They all rose and kissed his hands, saying: “God be blessed who has brought us into the world to hear all this.” They then left the cave and went on their way. When they reached the town, they saw a funeral procession for some men who had died through a house falling on them, and in whom were included some informers, as R. Simeon had said.
R. Simeon quoted the text: “And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad”, saying: ‘This is a hint of the passing of the dominion of the Egyptians to give place to the dominion of Israel; and hence it was that they “lamented with a very great and sore lamentation”.
So here also these people are not mourning for the Jews, although there are some Jews among the dead; and even these, had they been really Jews, would not have been killed, and since they have died God pardons their sins.
R. Simeon said: ‘Although Jacob died in Egypt, yet his soul did not depart in a foreign land, since when he died his soul was straightway joined to its place. as we have stated.
קָמוּ כֻּלְּהוּ וּנְשָׁקוּ יְדוֹי, אָמְרוּ בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּאָעִילְנָא הָכָא, וּשְׁמַעְנָא מִלִּין אִלֵּין. נָפְקוּ מִן מְעַרְתָּא וְאֲזְלוּ, כַּד עָאלוּ בְּמָתָא, חָמוּ עִיטְרָא דִבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְמִיתוּ, דְּנָפַל בֵּיתָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, יָתְבוּ וְחָמוּ דְּקָא סַפְדֵי לְאִינוּן דְּמִיתוּ, עִם אִינוּן רוֹמָאֵי.
They all rose and kissed his hands, saying: “God be blessed who has brought us into the world to hear all this.” They then left the cave and went on their way. When they reached the town, they saw a funeral procession for some men who had died through a house falling on them, and in whom were included some informers, as R. Simeon had said.
פָּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד, מַאן גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד. אֶלָּא, הָכָא אִתְרְמֵיז שָׁלְטָנוּתָא דְמִצְרָאֵי דְּאִתְעֲדֵי. גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד, דָּא מְמַנָּא שׁוּלְטָנָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי, דְּאִתְעֲדֵי מִקַּמֵּי שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהָא חָמוּ (גורן). כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (מלכים א כ״ב:י׳) מְלוּבָּשִׁים בְּגָדִים בַּגֹּרֶן. וְעַל דָּא וַיִסְפְּדוּ שָׁם מִסְפֵּד גָּדוֹל וְכָבֵד מְאֹד וְגו'.
R. Simeon quoted the text: “And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad”, saying: ‘This is a hint of the passing of the dominion of the Egyptians to give place to the dominion of Israel; and hence it was that they “lamented with a very great and sore lamentation”.
עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ אָבֵל מִצְרָיִם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, דְּוַדַּאי מִמִּצְרַיִם הֲוָה, אוּף הָכָא לָאו דְּיוּדָאֵי נִינְהוּ אִלֵּין בָּכְיָין, אַף עַל גַּב דְּמִיתוּ בֵּיהּ יוּדָאֵי, וְאִלֵּין יוּדָאֵי, אִלְּמָלֵא הֲווּ יוּדָאֵי, לָא מִיתוּ, וְכֵיוָן דְּמִיתוּ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְכַפֵּר חוֹבַיְיהוּ.
So here also these people are not mourning for the Jews, although there are some Jews among the dead; and even these, had they been really Jews, would not have been killed, and since they have died God pardons their sins.
אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּיַעֲקֹב אַף עַל גַּב דְּנָפְקַת נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם, לָאו בִּרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא נָפְקַת. מַאי טַעְמָא, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר, דְּלָא הֲוָה מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא עַרְסָא שְׁלֵימָתָא כְּהַהוּא עַרְסָא דְיַעֲקֹב. בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּהֲוָה סָלִיק מֵעַלְמָא נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ, מִיָּד אִתְקַשַּׁר בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.
R. Simeon said: ‘Although Jacob died in Egypt, yet his soul did not depart in a foreign land, since when he died his soul was straightway joined to its place. as we have stated.