Leonard Cohen - Who by fire

From the liturgy of the Day of Atonement, there is this prayer. Rosh Hashanah is the New Year in the Jewish liturgy. The Book of Life contents the fate of every sinner. Ten days later, at Yom Kippur, depending on whether the sinner repents or not, his fate is sealed On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed And on Yom Kippur it is sealed How many shall die and how many shall be born Who shall live and who shall die Who at the measure of days and who before Who by fire and who by water Who by the sword and who by wild beasts Who by hunger and who by thirst Who by earthquake and who by plague Who by strangling and who by stoning Who shall have rest and who shall go wandering Who will be tranquil and who shall be harassed Who shall be at ease and who shall be afflicted Who shall become poor and who shall become rich Who shall be brought low and who shall be raised high. The existence of a Book Of life (Book of Living) first appears in Exodus Chap. 32. Moses asking God atonement for his people. Lord said him “Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book“. In Psalm 69 (verse 28)David prays the Lord for the sinners : “..Let them be blotted out of the book of life“.