Judaism is all about being human, and sneezing is part of being human. This explores what Jewish texts say about sneezing. Note that the Hebrew root for "sneeze" is ע.ט.ש., which is an onomatopoeia for "achoo".
When you sneeze, it removes irritants like dirt, dust and pollen from your nose or throat. It’s your body’s way of getting rid of things that can make you sick or cause inflammation.
Many things can cause sneezing, including:
- Allergies (dust, mold, pet dander, hay fever).
- Viral infections (flu, common cold).
- Breathing in certain medications (like corticosteroids) in nasal sprays.
- Withdrawal from opioids or other drugs.
- Eating spicy foods.
Sneezing sends up to 40,000 tiny droplets from your mouth and nose into the air or on nearby surfaces. Viruses and bacteria can live in these droplets. If someone else breathes in these droplets or touches a surface where they land, they can get symptoms of infection.
Sneezing most commonly spreads infections like:
- Common cold.
- Flu (influenza).
- Strep throat.
- RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).
- Pneumonia.
- Meningococcal disease (less common).
There are a few things you can try to stimulate your trigeminal nerve:
- Wiggle a tissue or cotton swab around in your nostril.
- Sniff a jar of pepper.
- Rub the roof of your mouth with your tongue.
- Massage the bridge of your nose.
- Pluck an eyebrow or nose hair.
- Damaged blood vessels.
- Vertigo.
- Ruptured ear drums.
- Hearing loss.
And no, your heart doesn’t stop when you sneeze. But lots of factors — including sneezing — can speed up or slow down your heartbeat for a very short time. However, this is normal, and it doesn’t affect your heart in any notable way.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/sneezing
In Yiddish (Judeo-German), "tzu gezunt" means "stay healthy", and it's related to the German "gezuntheit" (which some Yiddish-speakers also say). After a second sneeze some say "tsu lebn" ("to life") and after a third sneeze some say "tsu lange yor" ("to length of life"). Alternatively, after a second sneeze some say "tsu lange lebn" ("[you should have] a long life"), and after a third sneeze, "zolst bubbe/zayde lebn" ("you should live long enough to be a grandmother/grandfather"). If somebody sneezes while somebody else is talking, the one who is talking might say "genosn tsu emes" ("sneezed on the truth"). If a child sneezes, one might say "Tsu gezunt, tsum lebn, tsum vaksn, tsum kveln" ("Your health, your life, your growth, your joy"). A Galician/Lithuanian custom is to tug on the ears and say “tzu langehmazaldikker yohrn” ("to long, lucky years"), something that originally was just done by a mother if her child sneezed while talking about somebody who was dead.
In Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), after a first sneeze one might respond "vivas" ("May you live"), after a second sneeze one might respond "crezcas" ("May you grow"), and after a third sneeze one might respond "enflorezcas" ("May you flourish"). Alternately, one could respond "Bivas, kreskas, engrandeskas, komo un peshiko en aguas freskas! Amen!" ("Live; thrive; grow; like a little fish in fresh water! Amen!").
In Bukharan (spoken by the Jewish community of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, known for their distinctive kippot - https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/who-are-the-bukharan-jews/), you would respond “Haq suros” (or “aqsuros”).
In Judeo-Persian (spoken by the Jews of Iran), you would say “afiat bashe” (“may you have health").
In Hulaula (Judeo-neo-Aramaic, spoken by the Jews of Kurdistan - https://jewisharts.org/curations/hulaula-the-jewish-neo-aramaic-dialect-of-sanandaj-iran/), you would say “alpa-shne” ([may you live for] “a thousand years”).
In Jewish-Babylonian-Aramaic, one would respond to a sneeze with "Asuta" or "Assusa" ("healer", related to the Akkadian word for "one who knows the urine"). The sneezer then would say "Baruch tiyeh" ("May you be blessed"), followed by "Lishuaticha kiviti Adonai" ("I wait for Your salvation, G-d", citing Genesis 49:18). An alternative response to a sneeze would be "Marpey" ("healing").
