Judging by the context of this Mishnah and by the Biblical use of the word in the Psalm , lehahayot is not used here loosely as meaning the same as lehatzil, but precisely as meaning"to keep alive,” in the sense of"to sustain or to support.”
This is clearly the way in which the codifiers understood the discussion. They do mention the list of personal priorities, but only in connection with charity. So Maimonides (Yad Hil. Matnat Aniyim VIII. 15-17), the Tur and Shulhan Arukh(Yoreh Deah 251).
*Walter Jacob , American Reform Responsa ed., New York , 1983,#75.
