Devarim Rabbah 9:2

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ (דברים לא, יד), הֲלָכָה, אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמֵּתוֹ מוּטָל לְפָנָיו מַהוּ שֶׁיְהֵא מֻתָּר לוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים מִי שֶׁמֵּתוֹ מוּטָל לְפָנָיו פָּטוּר מִקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּמִן הַתְּפִלָּה, וְלָמָּה לִמְּדוּנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ כֵּן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרוֹאֶה צָרָתוֹ לְפָנָיו דַּעְתּוֹ מֻבְלֶגֶת, אֲבָל מִשֶּׁנִּקְבַּר כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הָאֵבֶל הוּא זָקוּק לְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁל מִצְוָה, וּמִנַיִן אַתָּה לָמֵד לְאֵבֶל שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר אֲבִינָא שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּיוֹסֵף (בראשית נ, י): וַיַּעַשׂ לְאָבִיו אֵבֶל שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, וְהַשַּׁבָּת עוֹלֶה מִן הַמִּנְיָן. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר זְבִידָא בְּשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ יֵשׁ לְךָ לִלְמֹד מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ח, י): וְהָפַכְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶם לְאֵבֶל, מַה יְּמֵי הֶחָג שִׁבְעָה אַף יְמֵי הָאֵבֶל שִׁבְעָה. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מַעֲשֶׂה הָיָה בִּימֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא, שֶׁהָלַךְ לִבְרִית מִילָה, וְסָעַד שָׁם אָבִיו שֶׁל תִּינוֹק, וְהִשְׁקָה אוֹתָן יַיִן יָשָׁן בֶּן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, אָמַר לָהֶן מִן הַיַּיִן הַזֶּה אֲנִי מְיַשֵּׁן לְשִׂמְחָתוֹ שֶׁל בְּנִי. הָיוּ סוֹעֲדִין עַד חֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא שֶׁהָיָה בָּטוּחַ עַל כֹּחוֹ, יָצָא לוֹ בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה לֵילֵךְ לְעִירוֹ, מָצָא שָׁם מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וְרָאָה אוֹתוֹ מְשֻׁנֶּה. אָמַר לוֹ מִי אַתָּה, אָמַר לוֹ שְׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, אָמַר לוֹ וּמִפְּנֵי מַה אַתָּה מְשֻׁנֶּה, אָמַר לוֹ אֲנִי מִשִֹּׂיחָתָן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵן אוֹמְרִים כָּךְ וְכָךְ אָנוּ עֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֵימָתַי הוּא נִקְרָא לָמוּת, אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ שֶׁהָיִיתָ סוֹעֵד אֶצְלוֹ וְאָמַר לָכֶם מִן הַיַּיִן הַזֶּה אֲנִי מְיַשֵּׁן לְשִׂמְחַת בְּנִי, וַהֲרֵי הִגִּיעַ פִּרְקוֹ לִטֹּל אַחַר שְׁלשִׁים יוֹם. אָמַר לוֹ הַרְאֵה לִי אֶת פִּרְקִי, אָמַר לוֹ לֹא עָלֶיךָ וְלֹא עַל כַּיּוֹצֵא בְּךָ אֲנִי שׁוֹלֵט, פְּעָמִים שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפֵץ בַּמַּעֲשִׂים הַטּוֹבִים וּמוֹסִיף בָּכֶם חַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי י, כז): יִרְאַת ה' תּוֹסִיף יָמִים. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי קָשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִגְזֹר מִיתָה עַל הַצַּדִּיקִים, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קטז, טו): יָקָר בְּעֵינֵי ה' הַמָּוְתָה לַחֲסִידָיו, תֵּדַע לְךָ כָּךְ הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר לְמשֶׁה הִנֵּה אַתָּה מֵת, וְלֹא אָמַר כָּךְ אֶלָּא הִנִּיחַ אוֹתוֹ וְתָלָה הַמִּיתָה בַּיָּמִים, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן: הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ לָמוּת. “The Lord said to Moses: Behold, your days are approaching to die; summon Joshua, and stand in the Tent of Meeting and I will command him. Moses and Joshua went, and stood in the Tent of Meeting” (Deuteronomy 31:14).