As we will see, sneezes used to be a sign of death and are still usually a sign of illness. Responding to a sneeze indicates a desire that the sneeze not lead to its possible outcome.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_to_sneezing,
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/zei-gezunt-responding-to-a-sneeze-in-these-difficult-times/,
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-11-best-ladino-expressions-and-phrases-to-know/, personal correspondence with Eden Moyal of the Jewish Language Project, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism_and_sneezing
(32) Elisha came into the house, and there was the boy, laid out dead on his couch. (33) He went in, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to GOD. (34) Then he went up [onto the bed] and placed himself over the child. He put his mouth on its mouth, his eyes on its eyes, and his hands on its hands, as he bent over it. And the body of the child became warm. (35) He stepped down, walked once up and down the room, then he went up [to the bed] and bent over him. Thereupon, the boy sneezed seven times, and the boy opened his eyes. (36) [Elisha] called Gehazi [his assistant] and said, “Call the Shunammite,” and he called her. When she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” (37) She came and fell at his feet and bowed low to the ground; then she picked up her son and left.
What do sneezes symbolize here?
(10) The Leviathan's sneezings flash lightning, And the his eyes are like the glimmerings of dawn.
(ו) המופת הרביעי, מיום שנברא העולם לא היה אדם חולה, אלא בכל מקום שהיה אדם אם בדרך אם בשוק ועטש היתה נפשו יוצאה מנחיריו ומת, עד שבא יעקב אבינו ובקש רחמים על זאת ואמר לפני הב"ה, רבונו של עולם אל תקח את נפשי ממני עד אשר אני מצוה את בני ובני ביתי. ונעתר לו, שנ' ויהי אחרי הדברים האלה ויאמר ליוסף הנה אביך חולה. ושמעו כל מלכי הארץ ותמהו שלא היה כמהו מיום שנבראו שמים וארץ, לפיכך חייב אדם לומר לחבירו בשעת עטישותיו חיים שנהפך מות העולם לאור, שנ' (איוב מא, י) עטישותיו תהל אור.
(6) The fourth wonder (was): From the day when the heavens and the earth were created no man was ill, (who) sneezed and lived, but in every place where he happened to be, whether on the way or in the market, and (when he) sneezed, his soul went out through his nostrils; until our father Jacob came and prayed for mercy concerning this, and he said before the Holy One, blessed be God: Sovereign of all the worlds! Do not take my soul from me until I have charged my sons and my household; and the Lord was entreated of him, as it is said, "And it came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick" (Gen. 48:1). || All the kings of the earth heard (thereof), and they wondered because there had been no one like him from the days when the heavens and earth had been created. Therefore a man is in duty bound to say to his fellow: Life! when the latter sneezes, for the death of the world was changed into light, as it is said, "His sneezings flash forth light" (Job 41:18).
How are sneezes portrayed in this text?
(כא) וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת הָאִשָּׁה וגו' (במדבר ה, כד),... הַמַּיִם הַמְאָרְרִים לְמָרִים, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לְמָרִים, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹשִׂים בָּהּ מִינֵי פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת מְשֻׁנִּים, הָיְתָה מְלֻבֶּנֶת עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ שְׁחוֹרָה, מְאָדֶּמֶת, עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ יְרֻקָּה, וְסָרַח פִּיהָ וְתָפַח צַוָּארָהּ, יְהֵא בְּשָׂרָהּ נִשָּׁל, תְּהֵא זָבָה, תְּהֵא מִתְעַטֶּשֶׁת, תְּהֵא מִתְפָּרֶקֶת אֵבָרִים.
(21) “He shall give the woman to drink the water of bitterness that causes curse, and the water that causes curse will enter her for bitterness” (Numbers 5:24). ...“The water that causes curse…for bitterness” – why does the verse state “for bitterness”? It is, rather, that it would engender in her types of strange punishments. If she were white it would render her black; red, it would render her green. Her mouth would widen, her neck would swell, her flesh would decompose, she would have discharge from her private parts, she would sneeze, and her limbs would come apart.
