Been thinking about death lately more than usual. Not in a morbid suicidal ideation way, but rather from a more just obversational one. Partly I guess due to personal life and my age, but also been learning various subjects that touch on the idea (as I'll mention below).
It occurred to me that if sleep is אחד מששים of death, and it seems difficult to go to sleep while hungry, then it's difficult to die "on an empty stomach". Hence זקן ושבע ימים (Bereishit 25:8. Iyov 42:17)
That being an interesting thing to ponder unto itself. It seems a bit counterintuitive really! Just when a person has ingested food or energy source - exactly then is when they keel over and shut down. (Of course there's a physiological explanation but I'm referring beyond that). You would think that they'd be "revving up", ready to fight and struggle to stay awake and alive. And yet empirically and experientially we know how completely natural it feels. How good it feels. To just close your eyes on a big stomach and have the lights go out.
And that's where I feel the beauty of Korbanot comes in. The beauty of one being מוסר נפשו למיתה every day after the עמידה comes in (as discussed in the Zohar and כתבי אריז"ל). When you feel fully complete and satisfied - what more than to close your eyes and allow oneself to be subsumed by something that is "bigger" than themselves. After having finally "Come" and arrived - to then just "Be".
And I think then how שֶבע and שָבֵעַ are related. The Sefirah of Malchut being אילנא דמותא (if I understand correctly what I've read). Seven then being both a sense of completion but also a sense of "finished and done" - as in "done for". שיתא אלפי שתא עלמא וחד חרוב.
I guess for all that I'm trying to write and say... what i'm trying to say is that it's only hard to die on an empty stomach. But for someone who is fortunate enough to feel a sense of accomplishment, attainment, or "satiation" in his life - passing on to something beyond may just be as natural as a good nap on a full belly.
ושבע ילין בל יפקד רע
