Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, known simply as Rabbi, was the redactor of the Mishna and Nasi of the Sanhedrin. One of the most prominent Sages, he merited Torah, greatness, and honor in the course of his lifetime. His passing was a dramatic, formative event, and the Sages described in detail his final hours and how the news of his death was received.

The Sages taught: At the time of the passing of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, he said: I need my sons. His sons entered his room, and he said to them: Be careful with the honor of your mother. My lamp should be kindled in its place, my table should be set in its place, and my bed should be made in its place. As for Yosef Hofni and Shimon Efrati, they attended to me during my lifetime and they will attend to me in my death….

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to his attendants: I need the Sages of Israel. The Sages of Israel entered his room, and he said to them: Do not eulogize me in the towns, and resume Torah study at the academy after thirty days. My son Shimon is a Sage; my son Gamliel is the Nasi; Hanina bar Hama will sit at the head of the academy….

He said to them: I need my younger son. Rabbi Shimon entered his room and he transmitted to him the order of wisdom. He said to them: I need my older son. Rabban Gamliel entered his room, and he transmitted to him the protocols of the office of the Nasi. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi instructed Rabban Gamliel: My son, conduct your term as Nasi boldly and cast fear upon the students....

On that day when Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi died, the Sages decreed a fast, and prayed for divine mercy that he would not die. They said: Anyone who says that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi has died will be stabbed with a sword.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s maidservant ascended to the roof and said: The upper worlds are requesting the presence of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and the lower worlds, the Jews, are also requesting Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. May it be the will of God that the lower worlds impose their will upon the upper worlds. But when she saw how many times he would enter the bathroom and first have to remove his phylacteries, and then come out and put them back on, and how he was suffering from his intestinal disease, she said: May it be the will of God that the upper worlds impose their will upon the lower worlds. [It would be preferable that he die.]

But the Sages would not be silent and continued praying for mercy [preventing Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s death]. She took a jug and threw it from the roof to the ground. Due to the sudden noise, the Sages were momentarily silent from praying for mercy, and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi passed away.

The Sages said to bar Kappara: Go and ascertain the condition of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. He went and found that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had died. He rent his garments but reversed the tear behind him [so that it would not be noticed. When he returned to the other Sages] he opened his remarks by saying: The angels and the righteous mortals both clutched the holy ark [a reference to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi], but the angels triumphed over the righteous, and the holy ark was taken captive. They said to him: Has he died? He said to them: You said it; I did not say it.

At the time of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s death, he straightened his ten fingers heavenward and declared: Master of the Universe, it is revealed and known before You that I toiled with my ten fingers in the Torah, and I have not derived pleasure from this world even equivalent to my smallest finger. May it be Your will that there will be peace in my repose. A divine voice emerged and announced: “May he depart in peace; rest on their resting places” (Isaiah 57:2). (Ketubot 103a–104a)