Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak began: “One who pursues righteousness and kindness [will find life, righteousness, and honor]” (Proverbs 21:21). Upon the death of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak, who used to dance [at weddings] with three myrtle branches,8He would juggle the branches to entertain the bride and groom. winds and storms emerged that uprooted all the good trees in the Land of Israel. Why was that?
Because he used to pick branches from them with which to dance before the bride.9The storms that uprooted the trees were a sign that the very forces of nature were mourning his death. The Rabbis would say: ‘Why does he act like this? Why does he demean the honor of the Torah?’10It is not befitting for a Torah scholar of such esteem to perform this kind of entertainment. Rabbi Ze’eira said: ‘Leave him, as he knows what he is doing.’
When he died, they went out to bestow kindness upon him.11A common expression meaning that they went to his funeral, and eulogized him. A fiery branch descended and assumed the shape of a myrtle branch, and interposed itself between the bier and the congregation. They said: ‘See this elder, who used to rise up and exert himself [in doing mitzvot], so a [fiery] branch rose up for him.’ Alternatively, “one who pursues righteousness” (Proverbs 21:21) – this is Abraham. “[For I love him, so that he will command his children and his household after him,] that they observe the way of the Lord”; “and kindness…” (Genesis 18:19), as cited above.12See Bereshit Rabba 58:9.