Distracting the Angel of Death

TB Moed Katan 28a

R’Elazar was eating terumah when the Angel of Death appeared to him. R’Elazar said to him: ‘I’m eating terumah. Is it not called sacred?” The moment passed without the Angel of Death taking his life.

The Angel of Death appeared to Rav Sheshet in the marketplace. Rav Sheshet said to him: ‘Would you have me die in the marketplace like an animal? Come into the house.’

The Angel of Death appeared to Rav Ashi in the marketplace. Rav Ashi said to him: “Wait thirty days for me, and I will review my studies, because you say in Heaven: ‘fortunate is one who comes here with his learning in his hand’. At the end of the thirtieth day, the Angel of Death came back, and Rav Ashi asked him: “What is all this urgency?” The Angel of Death answered him: “He [Rav Ashi] is pushing the foot of Bar Natan [ie. the time has come for him to take over]. And the reign of one king may not encroach upon the reign of another by even a hairbreadth.

The Angel of Death was unable to approach Rav Chisda because his mouth never fell silent from learning Torah. He went up and sat on a cedar by Rav Chisda’s house of study. The cedar split and Rav Chisda fell silent; then the Angel of Death was able to prevail over him.

[The Angel of Death] could not approach R’Chiya, one day he disguised himself as a pauper. He went and knocked on R’Chiya’s door, and said to him: “bring me some bread.” At they brought him some bread. He said to R’Chiya: “Does master not have mercy on the poor? So why does master not have mercy on that man [referring to his role as the Angel of Death]? He then revealed himself to R’Chiya, showing him a rod of fire, and R’Chiya surrendered his life to him.

TB Shabbat 30a-b

David said before the Holy One Blessed is He: “Master of the Universe! “Let me know, O God, my end.” God replied to him: The decree has been issued that a man’s end is not made known to him.” King David persisted asking: “and measure of my days let me know what it is.” God responded again: “The decree has been issued that a man’s end is not made known to him.” King David then asked: “may I know when I will cease?” And God answered him: You will die on a Shabbat.

King David asked: “Allow it to happen that I will die instead on Sunday.” God answered: This is unacceptable, as the time will have arrived for the reign of your son Solomon, and the reign of one king may not encroach upon the reign of another, even by the breadth of a hair.”

King David asked: “Allow it to happen, then, that I will die on Friday before Shabbat.” God answered: “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand”, meaning, I prefer a single day in which you sit and engage in the study of Torah over the thousand olah offering that your son Solomon is destined to offer before me on the alter.

From then on, every Shabbat day, David would sit and study for the entire day. When the day arrived upon which his soul was destined to come to rest, the Angel of Death stood before David, and found himself unable to overcome him, for David did not allow his mouth to rest from study. The Angel of Death asked himself: What can I do to him?

As it happened, David had an orchard behind his house, the Angel of Death can and ascended one of the trees and shook the branches of the trees. Startling David by the noise, King David when to see what was happening. As he was going up the stairs, a stair caved in under him. For a moment he was not learning Torah, and at that moment he died.

Kings II 20:1-6

In those days Hezekiah became critically ill, when Isaiah the son of Amoz the prophet came to him, and said to him, “so has the Lord said, ‘Give orders to your household, for you are going to die and you shall not live.’” And he turned his face toward the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, “Please, O Lord, remember now, how I walked before You truly and wholeheartedly, and I did what is good in Your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept profusely. And it was when Isaiah had not gone out to the inner court, and the word of the Lord came to him saying, “Return and say to Hezekiah the ruler of My people, ‘So has the Lord God of your father David said, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Behold I shall heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add fifteen years to your life and I will save you from the hand of the king of Assyria, I will save you and this city, and I will protect this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.”