Midrash su Genesi 50:10

...The Rabbis say: God finds it hard to decree death upon the righteous. Whence this? For it is said, "Grievous in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (Psalms 116:15). And this is the proof. God should have spoken to Moses thus: "Behold you are about to die." God, however, did not speak in this way, but spared him and attached death to the days. Whence this? From what we read about the matter, "Behold, your days approach, to die."

Rabbi José said: From whom do we learn of the seven days of mourning? From Jacob, our father, for thus did his son Joseph unto him, as it is said, "And he made a mourning for his father seven days" (Gen. 50:10).

{Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:28): AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM.} [(Gen. 50:12:) SO HIS CHILDREN DID FOR HIM JUST AS HE HAD COMMANDED THEM.] What did they do? They embalmed him and brought him up < to the land of Israel >.⁸²Tanh., Gen. 12:17; Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:29 (= pp. 1228-1229 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Sot. 13a. What is written (in Gen. 50:10)? WHEN THEY CAME TO THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR.⁸³THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR is usually regarded as a proper name, i.e., as GOREN HA’ATAD. Is there a threshing floor for thorns, as it says: TO THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR? It is simply that these were Canaanites who had taken their crowns and surrounded Jacob's coffin, as a threshing floor when one surrounds it with thorns. R. Eliezer says: When they saw the coffin of our father Jacob, they undid the girdles on their waists and < so > showed honor to our father Jacob.⁸⁴Gen. R. 100(101):6; ySot. 1:10(17b). R. Samuel bar Nahman said: They undid their finger joints; and our masters say: They pointed the finger at Jacob's coffin and said (in Gen. 50:11): THIS IS A SOLEMN MOURNING FOR THE EGYPTIANS. For this reason the Holy One gave them a threshing floor.⁸⁵A sign of fruitfulness in what had been unfruitful, a mere thornbush threshing floor. (Gen. 50:10:) AND HE CARRIED OUT SEVEN DAYS OF MOURNING FOR HIS FATHER. From here we learn that the time for mourning is seven days. They also give evidence for it from here (in Lev. 8:33): AND YOU SHALL NOT GO OUT FROM THE DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING FOR SEVEN DAYS. And why do they carry out seven days of mourning rites? < It > corresponds to the seven days of feasting (on a joyous occasion). The Holy One said to them: In this world you have exhibited sorrow in the company of this righteous man and observed a seven-day mourning for him. In the world to come I am turning this mourning into feasting, as stated (in Jer. 31:13): FOR I WILL TURN THEIR MOURNING INTO JOY, COMFORT THEM, AND CHEER THEM IN THEIR GRIEF. Then, just as I comfort them, so I will give comfort to Zion, as stated (in Is. 51:3): TRULY THE LORD HAS COMFORTED ZION; HE HAS COMFORTED ALL ITS RUINS. HE HAS ALSO MADE ITS DESERT LIKE EDEN AND ITS DRY PLAIN LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD. JOY AND REJOICING SHALL BE FOUND IN IT, THANKSGIVING AND THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Also when men will be afraid of every elevation (Ecc. 12, 5), i.e., even a hillock appears to old men a mountain top; And are terrified on every way (Ib.). When they (the old) walk on the way, their hearts are full of fear; And the almond-tree will blossom (Ib.). This refers to the coccyx that gives way on account of age; And the locust will drag itself slowly along, refers to the rump of old men [which feels heavy]; And the desire will gainsay compliance, refers to the lust which disappears in the aged. R. Cahana was arranging collections of passages before Rab and when R. Cahana reached to the above passage, Rab gave a long-suffering sigh. R. Cahana remarked: "We understand from this that Rab had lost the feeling of youth" (and coming to this passage, he felt everything applicable to himself and therefore groaned). R. Cahana said: "What is meant by the passage (Ps. 33, 9.) For He spoke, and it came into being. This refers to a wife; He commanded, and it stood fast, refers to children." Also when men will be afraid of every elevation (Ecc. 12, 5), i.e., even a hillock looks to him (the aged man) like the highest mountain. And are terrified on every way (Ib.); when he walks on the road it (the road) becomes for him full of terrors. Because man goeth to his eternal home. (Ib.) R. Isaac said: "This teaches us that to every righteous person will be given a dwelling in accordance with his merits in the world to come; this may be likened to a mortal king who enters a city with his servants. When they enter, all are compelled to pass through the same gate, but when night comes, each one is given a berth in accordance with his rank." R. Isaac said further: "The worm is as painful to the dead body as a needle in sound flesh, as it is said (Job 14. 22.) But his body on him, feeleth pain." R. Chisda paid: "The soul of a man mourns for him the first seven days after his death, as it is said (Ib.) And his soul will mourn for him; and it is written (Gen. 50, 10.) And he made for his father a mourning of seven days."

