Midrash on the death of Aaron

"I lost the three shepherds in one month" (Zecharia 11:8); and thus, in one month, Aaron, Miriam, and Moses died. Miriam died on the 1st of the month of Nisan, and the well closed up; and in the second of Nissan, Aaron's sons died; On the first of Av, Aaron died, and the clouds of glory dissipated; On the seventh of Adar Moses our teacher, and God's servant, died. Even though they didn't all die in the same month, it's considered as if it were one month. Each had a gift that they gave to the Israelites. By the merit of Miriam, God gave the well, by the merit of Aaron, the clouds of glory, By the merit of Moses, the Mana. When Miriam died, the well closed so the Israelites could see that it was by her merit that God granted them the well. Moses and Aaron bewailed her internally, and the Israelites did so publicly. Moses didn't know about the Israelites mourning until after six hours, when the Israelites came to them and said: "how long will you sit and mourn?" He said to them "should I not continue to mourn my sister who has died." "They said to him: "just as you mourn for one soul, all the more so mourn for all of us." He said to them: "why" They said to him "because we do not have water to drink." He stood and went and saw that there was no water in the well, and he began to argue with them, he said:"did I not say to you that I can't carry this people on my own, did I not appoint for you officers for the thousands, and officers for the hundreds, and the fifties, and the twenties, I gave you officials, and chiefs, and great elders, and they are to busy themselves with your problems." They said to him: "Everything is on you, for you are the one who brought us out of Egypt and brought us to this terrible place, if you give us water, everything will be fine, but if you don't, then we will stone you." When Moses heard this, he fled from them and went into the tent of meeting. God said to him "Moses what is going on?" Moses said before the Master of the World: "your children want to stone me, and were I not to have fled, I would have already been stoned to death." God said said: "how long will will you speak ill of my children, was it not enough for you that I told you at Horeb, just a little more and they will stone you. Now go and pass before them and see whether they will actually stone you, and it is said the Torah: "God said to Moses, pass before the people." Moses went first and his cohort after him, and Moses didn't know which rock God had intended to give to them for bringing out water. The Israelites found a rock that was dripping, and they stood upon it. When Moses saw them standing on it, he turned around and said to God "how long will you put our lives at risk?" He said to them, "until I bring water out of the rock." The Israelites said: "give us water so that we can drink!" Moses responded to them "How long will you continue to rebel? Does a creation rebel against its creator? As such, you are rebelling against God. Moses said: "God wants to give you water." The Israelites said: "you are the prophet who shepherds us in the dessert and now you say you don't know which rock God intends you to bring water out of? Moses and Aaron gathered the people around a different rock, as it says in the Torah "Moses and Aaron gathered the community at the face of the rock." Moses said to himself: "If I command the rock to bring out water and it doesn't, I'll be embarrassed before the community, and they will say to me, 'Moses, where is your alleged wisdom.'" At the very same moment Moses told the Israelites, "you know that God can do miracles for you, and you know that miracles are beyond me. For when the knowledge of man is divinely inspired, it is not his own knowledge or wisdom. Moses brought down his staff upon the back of the rock, and he did so himself, as he spoke to the israelites , as it says in the Torah "from this rock, we will bring you water." The rock began to fill itself to bring out water, and when Moses saw it, he lifted his arm again and struck the rock, as it says in the Torah "he hit the rock twice with his staff." This time though, blood came out, as it says in the Psalms, "yes, he hit the rock and the waters flowed (Psalm 78:20)." It's a flow of blood, as we see from the laws of menstruation "when a woman has a discharge of blood (Leviticus 15:25)." Moses came and said to God "the rock isn't bringing out water, only blood." God said to the rock: "why are you only bringing out blood, and not water?" The rock said "Master of the Universe, why did Moses hit me?" God then asked Moses, "why did you hit the rock?" Moses responded: "In order to bring out water." God said: "Did I tell you to hit the rock? Did I not tell you to speak to it with words?" Moses responded: "I did speak to it, but nothing came out!" God responded "did you not command all of Israel "in justice you shall judge your people (Leviticus 19)? Thus, why didn't you judge the rock with justice? This is how I raised you in Egypt, as it says in scripture 'God fed him honey from the rock, (Deuteronomy 32:13).' It befits you to lead, and thus say to my children "listen you rebels!" Don't read "rebels" rather "idiots" shotim (also a hominem for drinkers). They are idiots, and you have your eyes open. A nation of idiots will not enter the land of Israel, as it says in the Torah "you will not bring this community . . ." Therefore God said to Moses, "tell the rock to turn it's blood into water." It is thus written in scripture: "who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flinty rock into a spring (Psalm 114:8)." (Note this is a Psalm recited during Hallel on Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the month). When they reached the beginning of the month, God said to Moses, "your time has come to an end." Moses said before him, "please God, let it not be soon." "It is tomorrow" responded God, thus Moses was distressed all day, for he didn't know when exactly his death would come. ...

