Over on the Volokh Conspiracy, David Bernstein opines:
One more note on the funeral I attended in Israel: In the area of the cemetery where the mourners congregate before the service, there was a charity box with a sign (in Hebrew) that said something to the effect of “Charity postpones death.” I understand that whoever put this charity box up was just trying to encourage people to give money to help the poor and whatnot. But I couldn’t help but think that the last thing a family whose loved one has just died needs to see is a sign implying that if the deceased had just been more charitable, he or she might still be alive.
Or perhaps they might be thankful that the charity rendered by the deceased in their lifetime will keep them alive in the memories of those who loved them and who were helped by them.
Jewish proverbs and epigrams are often multi-leveled. Woe to those who, through ignorance, choose to take them literally.