Trumah
Death Death and the Afterlife Faith Jacob Moses Patriarchs Righteous

888. We have learned that Rabbi Shimon said, Moses did not die. If you ask, yet it is written, "And Moses died there" (Devarim 34:5). And so, in every place where death is mentioned by the righteous, what is death? From our view, it is called so, BUT FROM THE VIEW OF THOSE ABOVE, TO THE CONTRARY, HIS LIFE INCREASED. For we have learned that Rabbi Shimon said, He taught that the Holy Faith is suspended from one who is perfect. Death is not attached to him and he doesn't die, as it was with Jacob, who had a complete Faith. THEREFORE, JACOB THE PATRIARCH DID NOT DIE.

888. דְּתַנְיָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מֹשֶׁה לָא מִית. וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא כְּתִיב וַיָּמָת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה. כַּךְ בְּכָל אֲתָר לְצַדִּיקַיָּא קָרֵי בְּהוּ מִיתָה. מַאי מִיתָה. מִסִּטְרָא דִּילָן אִקְרֵי הָכִי. דְּתַנְיָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְכֵן תָּנָא, דְּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בִּשְׁלִימוּתָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא תַּלְיָיא בֵּיהּ, לָא תַּלְיָיא בֵּיהּ מִיתָה וְלָא מִית. כְּמָה דַּהֲוָה בְּיַעֲקֹב דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ.

Death Death and the Afterlife Fear Jacob Jeremiah

889. For Rabbi Shimon said, "Your name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Yisrael shall be your name, and he called his name Yisrael" (Beresheet 35:10). What does Yisrael mean? The perfection of everything, WHICH IS THE LACK OF DEATH. It is written, "Therefore fear you not, My servant Jacob, says Hashem; neither be dismayed, Yisrael: for, lo, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity... " (Yirmeyah 30:10).

889. דְּאָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן, לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַאי יִשְׂרָאֵל. שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא. דִּכְתִּיב וְאַתָּה אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִי יַעֲקֹב וְאַל תֵּחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מֵרָחוֹק וְאֵת זַרְעֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם וְגוֹ.'

Jacob

890. Rabbi Yehuda said, From the following IS DERIVED THAT JACOB DID NOT DIE, as it is written, "For I am with you" (Ibid. 11). "I" is exact, FOR IT POINTS OUT TO MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'I.' Blessed is the portion of him, whose Master speaks thus to him. It is not written, 'For you are with me,' FOR THEN IT WOULD IMPLY THAT HE WAS ATTACHED TO THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, ABOVE BUT NOT WHEN HE WAS IN HIS PLACE BELOW. Rather "for I am with you," WHICH POINTS OUT that his Master came to join and dwell with him.

890. א"ר יְהוּדָה מֵהָכָא, כִּי אִתְּךָ אָנִי, דַּיְיקָא, זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵיהּ, דְּמָארֵיהּ אָמַר לֵיהּ כֵּן. כִּי אִתִּי אַתָּה לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא כִּי אִתְּךָ אָנִי, דְּמָארֵיהּ אָתֵי לְאִתְחַבְּרָא דִּיּוּרֵיהּ עִמֵּיהּ.

Jacob

891. Rabbi Shimon said, Rabbi Aba has spoken well ABOUT THE VERSE, "And Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid" (Ibid. 10). "And Jacob shall return" MEANS he shall return to being called by a different name, as it is written, "Your name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Yisrael."

891. אר"ש שַׁפִּיר קָאָמַר ר' אַבָּא דְּאָמַר וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב וְשָׁקַט וְשַׁאֲנַן וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד. וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב: לְאִתְקְרֵי בִּשְׁמָא אַחֲרָא, דִּכְתִּיב לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Angel of Death Angels Jacob World to Come, The

892. Another explanation for, "And Jacob shall return" MEANING "AND JACOB SHALL RETURN" to the place from where he was taken "and shall be quiet," NAMELY in this world, "and at ease," NAMELY in the World to Come. "And none shall make him afraid," NAMELY of the Angel of Death. The implication is that he had everything in him; FOR JACOB DID NOT DIE. Rabbi Yitzchak said, The friends have established it, as it is written, "And your seed from the land of their captivity" (Ibid. 10). Just as his seed is alive, so is he alive. HENCE, JACOB DID NOT DIE.

892. ד"א וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב, לְאֲתָר דְּאִתְנְסִיב מִתַּמָּן. וְשָׁקַט, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְשַׁאֲנַן, בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד מִמַּלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת. דְּמַשְׁמַע דְּכֹלָּא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ. ר' יִצְחָק אָמַר, חַבְרַיָּיא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דִּכְתִּיב וְאֶת זַרְעֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם, מַה זַרְעוֹ בַּחַיִּים, אַף הוּא בַּחַיִּים.