What do we learn about sneezes here?
(ח) ... מִירִיחוֹ הָיוּ מְרִיחִים רֵיחַ פִּטּוּם הַקְּטֹרֶת. אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן דִּגְלַאי, עִזִּים הָיוּ לְבֵית אַבָּא בְּהַר מִכְוָר, וְהָיוּ מִתְעַטְּשׁוֹת מֵרֵיחַ פִּטּוּם הַקְּטֹרֶת:
(8) ... From Jericho the people would smell the fragrance emanating from the preparation of the incense in the Temple. Rabbi Elazar ben Diglai said: There were goats belonging to my father that grazed in the cities of Mikhvar, located at a distance from Jerusalem, and they would sneeze from the fragrance of the preparation of the incense that they smelled.
What do we learn about sneezes here?
They asked Ben Zoma, "Why, if wine was served to them in the middle of the meal, everyone makes the benediction for himself?" He said to them, because the place of swallowing is not empty (i.e. Talking during swallowing may bring food into one’s windpipe and cause one’s death by asphyxiation.). Rebbi Mana said, this means that if someone sneezes during the meal one may not say to him “for health" because of danger to one’s life.
What do we learn about sneezes from this text?
רִבִּי אִינְייָנִי בֵּן סוֹסַיי סְלַק גַּבֵּי רִבִּי חֲנִינָה לְצִיפּוֹרִין. אֲמַר. אִיתָא וַאֲנָא מְסַר יָתֵיהּ לָךְ. עֲאַל לֵיהּ בְּרֵיהּ תְּחוֹתִי עַרְסָא. עֲטַשׁ וּשְׁמַע קָלֵיהּ. אֲמַר. מָה אַתּוֹן נְהִיגִין גַּבֵּיכוֹן בִּדְמִיוּ. אֲזֵל. לָא לָךְ וְלָא לֵיהּ.
Rebbi Ineyani bar Sosigh went up to Rebbi Chanina in Sepphoris. Rebbi Chanina said, come and I shall transmit the Ineffable Divine Name to you. Rebbi Ineyani's son went under the couch. He [the son] sneezed and he [Rabbi Hanina] heard the sound. He said, why are you acting together in trickery? Go! Neither for you nor for him.
What do we learn about sneezes from this text?
Since Rabbi Chanina related a story involving Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the Gemara cites another such story. Rabbi Chanina said: I saw Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, while he was praying, belch, yawn, sneeze, spit, and if he was stung by a louse, he may feel for it and remove it with his garment, but he would not wrap himself in his prayer shawl if it fell during prayer. And when he would yawn he would place his hand on his chin so that his open mouth would not be visible. The Gemara raises an objection based on a baraita: One who sounds his voice during his Amida prayer is among those of little faith, as he seems to believe that the Lord cannot hear his prayer when it is uttered silently. One who raises his voice during prayer is considered to be among the false prophets, as they too were wont to cry out and shout to their gods. Furthermore, one who belches and yawns while praying is surely among the uncouth. One who sneezes during his prayer, for him it is a bad omen. And some say: It is clear that he is repulsive. Also, one who spits during prayer, it is tantamount to spitting in the face of the king. In light of all this, how could Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi have done all that while praying? The Gemara explains: Granted, with regard to one who belches and yawns, it is not difficult: Here, in the case where Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did so, it was involuntary and therefore permissible; here, where it is considered uncouth, is in a case where it is deliberate. However, the contradiction between sneezing in the case where Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did so and sneezing where it is considered a bad omen is difficult. The Gemara responds: The contradiction between sneezing in one case and sneezing in the other case is also not difficult: Here, in the case of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, it is referring to sneezing from above, his nose; here, where it is a bad omen, is referring to sneezing from below, flatulence. As Rav Zeira said: In the school of Rav Hamnuna I absorbed this matter in passing, and it is equal in significance to all the rest of my learning: One who sneezes in the midst of prayer, it is a good omen for him. Just as the sneeze soothes his irritation, giving him pleasure below, it is a sign that they are similarly giving him pleasure above. Since Rav Zeira sneezed often, he was extremely pleased to hear this.
