Or HaChaim Hakadosh: Short and Sweet Dvar Torah on Parshat Miketz

'And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy for us from there, that we may live and not die.' (Genesis 43, 9)).

Why is there a need for the words 'and not die' - after all, if 'we live,' obviously 'we will not die'?

Or HaChaim Hakadosh offers two possibilities to explain this repetition. Let us present one of the explanations:

The words 'that we may live and not die' hint at two types of life and death:

If his sons did not go to obtain food in Egypt, they might die in this world because of the famine, and thus would also be liable in the heavenly judgment in the world to come, because they didn’t make an effort to save themselves and their family.

A person must strive to maintain the life given to him by the Creator and not cause himself to die of hunger. Therefore, if they did not go down to Egypt to get food, they would be dead in this world (because of the famine) and also judged in the afterlife (for failing to save themselves by going to Egypt to get food).

In other words, the repetition indicates that through this effort they gain 'that we may live' (in this world) and 'not die' (in the world to come).

'That we may live and not die. The reason for the repetition is to imply that if they do not act so, they will be liable in their soul in the heavenly judgment and find themselves dead in this world and judged in the world to come, and by their effort in this matter, they will live in this world and not die in the world to come.'

Or HaChaim Hakadosh emphasizes the importance of effort in times of crisis, not only to ensure physical existence but also from a broader spiritual and moral perspective. Jacob teaches us that acting with responsibility and care is not only a way to save the body but also a way to ensure the completeness of the soul.

Are you really unable, or are you just lazy? Where does effort end and faith begin? Rabbi Yigal Cohen in an important lecture on faith and trust.