When the Land and Man Are Truly Alive

1“Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land?” [Bereishis 47:19]. At first glance, how can land be said to die? This verse forces us to say as Chazal do: “The wicked, even in their lifetime, are called dead” (Berachos 18b). Whoever does not do his Creator's will and fulfill the purpose for which he was created is called dead. He may do everything a living creature does, eating, drinking and the rest, but that is not his Creator's will, nor the purpose of his life and of his coming into the world. So it is with the land. When it does not yield its fruit, it may still grow weeds, but if it does not bring forth its proper produce, it is called dead, not alive. Only when it yields its proper fruit is it called alive. From this we learn that when we serve Hashem according to His will, and for the purpose of creation, we are called living. This is the verse “For through me your days shall be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to you” (Mishlei 9:11). If you walk in the ways of the Torah, then the life you live will be real life. Understand this. (From the author's handwritten manuscript.)