Pisqa’ 357¹

1

“And Moses ascended ” (Dt.34:1)—

this is an ascent for Moses, not a descent!²

 

“From the steppes of Moab”(Dt.34:1)—

this teaches that

the Blessed Holy One showed him

the lineage of the kings destined to arise from Ruth of Moab.

Namely, David and his descendants.

 

“To Mount Nebo, the pinnacle of Pisgah” (Dt.34:1)—

just as your typical bough (pisgah)

is separate from the grape cluster,

yet not quite separate from it,

so, too, the grave of Moses

is placed opposite the mountain,

yet not quite opposite it,

for the valley intervenes between them.

 

“Which is opposite Jericho” (Dt.34:1)—

this teaches that

He showed him the lineage of Prophets destined

to arise from Rakhab the Whore

[who lived in Jericho].³

 

“And HASHEM showed him the entire Land” (Dt.34:1)—

this teaches that

He showed him the Land of Israel, peacefully settled;

then He showed it to him occupied by invaders.

 

“Gilead” (Dt.34:1)—

This teaches that

He showed him the Abode of Holiness

peacefully established on its foundation;

then He showed him its destroyers.

 

Actually, Gilead can refer to the Abode of Holiness,

as it is said:

“Gilead, to me you are the best of Lebanon” (Jer.22:6)—

[and “Lebanon” can itself represent the Abode]. ⁴

 

“Until Dan” (Dt.34:1)—

this teaches that

He showed him the land of Dan, peacefully settled;

then He showed it to him occupied by invaders.

 

Another word:

“Until Dan” (Dt.34:1)—

this teaches that

He showed him the tribe of Dan serving a foreign cult,

in line with the following that is said:

“Then the Danites set up for themselves an image” (Jud.18:30).

Then he showed Moses the Liberator of Israel

who is destined to arise from Dan.

And who is this?

This is Samson b. Manoach.

 

“And all of Naftali” (Dt.34:2)—

this teaches that

He showed him the land of Naftali,

peacefully established on its foundation.

Then He showed him the invaders who occupied it.

 

Another word:

This teaches that

He showed Moses Barak b. Avinoam waging war against Sisera—

and his warriors⁵ with him.

Here it is stated:

“And all of Naftali” (Dt.34:2),

and elsewhere it is stated:

“So [Deborah] sent and called for Barak b. Avinoam of Kedesh-Naftali” (Jud.4:6)—

[thus Deborah was among the warriors against Sisera].

 

“And the land of Ephraim” (Dt.34:2)—

this teaches that

He showed him the land of Ephraim

peacefully established on its foundation.

Then He showed him the invaders who occupied it.

 

Another word:

“And the land of Ephraim” (Dt.34:2)—

This teaches that He showed him

Joshua b. Nun waging war against the Canaanites.

Here it is stated:

“And the land of Ephraim” (Dt.34:2),

And elsewhere it is stated:

“From the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua b. Nun” (Nu.13:8)

 

“And Menasseh” (Dt.34:2)—

this teaches that

He showed him the land of Menasseh

peacefully established on its foundation.

Then He showed him the invaders who occupied it.

 

Another word:

“And Menasseh” (Dt.34:2)—

this teaches that

He showed him Gideon b. Yoash waging war against Midian and Amalek.

 

Another word:

Since Ephraim was young

the verse pairs him with an older [brother].

And so is it said:

“For, indeed, my clan is the humblest in Menasseh” (Jud.6:15)

 

“And all the land of Judah” (Dt.34:2)—

this teaches that

he showed him the land of Judah

peacefully established on its foundation.

Then He showed him the invaders who occupied it.

 

Another word:

“And all the land of Judah” (Dt.34:2)—

this teaches that

He showed him David ruling over his kingdom.⁶

 

Here it is stated:

“And all the land of Judah” (Dt.34:2),

while elsewhere it is stated:

“And HASHEM the God of Israel has chosen me

from all the household of my father,

to rule as king in all the land of Israel” (1Chron.28:4)—

[there is no contradiction,

as the northern kingdom of Israel is destined to be ruled from Jerusalem in Judah].

