The existence of every creature on earth, from the simplest animal to the most complex human being, rests entirely on God’s constant supervision. He actively sustains all creation with His power [מצודת דוד], a reality that reflects a profound belief in divine providence [רמב״ן]. Because God maintains absolute control over the life force of all beings, He is free to do with His creatures exactly as He wills [תקות אנוש].
When considering the life given to different beings, a distinction is often made between basic vitality and higher intellect. The primary approach among commentators is that animals, such as birds and fish, possess a fundamental animating energy. In contrast, humanity is endowed with a human spirit, which occupies a much higher spiritual level than the animal soul. However, another perspective suggests that there is no fundamental difference being highlighted. Instead, the concepts of animal vitality and human spirit are paired together as a poetic repetition to strengthen the overall message of God's absolute mastery [תקות אנוש].
This total divine control deeply impacts the concept of free will. Just as animals operate strictly out of the natural instincts and necessities that God implanted within them, the human mind and spirit are also held firmly in His hands. Consequently, human actions remain inherently limited. People do not possess absolute freedom to act independently of God [מלבי״ם].
On a deeper, hidden level, the very phenomenon of life is a miracle. The presence of a pure, spiritual soul within a physical body is not something to be taken for granted. By its very nature, the soul constantly yearns to break free from the physical world and reunite with its divine source. It remains anchored inside the body only because God’s immense power actively restrains it, and because the soul recognizes that His glory fills the entire earth. From this understanding, Job draws a profound conclusion about his own suffering. If God exerts such tremendous effort to maintain a life force within a healthy, functioning body, He certainly possesses the power to keep a human spirit trapped inside a sick, lifeless form, exactly as Job is experiencing in his own tortured flesh [אלשיך].