"The Satan Clause & Other Angel of Death Tales
Written and Directed by Joshua Ben-Levi
Performed by the Midrash Theatre Company (MTC)
Alexandria, Egypt, Circa 222 CE
BACKGROUND
The year is 222 CE. The location is the small Hebrew Theatre House situated at the edge of the Jewish quarter in Alexandria, Egypt. Assembled in the dimly lit back room are three Jewish playwrights who act as the managers and caretakers of what would become known as Levi'ison's Theatre House. In later years, this Jewish cultural establishment would be rebranded by the Hebrew revivalists as the Beit Midrash of Rabi Ben-Levi (also Bar-Levi). The playwrights are known to many in the city, Jew and Gentile alike. The playwrights are promoted by the Revivalists as the true heirs of the ancient Jewish tradition of public storytelling. The leader of the group is none other than the highly esteemed Joshua Ben-Levi, a tall and lanky figure hailing from Lydda [Lod], a city which had once been home to centuries of Jewish life. It was only two decades ago when the Roman government renamed the city Diospolis and the Roman authorities in Lydda mostly replaced its Jewish inhabitants with peoples from elsewhere around the Roman Empire. So much of Jewish culture in Judea had been destroyed or erased from the public square prompting Ben-Levi and other talented young Judeans to emigrate from the land of their ancestors to Jewish communities across the Diaspora.
Since his arrival, Ben-Levi quickly set out to write and direct many productions at the Hebrew Theatre House. Ben-Levi was soon joined by his two playwright companions known only by their stage names Ben-Bag-Bag and Ben-Hey-Hey. The two companions, or "the Twins", as Ben-Levi would wryly refer to them, were the subject of much gossip and rumour. The Revivalists had claimed them as living legends, but the twins were thought to have left behind troubled pasts in their home city of Athens. The trio of Ben-Levi and the Twins resulted in a creative enterprise which delivered riveting performances throughout the year. In the first few weeks following Ben-Levi's arrival in Alexandria, the young Judean presented himself to the Hebrew Revivalist Society. The Revivalists recognised Ben-Levi's talent and in the subsequent months Ben-Levi would continue to hone his craft with the aid of his Athenian friends who provided feedback and support. After several successful productions had taken place, the Revivalists formally admitted the trio into their guild and bestowed upon Ben-Levi the honorarium "Rabi" ("the Great"). From that point forward, the local press would refer to Joshua Ben-Levi as "Rabi Ben-Levi'i" or "Levi'ison the Great".
Levi'ison succeeds in gaining the patronage of several wealthy locals who had made their fortunes in the region's spice trade. One benefactor had offered a permanent space in the form of the Hebrew Theatre House, a former spice warehouse. Another offered to formalise the Midrash Theatre Company (MTC) to ensure Levi'ison and his companions received fixed wages. The patrons also provided funds to renovate the theatre house to accommodate a larger audience. Plays were delivered monthly on Rosh Chodesh and often competed with events taking place down the road at the Jewish Community Centre and House of Worship (Beit Ha-Knesset) where locals had long been accustomed to sit in the gallery and listen in on the lively debates of the Jewish Lawyers Guild. [Confusion later emerged in historical accounts as both the Revivalists and Lawyers’ Guild used the title "Rabi" to refer to exceptional members]. After a successful opening season, Levi'ison sought to expand the range of offering by insisting that he and the Twins develop a new three-part series entitled The Angel of Death. The three plays were titled: "The Satan Clause", "Chad the Intern", and "The Plague of Ra'atan".
This effort is an attempt to reconstruct the discussions between Levi'ison and his colleagues in the MTC writer's room using the recorded transcripts provided in the Jewish Diaspora Almanac. Incidentally, the almanac was originally titled Dew of the Season (Tal Moed), but a translation error rendered it TalMud. And while the muddled name caused much consternation on the part of the almanac's editor, both the Revivalists and Lawyers' Guild accepted the situation without fuss.
#1 - "THE SATAN CLAUSE"
- Premise: The playwrights propose that Torah study is treated as a "loophole" to cheat death.
- The plot: After King David's affair with Bathsheba and his public humiliation at the hand of the Prophet Nathan, the Judean monarch vows to reform himself and become a better man. David vows to put an end to his former ways and grows to be a pious person in his old age. At the same time, David begins to contemplate his waning hold on his kingdom. He has quashed an internal rebellion which resulted in the killing of Prince Absalom. The heir, Solomon, is poised to take over, but David fears for the future. Planning for the end of life is difficult even for a king. David begins to pester God for some assurances that he will have enough time on Earth to plan his succession.
