And so that you will prolong your days (Dev0rim/Deuteronomy 11:9)

A young boy went with his father to the wooden shul (synagogue). At one point during the service, the boy turned to his father and asked” “When we say Avinu Malkeinu we ask the Holy One, blessed be He to inscribe us in the book of life, the book of redemption and salvation, the book of livelihood, the book of forgiveness and atonement, and the book of merits. Where are those book found and can we read them?”

The father looked at his son and answered: “My son, you ask a very good question, but I am at a loss on how to answer. Why don’t you go the rabbi and ask him your question?”

The boy took a deep breath and went up to the rabbi, who sat on a big chair in front of the synagogue. He stood a little afraid as he faced the rabbi and slowly asked his question. The rabbi looked at the young boy with kind eyes and remarked: “Such a big question from such a little boy, but a very good one.”

The rabbi began to explain:

The “book of life” is familiar to us from the Sages’ teaching that the book of life is opened during the Days of Awe. But where else do we find mention of any of the other books in which we hope to be inscribed?

With this idea, perhaps we can gain a better understanding of the teachings of

the holy rabbis that a person should always study Torah (Scripture) and not skip any part, for whoever completes such study merits that their days and years be lengthened. According to the parallel we noted between the fiveand the five “books,” we can suggest that by completing study of all of the Torah (Scriptures) a person acquires all the benefits that correspond to each of the Chumashim.

On the Talmud’s words, “his days and years are extended,” Ben Yehoyada notes that “days” refers to the quality of a person’s life, while “years” refers to the quantity or length of a person’s life. He uses this concept to explain the verse:

For through me your days will be increased, and they will increase years of life for you (Mishlei/Proverbs 9:11).

Your days will be increased is a promise to enhance a person’s quality of life, while and they will increase years of life for you is a promise to increase the length of a person’s life.

Those who talk during the reading of the Torah place themselves in the category of

And those who forsake Hashem will perish (Yeshayah/Isaiah 1:28).

If they were talking while the books of life, redemption, livelihood, forgiveness and merit were being read, how can they then come and pray to the Holy One, blessed be He to inscribe them in these very books?

May all be remembered and inscribed for a year of life, goodness and blessings