Aaggadah Theme: Death and the Afterlife
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Shareכִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּאַחֵר, אָמְרִי: לָא מֵידָן לִידַיְּינֵיהּ, וְלָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי לֵיתֵי. לָא מֵידָן לִידַיְּינֵיהּ — מִשּׁוּם דַּעֲסַק בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא, וְלָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי לֵיתֵי — מִשּׁוּם דַּחֲטָא. אֲמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר: מוּטָב דְּלִידַיְּינֵיהּ וְלֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. מָתַי אָמוּת, וְאַעֲלֶה עָשָׁן מִקִּבְרוֹ. כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר סְלֵיק קוּטְרָא מִקִּבְרֵיהּ דְּאַחֵר.
The Gemara relates: When Aḥer passed away, the Heavenly Court declared that he should not be judged, nor brought into the World-to-Come. He should not be judged in a manner befitting his deeds, because he occupied himself with Torah, whose merit protects him. And he should not be brought into the World-to-Come because he sinned. Rabbi Meir said: It is better that he be judged properly and be brought into the World-to-Come. When I die I will request this of Heaven, and I will cause smoke to rise up from his grave, as a sign that he is being sentenced in Gehenna. The Gemara relates: When Rabbi Meir passed away, smoke rose up from the grave of Aḥer, implying that Rabbi Meir’s wish was granted.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גְּבוּרְתָּא לְמִיקְלֵי רַבֵּיהּ? חַד הֲוָה בֵּינַנָא וְלָא מָצֵינַן לְאַצּוֹלֵיהּ? אִינְקְטֵיהּ בְּיָד, מַאן מַרְמֵי לֵיהּ מִן. אָמַר: מָתַי אָמוּת, וַאֲכַבֶּה עָשָׁן מִקִּבְרוֹ. כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן פְּסַק קוּטְרָא מִקִּבְרֵיהּ דְּאַחֵר. פְּתַח עֲלֵיהּ הַהוּא סַפְדָנָא: אֲפִילּוּ שׁוֹמֵר הַפֶּתַח לֹא עָמַד לְפָנֶיךָ, רַבֵּינוּ!
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Was this a mighty deed on Rabbi Meir’s part, to burn his teacher? Was this the only remedy available? Can it be that there was one Sage among us who left the path and we cannot save him? If we hold him by the hand, who will remove him from our protection; who? Rabbi Yoḥanan continued and said: When I die I will have the smoke extinguished from his grave, as a sign that he has been released from the sentence of Gehenna and brought to the World-to-Come. Indeed, when Rabbi Yoḥanan passed away, the smoke ceased to rise up from the grave of Aḥer. A certain eulogizer began his eulogy of Rabbi Yoḥanan with the following: Even the guard at the entrance could not stand before you, our rabbi. The guard at the entrance to Gehenna could not prevent Rabbi Yoḥanan from arranging the release of Aḥer.
וְאָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי: תְּלָת מְאָה בַּעְיֵי בְּעוֹ דּוֹאֵג וַאֲחִיתוֹפֶל בְּמִגְדָּל הַפּוֹרֵחַ בָּאֲוִיר. וּתְנַן: שְׁלֹשָׁה מְלָכִים וְאַרְבָּעָה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת אֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אֲנַן מָה תִּהְוֵי עֲלַן? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שִׁינָּנָא! טִינָא הָיְתָה בְּלִבָּם.
And Rabbi Ami said: Doeg asked Ahithophel three hundred questions with regard to a closet floating in the air, as they were both great Torah scholars. And we learned in a mishna (Sanhedrin 90a): Three kings and four commoners have no portion in the World-to-Come, a list that includes Doeg and Ahithophel. If such great Sages could sin and forfeit their share in the World-to-Come, we, who are less knowledgeable than they, what will be of us? He said to him: Long-toothed one, there was mud [tina] in their hearts, i.e., they had certain flaws that prevented their Torah learning from protecting them.
כִּי הֲוָה שָׁכֵיב, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת: זִיל, עֲבֵיד לֵיהּ רְעוּתֵיהּ. אֲזַל אִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַחְוִי לִי דּוּכְתַּאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְחַיֵּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי סַכִּינָךְ, דִּלְמָא מְבַעֲתַתְּ לִי בְּאוֹרְחָא. יַהֲבַהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ. כִּי מְטָא לְהָתָם דַּלְיַיהּ, קָא מַחְוֵי לֵיהּ. שְׁוַור נְפַל לְהָהוּא גִּיסָא.
When Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was on the verge of dying, they said to the Angel of Death: Go and perform his bidding, as he is a righteous man and deserves to die in the manner he sees fit. The Angel of Death went and appeared to him. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: Show me my place in paradise. He said to him: Very well. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: Give me your knife that you use to kill mortals, lest you frighten me on the way. He gave it to him. When he arrived there, in paradise, he lifted Rabbi Yehoshua so he could see his place, and he showed it to him. Rabbi Yehoshua jumped and fell into that other side, thereby escaping into paradise.
נַקְטֵיהּ בְּקַרְנָא דִגְלִימֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בִּשְׁבוּעֲתָא דְּלָא אָתֵינָא. אֲמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: אִי אִיתְּשִׁיל אַשְּׁבוּעֲתָא — נֶיהְדַּר. אִי לָא — לָא נֶיהְדַּר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי סַכִּינַאי. לָא הֲוָה קָא יָהֵיב לֵיהּ. נְפַקָא בַּת קָלָא וַאֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: הַב נִיהֲלֵיהּ, דְּמִיתַּבְעָא לְבִרְיָיתָא. מַכְרִיז אֵלִיָּהוּ קַמֵּיהּ: פַּנּוּ מָקוֹם לְבַר לֵיוַאי! פַּנּוּ מָקוֹם לְבַר לֵיוַאי!
The Angel of Death grabbed him by the corner of his cloak. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: I swear that I will not come with you. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If he ever in his life requested dissolution concerning an oath he had taken, he must return to this world with the Angel of Death, as he can have his oath dissolved this time also. If he did not ever request dissolution of an oath, he need not return. Since Rabbi Yehoshua had in fact never requested dissolution of an oath, he was allowed to stay in paradise. The Angel of Death said to him: At least give me my knife back. However, he did not give it to him, as he did not want any more people to die. A Divine Voice emerged and said to him: Give it to him, as it is necessary to kill the created beings; death is the way of the world. Elijah the Prophet announced before him: Make way for the son of Levi, make way for the son of Levi.
R. Joshua b. Levi wishes to spare death from all of humanity, in essence to reverse the curse of Adam. But God corrects him—death is necessary for humanity. While R. Joshua b. Levi is allowed into heaven alive, this ending is not possible or even beneficial for any other human being.
אֲזַל, אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב עַל תְּלָת עֲשַׂר תַּכְטָקֵי פִּיזָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ הוּא בַּר לֵיוַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הֵן. נִרְאֲתָה קֶשֶׁת בְּיָמֶיךָ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הֵן. אִם כֵּן, אִי אַתָּה בַּר לֵיוַאי. וְלָא הִיא, דְּלָא הֲוַאי מִידֵּי. אֶלָּא סָבַר: לָא אַחְזֵיק טֵיבוּתָא לְנַפְשַׁאי.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi went and found in paradise Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai sitting on thirteen golden stools [takhtekei]. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said to him: Are you the son of Levi? He said to him: Yes. Rabbi Shimon said to him: Was a rainbow ever seen in your days? He said: Yes. Rabbi Shimon retorted: If so, you are not the son of Levi, as he is a completely righteous man. During the lifetimes of completely righteous people no rainbows are visible, as they are a sign that the world deserves to be destroyed by a flood; whereas the merit of the righteous protects the world from such things. The Gemara comments: And that is not so, for there was no rainbow seen at all during the lifetime of Rabbi Yehoshua, but he thought: I do not want to take credit for myself by presenting myself as such a righteous person.
רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא שׁוֹשְׁבִינֵיהּ הֲוָה. כִּי הֲוָה קָא נָיְחָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת: זִיל עָבֵיד לֵיהּ רְעוּתֵיהּ. אֲזַל לְגַבֵּיהּ וְאִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שִׁבְקַי תְּלָתִין יוֹם עַד דְּנַהְדַּר תַּלְמוּדַאי. דְּאָמְרִי: אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁבָּא לְכָאן וְתַלְמוּדוֹ בְּיָדוֹ. שַׁבְקֵיהּ, לְבָתַר תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין אֲזַל אִיתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַחְוִי לִי דּוּכְתַּאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְחַיֵּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי סַכִּינָךְ דִּלְמָא מְבַעֲתַתְּ לִי בְּאוֹרְחָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּחַבְרָךְ בָּעֵית לְמִיעְבַּד לִי?