Play #1, Act 1 - God & David in Conversation
״הוֹדִיעֵנִי ה׳ קִצִּי וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה הִיא אֵדְעָה מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי״
~~~
אָמַר דָּוִד לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הוֹדִיעֵנִי ה׳ קִצִּי
אָמַר לוֹ: גְּזֵרָה הִיא מִלְּפָנַי שֶׁאֵין מוֹדִיעִין קִצּוֹ שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם
״וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה הִיא״
גְּזֵרָה הִיא מִלְּפָנַי שֶׁאֵין מוֹדִיעִין מִדַּת יָמָיו שֶׁל אָדָם
״וְאֵדְעָה מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי״
אָמַר לוֹ: בְּשַׁבָּת תָּמוּת
“Lord, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is; let me know how short-lived I am” (Psalms 39:5)
~~~
David said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, Lord, make me to know my end; in how long will I die?
God said to him: It is decreed before Me that I do not reveal the end of the life of flesh and blood.
David tries again: And the measure of my days; on what day of the year will I die?
God responds: It is decreed before Me not to reveal the measure of a person’s days.
David tries once more: Let me know how short-lived I am; on what day of the week will I die?
[God] said to him: You will die on Shabbat.
Was it in a moment of weakness? God reveals to David that the Angel of Death has scheduled David's death for Shabbat. But first, David tries to negotiate for his death to occur on a different day of the week.
אָמוּת בְּאֶחָד בְּשַׁבָּת?
אָמַר לוֹ: כְּבָר הִגִּיעָה מַלְכוּת שְׁלֹמֹה בִּנְךָ, וְאֵין מַלְכוּת נוֹגַעַת בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא.
אָמוּת בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת?
אָמַר לוֹ: ״כִּי טוֹב יוֹם בַּחֲצֵרֶיךָ מֵאָלֶף״ — טוֹב לִי יוֹם אֶחָד שֶׁאַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה מֵאֶלֶף עוֹלוֹת שֶׁעָתִיד שְׁלֹמֹה בִּנְךָ לְהַקְרִיב לְפָנַי עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.
David requested of God: Let me die on the first day of the week so that the honor of Shabbat will not be tarnished by the pain of death.
He said to him: On that day the time of the kingdom of your son Solomon has already arrived, and one kingdom does not overlap with another and subtract from the time allotted to another even a hairbreadth.
He said to him: I will cede a day of my life and die on Shabbat eve.
God said to him: “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand” (Psalms 84:11); a single day in which you sit and engage in Torah is preferable to Me than the thousand burnt-offerings that your son Solomon will offer before Me on the altar (see I Kings 3:4).
Play #1, Act 2: David & the Angel of Death
David hatches a plan to cheat death. Somehow David has acquired the knowledge that the Angel of Death is unable to take the soul of an individual who is in the middle of studying Torah. David's plan is simple, each week he planned on studying Torah for the entire Shabbat.
כׇּל יוֹמָא דְשַׁבְּתָא הֲוָה יָתֵיב וְגָרֵיס כּוּלֵּי יוֹמָא.
הַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּבָעֵי לְמֵינַח נַפְשֵׁיהּ, קָם מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת קַמֵּיהּ וְלָא יְכִיל לֵיהּ, דְּלָא הֲוָה פָּסֵק פּוּמֵּיהּ מִגִּירְסָא.
אֲמַר: מַאי אַעֲבֵיד לֵיהּ?
הֲוָה לֵיהּ בּוּסְתָּנָא אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּיתֵיהּ, אֲתָא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת סָלֵיק וּבָחֵישׁ בְּאִילָנֵי.
נְפַק לְמִיחְזֵי.
הֲוָה סָלֵיק בְּדַרְגָּא, אִיפְּחִית דַּרְגָּא מִתּוּתֵיהּ, אִישְׁתִּיק וְנָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ.
What did David do? Every Shabbat he would sit and learn all day long to protect himself from the Angel of Death.
On that day on which the Angel of Death was supposed to put his soul to rest, the day on which David was supposed to die, the Angel of Death stood before him and was unable to overcome him because his mouth did not pause from study.
The Angel of Death said: What shall I do to him?
David had a garden [bustana] behind his house; the Angel of Death came, climbed, and shook the trees.
David went out to see.
