On the possuk (Beraishis 47/29), "The days of Yisroel grew close to die..." the Medrash comments, “Every one of the Avos knew and expressed with their mouth that they were about to die. Avraham said... Yitzchak said... and EVEN Yaakov said, 'I am going to lie with my fathers...” When did Yaakov say this, the Medrash asks? When Yaakov was close to dying".
Zera Shimshon asks two questions. Firstly, why does the Medrash stress that EVEN Yaakov knew he was about to die? Why would we think that Yaakov was any different than the other Avos? Secondly, why does the Medrash stress that Yaakov mentioned his passing away, right before he died?
Zera Shimshon explains in light of a Gemara and two Midrashim.
1. Mesechta Avodah Zara (5a)
...Didn't Raish Lakish say... Hakodosh Baruch Hue showed Adam Harishon each generation and its speakers, each generation and its sages each generation and its benefactors... Meaning, that even though that a previous generation was greater than the present one, still Hashem gives to each generation their own leaders and sages.
2. Yalkut Shemoni (Tehillim Remez 874/5)
Tzaddikim are so precious to Hashem that it is, so to speak, difficult for Hashem when they die. Therefore, if they would not themselves ask to die then Hashem would not take their life away from them and they would live forever. After they ask to die, though, Hashem says that it is good because this allows their children to also be leaders. If Avraham would not have died how could Yitzchak ever become a leader?
3. The second Medrash
...explains that since Hashem doesn't simply take away Tzaddikim's lives without their asking, when their time comes Hashem shows them the tremendous reward that waits for them in the World To Come in order that they themselves will ask to die.
According to this, explains Zera Shimshon, we can understand why it is more difficult to understand Yaakov's asking to die then the other Avos. The Avos knew that in order for their sons to be leaders they would have to first die since each generation has their own leaders. Therefore, in the case of Avraham and Yitzchak there is good reason for them to ask to die; so their sons will be leaders. However, this can't explain why Yaakov asked to die since his son Yosef already ruled in Yaakov's lifetime. The Medrash therefore stresses that EVEN Yaakov asked to die.
