How to Overcome the Fear of Death, and What to Do When Boredom Strikes

Even someone who understands that death is just a transition from place to place fears it, not because of death itself, but because of the loss of life! This is a lesson we learn from the conduct of Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe Rabbeinu knew where he was going, to a world that is entirely good! Nonetheless, when Moshe Rabbeinu was told, (Deuteronomy 31:14): "Your days are close to end," it is written in the Torah about Moshe Rabbeinu's conduct: "I pleaded with Hashem at that time" – Moshe Rabbeinu stood and prayed as many prayers as the word "Va'etchanan" (and I pleaded), breaking through the heavens and shaking worlds in supplication before Hashem that he might continue to live. He stood in prayer for this more than anyone else.

Do you know why? Because Moshe Rabbeinu, particularly in his great status, more than anyone else, understood the true value of "life" in this world. When one is told that they are going to die, if they want to show they are 'brave,' they may act as if nothing happened. No, he is not brave! He is foolish! He doesn't know what he is about to lose!

The Vilna Gaon, of blessed memory, passed away on Chol HaMoed Sukkot. It is told that when they brought him the etrog and lulav for the last time to his bed, where he lay sick, he broke into tears: "This is the last time – the last time I will be able to bless on the lulav and etrog."

His student, Rabbi Dov Landau of blessed memory, says: 'And I heard that he grasped the tzitzit and said with tears how hard it is to part from this world of action, where with a simple mitzvah of tzitzit, one sees the Divine Presence, and where can we find this in the world of souls, no matter what forces are given for it.'

The Vilna Gaon wept because he lived his life solely to serve Hashem and perform mitzvot! That was all the wealth of his life, and now it was coming to an end! This is why Moshe Rabbeinu prayed so much - he didn't want to leave! He pleaded before Hashem that he could still do so much and asked for his days to be extended to do them!

What to Do When Bored?

I remember that Rabbi Aharon Kotler, of blessed memory, when on his deathbed, cried. He said, "Master of the Universe, let me live! I can still do so much in this world!" He understood, and cried, that people who understand the opportunity of life know that death is a great tragedy. "And its aftermath is like a bitter day" (Amos 8:10) – the bitter day of death, a very bitter day. It's not bitter because you won't have dinner again or because you won't make money anymore. People who understand the real richness of life know that death is the greatest tragedy of all tragedies.

However, at the moment that time arrives, once he transitions to the next world, when the Divine Presence is revealed to him; "I shall be satisfied when I awaken with Your likeness" (Psalms 17:15) – he will be so filled with endless pleasure from seeing the glow of the Divine Presence – the great joy of the World to Come will dissipate as "a dream that flies" all the concealment of this world, "Better is one hour of spiritual bliss in the World to Come than all the life of this world" (Avot 4:17).

But while we are still alive, we must remember the beginning of the mishna: "Better is one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world than all the life of the World to Come," because the life of this world is the time of the greatest happiness - every moment in this world is precious.

People ask me, how do you overcome the fear of death? Who said you should not fear death? Let people fear death! But one must know how to fear rightly, not in a way that paralyzes one’s life – after all, you are here to live.

The right kind of fear should fill a person with joy that he is alive! This is the proper expression of the great fear of death – to feel more strongly the enjoyment of the wealth of opportunities available to you in every moment of life in this world, to feel the great opportunity you have in every small act to reach wonderful and eternal happiness, and simply not wanting to part with this wonderful gift of life – that is a very good fear!

Every moment should be filled with something real! You are never bored! Anyone who is bored shows that they do not know what life is. Here is a person sitting on his porch with nowhere to go. The person has a day off; he doesn't go to work; he sits and wonders, "Where will I go today?" He is bored.

Help! Dear Jew, you are alive! You can go anywhere in the world with your mind. You can turn to Hashem; open a Chumash, open the Gemara! So many wonderful things to think about! Think about the Exodus if you like! Think about the manna we ate in the desert! Think about the splitting of the Sea of Reeds! Think about the righteous of all generations! So many wonderful things you can reflect on! The most interesting things in the world await you if you use your intellect. A bored person, that means he has no sense. He doesn’t know what life is.

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For fascinating answers and proofs to the question of death, click here.