70 Years to Bear Fruit

Our sages teach that “Jacob never died. As long as ‘zaro – his seed’ is alive, he too is alive.” What is the significance of the word “zaro – his seed?” “Zaro” can mean “his children,” but it can also mean “what he has sown.”

Every Jewish leader expresses idea that “Jacob never died” through the seeds that they plant while on earth. Through each of us, their living “descendants,” we demonstrate Torah’s truism: “Jacob never died.”

Indeed, the Talmud states that the longer a seed it takes to develop, the more prized is the fruit. So inasmuch as a person is compared to a tree, his full potential is reached by giving “fruits” every year which are even better than the year before. That’s the ultimate expression of life.