26. While they were studying the Torah, daylight broke. They stood up and went to be before Rabbi Shimon. When he saw them, Rabbi Shimon said: "Elazar my son, you and the friends, remain hidden for these three days, and do not go outside, because the Angel of Death is in town and has permission to cause damage. Since permission was given to the Destroyer, he can destroy whomever appears before him.

27. Furthermore, when he, THE ANGEL OF DEATH, wants to destroy a person, he rises to accuse that person and repeats his offenses. He demands justice before the Holy One, blessed be He, and does not leave before that person is sentenced, and permission is given. Then he kills him.

28. Rabbi Shimon said: 'by Elohim', MEANING THAT HE SWORE IN THE NAME OF ELOHIM, most people do not die before their time, except those who do not know how to protect themselves, because when a dead man is taken from his house to the cemetery, the Angel of Death is among the women. Why is he among the women? BECAUSE this is his way since he seduced Eve and through her he brought death to the whole world. This is why when he kills a man, and the men are with the dead, THE ANGEL OF DEATH comes in among the women, on the way TO THE CEMETERY.

29. And THEN he has permission to kill people. He looks at the faces of those seen before him on the way TO THE CEMETERY, from the time when they take the dead from his house to burial until they get back to their houses. That is why he causes death for some men in the world before their time. Of that speaks the verse, "but sometimes ruin comes without judgment" (Mishlei 13:23). Because he goes up and accuses and repeats the offenses of that person before the Holy One, blessed be He. That person is judged for those offenses and passes away before his time.

30. HE ASKS: What his remedy is, HOW TO BEWARE OF THE ANGEL OF DEATH, AND SAYS that when the dead man is carried to the cemetery, a man should turn his face away from the women, and let them walk behind him. And if the women walk first, he should walk behind them, so as not to see them face to face. And when they come back from the cemetery, he should not walk on the same way where the women are standing, nor look at them at all, but go another way. And since most people do not know and do not care for this, most of them are judged and pass away before their time.

31. Rabbi Elazar said: if this be so, then it is better for a man not to escort the dead. Rabbi Shimon said no. For a man who takes care of himself in that manner is worthy of a long life, and also of the World to Come.

32. Come and see, not for nothing did the ancient wise men decree that a Shofar was to be blown when the dead was taken from his house. You might say, this is solely to honor the dead. But no. This is to protect the living, so that the Angel of Death would have no power over them to accuse them above, and they might avoid him.

33. He started by saying, "And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you..." (Bemidbar 10:9). I have observed that "the enemy," refers to the Angel of Death, that "oppresses you" forever, killing people and seeking to kill everyone. What is to be done about him? "then you shall blow an alarm" (Bemidbar 10:9). On Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), which is the day of Judgment above, the Angel of Death comes down to examine people's deeds and then ascends and prosecutes them. And Yisrael, who know that the Angel of Death comes down and then goes up to be their prosecutor, blow the Shofar early and complain against him so he would have no power against them, and in order to protect themselves.

34. All the more so when the Angel of Death punishes and takes lives, and also when people go to the cemetery and return from it, because when women walk to the funeral, he comes down and dwells among them, as says the verse "her feet go down to death" (Mishlei 5:5). Where do they go down? NAMELY, to that place which is called death, FOR THE ANGEL OF DEATH COMES BEFORE THEM, WHILE THEY WALK TO ESCORT THE DEAD, because Eve brought death upon the whole world, may the Merciful save us.

35. Come and see, it is written: "Likewise the way of an adulterous woman" (Mishlei 30:20), which we already interpreted . But "Likewise the way of an adulterous woman" alludes to the Angel of Death. This is him and that is his name. "She eats and wipes her mouth" (Ibid.), for he burns the world with his flames and kills people before their time. "and says I have done nothing wrong" (Ibid.), for he asked for justice and they were found guilty, and died according to true law.