What do we learn about sneezes here?
What do we learn from this text about "sneezes"?
This concern for disrupting Torah study was also taught in a baraita: The members of the house of Rabban Gamliel would not say "good health" when someone sneezed in the study hall, due to the fact that it would lead to suspension of study in the study hall.
What do we learn about sneezes here?
שִׁשָּׁה דְּבָרִים סִימָן יָפֶה לַחוֹלֶה, אֵלּוּ הֵן: עִטּוּשׁ, זֵיעָה, שִׁלְשׁוּל, קֶרִי, וְשֵׁינָה, וַחֲלוֹם. עִטּוּשׁ — דִּכְתִיב: ״עֲטִישׁוֹתָיו תָּהֵל אוֹר״. זֵיעָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם״. שִׁלְשׁוּל — דִּכְתִיב: ״מִהַר צֹעֶה לְהִפָּתֵחַ וְלֹא יָמוּת לַשַּׁחַת״. קֶרִי — דִּכְתִיב: ״יִרְאֶה זֶרַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים״. שֵׁינָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״יָשַׁנְתִּי אָז יָנוּחַ לִי״. חֲלוֹם — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְתַחֲלִימֵנִי וְהַחֲיֵנִי״.
Similarly: Six matters are good omens for the sick, meaning that their illness is taking a turn for the better: Sneezing, sweating, diarrhea, a seminal emission, sleep, and a dream. These are all alluded to in Scripture: Sneezing, as it is written: “His sneezes flash forth light” (Job 41:10), indicating that by means of a sneeze one comes to see the light of the world. Sweat, as it is written: “In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Diarrhea, as it is written: “He that is bent down shall speedily be loosed; and he shall not go down dying into the pit” (Isaiah 51:14). A seminal emission, as it is written: “That he might see his seed, prolong his days” (Isaiah 53:10). Sleep, as it is written: “I should have slept; then had I been at rest” (Job 3:13). A dream, as it is written: “Wherefore You recover me [vataḥalimeni], and make me to live” (Isaiah 38:16); vataḥalimeni is interpreted as etymologically similar to ḥalom, dream.
What do we learn about sneezes here?
What do we learn about sneezes here?
(ט) אֵין יְשֵׁנִים בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְכָל הַמִּתְנַמְנֵם בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ חָכְמָתוֹ נַעֲשֵׂית קְרָעִים קְרָעִים. וְכֵן אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ (משלי כג כא) "וּקְרָעִים תַּלְבִּישׁ נוּמָה". וְאֵין מְשִׂיחִין בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ אֶלָּא בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בִּלְבַד. אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁנִּתְעַטֵּשׁ אֵין אוֹמְרִים לוֹ "רְפוּאָה" בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שְׁאָר הַדְּבָרִים. וּקְדֻשַּׁת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ חֲמוּרָה מִקְּדֻשַּׁת בָּתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת:
(9) One should not sleep in a house of study. When any person dozes in the house of study, his Torah will be torn in shreds. This is alluded to in Solomon's words of wisdom [Proverbs 23:21]: "Drowsiness will clothe a man in rags." Conversation in the house of study should concern only the words of Torah. Even if someone sneezes, one should not wish him: "[To your] recovery" in the house of study. Needless to say, the discussion of other matters is prohibited. The sanctity of a house of study exceeds that of a synagogue.
What new things have we learned about sneezes here?
