Another interpretation of our Sages’ saying, “One who wishes to live, let him ‘kill’ himself” (Tamid 32a) is that one who wishes to live a life of true ‘life,’ which is the life of the World to Come, should ‘kill’ his needs for this World to dedicate himself completely here for Torah and Divine service. In truth, the whole purpose of life in this world is to pleasing deeds before the Holy One, blessed is He. Therefore, this is what every pious person should pray for, and this is what every person who desires and asks Hashem for long life – he should not be asking for it just to see his children at their weddings, or to see descendant born and the like, for it is all nothingness. On the contrary, “better one hour of spiritual bliss in the World to Come than the entire life of This World” (Avos 4:17). Rather, one should desire life only for the sake of being able to serve His Creator and to do pleasing deeds before the Throne of His Glory. One who delves deeply into this will endeavor greatly to spend his whole life in the service of Hashem and to do all his deeds for the sake of Heaven. He will value exceedingly the time he has to live, which is the most valuable thing of all. For the same reason, it is incumbent upon a person to guard his health so that he will not lose the great amount of good that he can acquire in just one hour of This World. But one who does not protect himself from harm brings guilt upon himself, and in the end he will be judged for the lost time that he caused himself.
