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Daily Chizuk #1640
Parnasa / Money
Precision of Life: Realizing that Every Moment Counts
Every Moment Counts
The pasuk in Kohelet says:
"עֵת לָלֶדֶת וְעֵת לָמוּת" — "A time to be born, and a time to die." (Kohelet 3:2). The Midrash in Kohelet Rabbah teaches that from the moment a person is born, Hashem determines exactly how long that person will live. Every breath, every second, is measured. And it is considered a great merit for someone to live out every single moment of their allotted time in this world. We cannot begin to grasp the infinite value of just one second of life.
Sometimes, patients who are suffering deeply may wish to pass on rather than continue living in pain, connected to machines. Their families, too, may struggle watching them suffer. These situations are deeply painful and emotionally charged—but they are also halachically complex, and a competent Rav must always be consulted. These are not decisions anyone should take into their own hands.
Halachah teaches us that we desecrate Shabbat to extend the life of a patient even in a vegetable state, even if it's just for one more second. That is how precious life is in Hashem's eyes.
If all a person can do is breathe, that breath is a treasure beyond comprehension. As long as someone is breathing, Hashem wants him alive. His mission in this world is not yet complete.
Every second of life is a priceless gift. In one moment, a person can earn eternity. And sometimes, the last breath we breathe with emunah is something that brings the greatest glory to Hashem.
The pasuk in Kohelet says:
"עֵת לָלֶדֶת וְעֵת לָמוּת" — "A time to be born, and a time to die." (Kohelet 3:2). The Midrash in Kohelet Rabbah teaches that from the moment a person is born, Hashem determines exactly how long that person will live. Every breath, every second, is measured. And it is considered a great merit for someone to live out every single moment of their allotted time in this world. We cannot begin to grasp the infinite value of just one second of life.
Sometimes, patients who are suffering deeply may wish to pass on rather than continue living in pain, connected to machines. Their families, too, may struggle watching them suffer. These situations are deeply painful and emotionally charged—but they are also halachically complex, and a competent Rav must always be consulted. These are not decisions anyone should take into their own hands.
Halachah teaches us that we desecrate Shabbat to extend the life of a patient even in a vegetable state, even if it's just for one more second. That is how precious life is in Hashem's eyes.
If all a person can do is breathe, that breath is a treasure beyond comprehension. As long as someone is breathing, Hashem wants him alive. His mission in this world is not yet complete.
Every second of life is a priceless gift. In one moment, a person can earn eternity. And sometimes, the last breath we breathe with emunah is something that brings the greatest glory to Hashem.
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