As he climbed the stair, the stair broke beneath him. He was startled and was silent, interrupted his studies for a moment, and died.
It appears that at first, David plan actually succeeded. It is not clear how long it took for the Angel of Death to hatch its plan to defeat David. Perhaps it took several weeks? Perhaps longer? Did David have a real chance at immortality? In the end, the Angel of Death succeeds, although it is not clear whether it was just David's bad luck that the stair broke or if that too was part of the Angel of Death's plan.
Play #1, Act 3 - Solomon & the Rabbis
In the third act, the MTC writers chose to insert a subtle critique of the Sabbath law developed by the Jewis Lawyers Guild. Previously, the leading religious authorities determined that objects associated with the kinds of work prohibited on the Sabbath may not be moved on the day of rest. This new law created some degree of nuisance for many Jewish householders. After some angry letters were sent, the religious authorities consulted with the Lawyers Guild who advised that a simple loophole could be used by householders to move such prohibited items.
Working this message into the play, the MTC writers portray this religious legal development as a matter which had been developed in the days of King David.
שְׁלַח שְׁלֹמֹה לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא:
אַבָּא מֵת וּמוּטָל בַּחַמָּה, וּכְלָבִים שֶׁל בֵּית אַבָּא רְעֵבִים — מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה?
שְׁלַחוּ לֵיהּ:
חֲתוֹךְ נְבֵלָה וְהַנַּח לִפְנֵי הַכְּלָבִים. וְאָבִיךְ, הַנַּח עָלָיו כִּכָּר אוֹ תִּינוֹק וְטַלְטְלוֹ.
Since David died in the garden, Solomon sent the following question to the study hall:
Father died and is lying in the sun, and the dogs of father’s house are hungry. There is room for concern lest the dogs come and harm his body. What shall I do?
They sent an answer to him:
Cut up an animal carcass and place it before the dogs. Since the dogs are hungry, handling the animal carcass to feed them is permitted. And with regard to your father, it is prohibited to move his body directly. Place a loaf of bread or an infant on top of him, and you can move him into the shade due to the bread or the infant.
#2 - "CHAD THE INTERN"
Play 2, Act 1 - "Good Chad"
It appears that Chad the Intern had spent enough time with the Angel of Death that he had learned what to do when stubborn scholars study for lengthy periods of time. Just like King David, Rav Hisda had been studying with such great intensity that Chad the Intern could not take his soul. Unfortunately for Rav Hisda, Chad's training included what to do in such situations.
כי הא דרב חסדא הוה יתיב וגריס בבי רב ולא הוה קא יכול שליחא [דמלאכא דמותא] למיקרב לגביה דלא הוה שתיק פומיה מגירסא
סליק ויתיב אארזא דבי רב
פקע ארזא ושתיק ויכיל ליה
This is as it was in this incident where Rav Ḥisda was sitting and studying in the study hall of Rav and the agent of the Angel of Death was unable to approach him and take his life because his mouth was not silent from his study for even a moment.
The agent ascended and sat on the cedar tree of the study hall of Rav.
The cedar tree broke and Rav Ḥisda was momentarily silent, startled by the sudden noise, and the agent of the Angel of Death overcame him. Apparently, matters of Torah provide protection from the Angel of Death only when one is actively engaged in their study.
Play 2, Act 2 - "Chad & the Death Quota"
In happened once that Chad the Intern got sloppy and mixed up the names of his customers. The Angel of Death, however, seems not to mind - as long as they meet their work quotas...
רַב יוֹסֵף כִּי מָטֵי לְהַאי קְרָא, בָּכֵי: ״וְיֵשׁ נִסְפֶּה בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט״, אָמַר: מִי אִיכָּא דְּאָזֵיל בְּלָא זִמְנֵיהּ? אִין, כִּי הָא דְּרַב בִּיבִי בַּר אַבָּיֵי הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ גַּבֵּיהּ מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת.
~~~
אֲמַר לֵיהּ לִשְׁלוּחֵיהּ: זִיל אַיְיתִי לִי מִרְיָם מְגַדְּלָא שְׂיעַר נַשְׁיָיא. אֲזַל, אַיְיתִי לֵיהּ מִרְיָם מְגַדְּלָא דַּרְדְּקֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא מִרְיָם מְגַדְּלָא שֵׂיעָר נְשַׁיָּיא אֲמַרִי לָךְ! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הָכִי, אַהְדְּרַהּ! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הוֹאִיל וְאַיְיתִיתַהּ — לֶיהֱוֵי לְמִנְיָינָא!