Rabbi Levitas, a man of Jamnia, said: Unless the father of a leprous person spit in his face, he will not be healed, as it is said, "And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be ashamed seven days?" (Num. 12:14). Hence (the sages) say: A male afflicted with unclean issue (needs) seven (days for his purification); a woman with an issue (requires) seven (days' separation); a menstruant (needs) seven (days of purification); one made unclean through a corpse (needs) seven (days of purification); a mourner (mourns for) seven (days); the wedding feast (lasts) seven (days); and a leprous person (requires) seven (days' separation). (Whence do we know that) a male with an unclean issue (requires) seven days (for his purification)? || (Because it is said,) "And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue, then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing" (Lev. 15:13). Whence do we know that a woman with an issue (requires) seven (days of purification)? Because it is said, "But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean" (Lev. 15:28). Whence do we know that a menstruant (requires) seven (days of separation)? Because it is said, "She shall be in her separation seven days" (Lev. 15:19). "Her separation" (or impurity) thou dost not read, but "in her impurity"; because Rabbi Ẓe'era said: The daughters of Israel have made the Law exceptionally stringent for themselves, so that if they see a blood stain of the size of a mustard seed they observe on its account seven days, after that they are cleansed (of their issue of blood). Whence do we know that one made unclean through a corpse (needs) seven (days of purification)? Because it is said, "And whosoever in the open field toucheth one that is slain with a sword, or a dead body… shall be unclean seven days" (Num. 19:16). Whence do we know that the mourner (mourns for) seven (days)? Because it is said, "And he made a mourning for his father seven days" (Gen. 50.10). Whence do we know that the (bridal) banquet (lasts) seven days? Because it is said, "Fulfil the week of this one…. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week" (Gen. 29:27, 28). Whence do we know that a leper (keeps) seven (days of purification)? From Miriam, as it is said, "And Miriam was shut up without the camp seven days" (Num. 12:15).

“…and he made for his father a mourning of seven days.” (Bereshit 50:10) Why do we mourn for seven days in parallel to the seven days of feasting? The Holy One said to them: in this world you shared the pain of this righteous one and mourned for him seven days, in the coming world I will transform that mourning to joy, as it says “…and I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Yirmiyahu 31:12) And just as I console you, so I will console Zion and all her waste places in the manner that it says,” For the Lord shall console Zion, He shall console all its ruins, and He shall make its desert like a paradise and its wasteland like the garden of the Lord; joy and happiness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and a voice of song.” (Yeshayahu 51:3)[Alternate transaltion: “…and he made for his father a mourning of seven days.” (Genesis 50:10) Why do we mourn for seven days? In parallel to the seven days of feasting. The Holy One said to them: in this world you shared the pain of this righteous one and mourned for him seven days, in the coming world I will transform that mourning to joy, as it says “…and I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:12) And just as I console you, so I will console Zion and all her waste places in the manner that it says,” For the Lord shall console Zion, He shall console all its ruins, and He shall make its desert like a paradise and its wasteland like the garden of the Lord; joy and happiness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and a voice of song.” (Isaiah 51:3)]