Midrasz do Rodzaju 46:30

Abraham also pleaded for death with his own lips, as it is said: What wilt thou give me, seeing I go hence childless (Gen. 15:2). Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace (ibid., v. 15). Isaac likewise sought death, as is said: That I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death (ibid. 35:29). Similarly, Jacob asked for death, as is said: Now let me die (ibid. 46:30). The Holy One, blessed be He, told him: You have said: Now let me die, but you will live seventeen additional years. After that time had passed he became ill and died.

What is meant by the words Nay, but I will go down to the grave to my son mourning (ibid.)? Jacob said: “Surely I shall die the death of a wicked man in the world-to-come. The Holy One, blessed be He, promised me twelve tribes, and now one of them has been torn asunder. Perhaps I was not worthy of them, and I shall perish in both worlds.” That is why he said: I will go down to the grave to my son mourning. You know this to be so from the fact that when he saw that Joseph was alive, he exclaimed: Now let me die (Gen. 46:30). When did he say Now let me die? He said to himself: “When my sons came to me, and told me that Joseph was dead, I cried out: ‘I am destined to die twice,’ but now that I see that you are alive, I am assured that I did not die, but only now will I die.” Hence he said: Now let me die.

(Gen. 37:35:) NO, I WILL GO DOWN MOURNING TO MY SON IN SHEOL. What is the meaning of MOURNING TO … SHEOL? Perhaps I shall die the death of the wicked in this world and in the world to come. Why? Because the Holy One had promised to give me twelve tribes, and here one of them is dead. Perhaps I was not worthy of them, and I am to die in both worlds.³⁵The midrash regards Jacob’s mourning as the equivalent of dying in the present world and his descent to Sheol as a second death. For this reason he said (in vs. 35): NO, I WILL GO DOWN MOURNING TO MY SON IN SHEOL. Do you want to know what he said when he saw that he was alive? (Gen. 46:30:) THEN ISRAEL SAID UNTO JOSEPH: NOW LET ME DIE. What was the reason for him to say: NOW LET ME DIE? He simply said: When they came and told me Joseph was dead, I said: I was to die in both worlds. Now that I have seen that you are alive, I am receiving the good news that I am only dying one time. NOW LET ME DIE.