Continuing on yesterday’s theme, R’ Elimelech Biderman explains based on the Sfas Emes that when one is ready to make sacrifices and guard his eyes to keep the Torah, he is living with mesirus nefesh. The sefarim describe the great purity and perfection that one attains when he sacrifices his life for Hashem’s honor, and dies al kiddush Hashem. However, an even higher level, says the Sfas Emes, is when one lives his life with mesirus nefesh and lives al kiddush Hashem.