ושמרתם את חקתי ואת משפטי אשר יעשה אתם האדם וחי בהם
The Talmud (Yoma 85B) expounds on the words, v’chai bahem, “and live by them,” that pikuach nefesh, saving a life, takes precedence over all mitzvos, except for the three cardinal sins: murder; idolworship; adultery (and shmad, when gentiles force a Jew to choose between Hashem and his own life). Under such circumstances, one forfeits his life. Rashi interprets v’chai bahem to mean that, as a result of one’s adherence to mitzvos, he will achieve eternal life in Olam Habba, the World to Come. Horav Hillel Vitkind, zl, explains v’chai bahem homiletically as applying a mussar, character refinement, approach. A person…
