Sin Kills

Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira commented on the Pasuk, לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם, that man does not live by bread alone. This teaches that one’s health does not depend on the food that he eats and its nutrition. But everything depends on a persons actions and behavior.

He bases his view on a Talmudic statement that says that there are three animals that grow stronger as they age. They are, the fish, the snake, and the pig. This Talmudic fact serves to disprove that good health habits, good hygiene, and less stress, are the keys to living a long life.

The fish gets stronger with age, despite the constant stress it is under. It is always in the run from a predator, or the fisherman’s net. It lives a very stressful life.

The diet of the snake, is that it eats the dust. This is far from a nutritious diet, and yet it gets stronger with age.

The pig is not exactly the epitome of good hygiene. It wallows in the mud and is found in garbage heaps, and it, too, gets stronger with age.

Sickness comes to an individual to wake him up to do Teshuva. While it is obvious that we need to take care of ourselves with good, nutritious food, and good hygiene, that alone is not enough.

One must never forget that it is Hashem that runs the world, and we must be at one with Him. If we live a pure life of Torah and Mitzvot, that will provide the greatest protection, and give us the greatest chance of living a long life.