When Moses was on the point of departing from heaven, a celestial voice
announced: "Moses, thou camest hither, and thou didst see the throne of
My glory. Now thou shalt see also Paradise and hell," and God
dispatched Gabriel on the errand of showing hell to him. Terrified by
its fires, when he caught sight of them as he entered the portals of
hell, Moses refused to go farther. But the angel encouraged him,
saying, "There is a fire that not only burns but also consumes, and
that fire will protect thee against hell fire, so that thou canst step
upon it, and yet thou wilt not be seared."
As Moses entered hell, the fire withdrew a distance of five hundred
parasangs, and the Angel of Hell, Nasargiel, asked him, "Who art thou?"
and he answered, "I am Moses, the son of Amram."