The Gemara relates a similar incident: Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa was a friend of the Angel of Death and would see him frequently. When Rabbi Ḥanina was on the verge of dying, they said to the Angel of Death: Go and perform his bidding. He went before him and appeared to him. He said to the angel: Leave me for thirty days until I have reviewed my studies, for they say: Happy is he who comes here, to paradise, with his learning in his hand. He left him, and after thirty days he again went and appeared to him. He said to the Angel of Death: Show me my place in paradise. He said to him: Very well. Rabbi Ḥanina said to him: Give me your knife, lest you frighten me on the way. The Angel of Death said to him: Do you wish to do to me as your friend Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi did, and escape?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַיְיתִי סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה וַחֲזִי מִי אִיכָּא מִידֵּי דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ דְּלָא קַיֵּימְתֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִי אִיכָּרַכְתְּ בְּבַעֲלֵי רָאתָן וְאִיעֲסֵקְתְּ בַּתּוֹרָה? וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, כִּי נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ אַפְסֵיק לֵיהּ עַמּוּדָא דְנוּרָא בֵּין דִּידֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא. וּגְמִירִי דְּלָא מַפְסֵיק עַמּוּדָא דְנוּרָא אֶלָּא לְחַד בְּדָרָא אוֹ לִתְרֵין בְּדָרָא.
He said to him: Bring a Torah scroll and see: Is there anything written in it that I have not fulfilled? I am therefore worthy of entering Paradise alive, as did Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. He said to him: But did you attach yourself to those afflicted with ra’atan and study Torah, as he did? The Gemara comments: And even so, despite the fact that he was not equal to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, when he passed away a pillar of fire separated him from everyone. And it is learned as a tradition that a pillar of fire separates in this manner only for one in a generation or for two in a generation.
קְרַב לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי, אָמַר: ״עֲשֵׂה בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד חֲכָמִים״. לָא אַשְׁגַּח. ״עֲשֵׂה בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד אָבִיךָ״. לָא אַשְׁגַּח. ״עֲשֵׂה בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד עַצְמְךָ״, אִיסְתַּלַּק. אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: לְאַפּוֹקֵי מִמַּאן דְּלָא קַיֵּים (אֲפִילּוּ אוֹת אַחַת). אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אַדָּא בַּר מַתְנָא: לְאַפּוֹקֵי מִמָּר דְּלָא אִית לֵיהּ מַעֲקֶה לְאִיגָּרֵיהּ. וְלָא הִיא: מִיהְוָה הֲוָה, וְהָהִיא שַׁעְתָּא הוּא דְּשַׁדְיֵיהּ זִיקָא.
Due to the pillar of fire they could not go near Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa to attend to his burial. Rabbi Alexandri approached him and said: Make the pillar of fire disappear in honor of the Sages. He did not pay attention to him. He said: Make it go away in honor of your father. Again he did not pay attention to him. Finally he said: Make it go away in your own honor, at which point the pillar disappeared. Abaye said: The purpose of the pillar of fire is to exclude him from the company of those who have not fulfilled even one letter of the Torah. Rav Adda bar Mattana said to him: It comes to exclude him from the Master himself, who does not have a guardrail for his roof. Rav Adda bar Mattana took this opportunity to rebuke Abaye. The Gemara comments: And that is not so as he in fact did have a guardrail, but the wind had just blown it off at that time.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן, בִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי, אָמַר: לְבָנַי אֲנִי צָרִיךְ. נִכְנְסוּ בָּנָיו אֶצְלוֹ. אָמַר לָהֶם: הִזָּהֲרוּ בִּכְבוֹד אִמְּכֶם. נֵר יְהֵא דָּלוּק בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, שׁוּלְחָן יְהֵא עָרוּךְ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, מִטָּה תְּהֵא מוּצַּעַת בִּמְקוֹמָהּ. יוֹסֵף חׇפְנִי שִׁמְעוֹן אֶפְרָתִי הֵם שִׁמְּשׁוּנִי בְּחַיַּי, וְהֵם יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנִי בְּמוֹתִי.