(יא) מִי שֶׁגִּהֵק וּפִהֵק וְנִתְעַטֵּשׁ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ אִם לִרְצוֹנוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה מְגֻנֶּה. וְאִם בָּדַק גּוּפוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל וּבָא לְאָנְסוֹ אֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם. נִזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ רֹק בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ מַבְלִיעוֹ בְּטַלִּיתוֹ אוֹ בְּבִגְדוֹ. וְאִם הָיָה מִצְטַעֵר בְּכָךְ זוֹרְקוֹ בְּיָדוֹ לַאֲחוֹרָיו כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטַעֵר בַּתְּפִלָּה וְנִמְצָא טָרוּד. יָצָא מִמֶּנּוּ רוּחַ מִלְּמַטָּה כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד בִּתְפִלָּה שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעְתּוֹ שׁוֹהֶה עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה הָרוּחַ וְחוֹזֵר לִתְפִלָּתוֹ:
(11) [The following rules apply to] one who burps, yawns, or sneezes during prayer: Should a person do so voluntarily, it is deprecating. [However,] if the person checked himself before he prayed and did so against his will, it is of no consequence.
If saliva comes up during prayer, one should cause it to be absorbed into his tallit or clothes. If he is bothered by this, he may throw it behind him with his hand in order that he not be bothered during his prayer and be distracted.
If one passes gas unwittingly during prayer, he should wait until the gas subsides and return to his prayer.
What new thing have we learned about sneezes here?
(יא) ... וְאֵין הַכְּבָשׂוֹת יוֹצְאוֹת בָּעֵצִים שֶׁמַּנִּיחִים לָהֶן בְּחָטְמָן כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְעַטְּשׁוּ וְיִפְּלוּ הַתּוֹלָעִין שֶׁבְּמֹחָן....
(11) ... Ewes may not go out [on Shabbat] with [chips of] wood that are placed in their nostrils so that they sneeze and dislodge the worms in their brains. ...
What new things have we learned about sneezes here?
(י) אֶחָד הַמַּזִּיק בְּיָדוֹ אוֹ שֶׁזָּרַק אֶבֶן אוֹ יָרָה חֵץ וְהִזִּיק בּוֹ אוֹ שֶׁפָּטַר מַיִם עַל חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ עַל הַכֵּלִים וְהִזִּיק אוֹ שֶׁרָק אוֹ נָע וְהִזִּיק בְּכִיחוֹ וְנִיעוֹ בְּעֵת שֶׁהָלְכוּ מִכֹּחוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה כְּמַזִּיק בְּיָדוֹ וְהֵם תּוֹלָדוֹת שֶׁל אָדָם. אֲבָל אִם נָח הָרֹק וְהַכִּיחַ עַל הָאָרֶץ וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִתְקַל בָּהֶן אָדָם הֲרֵי זֶה חַיָּב מִשּׁוּם בּוֹרוֹ. שֶׁכָּל תַּקָּלָה תּוֹלֶדֶת בּוֹר הִיא כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:
(10) There is no difference whether a person injures a colleague with his hand, injures him by throwing a stone or shooting an arrow, opens a current of water on a person or on utensils and damages him or them, or spits or sneezes and causes damage with his spittle or mucus while it is being propelled by his power. All of these are considered derivatives of damage that a person causes,and he is liable for all of them, as if he had caused the damage with his hands.
If, however, the spittle or the mucus came to rest on the ground, and afterwards a person slips on them, the person who spat or sneezed is liable as if it were a cistern. For every obstacle is considered a derivative of a cistern, as we have previously explained.
What new things have we learned about sneezing from this text?
(ג) המתעטש בתפלתו מלמטה סימן רע לו מלמעלה סימן יפה לו:
(3) One who "sneezes" during [the middle of] one's prayer [i.e. Amidah]: [if it's] from below (i.e. one passes gas), it's a bad sign; [if it's] from above (i.e. a sneeze from one nose), it's a good sign.
What new things have we learned from this text?
(ו) להקיז דם. נ"ל דה"ה בכל מידי דרפואה יאמר זה, מי שמתעטש וחבירו א"ל אסותא יאמר לו ברוך תהיה ואח"כ יאמר לישועתך קויתי ה' דהמתפלל על חבירו הוא נענ' תחלה יש"ש ב"ק פ"ח סי' ס"ד:
(6) Not only bloodletting, but anything to do with healing is a cause for this blessing. And one who sneezes, and his friend says "Assuta!" (healing!), s/he should respond 'Blessed be you', and then say 'I hope for Your salvation, God' . For one who prays for another is answered first.
