The Torah uses the same expression, נפש חיה, to describe the life force of both Man and animals. However at the creation of animals the physical earth produced the life force as is stated תוצא הארץ נפש חיה. Contrast this to the creation of Man where the life force of Man comes directly from God as is stated in this verse וַיִּיצֶר ה’ אלקים אֶת-הָאָדָם, עָפָר מִן-הָאֲדָמָה, וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו, נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים; וַיְהִי הָאָדָם, לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה
With animals the life force itself is physical by nature. With Man, the body is physical but the life force as well as the soul is spiritual. When a person’s body dies he continues to live because his life force is drawn after his spirit.
For this same reason, a person can remain alive, even when his medical condition indicates that he should not be alive, by shear will power and force of his spirit. Man’s life force is directly intertwined with his spirit. This is what our sages mean by the expression אדם יש לו מזל.
Beraishis 2:7, Page 55
