ושמרתם את חקתי ואת משפטי אשר יעשה אתם האדם וחי בהם
The mitzvos were given for the sake of life – not death. Thus, if fulfilling a mitzvah entails danger to one’s life, such as pikuach nefesh— life-threatening issues which must be carried out on Shabbos – we act accordingly to prolong the individual’s life. Chiddushei HaRim has a notable homiletic twist on the exhortation of V’chai ba’hem, as reference to our attitude toward mitzvah observance (and life in general). We are commanded to perform mitzvos with zest, vigor and enthusiasm, as if they are our source of life. Perhaps, we can extrapolate and say that the area of life which…
