Is the bracha of longlife really a bracha if one is ill?

Silver Member Joined: Jun 20 2004 Posts: 808

We always bless people to have long life. If the end of one's life one is ill or has altimeters for a many years is that really a bracha. So many old people are not with it or depressed since they are unwell such as those that you will find in a nursing home. Would it be more of a bracha that someone passes away shortly after their health starts declining Ie. mid 70s then live another 10-15 miserable years?

Gold Member Joined: Nov 04 2008 Posts: 2389

I think about this a lot. I definitely don't want to live a long life if it means being ill or not remembering. But many people live healthy lives into their nineties. I think that's what we mean when we give that bracha -- a long life that remains a good, full life till the end.
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Diamond Member Joined: Apr 06 2008 Posts: 2575

I guess for someone who has nothing else in their life it may be all the harder but when someone has what to live for then they may cope better with the pain and suffering and enjoy the good fortune in their lives.
Children, grandchildren. Sometimes people hold on in order to see something happening, like a child or grandchild getting married etc.
If their life is full in other ways it can make it more bearable, I would imagine.

The example you brought however Alzheimer's is a tough one because their memory is affected. I don't know the answer to that other then the answer I'm sure you already know, that Hashem has his reasons.

A yid has a tafkid on this world, to do as many mitzvos as possible. So even if a person is ill but if they live longer they may be able to do just one more mitzvah and then reap the rewards for that. Every second that we are on this world we have oppurtunities....

that's why one should always combine a bracha for long life with a bracha for health in the reverse order.
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Gold Member Joined: Sep 16 2007 Posts: 1889

I heard a story about a man who was in a coma on life-support. His dr. convinced the family that it was in everyone's best interest that he take him off life-support, since he was obviously suffering and there was no chance of him returning to good health, he was just waiting out his days to die.

This man that was niftar in this manner came afterwards to his dr. from olam haemes in a dream and scolded him for what he had done, teleing him that had he remained in this world on life support for just a few more days, he would have suffered enough in this world to be patur from any gehenom.

AS the story goes, the dr. became a ba'al teshuva afterwards. The point is that we don't know from our perspective what's in the person's best interests and a longer life is always a bracha and an opportunity to do more mitzvos in this world. Even a Jew who is just living and breathing is adding kedusha to the world.

Obviously, we all would prefer to live out our days in good health and so bless one another.
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Diamond Member Joined: Mar 12 2009 Posts: 3601

I know this isn't what the OP had in mind; dementia can be torture for the family to go through.
But I can't help but think of the story of Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, who was in frail health. I think he contracted TB when he and his rebbetzin were engaged, and people were urging her to break it off. She went to a gadol (the Chofetz Chaim?) who said, Some people live long, some are healthy.

Diamond Member Joined: Apr 06 2008 Posts: 2575

Sometimes Hashem limits a person's capabilities in one area so that they are forced to focus on their remaining abilities in another area.

There is that story, I can't remember the details of a woman who was paralyzed and depressed thinking what's her life worth. She fought those initial feelings and ended up turning her situation around and formed a support system online for other people going through life altering health issues.