@ Menachem
“Rashi on Taanis however is simply understood to mean that Yaakov is physically alive”
The way the Rif and Maharsha are explaining Rashi is that Yaacov was not subject to a misas haguf. Meaning, that unlike others who die, Yaacov’s Koach HaNefesh stayed in his body and did not separate from the body (the double lashon is from the Rif) so that there was no need to embalm him to protect him from worms since the Nefesh will protect him just like the Nefesh of the living protects his flesh from getting buggy and their also no need to bury him since the purpose of burial is for the flesh to decompose.
The above proposition is that the conditions of physical death did not apply to Yaacov. Are you understanding that this also means that all conditions of physical life did / do apply? Please clarify.