 

“As far as the far-off sea” (Dt.34:2)—

this teaches that

He showed to him the entire region of the West,

peacefully established on its foundation.

Then He showed him the invaders who occupied it. ⁷

 

Another word:

“As far as the far-off sea (yam ha’akharon);” (Dt.34:2)

Don’t vocalize it [conventionally as]:

the far-off sea.

Rather, vocalize it as:

“On that final day (yom ha’akharon)”—

this teaches that

He showed him the entire world

from the day it was created until the dead are restored to life.⁸

“And the Negev” (Dt.34:3)—

This teaches that

He showed him the South peacefully established on its foundation.

Then He showed him the invaders who occupied it.

 

Another word:

“And the Negev” (Dt.34:3).

This teaches that

He showed him the grotto of Machpelah,

in which the Patriarchs are buried.

 

Here it is stated:

“And the Negev” (Dt.34:3),

but elsewhere it is stated:

“And they ascended from the Negev until they arrived in Hebron” (Nu.13:22)—

[where Machpelah is located].⁹

 

“And the plain” (Dt.34:3)—

This teaches that

He showed him Solomon b. David making [service] vessels

for the Abode of Holiness.

 

Here it is stated:

“And the plain” (Dt.34:3).

And elsewhere it is stated:

“In the plain of the Jordan did the King¹⁰ cast them” (1Ki.7:46).

 

“The Valley of Jericho” (Dt.34:3)—

This teaches that

He showed him Gog and all his forces that were destined to fall

in the Valley of Jericho.¹¹

 

Another word:

Just as your typical valley

is clearly visible as such,

or a field sown with barley

is clearly visible as such—

so did He show him the entire world

in the Valley of Jericho.¹²

“The city of date-palms” (Dt.34:3)—

this teaches that

He showed him the Righteous strolling in the Garden of Eden,

who are compared to date-palms.

And similarly does He say:

“The Righteous shall sprout like the date-palm” (Ps.92:13).

 

Another word:

This teaches that

He showed him Gehenna,

which was next to the Garden.

It was narrow at the top,

And broad at the bottom.

And so He says:

“And He has even lured you through a narrow (tzar) opening

into a wide space, beneath which there are no boundaries” (Job36:16).¹³

“Until Zoar” (tzo`ar; Dt.34:3)—

this refers to the those who torment (metziqei) Israel,

such as the secret agents hired by the Imperium,

may they be destined to perish with it!

2

“And HASHEM said to him: This is the Land” (Dt.34:4)—

He said to Moses:

I swore an oath to give it to your Patriarchs,

but have permitted you to see it

with your own eyes.

“But you shall not cross-over to it” (Dt.34:4).

Now, here it is stated:

“But you shall not cross-over to it” (Dt.34:4).

And elsewhere it is stated:

“But you shall not enter it” (Dt.32:52)

Said Moses:

If I can’t enter the Land as a king,

I’ll enter as a commoner!

If I can’t enter it alive,

I’ll enter it dead!

Said the All-Present to him:

“You shall not enter it” (Dt.32:52),

And “You shall not cross-over to it” (Dt.34:4)—

neither as a king nor as a commoner,

neither alive nor dead!¹⁴

“And Moses died there” (Dt.34:5)—

Is it possible for Moses to have died there

and to have written:

“And Moses died there?” (Dt.34:5)

Actually, Moses wrote until that verse.

From there onwards, Joshua wrote.

R. Meir says:

Indeed, He says:

“Now, Moses wrote down this Torah” (Dt.31:9)—

is it possible that Moses gave the Torah

while it lacked so much as a single letter?

Rather, this teaches that

Moses wrote what the Blessed Holy One told him to write!

As in this verse, which is said:

“And Baruch said to them:

From his mouth did Jeremiah recite to me, and I wrote it down in a scroll” (Jer.36:18).

R. Eliezer says:

An echo of an echo (bat qol)¹⁵ sounded within the encampment,

                                          and was heard for twelve square mil.

And it declared, saying:

Moses has died!

[and the verse announcing Moses’ death records the echo’s voice].

This is suggested by the verse itself:¹⁶

“Woe! Moses died there” (Dt.34:5)

Now, on what basis can you claim that

forgiveness radiated from the grave of Moses

to the graves of the Patriarchs?

It is stated here:

“And Moses died there” (Dt.34:5).

And it is stated elsewhere:

“There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife” (Gn.49:31).

And some say:

Moses never died.

Rather, he is at our service Above.

For here, of Moses, it is stated:

There (Dt.34:5).

While elsewhere, of Moses, it is also stated:

“And he was there with HASHEM” (Ex.34:28).

3

“The slave (`eved) of HASHEM” (Dt.34:5)—

The term, slave, implies no insult to Moses;

rather it comes to praise him!

For, of the early Prophets,

we often find them referred to as slaves,

as it is said:

“For HASHEM the God does nothing without

revealing His plan to His slaves, the Prophets” (Am.3:7).

“At the order (`al pi)¹⁷ of HASHEM” (Dt.34:5).

When the All-Present

takes the souls of the Righteous,

He removes it at a calm moment.

They taught an analogy—

To what is the situation comparable?

There was one honest man in the city,

and everyone would leave pledges

with him [for safe-keeping].

Now, when one of them

would come to claim his pledge,

the honest man would immediately

bring it out to him and return it,

for he knew exactly where it was.

But if a person happened to send the pledge

with his son, or his slave, or a messenger—

the honest man would have to

turn his place topsy-turvy,

for he had no idea where it was.

So, too, when the All-Present

takes the souls of the Righteous,

He removes it at a calm moment.

But when He takes the souls of the Wicked,

He hands them over to wicked and cruel angels

for the release of their souls.

And so He says:

“A cruel angel will be sent for him” (Prov.17:11),

And, moreover:

“Their souls will expire while young” (Job36:14)

“And they buried him in the valley” (Dt.34;6)—

If [ Moses was buried] in the valley,

why is it said: “In the land of Moab” (Dt.34:6)?

But if [the burial] was in the land of Moab

why is it said: In the valley?

To inform us that

Moses died in the tribal allotment of Reuben,

but Moses was buried in a field

within the allotment of Gad.

“And no man knows where his grave is until this day” (Dt.34:6).

Some say:

Even Moses doesn’t know the place of his grave!

For it is said:

“And no man knows where his grave is” (Dt.34:6).

And, actually, the term,“man,”(‘ish) refers to Moses,

as it is said:

“Now, the man (‘ish), Moses, was exceedingly humble” (Nu.12:3).

Now, one time—

the Imperium of the House of Caesar

sent two detachments

with orders to find the burial place of Moses.

When they climbed to search high, they saw it below.

When they searched below, they saw it above.

When they divided into two search parties,

half searching high and half searching below,

the ones searching high saw it toward the bottom,

and the ones searching below saw it towards the heights.

This is what the verse implies by stating:

“And no man knows where his grave is” (Dt.34:6).

4

“Moses was 120 years of age when he died” (Dt.34:7).

He is one of four who died at 120 years of age:

And here they are:

Moses, Hillel the Elder, Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai, and R. Akiva.

Moses lived in Egypt for forty years,

and in Midian for forty years,

and saw to Israel’s needs for forty years.

Hillel the Elder ascended from Babylonia at the age of forty years,

and attended sages [in discipleship] for forty years,

and saw to Israel’s needs for forty years.

Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai was in business for forty years,

and attended sages for forty years,

and saw to Israel’s needs for forty years.

R. Akiva began Torah-study at forty years,

and attended sages for forty years,

and saw to Israel’s needs for forty years. ¹⁸

There are six pairs [of leaders] who lived the same number of years:

Rebecca and Kohut (Ex.6:18) [lived till 133];

Levi (Ex.6:16) and Amram (Ex.6:20) [lived till 137];

Joseph ( Gn.50:22) and Joshua (Josh.24:29) [lived till 110];

Samuel and Solomon (1Ki.11:42) [lived till 52];

Moses (Dt.34:7) and Hillel the Elder [lived till 120];

Rabban Yohanan b. Zakki and R. Akiva [lived till 120].¹⁹

5

“And his eye did not dim” (Dt.34:7)—

this teaches that

[Moses was an exception to the rule that]

the eyes of the dead are dim.

“His vital liquids hadn’t abated” (Dt.34:7) –

R. Eliezer b. Jacob says:

Don’t vocalize the verse [conventionally]:

“His vital liquids hadn’t abated” (Dt.34:7).

Rather, vocalize it as follows:

“Even nowadays, his vital liquids haven’t abated”—

to the extent that if you touch Moses’ flesh

vital liquids well up in every direction.

“Now, the Israelites wept for Moses” (Dt.34:8)—

indeed, [this lasted] one day.

“And the days . . . were completed” (Dt.34:8)—

Indeed, [the plural implies] two.

“Weeping during the mourning for Moses” (Dt.34:8)—

thus, three.

[Now as for] these “thirty days” (Dt.34:8)—

what are they for?

This teaches that

weeping for him began

thirty days prior to his death

[and concluded three days afterward].

Now, on what basis do I know that

the duration of the ascetic vow is thirty days?²⁰

Here it is stated: “The days” (Dt.34:8),

and elsewhere it is stated: “Days” (Nu.6:4).

Just as the days mentioned here are thirty,

So, too, the days mentioned elsewhere are “thirty.”

6

“And Joshua b. Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom” (Dt.34:9)—

what caused this?

“Because Moses laid his hands upon him.” (Dt.34:9).

“And the Israelites obeyed him” (Dt.34:9)—

you can’t find a greater expression of obedience than this!

“Doing whatever HASHEM commanded Moses” (Dt.34:9)—

but the awe of Him hadn’t yet been imparted to them,

for it is said:

“At that time, HASHEM elevated Joshua” (Josh.4:14)—

at that very moment:

“The awe of HASHEM was imparted to them” (Josh.4:14).

7

“And there never arose another Prophet in Israel like Moses” (Dt.34:10)—

In Israel, one never arose.

But one arose among the nations of the world!

Which one was that?

This is Bilam b. Be`or.

Now, there is a distinction between

the prophecy of Moses and the prophecy of Bilam.

Moses didn’t know Who was speaking to him

[from the unburnt bush (Ex.3:3)].

But Bilaam knew Who was speaking to him [in Moab].

As it is said:

“A pronouncement of one who hears the utterance of God” (Nu.24:16).

Moses didn’t know when He would speak to him until He spoke to him.

But Bilam knew when He would speak to him.

For it is said:

“The one who knows the mind of the Supernal One” (Nu.24:16).

Moses would speak only while standing,

as it is said:

“And you, here, stand by Me” (Dt.5:28)

But Bilam would speak with him even after he had fallen,

as it is said:

“The vision of the Almighty does he see;

he has fallen but his eyes are opened.” (Nu.24:4)

There is an analogy—

to what is this comparable?

To a king’s cook,

who knows exactly how much

to spend for the king’s table.

8

“Who knew HASHEM face to face” (Dt.34:10)—

Why is [face to face] specified?