“The Lord said to Moses: Behold, your days are approaching” – halakha, a person of Israel whose deceased relative is laid out before him, what is the ruling; is it permitted for him to pray? So, the Sages taught: One whose deceased relative is laid out before him is exempt from the recitation of Shema and from the Amida prayer. Why did our Rabbis teach us this? Since he sees his trouble before him, his mind is muddled. But once he is buried, all seven days of mourning, he is obligated for every possible matter of mitzva. From where do you derive that mourning is seven days? Rabbi Abba bar Avina said: As we found regarding Joseph: “He observed mourning for his father seven days” (Genesis 50:10), and Shabbat is included in the count. Rabbi Yosei bar Zevida said in the name of Reish Lakish: You should derive it from another place. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “I will transform your festivals into mourning” (Amos 8:10) – just as the days of the festival are seven,¹This is a reference to a seven day festival. See Moed Katan 20a, which relates to the fact that Shavuot is a one day festival. so the days of mourning are seven.
Our Rabbis said: There was an incident during the days of Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta, who went to a circumcision. The father of the baby made a feast, and gave them to drink wine that was aged seven years. He said to them: ‘I am aging from this wine for the wedding feast of my son.’ They were feasting until midnight. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta, who was confident in his strength, departed at midnight to go to his city. He encountered the angel of death there on the way, and saw that he looked strange. He said to him: ‘Who are you?’ He said to him: ‘The emissary of the Omnipresent.’ He said to him: ‘Why do you look strange?’ He said to him: ‘It is due to the conversation of the people, who say: This and that we intend to do, but they do not know when they will be called to die. That man with whom you were dining, and [who] said to you: I am aging from this wine for the wedding feast of my son? The time for him²The son. to be taken will be reached after thirty days.’ He said to him: ‘Show me my time.’ He said to him: ‘I do not have control over you, and over those like you. At times, the Holy One blessed be He desires good deeds and adds life to you, as it is stated: “The fear of the Lord will add days”’ (Proverbs 10:27). The Rabbis said: The death of the righteous is onerous before the Holy One blessed be He. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Weighty in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). Know that He should have said to Moses: “Behold, you are going to die,” but He did not say so. Instead, He forsook him and attributed his death to the days. From where is it derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “Behold, your days are approaching to die.”

זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת ח, ח): אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט בָּרוּחַ לִכְלוֹא אֶת הָרוּחַ, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט בְּמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת לְכַלּוֹת אוֹתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, וְאֵין רוּחַ אֶלָּא מַלְאָךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קד, ד): עֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט בָּרוּחַ בַּגָּלֻיּוֹת לְכַלּוֹתָם מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְאֵין רוּחַ אֶלָּא גָּלֻיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ז, ב): וַאֲרוּ אַרְבַּע רוּחֵי שְׁמַיָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט בְּנַפְשׁוֹ לְכַלּוֹת אוֹתָהּ, לָמָּה שֶׁבְּלָלָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּכָל הַגּוּף, שֶׁאִלּוּ בְּלָלָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּאֵבָר אֶחָד, כְּשֶׁהָיָה מַגִּיעַ לְאָדָם צָרָה הָיָה חוֹתֵךְ אוֹתוֹ אֵבָר וּמֵת, לְפִיכָךְ הִיא בְּכָל הַגּוּף כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יְהֵא יָכוֹל לְכַלּוֹתָהּ, הֱוֵי אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט בָּרוּחַ, מַהוּ (קהלת ח, ח): וְאֵין מִשְׁלַחַת בַּמִּלְחָמָה, אֵין אָדָם יָכוֹל לוֹמַר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנּוֹטֶה לָמוּת הֲרֵינִי מְשַׁלֵּחַ לְעַבְדִּי תַּחְתָּי. