L'chaim to Lives!

Jews are obsessed with life. Our enemies use our devotion to life against us, but that does not change our attitude. Coded into Jewish law is the sacredness of life and the suspension of many prohibitions for the purpose of preserving a life.

One of the more popular words in the Holy Tongue is Chaim - life. Our liturgy is full of references to Chaim - life. At our moments of greatest joy, we wish each other L’chaim – to life. It is even a name; I’m sure we all know someone named Chaim.

What is odd about the word Chaim, is that it is written in plural form instead of singular. In Hebrew, a suffix of the letters yud and final mem render a word plural. So, Chaim is Chai plus yud and final mem making it a plural word.

Why is the word life depicted in plural form?

The Rebbe often shared that the reason that Chaim is a plural word is so that we recognize that life is only meaningful when we work towards the benefit of another. A person only living for themselves can scarcely be considered alive. Only when we help another can our own lives be validated.

This is also alluded to in the two yuds that appear in the center of the word Chaim. The letter “yud” represents a yid, a Jew. Chaim has two yuds to tell you that your yid, your life, is only worthwhile when you are helping another yid.

This point is emphasized further by the fact that in many Torah and prayer books, the name of Hashem is presented as two yuds (replacing the Tetragrammaton). Contrast that with the symbol for the end of a verse in the Torah, called “sof pasuk,” which is like a colon, one dot (yud) on top of another. When two Jews coexist side by side Hashem’s presence is evident. When one Jew considers himself more prominent than another that brings the Torah message to a halt.

So, my friends, let us wish each other L’chaim – to lives. Life is about helping someone else. And then our own life is meaningful.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin