[Avodah] Being Does Not Entitle One to Existence

[Yitzchok Levine]

The following is from RSRH's commentary on Shemos

30: 12 When you take the sum of the Children of 
Israel according to their numbered ones, let each 
one of them give to God an atonement
for his person when they are numbered; then there 
will be no dying among them when they are numbered.

Not by his mere existence, by living for himself, is there meaning
and value to his nefesh, his personality; not by his very existence and
enjoyment of life does he become an integral part of the nation. The
mere fact of his being does not even entitle him to his own existence.
Only he who gives and contributes is counted; only he who gives and
contributes gains the right to his own continuance; only he who contributes
as required of him gains a rightful place among his fellow creatures,
who have been crowned by God with life, and gains a rightful
place in the community of his nation. Only he who makes his contribution
is entitled to be reckoned in the number of the Children of
Israel. The moment he seeks to be counted without making his contribution
and claims the right to live for himself without contributing —
at that moment he forfeits his right to exist. 
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