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא אוֹמֵר אֵין אָדָם יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלֵי זַיִן וּלְהִנָּצֵל מִמַּלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לב, ה), וַיַּעַשׂ שֶׁלַח לָרֹב וּמָגִנִּים, מַהוּ (קהלת ח, ח): וְאֵין שִׁלְטוֹן בְּיוֹם הַמָּוֶת, אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט לוֹמַר הַמְתִּינוּ לִי עַד שֶׁאֶעֱשֶׂה חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹתַי וְעַד שֶׁאֲצַוֶּה לְבֵיתִי וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֲנִי בָּא. דָּבָר אַחֵר מַהוּ וְאֵין שִׁלְטוֹן, אֵין מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת אוֹמֵר הוֹאִיל וְזֶה מֶלֶךְ נְוַתֵּר לוֹ עוֹד יוֹם אֶחָד אוֹ שְׁנֵי יָמִים, אֵין לְפָנָיו בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מַשֹּׂוֹא פָנִים, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁכָּל יָמָיו שֶׁל דָּוִד נִקְרָא מֶלֶךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א א, א), וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד זָקֵן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְמִיתָתוֹ אֵין כְּתִיב בּוֹ מַלְכוּת, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ב, א): וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי דָּוִד לָמוּת. (קהלת ח, ח): וְלֹא יְמַלֵּט רֶשַׁע אֶת בְּעָלָיו, אֵין אָדָם יָכוֹל לִתֵּן לְפָנָיו אַנְקְלִיטִין, אֵין אָדָם יָכוֹל לוֹמַר לְפָנָיו אַנְקְלוֹמָא, הֲרֵי משֶׁה אַחַר כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַשֶּׁבַח שֶׁרָאָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ יוֹם מִיתָתוֹ לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְעַכֵּב, מִיָּד אָמַר לוֹ הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ לָמוּת. What the verse said: “There is no person who rules the spirit, to retain the spirit” (Ecclesiastes 8:8) – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: There is no person who rules the angel of death, to keep him from him, and spirit [ruaḥ] is nothing other than an angel [malakh], as it is stated: “He makes the winds [ruḥot] His messengers [malakhav]” (Psalms 104:4). Rabbi Neḥemya says: There is no person who rules the ruaḥ of the exiles, to eliminate them from the world, and ruaḥ is nothing other than exiles, as it is stated: “And behold, the four winds [ruhot] of the heavens” (Daniel 7:2).³Daniel proceeds to enumerate the four exiles. Another matter, Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: There is no person who rules over his soul to eliminate it. Why? It is because the Holy One blessed be He disseminated it throughout the body, as had the Holy One blessed be He disseminated it in one limb, when trouble would befall a person, he would amputate that limb and die. That is why it is throughout the body, so that he will not be able to eliminate it. That is, “there is no person who rules the spirit.”
What is, “there is no sending a proxy in war”? (Ecclesiastes 8:8). A person cannot say, when he is tending toward death: ‘Behold, I am sending my slave in my stead.’ Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta says: A person cannot craft a weapon and save himself from the angel of death, like the matter that is stated: “And made weapons and shields in abundance” (II Chronicles 32:5). What is “there is no dominion over the day of death”? There is no person with dominion to say: ‘Wait for me until I settle my accounts or until I give orders to my household, and then I will come.’
Another matter, what is “there is no dominion”? The angel of death does not say: ‘Since this one is a king, we will concede to him an additional day or two days.’ There is no favoritism before him on that day. Know that all the days of David, he was called king, as it is stated: “King David was old” (I Kings 1:1). When he reached his death, kingship is not written in his regard. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The days of David approached to die” (I Kings 2:1). “And wickedness will not rescue its owner” (Ecclesiastes 8:8) – a person cannot pose an appeal before him [the angel of death], nor can a person make a claim before him. After all, Moses, after all the goodness that he saw, once the day of his death arrived, he was unable to delay it. He immediately said to him: “Behold, your days are approaching to die.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַחַר כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַכָּבוֹד וְאוֹתָהּ הַגְּבוּרָה שֶׁרָאוּ עֵינַי, אֲנִי מֵת, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, משֶׁה (תהלים פט, מט): מִי גֶּבֶר יִחְיֶה וְלֹא יִרְאֶה מָוֶת, מַהוּ מִי גֶּבֶר יִחְיֶה, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא, מִי גֶּבֶר כְּאַבְרָהָם שֶׁיָּרַד לְכִבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ וְנִצַּל, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (בראשית כה, ח): וַיִּגְוַע וַיָּמָת אַבְרָהָם. מִי גֶּבֶר כְּיִצְחָק שֶׁפָּשַׁט צַוָּארוֹ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר (בראשית כז, ב): הִנֵּה נָא זָקַנְתִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי יוֹם מוֹתִי. מִי גֶּבֶר כְּיַעֲקֹב שֶׁנִתְפַּגֵּשׁ עִם הַמַּלְאָךְ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (בראשית מז, כט): וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת. מִי גֶּבֶר כְּמשֶׁה שֶׁדִּבֵּר עִם בּוֹרְאוֹ פָּנִים בְּפָנִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ לָמוּת. Another matter, Moses said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, after all the glory and all the bravery that my eyes saw, will I die?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, “Who is the man who lives and does not see death…?”’ (Psalms 89:49). What is “who is the man who lives”? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Who is a man like Abraham, who descended into the fiery furnace and was saved? But then, “Abraham expired and died” (Genesis 25:8). Who is a man like Isaac, who outstretched his neck on the altar? But then he said: “Behold, I have now grown old; I do not know the day of my death” (Genesis 27:2). Who is a man like Jacob, who encountered the angel? But then, “the time of Israel approached to die” (Genesis 47:29). Who is a man like Moses, who spoke to his Creator face to face? But then, “behold, your days are approaching to die.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת יוֹרְדִין לַקֶּבֶר וְעֵינֵיהֶם כֵּהוֹת, אַתָּה לֹא כָהֲתָה עֵינֶךָ. כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת מְטַפְּלִים בְּכֵלִים מַעֲשֵׂה בָּשָׂר וָדָם, אָרוֹן, מִטָּה וְתַכְרִיכִין, אֲבָל אַתָּה בְּתַכְרִיכֵי מַעֲשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם, אָרוֹן מַעֲשֶׂה שָׁמַיִם, מִטָּה מַעֲשֶׂה שָׁמַיִם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת כְּשֶׁהֵן מֵתִין מְטַפְּלִין בָּהֶן קְרוֹבֵיהֶם וּשְׁכֵנֵיהֶם, אֲבָל אַתָּה אֲנִי וּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלִּי מְטַפְּלִין בְּךָ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לד, ו): וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ בַגַּי. Another matter, [God said to Moses:] ‘All the people descend to the grave and their eyes dim; you, your eyes did not dim. All the people tend to utensils crafted by flesh and blood, a coffin, bier, and shroud, but you are in shrouds crafted by Heaven, a coffin crafted by Heaven, a bier crafted in Heaven. Another matter, all the people, when they die, their relatives and neighbors tend to them, but you, I and My entourage tend to you.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated; “He buried him in the valley” (Deuteronomy 34:6).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ, לָמָּה נִגְזַר עָלָיו מִיתָה בָּזֶה הַלָּשׁוֹן הֵן, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְאֶחָד שֶׁכִּבֵּד אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהֵבִיא לוֹ דּוֹרוֹן, חֶרֶב חַדָּה. אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ הַתִּיזוּ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ בָּהּ. אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ, אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּמֶּה שֶׁכִּבַּדְתִּיךָ בָּהּ אַתְּ מַתִּיז אֶת רֹאשִׁי. כָּךְ אָמַר משֶׁה, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם בְּהֵן קִלַסְתִּיךָ, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (דברים י, יד): הֵן לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ הַשָּׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וגו', וּבְהֵן אַתָּה גּוֹזֵר עָלַי מִיתָה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שָׁכֵן רָע רוֹאֶה אֶת הַנִּכְנָסוֹת וְאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה אֶת הַיּוֹצְאוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ אִי אַתָּה זָכוּר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁשְּׁלַחְתִּיךָ לִגְאֹל אוֹתָן מִמִּצְרַיִם וְאָמַרְתָּ לִי (שמות ד, א): הֵן לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ לִי, הֱוֵי הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ. Another matter, “behold [hen], your days are approaching” – why was death decreed upon him with this expression, hen? The Rabbis say: To what is the matter comparable? It is to one who honored the king and brought him a gift, a sharp sword. The king said: ‘Behead him with it.’ That person said to him: ‘My lord the king, with what I honored you, you are beheading me?’ So, Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, I lauded you with hen, as so it is written: “Behold [hen], to the Lord your God are the heavens, and the heavens of heavens…” (Deuteronomy 10:14), and with hen you are decreeing death upon me?