Moed Katan 28a — the Talmud in English

But the rest of the women are left

since there is no concern for a blemish upon their honor.

Rabbi Elazar said: Even the rest of the women

are not left with their biers in the street for eulogizing them.

As it is written “

And Miriam died there and was buried there,”

and we derive that concerning women there must be

burial close to death.

And

further

Rabbi Elazar said: Miriam too died by a kiss

like Moses and Aaron, and the source for this

comes

by a gezera shava

“there”

“there”

from Moses,

as it is written concerning his death, “by the word of the Lord”; this is death by a kiss.

And we explain:

And why was it not said concerning her,

as concerning Moses,

“by the word of the Lord”?

by the word of the Lord”?

Because it is disgraceful to say such a thing

concerning a woman.

Rabbi Ami said: Why was

the section of

Miriam’s death juxtaposed to the section of the red heifer?

To tell you: Just as the red heifer atones, so too the death of the righteous atones

for that generation. [And the Etz Yosef explained that both atone for the reason, “Let the mother come and cleanse the filth of her son”; this is the similarity between them.]

Rabbi Elazar said: Why was Aaron’s death juxtaposed to the priestly garments,

as it is written in it, “Remove Aaron’s garments, and Aaron shall be gathered”?

To tell you: Just as the priestly garments atone

as explained in Zevachim [88b], that each garment atones for a particular sin of the community and the individual,

so too the death of the righteous atones.

The Sages taught: If one dies suddenly,

without illness beforehand,

this is

what is called

“a sudden death.”

If he became ill

only

for one day and died, this is

“an abrupt death.”

Rabbi Hanania ben Gamliel says: This a one-day illness, and he died,

an illness of one day followed by death, ]

is death by plague.

As it is stated

in Ezekiel: “

Son of man, behold, I am taking from you the delight of your eyes by plague,”

and it is written “

And I spoke

to the people in the morning

the words of prophecy,

and my wife died in the evening.”

We see that an illness of one day followed by death is called a plague.

If he became ill

for two days and died, this is a deferred death.

If he became ill

for three

days and died, this is the death of

rebuke.

If he became ill

for four

days and died, this is the death of

reprimand.

If he became ill

for five

days and died,

this is the death of every person.

Rav Hanin said: What is the verse?

What is the source in Scripture that if he became ill for five days and died, this is the death of every person?

It is written concerning Moses our teacher: “

Behold, your days draw near to die.”

And we derive:

“Behold” —

one.

“Draw near” —

a plural expression —

two.

And likewise

“your days” —

two.

Thus, five

days.

And we explain that they derive

“behold” —

one, for thus in the Greek language they call one

“hen.”

If he died at

the age of

fifty years, this is death by karet.

If he died at the age of

fifty-two years, this is the death of Samuel of Ramah,

who died at the age of fifty-two.

If he died at the age of

sixty, this is death by

the hands of Heaven.

Mar Zutra said: What is the verse

that at the age of sixty it is death by the hands of Heaven?

As it is written: “

You shall come to the grave in full vigor.” “

In full vigor”

has the numerical value of sixty.

The age of

seventy

is considered

old age.

And the age of

eighty

is considered

strength.

As it is written: “

The days of our years in them are seventy years; and if with strength —

eighty years.”

Rabba said: If he died

at

the age of

the age of

fifty

years,

and

above

up to sixty years, this is death by karet.

And this is why they did not count them

in the beraita, and stated it as death by karet at fifty years,

for the honor of Samuel of Ramah,

who died at fifty-two years, so that people would not say that he became liable for karet.

When Rav Yosef was sixty years old, he made a festival for the Sages.

He said: I have escaped karet.

Abaye said to him,

But is it certain that you have escaped karet? For

although the master has escaped karet of years,

since he did not die before the age of sixty, nevertheless you still have reason for concern, because

from karet of days,

which is sudden death —

has the master escaped!?

And if so, why are you making a festival for the Sages?

He said to him: At least take half in your hand!

Hold half of the punishment of karet in your hand!

That is, concerning the type of karet of years, which is half of the types of the punishment of karet, it has become clear that I have escaped from it.

Rav Huna’s soul came to rest suddenly.

The Sages were distressed,

concerned,

the Sages.

A certain scholar from Mehadyev taught them —

the name of a sage, from the place “Mehadyev” —

they taught only

that when one dies suddenly, his death is called “a sudden death,”

but

when he

has not reached the age of strength.

But if he has reached the age of strength —

this is death by a kiss,

since he died without illness.

Rava said: Children, life, and sustenance —

the matter does not depend on merit, but the matter depends on fortune.

For Rabba and Rav Hisda were both righteous Sages,

for

the master prayed

for rain

and rain came,

and

the master prayed and rain came. Nevertheless, concerning children, life, and sustenance, there was a great difference between them.

For

Rav Hisda lived ninety-two years,

whereas

Rabba lived

only

forty

years.