What do we learn from this text?
(ז) מי שמתעטש וחבירו אומר לו אסותא יאמר לו ברוך תהיה ואח"כ יאמר לישועתך קויתי ה' [דארז"ל דמתחלה לא היה אדם חולה כלל אלא היה הולך בשוק ומתעטש ומת עד שבא יעקב אבינו וביקש רחמים על הדבר]:
Whoever sneezes and their friend says "Asuta", they should respond "You should be blessed" and then should say "I hope for Thy salvation, O Lord [our rabbis said that originally people didn't get sick at all -- they'd just be walking in the market, sneeze, and die, until Jacob our father came along and requested mercy for the matter].
What new things do we learn from this text?
(לד) ה׳) ... לאחר ימים אמר לו המלך יש לי בת אחת ומתעטשת בכל שעה אלף עיטושים רפא אותה, אמר לו שגרה לי בבקר עם סריסיה וארפאנה, בבקר באה אליו עם סריסיה, כשראה אותה התחיל לכעוס, אמרה לו למה כעסת, אמר לה אביך גזר עלי שאעטוש אלף עטושים לפניו למחר ומחרתים ואפחד שמא ימיתני, והמתין עלי שלשה ימים ולא אדע מה אעשה, אמרה לו אל תדאג בזה אני אלך במקומך ואעטוש לפניו אלף עטושים בשבילך ובשבילי, אמר לה הואיל וכך הדבר שבי עמי שלשה ימים ואל תעטוש בהם ויהיו מוכנים ליום השלישי, מיד כל שעה שבא לה העיטוש היתה עומדת ברגלה ומרחבת בין עיניה כאשר אמר לה וסובלת עצמה וסוגרת את פיה מעט מעט ונפסק ממנה העיטוש כלל. לאחר שלשה ימים לא יצא מפיה עיטוש, ליום השלישי לקחה לאביה ואמר לה לכי עטשי לאביך אלפים עטושים, באה לפניו ולא יכולה לעטוש אפילו פעם אחת, מיד עמד ונשקו. התחיל לשואלו שאלות, אמר לו:
(לה) ו') למה נבראו עטושים? אמר לו אלולי עטושים היה אדם נתרז בבגדיו וכשידע אדם שעטושים באים עליו ילך ויעשה צרכיו שלא יבא לידי בושה וישב בבגדיו מטונפים.
(34) ה ...After some time, the king said to him, "I have one daughter who sneezes [note- a euphemism for passing gas] one thousand sneezes in an hour. Heal her." He said to him, "Send her to me in the morning with her guards and I will heal her." In the morning, she came to him with her guards. When he saw her, he began to get angry. She said to him, "Why did you get angry?" He said to her, "Your father has decreed upon me to sneeze a thousand sneezes before him tomorrow and in two days, and I am afraid that he will kill me. He has waited for me for three days, and I do not know what I will do." She said to him, "Do not worry about this- I will go in your place and I will sneeze before him a thousand sneezes for you and for myself." He said to her, "Since that is the case, stay with me for three days and do not sneeze during them, and be 'prepared for the third day.' Immediately, every time when the sneeze came to her, she would stand on her feet and stretch between her eyes, as he had told her, and she suffered with herself and closed her mouth little by little, and the sneeze ended from her entirely. After three days, no sneeze came from her mouth. On the third day, he took her to her father and said to her, "Go sneeze two thousand sneezes for your father." She went before him, and she could not sneeze even one time. Immediately, he stood up and kissed him. He began asking him questions. He said to him:
(35) ו "Why were sneezes created?" He said to him, "If not for sneezes, people would defecate in their clothes, but when a person knows that sneezes are coming upon them, they can go and attend to their needs, so they they do not come to shame, and sitting in their soiled clothes.