Rab Huna thereupon stood up between the pillars and said: “Were I in my own place I would interpret this verse.” But they took no notice of him. He stood up a second time and made the same remark. Then R. Judai bar Rab came to him and gave him a seat before him, saying: ‘Speak, my son, for of the words of the Torah it says, “She (wisdom) crieth in the chief place of concourse” (Prov. 1, 21).’
Then Rab Huna began thus: ‘We have been taught that in early times, before Jacob appeared, illness was unknown, and mankind were perfectly healthy until their time came, when they passed away without any previous sickness. When Jacob came he prayed to God, saying: “Lord of the world! May it please thee to grant that a man should first fall ill for two or three days, and then be gathered unto his people, in order that he may have time to put his house in order and repent of his sins.” The Holy One replied: “It shall be so, and thou shalt be the pledge and the sign thereof.” Therefore it is written concerning him, “And it came to pass after these things, that Joseph was told, Behold, thy father is sick” (Gen. 48, 1)-this being something new in the world.
קָם רַב הוּנָא בֵּינֵי קַיָימֵי דְּעַמוּדֵי, וְאָמַר אִילּוּ הֲוֵינָא בְּאַתְרִי, דָּרִישְׁנָא לֵיהּ לְהַאי פְּסוּקָא. לָא אַשְׁגָּחוּ בֵּיהּ. קָם תִּנְיָינוּת, וְאָמַר מִלָּה דָּא. אָתָא רַבִּי יוֹדָאי בַּר רַב, וְאוֹתְבֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אֵימָא בְּרִי אֵימָא, דְּמִלֵּי אוֹרַיְיתָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ, (משלי א׳:כ״א) בְּרֹאשׁ הוֹמִיּוֹת תִּקְרָא וְגוֹ'.
Rab Huna thereupon stood up between the pillars and said: “Were I in my own place I would interpret this verse.” But they took no notice of him. He stood up a second time and made the same remark. Then R. Judai bar Rab came to him and gave him a seat before him, saying: ‘Speak, my son, for of the words of the Torah it says, “She (wisdom) crieth in the chief place of concourse” (Prov. 1, 21).’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, הָכִי תָּנֵינָן, בְּיוֹמֵי קַדְמָאֵי עַד לָא אָתָא יַעֲקֹב, הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ שָׁלֵו בְּבֵיתֵיהּ, מָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ, מִית בְּלָא מַרְעִין, כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא יַעֲקֹב, בָּעָא קָמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אָמַר לֵיהּ, מָרֵי דְּעָלְמָא, אִי נִיחָא קָמָךְ, דְּלִנְפּוֹל בַּר נָשׁ בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ, תְּרֵין אוֹ תְּלַת יוֹמִין, וּלְבָתַר יִתְכְּנָשׁ לְעַמֵּיהּ, וְיַפְקֵד לְבֵיתֵיהּ, וְיֵתוּב מֵחוֹבוֹי. אָמַר לֵיהּ שַׁפִּיר. אַתְּ הוּא סִימָנָא בְּעָלְמָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, מָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ (בראשית מ״ח:א׳) וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר לְיוֹסֵף הִנֵּה אָבִיךָ חוֹלֶה. חֹלֶה כְּתִיב מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה לְבַר נָשׁ מִן קַדְמַת דְּנָא.
Then Rab Huna began thus: ‘We have been taught that in early times, before Jacob appeared, illness was unknown, and mankind were perfectly healthy until their time came, when they passed away without any previous sickness. When Jacob came he prayed to God, saying: “Lord of the world! May it please thee to grant that a man should first fall ill for two or three days, and then be gathered unto his people, in order that he may have time to put his house in order and repent of his sins.” The Holy One replied: “It shall be so, and thou shalt be the pledge and the sign thereof.” Therefore it is written concerning him, “And it came to pass after these things, that Joseph was told, Behold, thy father is sick” (Gen. 48, 1)-this being something new in the world.