Maran Rav Aharon Leib Steinman z"l just passed away, reportedly at the age of 103. Five plus years prior, Maran Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv z"l passed away at a reported age of 102. Approximately a decade prior to that Maran Rav Elazar Menachem Man Schach z"l passed away at a reported 102 (if not greater age) as well.
A group of gedolim, manhigei hador, born in Lita, who lived most of their years in Eretz Yisrael.
Oustanding gedolim with outstanding longevity.
הלא דבר הוא - worthy of note.
What can we glean from their extreme years?
Al pi derech hateva (looking at it from a natural perspective), they lived very healthy (spartan we might even say - pardon the expression :) lifestyles - not smoking, eating little (cf the teaching of Rambam that most sicknesses come from overeating, IIRC), eschewing luxuries, living very modestly. Spiritually, they lived rich, meaningful lives, with a wealth of Torah and mitzvos. Of course, they benefited, especially at the end of their lives, from excellent personalized medical care, as well.
Of course, when considering such things, we should examine Torah sources regarding arichas yamim. A fundamental one is the posuk in Mishlei which tells us that יראת ה' תוסיף ימים ושנות רשעים תקצרנה, yiras Hashem adds days to a person. See the beautiful pshat of the holy Vilna Gaon there.
They are exceptional cases, and longevity is not limited to those with their exact background. Rav Shmuel Wosner, a fellow Bnei-Brak gadol, from a Vienna reportedly lived to 101, as did Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg z"l of Yerushalayim, who differed from the above by virtue of living in America for many years (although he was born in and lived in Europe as well). The Chofetz Chaim, a gadol of an earlier era, when modern medicine and health science was far less advanced, lived well into his 90's. There are non-celebrities of extreme age living quietly in nursing homes, with family, and elsewhere. There are cases of people of other faiths living extremely long as well. However, some, many, or most of them, seem to be relatively sheltered, and not too active. Whereas the gedolim above continued, B"H, to be active in their leadership roles (with vital assistance of course) to their last days, more or less.
In general, there are more people today living longer, b"H. I recall reading or hearing some time ago that more people are over one hundred years of age now than ever before in human history.
Takeaway - Those interested in longevity might contemplate living a lifestyle akin to their's. One needn't run daily for miles.
A freilichen and lichtigen Chanukah.
Rav Shach did smoke for many years - he stopped only several (four or less) decades before he passed away.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that R' Shach smoked. In any case there are just as many Gedolim who didn't live that long, off the top of my head:
ReplyDeleteR' Chaim Soloveitchik died at the age of 65
Brisker Rav died at the age of 73
Chazon Ish died at the age of 74