And likewise concerning children:

in the

house of

Rav Hisda

there were

sixty wedding celebrations,

joys for his sons, whereas

in the house of Rabba

there were

sixty bereavements, cases of childlessness.

And likewise concerning sustenance:

in the

house of

Rav Hisda

there was

in abundance

fine flour

semolina

for the dogs, and it was not sought,

for they did not need to search and request it, since there was much of it; whereas

in the house of Rabba

they searched for

barley bread for people, and it was not found.

And Rava said: These three things I requested from Heaven; two they gave me, one they did not give me:

I requested

the wisdom of Rav Huna and his wealth

his riches

of Rav Hisda, and they gave them to me.

But I also requested

the humility of Rabba bar Rav Huna,

and this

they did not give me.

Rav Bar Sheora, Rava’s brother, was sitting before Rava,

before Rava’s bed when he was ill.

He saw that Rava was

Rava

dozing,

in the throes of death.

He said to him:

Rava said to Rav Bar Sheora:

Let the master say

to the Angel of Death

not to cause him pain,

excessively during the departure of the soul.

He said to him:

His brother said: Is it so that

the master,

you, Rava,

is not his companion

a close friend of the Angel of Death

!? [Since they were accustomed to being together], and you can say it to him yourself!

Since they were accustomed to one another, you can tell him yourself!

He said to him:

Rava said to his brother:

Since fortune has been handed over,

my fortune has deteriorated and I am inclined to die,

he does not heed me,

and therefore I ask you to tell him not to cause me pain.

He said to him,

Rav Bar Sheora said to his brother Rava and asked him:

Let the master appear to me

after death in a dream, to tell me whether the Angel of Death caused him pain.

He appeared to him.

He said to him,

Rav Bar Sheora asked him whether

the master had pain

at death.

He said to him,

that there was pain in the departure of the soul from the body

like the incision of a cupping,

like the puncture that an artisan makes in the flesh to let blood.

Rava was sitting before Rav Nahman; he saw that he was dozing,

in the throes of death.

He said to him:

Rav Nahman said to Rava:

Let the master say

to the Angel of Death

not to cause him pain.

He said to him,

Is it so that

the master is not an important person,

and why do you not say it yourself to the Angel of Death!?

He said to him:

Since a person has been delivered into his hand,

who is important

in his eyes,

who is worthy,

who is fit to fear him and obey him,

and who is prepared,

who is prepared and must obey him?

He said to him

Rava said to Rav Nahman:

Let the master appear to me

after death.

He appeared to him.

He said to him:

Did

the master have pain

at the time of death?

He said to him: Like pulling a hair from milk,

like pulling a strand of hair from milk [and in Berakhot 8a they said that this is death by a kiss].

And

although I had no pain of death,

if the Holy One, blessed be He, were to say to me, “Go”

back

to that world as you were —

I would not want it,

because

its terror is great,

for the dread of the Angel of Death is great.

Rabbi Elazar was eating teruma.

He appeared to him

the Angel of Death, who had come to take him.

He said to him: I am eating teruma, and

is it

not

called “holy”

called,

and I am like one occupied with the mitzva of eating sacred food, and you have no authority to interrupt me from a mitzva.

The hour passed for him

and he did not die at that time.

Rav Sheshet—the Angel of Death appeared to him

in the marketplace

in the marketplace.

He said to him:

Am I to die

in the marketplace like an animal? Come,

come

to the house,

and there kill me [and in Ein Yaakov it concludes: He entered the house, and he was able to overcome him].

Rav Ashi—the Angel of Death appeared to him in the marketplace.

He said to him: Wait

wait

for me thirty days, and I will review my learning,

because

you say: Fortunate is one who comes here

to the world of truth

with his learning in his hand.

On the thirtieth day he came.

He said to him

Rav Ashi

What is all this

that you are not waiting until the full thirty days have passed?

He said to him:

The foot of Bar Natan is pressing,

for his time has come to become the leader after you,

and one sovereignty does not touch another even by a hairsbreadth.

Rav Hisda—the Angel of Death was unable to overcome him,

the Angel of Death was unable to take his soul, because

his mouth did not cease from his learning.

He ascended,

the Angel of Death went up,

sat upon the cedar,

on the ceiling beam

of the house of Rav; the cedar split, and he became silent,

Rav Hisda,

and

then

he was able to overcome him.

Rabbi Hiyya—the Angel of Death was unable

the Angel of Death

to approach him. One day he appeared to him as a poor man and came knocking at the door,

he knocked on the door of Rabbi Hiyya’s house,

he said to him

the Satan, who had appeared to Rabbi Hiyya as a poor man:

Bring me bread

to eat.

They brought it to him.

He said to him: Does the master not have compassion on the poor,

and if so,

upon that man,

upon me, that I cannot fulfill my task,

why does the master not have compassion? He revealed to him

that he was the Angel of Death

and showed him a fiery rod

and showed him that he was indeed the Angel of Death.

Rabbi Hiyya strengthened

Rabbi Hiyya

himself,

and the Angel of Death took his soul.