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘A bad neighbor sees the incomes but does not see the expenditures.’ He said to him: ‘Do you not remember when I sent you to redeem them from Egypt, and you said to me: “But, behold [hen], they will not believe me”?’ (Exodus 4:1). That is, “behold [hen], your days are approaching.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין, מַהוּ הֵן, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמַטְרוֹנָה אַחַת שֶׁעָשְׂתָה לַמֶּלֶךְ פּוֹרְפִּירָה מְשֻׁבַּחַת, נְטָלָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהִנִּיחָהּ, הִגִּיעוּ יָמֶיהָ שֶׁל הַמַּטְּרוֹנָה לָמוּת, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ תִּטֹּל אוֹתָהּ פּוֹרְפִּירָה שֶׁכִּבְּדָה אוֹתִי, כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, קִלַסְתָּ אוֹתִי בְּהֵן, וּבְהֵן אֲנִי גּוֹזֵר עָלֶיךָ מִיתָה. Another matter, Rabbi Avin said: What is hen? To what is the matter comparable? It is to a certain noblewoman who crafted a high quality purple garment for the king. The king took it and stored it. When the time arrived for the woman to die, the king said: ‘Let her take that purple garment with which she honored me.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You lauded Me with hen, with hen I decree death upon you.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְאִשָּׁה עֻבָּרָה שֶׁנֶּחְבְּשָׁה בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִין, יָלְדָה שָׁם בֵּן, גָּדַל אוֹתוֹ הַיֶּלֶד, עָבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לִפְנֵי בֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים, הִתְחִיל אוֹתוֹ הַיֶּלֶד לִצְווֹחַ אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, לָמָּה אֲנִי חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים. אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּחֲטָיָא שֶׁל אִמְּךָ אַתְּ נָתוּן כָּאן. כָּךְ אָמַר משֶׁה, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם שְׁלשִׁים וָשֵׁשׁ כְּרִיתוֹת הֵן, שֶׁאִם יַעֲבֹר אָדָם עַל אֶחָד מֵהֶן חַיָּב מִיתָה, שֶׁמָּא עָבַרְתִּי עַל אַחַת מֵהֶן, לָמָּה אַתָּה גּוֹזֵר עָלַי מִיתָה. אָמַר לוֹ בַּחֲטָיָא שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אַתָּה מֵת שֶׁהֵבִיא מִיתָה לָעוֹלָם. הֵן, מַהוּ הֵן, בַּעֲוֹן אוֹתוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ הֵן (בראשית ג, כב): הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ וגו'. Another matter, to what is the matter comparable? It is to a pregnant woman who was incarcerated in prison. She bore a son there. That child grew up there. The king passed before the prison. That child began shouting: ‘My lord the king, why am I incarcerated in the prison?’ The king said to him: ‘It is due to the sin of your mother that you are placed here.’ So Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, there are thirty-six instances of karet for which a person who violates one of them incurs liability to die. Did I, perhaps, violate one of them? Why are You decreeing death upon me?’ He said to him: ‘Due to the sin of Adam the first man you are dying, as he brought death to the world.’ Hen, what is hen? Due to the iniquity of the one in whose regard hen is written: “Behold [hen], the man has become as one of us…” (Genesis 3:22).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ הֵן, אָמַר רַבִּי סִימָא הַיּוֹם קוֹבֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמַר, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֵינִי זָז וְאֵינִי שׁוֹקֵעַ וּמשֶׁה קַיָּם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע משֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לָמוּת בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם, מֶה עָשָׂה, אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי כָּתַב שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה תּוֹרוֹת, שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים, וְאַחַת הִנִּיחַ בָּאָרוֹן, שֶׁאִם יְבַקֵּשׁ לְזַיֵּף דָּבָר, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מוֹצְאִים אוֹתָהּ שֶׁבָּאָרוֹן. אָמַר משֶׁה מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁאֲנִי עָסוּק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ חַיִּים, הַיּוֹם שׁוֹקֵעַ וְהַגְּזֵרָה בְּטֵלָה, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רָמַז לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְקַשֶּׁה כְּנֶגְדוֹ, אָמַר אֵינִי שׁוֹקֵעַ וּמשֶׁה קַיָּם בָּעוֹלָם, לְפִיכָךְ אִיּוֹב מְפָרְשָׁהּ (איוב ל, כה): אִם לֹא בָכִיתִי לִקְשֵׁה יוֹם, שֶׁנִּתְקַשָּׁה הַיּוֹם כְּנֶגְדוֹ. הֵן, מַהוּ הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ פְּלוֹנִי קָבַל עָלֶיךָ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ. (דברים