§ The Sages taught: At the time of the passing of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, he said: I need my sons. His sons entered his room. He said to them as a last will and testament: Be careful with the honor of your mother. He said further: My lamp should be lit in its usual place, my table should be set in its usual place, and the bed should be arranged in its usual place. Yosef Ḥeifani and Shimon Efrati; they served me during my lifetime and they will serve me in my death.
״נֵר יְהֵא דָּלוּק בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, שׁוּלְחָן יְהֵא עָרוּךְ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, מִטָּה תְּהֵא מוּצַּעַת בִּמְקוֹמָהּ״, מַאי טַעְמָא? כֹּל בֵּי שִׁמְשֵׁי הֲוָה אָתֵי לְבֵיתֵיהּ.
Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi commanded his sons: My lamp should be lit in its usual place, my table should be set in its usual place, and the bed should be arranged in its usual place. The Gemara asks: What is the reason he made these requests? The Gemara explains: Every Shabbat eve, even after his passing, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi would come to his house as he had done during his lifetime, and he therefore wished for everything to be set up as usual.
הַהוּא בֵּי שִׁמְשָׁא אֲתַאי שִׁבָבְתָּא, קָא קָרְיָה אַבָּבָא, אֲמַרָה אַמְּתֵיהּ: שְׁתִיקוּ, דְּרַבִּי יָתֵיב. כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁמַע, שׁוּב לָא אֲתָא, שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹצִיא לַעַז עַל צַדִּיקִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים.
The Gemara relates the following incident: It happened on a certain Shabbat eve that a neighbor came by and called and knocked at the door. His maidservant said to her: Be quiet, for Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is sitting. When he heard his maidservant reveal his presence to the neighbor, he did not come again, so as not to cast aspersions on earlier righteous individuals who did not appear to their families following their death.
״יוֹסֵף חׇפְנִי שִׁמְעוֹן אֶפְרָתִי, הֵם שִׁמְּשׁוּנִי בְּחַיַּי וְהֵם יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנִי בְּמוֹתִי״. סְבוּר מִינָּה בְּהָדֵין עָלְמָא הוּא דְּקָאָמַר, כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזוֹ דְּקָדֵים עַרְסַיְיהוּ לְעַרְסֵיהּ, אָמְרִי: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ לְהָהוּא עָלְמָא הוּא דְּקָאָמַר.
The Gemara elaborates on Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s statement: Yosef Ḥeifani and Shimon Efrati, they served me during my lifetime and they will serve me in my death. It was understood from this statement that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was speaking of this world, that these two should serve him in his death and administer his burial. However, when they saw that their biers preceded his bier, i.e., they died before him, they said: Conclude from here that he was speaking of that world. They will attend to him in the World-to-Come.
וְהַאי דַּאֲמַר הָכִי — דְּלָא לֵימְרוּ: מִילְּתָא הֲוַאי לְהוּ וְעַד הָאִידָּנָא נָמֵי זְכוּתוֹ דְּרַבִּי הוּא דְּאַהַנְיָא לְהוּ.
And the reason he said this was so that people should not say: There was something wrong with them, and until now, too, it was the merit of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi that benefited them and prevented them from dying due to their sins. Now that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is dying, his merit no longer protects them. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi therefore clarified that the reason for their deaths was in order to enable them to escort him in death as in life.
הָהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאַשְׁכָּבְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי נְפַקָא בַּת קָלָא וַאֲמַרָה: כֹּל דַּהֲוָה בְּאַשְׁכָּבְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי, מְזוּמָּן הוּא לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הָהוּא כּוֹבֵס כֹּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה אָתֵי קַמֵּיהּ, הָהוּא יוֹמָא לָא אֲתָא. כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁמַע הָכִי, סְלֵיק לְאִיגָּרָא וּנְפַל לְאַרְעָא וּמִית. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: אַף הַהוּא כּוֹבֵס מְזוּמָּן הוּא לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
The Gemara relates that on the day of the funeral of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, a Divine Voice emerged and said: Whoever was present at the funeral of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is destined for life in the World-to-Come. There was a certain launderer who would come before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi every day. On that particular day, he did not come and was therefore not present at the funeral. When he heard this, that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had died, he was so full of grief that he ascended to the roof and fell to the ground and died. A Divine Voice emerged and said: That launderer too is destined for life in the World-to-Come.
