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I’ve been thinking about Moshe up on Mt. Nebo and a question came to mind. If Death has been decreed, how does one continue to choose Life? Surely if one wishes to be obedient to G-d then one must in sense choose Death (or choose to die). Is there a nuance in the Hebrew words for Life and Death in Devarim 30:19 where we're told to choose life, or in the language used to describe the death of the righteous ones in Tanakh, that I am not getting?

msh210
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Tom W
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    I think this is a metaphor. that fulling the commands is like having eternal "life" while rejecting them is as if you chose to be separated from G-d, life has no meaning, everything is dead. – Jonathan Apr 16 '20 at 21:32

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Welcome to the site Tom, thank you for sharing your insightful question!

"Life" and "Death" are more than just physical terms - they are spiritual realities. Essentially, the Almighty urges us to "choose life" which the commentators explain refers to following His Torah and mitzvos to attain eternal life. (See Seforno Devarim 30:19 among many others) If Moshe were to choose 'physical life' against the Will of G-d, then that would not be following along the path of choosing eternal life. (Obviously, the case of an individual knowing when the Almighty wants someone to continue living a physical existence is beyond the realm of essentially everyone but a prophet, as we are also exhorted to live in this world as well - barring transgressing certain negative commandments like idolatry or murder)

NJM
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The only example you give of someone choosing death was someone who did so when instructed to by God. That's allowed: see "Did HaShem ever command a Navi (Prophet) to break a law?".

msh210
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