Because it is said:

“And [Moses] replied: Show me, perhaps, Your Glory?”(Ex.33:18)

He said to him:

In this eon, you cannot perceive what the Face represents,

as it is said:

“You will not be able to see My Face!” (Ex.33:20)

But you will perceive it in the coming eon,

which is represented by the Back,

as it is said:
“Then I will remove My Hand, and you will be able to see My Back,

But My face will not be seen” (Ex.33:23).

When will He show him [His Face]?

At the point of death.

Thus you learn that the dead see

[although dimly].²¹

“In all the prodigious marvels

that HASHEM sent him to perform in the land of Egypt:

To Pharaoh, to all his slaves, and to his entire country” (Dt.34;11)—

to the Egyptians—for their own [deeds];

to Pharaoh—for his own [deeds];

to his slaves—for their own [deeds].

“And for all the might of hand” (Dt.34:11)—

this refers to striking-down the First-born.

“And to all the awesome event” (Dt.34:11)—

this refers to splitting the Sea [of Reeds].

9

R. Elazar says:

“And all the prodigious marvels” (Dt.34:11)—

Now, on what basis do I know to include

as well those at Mt. Sinai?

The Teaching states:

“For all the might of hand” (Dt.34:12).

And on what basis do I know to include

marvels occurring in the wasteland

as well the smashing of the tablets?

It is said elsewhere:

“And I smashed them before your eyes” (Dt.9:17).

And here He says:

“Which Moses did before the eyes of all Israel” (Dt.34:12).

1. H:378-383; JN2:453-462
2. Cf. Pisqa’ 338.1.
3. //Sifre Nu., pinkhas, 135; cf. Pisqa’ 338.2 above.
4. So Pisqa’ 6. Cf. Sifre Nu., pinkhas, 134 and Mechilta Ishmael, `amaleq, 2.
5. “Warriors” takes the feminine ending—ot—implying the presence of women among the fighters.
6. // Mechilta Ishmael, `amaleq, 2.
7. // Mechilta Ishmael, `amaleq, .2
8. Cf. Sifre Nu., pinkhas, 139.
9. // Mechilta Ishmael, `amaleq, 2.
10. In the context of 1Ki.7:40-45, it is clear that King Hiram of Tyre is implied to have completed the casting of the vessels. But a case can be made for reading 1Ki.7:46 in the context of 1Ki.7:48: “And Solomon made all the vessels . . . “
11. = Mechilta Ishmael, `amaleq, 2.
12. Cf. ibid.
13. Sifre Nu., pinkhas, 135-136 (ad Nu. 34:1-4) and Mechilta Ishmael, `amaleq, 2, (ad Ex.17:24-26) each construct accounts of Moses’ visionary experiences under divine guidance. There are only a few actual correspondences of language, although Sifre Nu and Mechilta each cover much the same ground as SD does here. The translation, accordingly, is all in bold face, indicating that distinguishing the various relations of detailed passages to each other is beyond the scope of this work.
14. Cf. Pisqa; 341.1
15. According to rabbinic tradition, this is a “heavenly voice” that discloses God to Israel after the era of prophecy.
16. Heb: semalyon. According to Jastrow (p. 1002) Semalyon is the name of a tanna. Finkelstein (F:428. n.2) prefers, via the Greek (semaleon), the rendering, “a hint.” That is, the waw (“and”) that introduces the Torah’s statement of Moses’ death is rendered as “woe.” See H:512, Pisqa’ 357, ns. 11-12.
17. Literally; “by the mouth.”
18. //ARNA:6
19. Where there is a clear Scriptural source, I supply it. For the ages of Rebecca, Samuel, Hillel, Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai and R. Akiva, see the discussion of sources in Theodor-Albeck, BR: III, 1295 and the condensed discussion in F:429, n.13,
20. //M.Naz.1:3. Cf. Sifre Nu., naso, 22.
21. That the dead see but dimly, see Pisqa’ 357.5. For a parallel to this tradition, Cf. ARNA, 25 on the death of Rabban Yohanan b . Zakkai.