עוּלָּא הֲוָה רְגִיל דַּהֲוָה סָלֵיק לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ. אֲתוֹ אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. אָמַר: אַנְתְּ עוּלָּא, ״עַל אֲדָמָה טְמֵאָה תָּמוּת״. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֲרוֹנוֹ בָּא. אָמַר לָהֶם: אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה קוֹלַטְתּוֹ מֵחַיִּים לְקוֹלַטְתּוֹ לְאַחַר מִיתָה.
§ The Gemara relates: Ulla was accustomed to ascend to Eretz Yisrael from time to time. However, he died outside of Eretz Yisrael. They came and said to Rabbi Elazar that Ulla had passed away. He said: Woe for you Ulla, as through you a verse was fulfilled: “You shall die in an unclean land” (Amos 7:17). They said to him: But his coffin is coming for burial in Eretz Yisrael. He said to them: Even so, one who was absorbed by the soil of Eretz Yisrael while he was yet alive is not similar to one who was absorbed only after death.
אוּנְקְלוֹס בַּר קְלוֹנִיקוּס בַּר אֲחָתֵיהּ דְּטִיטוּס הֲוָה. בָּעֵי לְאִיגַּיּוֹרֵי, אֲזַל אַסְּקֵיהּ לְטִיטוּס בִּנְגִידָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאן חֲשִׁיב בְּהָהוּא עָלְמָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַהוּ לְאִידַּבּוֹקֵי בְּהו?ּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִילַּיְיהוּ נְפִישִׁין, וְלָא מָצֵית לְקַיּוֹמִינְהוּ. זִיל אִיגָּרִי בְּהוּ בְּהָהוּא עָלְמָא וְהָוֵית רֵישָׁא, דִּכְתִיב: ״הָיוּ צָרֶיהָ לְרֹאשׁ וְגוֹ׳״ – כׇּל הַמֵּיצַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דִּינֵיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא בְּמַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ:
§ The Gemara relates: Onkelos bar Kalonikos, the son of Titus’s sister, wanted to convert to Judaism. He went and raised Titus from the grave through necromancy, and said to him: Who is most important in that world where you are now? Titus said to him: The Jewish people. Onkelos asked him: Should I then attach myself to them here in this world? Titus said to him: Their commandments are numerous, and you will not be able to fulfill them. It is best that you do as follows: Go out and battle against them in that world, and you will become the chief, as it is written: “Her adversaries [tzareha] have become the chief” (Lamentations 1:5), which means: Anyone who distresses [meitzer] Israel will become the chief. Onkelos said to him: What is the punishment of that man, a euphemism for Titus himself, in the next world? Titus said to him:
בְּמַאי דִּפְסַיק אַנַּפְשֵׁיהּ – כֹּל יוֹמָא מְכַנְּשִׁי לֵיהּ לְקִיטְמֵיהּ וְדָיְינִי לֵיהּ, וְקָלוּ לֵיהּ וּמְבַדְּרוּ [לֵיהּ] אַשַּׁב יַמֵּי.
That which he decreed against himself, as he undergoes the following: Every day his ashes are gathered, and they judge him, and they burn him, and they scatter him over the seven seas.
אֲזַל אַסְּקֵיהּ לְבִלְעָם בִּנְגִידָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאן חֲשִׁיב בְּהָהוּא עָלְמָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַהוּ לְאִידַּבּוֹקֵי בְּהוּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״לֹא תִדְרוֹשׁ שְׁלוֹמָם וְטוֹבָתָם כׇּל הַיָּמִים״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דִּינֵיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא בְּמַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּשִׁכְבַת זֶרַע רוֹתַחַת.
Onkelos then went and raised Balaam from the grave through necromancy. He said to him: Who is most important in that world where you are now? Balaam said to him: The Jewish people. Onkelos asked him: Should I then attach myself to them here in this world? Balaam said to him: You shall not seek their peace or their welfare all the days (see Deuteronomy 23:7). Onkelos said to him: What is the punishment of that man, a euphemism for Balaam himself, in the next world? Balaam said to him: He is cooked in boiling semen, as he caused Israel to engage in licentious behavior with the daughters of Moab.
