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In chabad circles we often hear the blessing. may you live until 180 years old.
What is the source of this

Related Why do we say "You should live till 120"?

hazoriz
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  • This is interesting because I believe the Torah places a 120 year old cap on the human lifespan. I myself have not heard this blessing within the Chabad community, though it sounds like a great blessing to receive – Alexander Oct 04 '22 at 11:36
  • Maybe because Yitzchak lived for 180 years? – Shmuel Oct 04 '22 at 11:40
  • @Alexander I think that’s a common misconception. I don’t believe there is any cap placed on years. There a number of rabbis mentioned in the Gemara that lived beyond 120. The reason we bless with 120 is because that is how long Moshe lived, so it is assumed to be a ripe old age. – ASL Oct 04 '22 at 12:34
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    I've associated with many Lubavitchers over the years and never heard this. Care to corroborate your claim? – robev Oct 04 '22 at 13:04
  • @Alexander It's a misinterpretation of Gen. 6:3 ("Man's years shall be 120 years"). God was speaking of 120 years until the Flood. This was not meant to be a rule of how long a human could live. – ezra Oct 04 '22 at 15:40
  • I have never heard this in my time, only "ad mei'ah v'esrim". Perhaps it is linked with the life of Yitzchok Avinu, who lived to be 180 years old? The usual minhag is to wish until 120 years correlating to the life of Moshe Rabbeinu. – ezra Oct 04 '22 at 15:44
  • Ad mei'ah ve'esrim comes from the belief that Moshe had the perfect lifespan. Dying on his birthday is part of it. The medrash has Rabbi Aqiva's lifespan similarly -- 120 years, with his execution on his birthday. – Micha Berger Oct 04 '22 at 16:19
  • Any stove for this. I’m chabad and Heber never heard this. – mroll Oct 04 '22 at 16:54
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    I am from Chabad and I have heard of this. Yes it is basically linked with the life of Yitzchak Avinu (and the other Avos) as was mentioned by Shmuel and Ezra in the previous comments. Yitzchak lived to 180, Avraham lived until 175 but he "lost" 5 years so he shouldn't need to see Esav, his grandson, become evil. Yaakov lived until 147, but he was reduced from 180 to 147 due to his conversation with Pharoah. So all the Avos were destined to live to 180 as a type of blessing. Besides, since nowadays it is possible to meet elderly people in the 90's + , what do you tell them? Live to 120? LOL – David Kenner Oct 07 '22 at 13:45
  • don't know what your'e talking about. this is the first time I've ever heard this. – Dude Nov 11 '22 at 15:26

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