Gezundheit

 

Parshas Hashavua ויחי 'הנה אביך חולה בראשית מ"ח א The חזקוני quotes a פרקי דר' אליעזר " From the day of creation, people used to die suddenly after sneezing. יעקב אבינו Davened for this to end and asked that one should have some advance notice of his death by becoming sick. In Chazal & Halacha, we find to say for this reason אסותה- מרפא-חיים - לישועתך קויתי ה. Interestingly, even Goyim say Gezundheit - Bless you, etc. The (ספר צמח דוד (תלמידו של הרמ"א ומהר"ל writes "In the year 590 (ש"ן) There was a pandemic in almost the entire world. People sneezed and immediately  dropped to the ground dead.  Yaqoub Eisenberg wrote that from then on all nations adopted the Minhag to say Gesundheit, etc. when sneezing.