אֲזַל אַסְּקֵיהּ בִּנְגִידָא לְיֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאן חֲשִׁיב בְּהָהוּא עָלְמָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַהוּ לְאִדַּבּוֹקֵי בְּהוּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: טוֹבָתָם דְּרוֹשׁ, רָעָתָם לֹא תִּדְרוֹשׁ, כׇּל הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהֶן כְּאִילּוּ נוֹגֵעַ בְּבָבַת עֵינוֹ.
Onkelos then went and raised Jesus the Nazarene from the grave through necromancy. Onkelos said to him: Who is most important in that world where you are now? Jesus said to him: The Jewish people. Onkelos asked him: Should I then attach myself to them in this world? Jesus said to him: Their welfare you shall seek, their misfortune you shall not seek, for anyone who touches them is regarded as if he were touching the apple of his eye (see Zechariah 2:12).
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דִּינֵיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא בְּמַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּצוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת. דְּאָמַר מָר: כׇּל הַמַּלְעִיג עַל דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים נִידּוֹן בְּצוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת. תָּא חֲזִי מָה בֵּין פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִנְבִיאֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם.
Onkelos said to him: What is the punishment of that man, a euphemism for Jesus himself, in the next world? Jesus said to him: He is punished with boiling excrement. As the Master said: Anyone who mocks the words of the Sages will be sentenced to boiling excrement. And this was his sin, as he mocked the words of the Sages. The Gemara comments: Come and see the difference between the sinners of Israel and the prophets of the nations of the world. As Balaam, who was a prophet, wished Israel harm, whereas Jesus the Nazarene, who was a Jewish sinner, sought their well-being.
אַתְיוּהּ לְקַמֵּיהּ, עַיְּילֵיהּ לְאִדְּרוֹנָא וְטַרְקֵיהּ לְבָבָא בְּאַנְפֵּיהּ. בְּעָא רַחֲמֵי, פְּרַק אֲשִׁיתָא עֲרַק וַאֲזַל לְאַגְמָא. הֲוָה יָתֵיב אַגִּירְדָּא דְּדִקּוּלָא וְקָא גָרֵיס. קָא מִיפַּלְגִי בִּמְתִיבְתָּא דִרְקִיעָא: אִם בַּהֶרֶת קוֹדֶמֶת לְשֵׂעָר לָבָן – טָמֵא, וְאִם שֵׂעָר לָבָן קוֹדֵם לַבַּהֶרֶת – טָהוֹר.
With that guarantee, they brought Rabba bar Naḥmani before the messenger. They took him into a small vestibule [le’idrona] and closed the door before him. Rabba bar Naḥmani prayed for mercy, and the wall crumbled. He fled and went to hide in a swamp. He was sitting on the stump of a palm tree and studying Torah alone. At that moment, the Sages in the heavenly academy were disagreeing with regard to a halakha of leprosy. In general, a leprous spot includes two signs of impurity, a bright white spot and a white hair. The basic halakha is that if the snow-white leprous sore [baheret] preceded the white hair then the afflicted person is ritually impure, but if the white hair preceded the baheret, he is pure.
סָפֵק – הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר: טָהוֹר, וְכוּלְּהוּ מְתִיבְתָּא דִרְקִיעָא אָמְרִי: טָמֵא. וְאָמְרִי: מַאן נוֹכַח? נוֹכַח רַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי. דְּאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי: אֲנִי יָחִיד בִּנְגָעִים, אֲנִי יָחִיד בְּאֹהָלוֹת.
The heavenly debate concerned a case of uncertainty as to which came first, the spot or the hair. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: The individual is pure, but every other member of the heavenly academy says: He is impure. And they said: Who can arbitrate in this dispute? They agreed that Rabba bar Naḥmani should arbitrate, as Rabba bar Naḥmani once said: I am preeminent in the halakhot of leprosy and I am preeminent in the halakhot of ritual impurity imparted by tents.