When Rav Yosef reached this verse, he cried: “But there are those swept away without justice” (Proverbs 13:23). He said: Is there one who goes before his time and dies for no reason? The Gemara answers: Yes, like this incident of Rav Beivai bar Abaye, who would be frequented by the company of the Angel of Death and would see how people died at the hands of this angel.
~~~
The Angel of Death said to his agent: Go and bring me, i.e., kill, Miriam the raiser, i.e., braider, of women’s hair. He went, but instead brought him Miriam, the raiser of babies. The Angel of Death said to him: I told you to bring Miriam, the raiser of women’s hair. His agent said to him: If so, return her to life. He said to him: Since you have already brought her, let her be counted toward the number of deceased people.
Play 2, Act 3 - Detective Beivai's Investigation
Beivai observes the mix-up brought on by Chad the Intern and is perplexed. Determined to find out how and why this cover-up can take place, he begins to investigate.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא מִרְיָם מְגַדְּלָא שֵׂיעָר נְשַׁיָּיא אֲמַרִי לָךְ! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הָכִי, אַהְדְּרַהּ! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הוֹאִיל וְאַיְיתִיתַהּ — לֶיהֱוֵי לְמִנְיָינָא! אֶלָּא הֵיכִי יְכֵלְתְּ לַהּ? הֲוָת נְקִיטָא מְתָארָא בִּידַהּ וַהֲוָת קָא שָׁגְרָא
Apparently, this woman died unintentionally. Rav Beivai asked the agent: But as her time to die had not yet arrived, how were you able to kill her? The agent responded that he had the opportunity, as she was holding a shovel in her hand and with it she was lighting-- (continued below)
וּמְחָרְיָא תַּנּוּרָא, שְׁקַלְתָּא וְאַנַּחְתָּא אַגַּבֵּהּ דְּכַרְעַהּ, קְדַחָא וְאִיתְּרַע מַזָּלַהּ, וְאַיְיתִיתַהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב בִּיבִי בַּר אַבָּיֵי: אִית לְכוּ רְשׁוּתָא לְמִיעְבַּד הָכִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, וְלָא כְּתִיב: ״וְיֵשׁ נִסְפֶּה בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט״? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, וְהָכְתִיב: ״דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא״! אֲמַר: דְּרָעֵינָא לְהוּ אֲנָא עַד דְּמָלוּ לְהוּ לְדָרָא, וַהֲדַר מַשְׁלֵימְנָא לֵיהּ לְדוּמָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: סוֹף סוֹף, שְׁנֵיהּ מַאי עָבְדַתְּ? אֲמַר: אִי אִיכָּא צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן דְּמַעְבֵּיר בְּמִילֵּיהּ — מוֹסֵיפְנָא לְהוּ לֵיהּ, וְהָוְיָא חִלּוּפֵיהּ.
and sweeping the oven. She took the fire and set it on her foot; she was scalded and her luck suffered, which gave me the opportunity, and I brought her. Rav Beivai bar Abaye said to the Angel of Death: Do you have the right to act in this manner, to take someone before his time? The Angel of Death said to him: And is it not written: “But there are those swept away without justice” (Proverbs 13:23)? Rav Beivai said to him: And isn’t it written: “One generation passes away, and another generation comes” (Ecclesiastes 1:4), which indicates that there is a predetermined amount of time for the life of every generation. He said to him: I shepherd them, not releasing them until the years of the generation are completed, and then I pass them on to the angel Duma who oversees the souls of the dead. Rav Beivai said to him: Ultimately, what do you do with his extra years, those taken away from this individual? The Angel of Death said to him: If there is a Torah scholar who disregards his personal matters, i.e., who overlooks the insults of those who wrong him, I add those years to him and he becomes the deceased’s replacement for that time.
#3 - "THE CURSE OF THE RA'ATAN"
The final play concerns the ra'atan pandemic which took the lives of many of the generation's finest minds.
While some Jewish figures insisted that pandemics must be treated with strict public health measures, Joshua Ben-Levi (in a cameo appearance), insists he can cheat death by teaching Torah to those suffering by the disease.
Special guest appearance: Shimon Bar-Yochai.
Play 3, Act 1 - The Fearless Joshua Ben-Levi
In this first act, in the face of an emerging public health crisis, successful cures are difficult to come by. Soon the community leaders begin to enact strict public health measures in a desperate attempt to reduce the spread of the disease. Then Joshua Ben-Levi arrives with a new approach...
