קהלת, פרק ט׳, פסוק ה׳

The constant awareness of human mortality serves as a powerful driving force in shaping a person's moral and spiritual path. Recognizing that life is temporary gives it deep meaning, drawing a clear boundary between the opportunity of the present and the finality that follows death.

The primary approach among commentators is that the awareness of death highlights the great advantage of living in this physical world. Knowing with certainty that one's days are numbered is meant to awaken a healthy fear of judgment. This fear encourages people to turn away from bad habits and regret their wrongdoings while they still have the chance. This basic knowledge of mortality exists within everyone; even the most foolish people are aware that their end will come [אבן עזרא]. Once life ends, however, this awareness completely stops. Even a person of great wisdom loses all knowledge and hope upon passing [אבן עזרא]. Beyond the physical loss of consciousness, this lack of knowledge represents a state of hopelessness. In the world to come, awareness and regret no longer serve any purpose. If a person did not change their ways during their lifetime, feeling sorry after death brings no benefit [מצודת דוד, צאינה וראינה].

Consequently, the opportunity for reward also ends. The realm of action closes with death, leaving no further chance to fulfill commandments or gather merits. A guiding principle is that only those who actively prepare during their time in this world, which is compared to the day before the Sabbath, will be able to enjoy the results of their efforts in the world to come, which is compared to the Sabbath itself [רש״י]. While the living who do good are remembered favorably, the dead lose the ability to act or create any new impact, leading to their memory fading.

Alongside this literal understanding, an allegorical approach offers a deep spiritual meaning based on the teachings of the sages [תורה תמימה, תעלומות חכמה]. In this view, the concept of the living refers to the righteous, who are considered alive even after they pass away. The righteous constantly keep the fear of death and the awe of judgment in front of their eyes, and this focus protects them from sin. In contrast, the dead represent the wicked, who are considered dead even while they walk the earth. They lack awareness because they completely block out the thought of their final day. Because of this spiritual blindness, the wicked believe there is no future reward. Convinced that there is no God or ultimate judgment, and believing that death simply erases their existence permanently, they choose to live recklessly and chase only the temporary pleasures of this world.