שַׁדַּרוּ שְׁלִיחָא בָּתְרֵיהּ. לָא הֲוָה מָצֵי מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת לְמִקְרַב לֵיהּ, מִדְּלָא הֲוָה קָא פָסֵיק פּוּמֵּיהּ מִגִּרְסֵיהּ. אַדְּהָכִי נְשַׁב זִיקָא וַאֲוַושׁ בֵּינֵי קְנֵי, סְבַר גּוּנְדָּא דְפָרָשֵׁי הוּא. אֲמַר: תִּינַח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא, וְלָא יִמְּסַר בִּידָא דְמַלְכוּתָא.
They sent a messenger from heaven after him to take his soul up to the heavenly academy, but the Angel of Death was unable to approach Rabba bar Naḥmani, as his mouth did not cease from his Torah study. In the meantime, a wind blew and howled between the branches. Rabba bar Naḥmani thought that the noise was due to an infantry battalion [gunda] about to capture him. He said: Let that man, i.e., me, die and not be given over to the hands of the government. The Angel of Death was therefore able to take his soul.
כִּי הֲוָה קָא נָיְחָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ, אֲמַר: טָהוֹר, טָהוֹר. יָצָאת בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: אַשְׁרֶיךָ רַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי שֶׁגּוּפְךָ טָהוֹר, וְיָצָאתָה נִשְׁמָתְךָ בְּטָהוֹר. נְפַל פִּתְקָא מֵרְקִיעָא בְּפוּמְבְּדִיתָא: רַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי נִתְבַּקֵּשׁ בִּיְשִׁיבָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה. נְפַקוּ אַבָּיֵי וְרָבָא וְכוּלְּהוּ רַבָּנַן לְאִיעֲסוֹקֵי בֵּיהּ. לָא הֲווֹ יָדְעִי דּוּכְתֵּיהּ. אֲזַלוּ לְאַגְמָא חֲזוֹ צִפְּרֵי דִּמְטַלְּלִי וְקָיְימִי, אָמְרִי: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ הָתָם הוּא.
As he was dying, he said in response to the dispute in heaven: It is pure; it is pure. A Divine Voice emerged from heaven and said: Happy are you, Rabba bar Naḥmani, as your body is pure and your soul left you with the word: Pure. A note [pitka] fell from heaven and landed in the academy of Pumbedita. The note read: Rabba bar Naḥmani was summoned to the heavenly academy, i.e., he has died. Abaye and Rava and all of the other Rabbis went out to tend to his burial; however, they did not know the location of his body. They went to the swamp and saw birds forming a shade and hovering over a certain spot. The Rabbis said: We can conclude from this that he is there.
סַפְדוּהּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי וּתְלָתָא לֵילָוָתָא. נְפַל פִּתְקָא: כׇּל הַפּוֹרֵשׁ יְהֵא בְּנִידּוּי. סַפְדוּהּ שִׁבְעָה יוֹמֵי. נְפַל פִּתְקָא: לְכוּ לְבֵיתְכֶם לְשָׁלוֹם.
The Rabbis lamented him for three days and three nights. A note fell from heaven, upon which was written: Anyone who removes himself from the lamentations shall be ostracized. Accordingly, they lamented him for seven days. Another note fell from heaven, stating: Go to your homes in peace.
הָהוּא יוֹמָא דְּנָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דַּלְיֵיהּ זַעְפָּא וּדְרִי לְהָהוּא טַיָּיעָא כִּי רְכִיב גַּמְלָא מֵהַאי גִּיסָא דִּנְהַר פָּפָּא וְשַׁדְיֵיהּ בְּהָךְ גִּיסָא. אֲמַר: מַאי הַאי? אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּרַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא דִּידָךְ הוּא, וְרַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי דִּידָךְ, אַתְּ דְּרַבָּה וְרַבָּה דִּידָךְ – אַמַּאי קָא מַחְרְבַתְּ לֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא? נָח זַעְפָּא.
On that day when Rabba bar Naḥmani died, a hurricane lifted a certain Arab [taya’a] merchant while he was riding his camel. The hurricane carried him from one side of the Pappa River and threw him onto the other side. He said: What is this? Those present said to him: Rabba bar Naḥmani has died. He said before God: Master of the Universe! The entire world is Yours and Rabba bar Naḥmani is also Yours. You are to Rabba and Rabba is to You, i.e., you are beloved to each other. If so, why are You destroying the world on his account? The storm subsided.