by Rav Netanel Yosifun, yeshiva.co, translated by Hillel Fendel
Ever since the dawn of time, people have pursued the goal of eternal life. The ancient Egyptians, for example, mummified their bodies, in the belief that this would grant them continuity from one world to another. Even today, many contribute to various Torah or kindness organizations in order to memorialize their loved ones.
On the political front as well: There are leaders who strive to make their "mark on the world" by signing a peace agreement of some type, in the knowledge that as photographers snap their picture signing or shaking hands with another world leader, their place in eternity is guaranteed. (Of course, there are very likely some in the upper worlds who regret those very photos eternalizing their agreements and the catastrophes they brought upon humanity.)
On a simple level, the aspiration for eternity stems from a positive place in one's soul: the striving to be like our eternal Creator.
If so, when we consider the other levels of G-d's creation, we will realize that we are not very close to reaching this goal. As is known, there are four levels of creation: inanimate (mineral), vegetable, animal, and human. Every child knows that this order goes from low to high, as plants are higher than minerals, and humans are higher than animals. And yet, to our great surprise, we find that the "lower" the level, the more eternal it is!
To explain: Man lives a limited lifespan, and after he dies, his body is swallowed up into the earth. Animals, too, live for a certain amount of years, and their bodies similarly erode – but their skin or hide, which is the least "alive" part of their bodies, can easily be preserved and even used for many years.
Plant life can subsist for very long periods. There are some tree species in the world that can live for 3,500 years, and at least one tree is estimated to be over 5,000 years old! And even after a tree is cut down, it can easily be turned into boards that will last for a long time.
But inanimate objects, such as stone or metal, exist for what seems like forever.
The question practically asks itself: Why does the lowest level of creation "merit" to receive the Divine virtue of eternity?
The answer would seem to lie in the fundamental rule that good and bad are two extremes of the same point. Just as eternal life can be a form of a meeting point with G-d, it can also be something that leads us furthest away from G-d. For all of us, our sense of transience in the world arouses us to think in depth about the essence of life – invariably leading us to seek to be close to G-d. But one who lives forever can easily fall into a trap of believing that he is able to live apart from G-d, and that there's no real rush to accomplish anything specific, as there's always tomorrow or next week or next year…
At the beginning of history, before the sin of Adam and Eve, a person could have eaten of the Tree of Life, lived forever, and remained close to G-d. But once they ate from the Tree of Knowledge, everything changed, and eternal life – if they would have received it – would have actually distanced them from G-d. Their way to the Tree of Life was therefore blocked off.
The lower levels of creation, however, were able to continue "living" for long periods, precisely because of their distance from G-d. Essentially, they exist for long periods not because they are alive, but because they are dead from the outset.
In other words: In our world, a body can live by virtue of its soul (which is our connection with G-d, chelek eloka mima'al) only for a limited period – while only inanimate objects, which are dead in their very essence, can exist for long periods. This explains why plants exist for long periods mainly when they are cut down and dead.
This concept highlights the greatness of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and its holiness, about which we read in the weekly Torah portions of this time of year. The Mishkan was built of inanimate objects such as gold, silver, et al, as well as plants (acacia wood) and animal skins. These inanimate objects, on the lowest level of creation - even the skins are the "dead" parts of animal life - are the only ones that can last for such long periods, and that is why they are used for construction materials.
But in the Mishkan, the place of closeness to G-d (and the place of rectification of the Sin of the Golden Calf), these materials do not only remain in their inferior state; they also rise up from "dead" to "living." In the Mishkan, the inanimate becomes like plant life: An inanimate golden vine in the Temple began to sprout forth clusters of grapes, drying up only when Gentiles entered the sanctuary (Tr. Yoma 21).
In addition, the Mishkan is called the House of the Lebanon Forest, because its boards began to flower as if they were still trees, as did the staff of Aharon in his hand, and the House took on the appearance of a forest.
In future times, fresh water will emerge from Jerusalem, and will cure the Salt Sea, the Sea of Death (known today as the Dead Sea). Salt burns and "kills" the earth in which it is found, but also preserves things forever. Our sacrificial offerings are a "covenant of salt forever" (Bamidbar 18,19) between ourselves and G-d.
As we read in Yechezkel (47,9) about what is today the Dead Sea area, "Wherever the stream [of fresh water] comes there, they shall be healed and live." May this come true speedily in our days!
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