devarim (4:4): “But you who did cleave to Hashem your G-d are all alive today.” The novel idea here is that today you’re alive if you cleave to Hashem. If not even today you’re not alive! For one who is not attached to Hashem while alive his life is not considered life. (ibid.)

Remember us for life. We’ve been begging Hashem for this since Rosh Hashanah. Yet we must also remember ourselves for life in focusing on what real life truly is. And bless Hashem for this gift.