The Infinite Value of a Jew’s Life: Why Every Moment Matters to God

Every moment of a Jew’s life is precious. Even if they are gravely ill and no longer able to fulfill some mitzvot in practice, and even if they are in a coma and cannot perform any mitzvah at all.

If a person has served God faithfully their whole life and is now prevented from doing so due to circumstances beyond their control, it is considered as if they are still serving Him. Every moment of their life — even when they seem unable to do anything, is of immeasurable worth.

When Rabbi Yehuda Tzadka was gravely ill in his final sickness, Rabbi Ben Tzion Abba Shaul prayed intensely for his recovery. A certain rabbi asked him why he prayed so fervently — after all, Rabbi Yehuda was already elderly, had founded a flourishing yeshiva, raised entire generations of students, and now was suffering greatly. Why prolong his suffering?

Rabbi Ben Tzion replied with two reasons:

1. For the generation’s sake: The presence of a great person is a shield for the generation. Every moment of their life is a protection and merit for the people. That alone justifies praying for their continued life, even in old age and suffering.

2. For the sick person themselves: Someone who has served God with all their strength their entire life — even if now bedridden and unable to pray, is considered as if they are still fulfilling their service. The sages teach: “If a person wanted to perform a mitzvah and was prevented by circumstances, it is considered as if they did it.”

The rabbi who told the story added: This second point is profoundly deep. It teaches that when difficulties prevent someone from serving God as they wish, the time spent enduring those hardships which keeps them from active mitzvah performance, is still counted as quality time, as if they had been studying Torah and performing mitzvot.

The Worth of a Jew’s Moment

How valuable is a moment in the life of a Jew! Even if illness prevents them from doing all the mitzvot, God derives immense pleasure from every single moment of their life — to the extent that He counts it as though they are actively fulfilling Torah and mitzvot simply by living.

“And You Shall Live by Them” — For Its Own Sake

Recognizing the importance of every moment of life leads to the pure fulfillment of “You shall live by them” — living for God, who treasures every moment of a Jew’s life and longs to see their devotion, especially when they walk in His ways and do His will.

Rabbi Tauber tells a story about his father: My father was a man full of life, deeply involved in Torah and communal service. In his later years, illness prevented him from engaging in the spiritual activities he loved. Even Torah study and prayer became difficult. He found himself bound to a wheelchair, limited in movement. When I visited, I always tried to find words to encourage him. They needed to be meaningful, for he was a Torah scholar, not one to be uplifted by empty talk. One day, God gave me the right words. I said, “Abba, Hashem has arranged things for you perfectly.” 

Surprised, he asked, “What do you mean?” I continued: “What is the greatest mitzvah of all 613?” He thought for a moment and said, “Surely, ‘You shall live by them’ is the greatest.”

I said, “Every mitzvah must be fulfilled for its own sake. Until now, you lived in order to learn, to pray, to do acts of kindness, to serve the Jewish people. But now, Hashem wants to give you the merit to fulfill ‘You shall live by them’ for its own sake — to live simply because He wants you alive. It’s as if He’s saying, ‘I don’t want you to do anything else now, just live for Me.’ That’s pure ‘You shall live by them.’”

My father’s face lit up. He said, “You’ve spoken well!” and he repeated it many times afterward.

A Jew’s moment — even one that passes without outward deeds and with seemingly less mitzvah activity (though one can still perform mitzvot in thought and through cleaving to God in love), is so precious before the Creator that He would give the entire world for it. We cannot fathom the depth of this truth.