Commentary for Shabbat 60:1

כל יומא דשבתא הוה יתיב וגריס כולי יומא ההוא יומא דבעי למינח נפשיה קם מלאך המות קמיה ולא יכיל ליה דלא הוה פסק פומיה מגירסא אמר מאי אעביד ליה הוה ליה בוסתנא אחורי ביתיה אתא מלאך המות סליק ובחיש באילני נפק למיחזי הוה סליק בדרגא איפחית דרגא מתותיה אישתיק ונח נפשיה

Now, every Sabbath day he would sit and study all day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The angel of death cannot approach one who is studying the Torah; Sot. 21a. ');">¹</span> On the day that his soul was to be at rest,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A euphemism for death. ');">²</span> the Angel of death stood before him but could not prevail against him, because learning did not cease from his mouth. 'What shall I do to him?' said he. Now, there was a garden before his house; so the Angel of death went, ascended and soughed in the trees. He [David] went out to see: as he was ascending the ladder, it broke under him. Thereupon he became silent [from his studies] and his soul had repose. Then Solomon sent to <i>Beth Hamidrash</i>: My father is dead and lying in the sun; and the dogs of my father's house are hungry; what shall I do? They sent back, Cut up a carcase and place it before the dogs; and as for thy father, put a loaf of bread or a child upon him and carry him away.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra 156b. ');">³</span>

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