What Does the Mitzvah of “Safeguarding Our Souls” Truly Mean?

The mitzvah of “v’nishmartem me’od l’nafshoteichem” (safeguarding our souls) is particularly relevant to the current conflict Israel is ravaged with. Truly understanding this mitzvah, its context, and implications is essential in how we choose to live our lives, and how to act when faced with difficult situations. 

“V’nishmartem” is instructed to Bnei Yisrael by Moshe Rabbeinu in the book of Devarim as they stand outside of Eretz Yisrael. He discusses their experience at Har Sinai and dictates, “V’nishmartem me’od l’nafshoteichem…And you should take great care for your souls, for you did not see any likeness on the day Hashem spoke to you at Horeb, from the midst of the fire” (Devarim 4:15).

The context of this mitzvah clearly appears to be one of a spiritual nature, not one of a physical nature. Not once is the body or health mentioned in the series of pessukim (verses) surrounding this statement. How then do we understand this mitzvah and how it applies to our lives? Is it both spiritual and physical in nature?

The chasid’s tefillah felt so real for him. He experienced the feeling of truly standing before Hashem. This prayer was at a different level than our daily prayers. There’s a big difference between – “like” before Hashem, and before Hashem. Therefore, stepping away from this encounter with the Divine to answer a person of flesh and blood would be disrespectful in the highest regard.

The Gemara in Brachot 30:2 explores the idea of guarding one’s soul by bringing a story of a chasid who was standing in tefillah before Hashem. A King, “hegmon,” happened upon him and tried to speak with him. The chasid did not respond. The gemara continues with the chasid finishing his tefillah and the king asks him, “Why didn’t you respond to me? I could have you killed for insubordination?”  The gemara brings our passuk as a basis for this discussion. Should the chasid be allowed to interrupt his tefillah since it’s a clear Torah mitzvah that one must guard his soul? There was a clear danger. Yet, the gemara states, “אפילו המלך שואל בשלומו לא ישיבנו, ואפילו נחש כרוך על עקבו לא יפסיק.” “Even if the king asks after his well being do not respond, and even if a snake on the ground bites his heel he should not stop.” 

The gemara seems to prioritize the spiritual state over the physical one. Rav Shlomo raises concerns regarding how one can truly endanger their physical lives in this case. He answers that the chasid was safeguarding his soul by davening, and so he should not interrupt his tefillah. Safeguarding his spiritual state over his physical one. It does sound like there was a big physical threat of death or a potentially deadly snake bite, so how could this be?

The chasid’s tefillah felt so real for him. He experienced the feeling of truly standing before Hashem. This prayer was at a different level than our daily prayers. There’s a big difference between – “like” before Hashem, and before Hashem. Therefore, stepping away from this encounter with the Divine to answer a person of flesh and blood would be disrespectful in the highest regard. This would prioritize the spiritual over the physical. Sounds contrary to what we instinctively think. Our bodies’ fight or flight response strikes when it is in physical danger. This chasid did not present with that response, which is highly unusual. “V’nishmartem” according to the chasid would indicate that saving one’s spiritual life at the risk of one’s physical life is the goal.

Therefore, the Taz clarifies here that if there is a specific concern of physical danger, then that would be enough to interrupt our tefillah. Meaning, for a regular person who is not at the level of a chasid spiritually then they would be able to interrupt their tefillah for the sake of guarding their lives. Safeguarding our physical lives is a Torah mitzvah, he unequivocally states.

Rabbi Hauer agrees that our physical safety is paramount. He understands from Chazal that we are not allowed to take our own lives. The flip side of this would mean that not only may you not take your own life, but you must protect it. He brings the Rambam as proof. He takes this further and explains that it is a positive mitzvah to stay away from danger and protect our lives, physical lives. He iterates the practical applications of building fences by roofs and pits. He even qualifies his statements by saying those that put themselves knowingly into danger should be punished by makkat mardut, the death penalty. 

The challenge that arises is where this dictate came from originally. The simple context from which these stem is spiritual. Yet, it is also used in the prohibitions of cursing oneself for the sake of destroying oneself – physically. Rav Elyashiv teaches that when present danger precludes death, then it must be avoided at all costs.

The Sefer Hachinuch agrees and discusses the practical importance of maintaining the safety of having a fence around your roof, even though Hashem’s Divine Providence is always present in your life. You need to practice physical safety. Further Rav Yosef Caro of the Shulchan Aruch codifies “V’chai bahem” “you must live by them,” as a mandate. You MUST preserve your life over everything else – including other mitzvot. Even if it means the small act of building a fence. The Rabbanim apply this halacha often during times of illness, wartime, and even fasting.

Yet, the Mishnah brought down in the original gemara seems to be deliberately ambiguous. The goal, we can understand from here, is to find the balance between safeguarding your spiritual soul and your physical life. A spiritual goal in a physical world.

Even more so we are taught, “V’chai bahem.” Live through them. Not die by them. Doing mitzvot is connected to living, and are not able to be done after death. Fulfilling the mitzvot for the sake of the spiritual goal will also enliven our souls. It will redefine our essence, Rabbi Hauer explains. “Ki heim chayenu v’orech yameinu.” “They are our lives and the length of our days.” Living and taking care of our physical safety is ultimately taking care of our spiritual safety.

The Vilna Gaon expounds that Bnei Yisrael after their heightened spiritual experience, stepped back into being creatures of this world. They had to return to their regular physical lives, and took with them “v’nishmartem” in regards to their physical lives. It brought the spiritual experience into the daily physical nature of life.

Preserving the physical for the sake of the spiritual, Rabbi Hauer clarifies. That’s our pursuit.