Why Do We Say "L'Vriyut" to Someone Who Sneezes?

Greetings, The basis of the matter is derived from what is written in Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer (Chapter 32): From the time the world was created, there was no illness among people. Yet whenever a person, whether on the road or in the marketplace, sneezed, their soul would depart from their nostrils and they would die. Then came our forefather Yaakov, who sought mercy concerning this matter. He said before Hashem, Master of the World: Please do not take my soul from me until I instruct my children and household. And his plea was accepted, as it is stated, "And it happened after these things, he said to Yosef, Behold, your father is ill." All the kings of the earth heard and were amazed, for there had been nothing like it since the creation of heaven and earth. Therefore, a person is obligated to say to his fellow upon their sneezing, 'life,' for the world was turned from death to light. This is also noted in the Mishnah Berurah (end of Siman 171), which states that if someone sneezes and their friend says to them 'asuta' (meaning health or healing), they should reply, 'Blessed shall you be,' and thereafter say, 'I hope for your salvation.' Our sages of blessed memory taught that originally, man was never ill; rather, a person would walk in the marketplace, sneeze, and die until our forefather Yaakov requested mercy on this matter. The term 'asuta' means healing. Today, it is customary in Hebrew to say 'l'vriyut' in this context. With blessings, Hillel Meirs