How the Patriarchs Each Requested a Mercy Before Death

And there are those who render it in this language: Abraham requested old age. He said before Him: Master of the world, when a man and his sons enter one place, the world does not know whom to honor; but since You crown him with old age and gray hair, a man knows whom to honor. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: by your life, you have requested a good thing, and it will begin with you. From the beginning of the book until here there is no old age, and once Abraham our father stood, He gave him old age. This is what is written, "and Abraham was old." Isaac requested sufferings. He said before Him: Master of the world, when a man dies without sufferings, the attribute of justice is stretched out against him; but if You bring sufferings upon him, the attribute of justice is not stretched out against him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: by your life, you have requested a good thing, and it will begin with you. From the beginning of the book until here sufferings are not written, and once Isaac our father stood, He gave him sufferings, as it is written, "and it came to pass when Isaac was old, that his eyes were dim from seeing" (Genesis 27:1). Jacob requested illness. He said before Him: Master of the worlds, when a man dies without illness he does not set his affairs in order among his sons; but since he is sick two or three days, he sets his affairs in order among his sons. He said to him: by your life, you have requested a good thing, and it will begin with you. This is what is written, "and one said to Joseph, behold, your father is sick" (Genesis 48:1). Abraham introduced old age, Isaac introduced sufferings, Jacob introduced illness; Hezekiah king of Judah introduced a second illness [recovery and then a fresh illness]. He said before Him: Master of the worlds, it is not good for a man that You keep him standing until the day of his death; rather, since a man falls ill and then rises, he makes complete repentance. He said to him: by your life, you have requested a good thing, and it will begin with you. This is what is written, "a writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and recovered from his sickness" (Isaiah 38:9) — from here, that between one illness and the other there was an illness heavier than both of them.