לא, יד): קְרָא אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, יִטֹּל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אַרְכִי שֶׁלִּי וֶאֱהֵא חָי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲשֵׂה לוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה לָךְ, מִיָּד הִשְׁכִּים משֶׁה וְהָלַךְ לְבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, נִתְיָרֵא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְאָמַר משֶׁה רַבִּי בּוֹא אֶצְלִי, יָצְאוּ לַהֲלֹךְ, הָלַךְ משֶׁה לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, נִכְנְסוּ לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, יָרַד עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן וְהִפְסִיק בֵּינֵיהֶם, מִשֶּׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן הָלַךְ משֶׁה אֵצֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְאָמַר מָה אָמַר לְךָ הַדִּבּוּר, אָמַר לוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כְּשֶׁהָיָה הַדִּבּוּר נִגְלָה עָלֶיךָ יוֹדֵעַ הָיִיתִי מַה מְדַבֵּר עִמְּךָ, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה צָעַק משֶׁה וְאָמַר מֵאָה מִיתוֹת וְלֹא קִנְאָה אֶחָת, וּשְׁלֹמֹה מְפָרְשָׁהּ (שיר השירים ח, ו): כִּי עַזָּה כַמָּוֶת אַהֲבָה קָשָׁה כִשְׁאוֹל קִנְאָה, אַהֲבָה שֶׁאָהַב משֶׁה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וּמַה שֶּׁקִּנֵּא משֶׁה בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו לָמוּת, הִתְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְפַיְסוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ חַיֶּיךָ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הִנְהַגְתָּ אֶת בָּנַי, אַף לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא עַל יָדֶיךָ אֲנִי מַנְהִיג אוֹתָן, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סג, יא): וַיִּזְכֹּר יְמֵי עוֹלָם משֶׁה עַמּוֹ. Another matter, what is hen? Rabbi Sima said: The day raised a grievance before the Holy One blessed be He. It said: ‘Master of the universe, I will not move and will not set, as long as Moses is alive.’⁴Since the day had arrived for Moses to die and for Joshua to take over, metaphorically the day would not end before the transition took place (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, the Rabbis said: Since Moses knew that he was supposed to die on that day, what did he do? Rabbi Yanai said: He wrote thirteen Torah scrolls; twelve for the twelve tribes, and one, he placed in the Ark, so that if one would seek to falsify a matter, they would be able to find the one that is in the Ark. Moses said: ‘By means of me being engaged in the Torah, which is all life, the day will set and the decree will be nullified.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He signaled to the sun, but it stood obstinate against Him. It said: ‘I will not set as long as Moses exists in this world.’ That is why Job said: “Truly, I wept for the downtrodden [keshe yom], [my soul grieved for the indigent]” (Job 30:25) – as the day was obstinate [nitkasha] against Him.⁵Job is saying that he wept for Moses, who died after the day was obstinate before God. “Hen” – what is “behold, your days are approaching”? It is like a person who says to another: ‘So-and-so filed a grievance against you before the king.’
“Summon Joshua” – he [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, let Joshua take my kingdom, but I will live.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Act to him just as he acts to you.’ Immediately, Moses awakened and went to Joshua’s residence. Joshua became afraid, and Moses said: ‘My master, come to me.’ They went out to walk. Moses walked to Joshua’s left. They entered the Tent of Meeting. The pillar of cloud descended and partitioned between them. When the pillar of cloud ascended, Moses went to Joshua and said: ‘What did the Divine Speech say to you?’ Joshua said to him: ‘When the Divine Speech was revealed to you, would I know what it was speaking with you?’⁶Just like Moses did not report to Joshua on everything that God spoke to him, similarly Joshua would not report to Moses. At that moment, Moses shouted and said: ‘One hundred deaths, but not one [instance of] jealousy.’ Solomon articulated it: “As love is as intense as death, jealousy is as cruel as the grave” (Song of Songs 8:6) – the love that Moses loved Joshua, and the fact that Moses was jealous of Joshua. Once he accepted that he would die, the Holy One blessed be He began to placate him. He said to him: ‘In this world, you led My children. In the future, too, I will lead them through you.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people” (Isaiah 63:11).