מַאי סִימָנֵיהּ דָּלְפָן עֵינֵיהּ וְדָיְיבִי נְחִירֵיהּ וְאָיתֵי לֵיהּ רִירָא מִפּוּמֵּיהּ וּרְמוּ דִּידְבֵי עִילָּוֵיהּ וּמַאי אָסוּתֵיהּ אָמַר אַבָּיֵי פִּילָא וְלוּדָנָא גִּירְדָּא דֶאֱגוֹזָא וְגִירְדָּא דְּאַשְׁפָּא וּכְלִיל מַלְכָּא וּמְתַחְלָא דְּדִיקְלָא סוּמָּקָא וְשָׁלֵיק לְהוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי וּמְעַיֵּיל לֵיהּ לְבֵיתָא דְשֵׁישָׁא וְאִי לָא אִיכָּא בֵּיתָא דְשֵׁישָׁא מְעַיֵּיל לֵיהּ לְבֵיתָא דְּשַׁב לִבְנֵי וַאֲרִיחָא וְנָטֵיל לֵיהּ תְּלָת מְאָה כָּסֵי עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ עַד דְּרָפְיָא אַרְעִיתָא דְמוֹחֵיהּ וְקָרַע לְמוֹחֵיהּ וּמַיְיתֵי אַרְבַּע טַרְפֵי דְאָסָא וּמַדְלֵי כֹּל חַד כַּרְעָא וּמוֹתֵיב חַד וְשָׁקֵיל בִּצְבָתָא וְקָלֵי לֵיהּ דְּאִי לָא הָדַר עִילָּוֵיהּ מַכְרִיז רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הִזָּהֲרוּ מִזְּבוּבֵי (שֶׁל) בַּעֲלֵי רָאתָן רַבִּי זֵירָא לָא הֲוָה יָתֵיב בְּזִיקֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לָא עָיֵיל בְּאֻהְלֵיהּ רַבִּי אַמֵּי וְרַבִּי אַסִּי לָא הֲווֹ אָכְלִי מִבֵּיעֵי דְּהָהִיא מְבוֹאָה רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי מִיכְרָךְ בְּהוּ וְעָסֵיק בַּתּוֹרָה אָמַר אַיֶּלֶת אֲהָבִים וְיַעֲלַת חֵן אִם חֵן מַעֲלָה עַל לוֹמְדֶיהָ אַגּוֹנֵי לָא מַגְּנָא
The Gemara inquires: What are the symptoms of ra’atan? His eyes water, his nose runs, drool comes out of his mouth, and flies rest upon him. The Gemara further inquires: And what is his cure to remove the insect found in his head, which is associated with this illness? Abaye said: One takes pila and ladanum [lodana], which are types of grasses; and the ground shell of a nut; and shavings of smoothed hides; and artemisia [kelil malka]; and the calyx of a red date palm. And one cooks them together and brings the patient into a marble house, i.e., one that is completely sealed. And if there is no marble house available, the one performing the treatment brings the patient into a house whose walls have the thickness of seven bricks and one small brick. And the one performing the treatment pours three hundred cups of this mixture on the patient’s head until his skull is soft, and then he tears open the patient’s skull to expose his brain, and brings four myrtle leaves and lifts up each time one foot of the insect that is found on the patient’s brain, and places one leaf under each foot of the insect so as to prevent it from attempting to cling to his brain when it is forcibly removed, and subsequently takes it with tweezers. And he then burns the insect, because if he does not burn it, it will return to him. Rabbi Yoḥanan would announce: Be careful of the flies found on those afflicted with ra’atan, as they are carriers of the disease. Rabbi Zeira would not sit in a spot where the wind blew from the direction of someone afflicted with ra’atan. Rabbi Elazar would not enter the tent of one afflicted with ra’atan, and Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi would not eat eggs from an alley in which someone afflicted with ra’atan lived. Conversely, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi would attach himself to them and study Torah, saying as justification the verse: “The Torah is a loving hind and a graceful doe” (Proverbs 5:19). If it bestows grace on those who learn it, does it not protect them from illness?
Play 3, Act 2 - Joshua Ben-Levi & the Angel of Death
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 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 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
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. 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. 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.
Play 3, Act 3 - "Fool Me Twice" / Hanina Bar-Pappa & the Angel of Death
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 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 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
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? 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. 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.
For more adventures of Joshua ben Levi, see: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/392572