As a sign of especial favor God communicates to the pious the day of
their death, that they may transmit their crowns to their sons. But God
considered it particularly fitting to prepare Moses and Aaron for
impending death, saying: "These two pious men throughout their lifetime
did nothing without consulting Me, and I shall not therefore take them
out of this world without previously informing them." [630]
When, therefore, Aaron's time approached, God said to Moses: "My
servant Moses, who hast been 'faithful in all Mine house,' I have an
important matter to communicate to thee, but it weighs heavily upon
Me." Moses: "What is it?" God: "Aaron shall be gathered unto his
people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto
the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against My word at the
waters of Meribah." Moses replied: "Lord of the world! It is manifest
and known before the Throne of Thy glory, that Thou art Lord of all the
world and of Thy creatures that in this world Thou hast created, so
that we are in Thy hand, and in Thy hand it lies to do with us as Thou
wilt. I am not, however, fit to go to my brother, and repeat to him Thy
commission, for he is older than I, and how then shall I presume to go
up to my older brother and say, 'Go up unto Mount Hor and die there!'"
God answered Moses: "Not with the lip shalt thou touch this matter, but
'take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto Mount Hor.'
Ascend thou also with them, and there speak with thy brother sweet and
gentle words, the burden of which will, however, prepare him for what
awaits him. Later when ye shall all three be upon the mountain, 'strip
Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son, and Aaron
shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.' [631] As a
favor to Me prepare Aaron for his death, for I am ashamed to tell him
of it Myself." [632]
When Moses heard this, there was a tumult in his heart, and he knew not
what to do. He wept so passionately that his grief for the impending
loss of his brother brought him to the brink of death himself. As a
faithful servant of God, however, nothing remained for him to do, but
to execute his Master's command, hence he betook himself to Aaron to
the Tabernacle, to inform him of his death.
Now it had been customary during the forty years' march through the
desert for the people daily to gather, first before the seventy elders,
then under their guidance before the princes of the tribes, then for
all of them to appear before Eleazar and Aaron, and with these to go to
Moses to present to him their morning greeting. On this day, however,
Moses made a change in this custom, and after having wept through the
night, at the cock's crow summoned Eleazar before him and said to him:
"Go and call to me the elders and the princes, for I have to convey to
them a commission from the Lord." Accompanied by these men, Moses not
betook himself to Aaron who, seeing Moses when he arose, asked: "Why
hast thou made a change in the usual custom?" Moses: "God hath bidden
me to make a communication to thee." Aaron: "Tell it to me." Moses:
"Wait until we are out of doors." Aaron thereupon donned his eight
priestly garments and both went out.
Now it had always been the custom for Moses whenever he went from his
house to the Tabernacle to walk in the center, with Aaron at his right,
Eleazar at his left, then the elders at both sides, and the people
following in the rear. Upon arriving within the Tabernacle, Aaron would
seat himself as the very nearest at Moses' right hand, Eleazar at his
left, and the elders and princes in front. On this day, however, Moses
changed this order; Aaron walked in the center, Moses at his right
hand, Eleazar at his left, the elders and princes at both sides, and
the rest of the people following.
When the Israelites saw this, they rejoiced greatly, saying: "Aaron now
has a higher degree of the Holy Spirit than Moses, and therefore does
Moses yield to him the place of honor in the center." The people loved
Aaron better than Moses. [633] For ever since Aaron had become aware
that through the construction of the Golden Calf he had brought about
the transgression of Israel, it was his endeavor through the following
course of life to atone for his sin. He would go from house to house,
and whenever he found one who did not know how to recite his Shema', he
taught him the Shema'; if one did not know how to pray he taught him
how to pray; and if he found one who was not capable of penetrating
into the study of the Torah, he initiated him into it. [634] He did
not, however, consider his task restricted 'to establishing peace
between God and man,' but strove to establish peace between the learned
and the ignorant Israelites, among the scholars themselves, among the
ignorant, and between man and wife. [635] Hence the people loved him
very dearly, and rejoiced when they believed he had now attained a
higher rank than Moses.
Having arrived at the Tabernacle, Aaron now wanted to enter, but Moses
held him back, saying: "We shall now go beyond the camp." When they
were outside the camp, Aaron said to Moses: "Tell me the commission God
hath given thee." Moses answered: "Wait until we reach the mountain."
At the foot of the mountain Moses said to the people: "Stay here until
we return to you; I, Aaron, and Eleazar will go to the top of the
mount, and shall return when we shall have heard the Divine
revelation." All three now ascended.