Go now, and return to Aaron and tell him that the time has come for him to depart this world. It is also the time for all those who are at least 50 years old who you led for the duration of the Exodus. Get up, it is the time for the seventy elders, and those with the officials of Israel shall come with Eliezer and Aaron, and they shall gather at Moses's tent, and they asked about his welfare, and after that they will go to the Tent of Meeting. This is the order in which they should go: Moses in the middle, Aaron to his right, Eliezer to his left, and the Elders on either side, and all of Israel behind them, and then all of them should enter the Tent of Meeting. Aaron should sit to the right of Moses, who will sit at the head. Eliezer will be at his left and the officers behind them. And you will say to him: "God decrees that Moses and Aaron will die." And God said to Moses: "my servant Moses, in every part of my house you were faithful, you have been a great speaker, and but there is a great request that I must ask of you, and it's hard for me to ask. Moses asked: "What's the request?" God said: "You need to gather your brother unto his people (bury your brother), for he will not enter the land that I have given to the Israelites, those who rebelled against my commandments at Merivah. Moses said: "God, all is known and clear to you and your holy throne, for you are master of the world, and all of your creations that you created in this world, and by your hand they came to be, and by your hand you will do that which you will, but it is not apparent to me how you could ask me to tell my brother that he is going to die. My brother is greater than me, and how can I speak to him and tell him to go up to the mountain of Hor where he will die." God responded to Moses: " do not tell him with words, rather take Aaron and Eliezer his son and bring them to the mountain of Hor, and there you will go up with them and speak to him softly and gently, but also in a way that he will understand what's going on. When the three of you are on the mountain, strip Aaron of his clothes, and dress Eliezer his son in them, and Aaron will be gathered unto his people, and die there.

When Moses heard this, he was deeply troubled in his heart, and he didn't know what to do. He cried a great and mighty cry, until it was time was time to deliver the news to his brother Aaron that he would die. Moses was steadfast to act, and went with this brother Aaron to tell him of the matter. He went to the Tent of Meeting and found Aaron there. That very day, Moses taught the custom: sit and cry only until the crowing of the rooster. Moses called Elieer and said to him: " go and get the elders and the officers, for God has told me of an important matter. They came and gathered at the tent of Aaron. Aaron stood and found Moses standing. Aaron said to Moses: "my brother, why have you taught us this custom today?" He said to him: God is revealing something that I must tell you." He said to him: "Speak!" He responded, "not until we leave here." Moses stood and dressed Aaron with the eight vestiges of the priestly clothing within Aaron's tent. After that he left. Therefore it was added as a custom that day that one should sit and cry only until the crowing of the rooster." Aaron was placed in the along with Moses; to their right was Joshua, to their left, the elders. The officers were both here and there, and all of Israel was behind them. Because the Israelites saw Aaron with the same respect as Moses, they rejoiced a great rejoicing, and said that "Aaron is ascending farther toward the spirit of God. Because they loved him, they all came out after him, and when they arrived at the tent of meeting, Aaron requested to enter the tent, but Moses wouldn't let him. Moses said to him: "Let's go outside of the camp, for that is the intended direction." Aaron said to him: "tell me what did God say to you?" Moses responded: "I'll tell you once we get to the mountain." Moses commanded the people (just as he did at Sinai, and just as Abraham did his lads on the way to Moriyah) stay here until we return to you, me, Aaron and Eliezer will go up to the top of the mountain, we will hear the word of God, and then we will return. The three of them went up. Moses wanted to say something to Aaron, but didn't know how, and didn't know what to say. Moses finally said: "Aaron my brother, what are the appointed things that that God has given you?" He responded: "These" He said: "What?" Aaron said: "God has given me the altar, the table, upon which sits the bread of welcoming." Moses responded: "These are the things that God has appointed to your hand, but now, God has something that he is asking of you." "What is it" Aaron asked? "God has given you a light," said Moses. Aaron asked: "What are you talking about, god has given more more than just a single light, God has given me seven (the lights of the menorah), and they are currently lit in the Tent of Meeting. Moses gave Aaron the sense that he was talking in parable, and that the candle of which he was referring, was really Aaron's soul. As it says in scripture: "the soul of man is the light of God (Proverbs 20:27)." Moses saw that Aaron still didn't understand the parable. He said to him "in truth, you are called simple," as it says in scripture: "and of Levi it is said, your Urim and Tumim (being read here is your light and your simpleness) are for a man of your faith." Immediatly, the cave opened at its mouth. Moses said: "Aaron my brother, enter the cave." Aaron responded "ok," and Moses request to strip Aaron of his clothing. Is it possible that when he stripped his clothing, he died naked, and was buried naked? God forbid! Rather, every high priest wears eight of the priestly garments, but the lower priests wear four. Aaron wore, eight, and Eliezer wore four. Moses only took four of Moses's clothes from Aaron and gave them to Eliezer to make him the high priest. Aaron still remained with four vestiges of clothing. They said to Eliezer, wait here until we leave, and Aaron and Moses entered. They saw a made bed and a set table with a menorah lit, and the angels of God standing on either side. Aaron said to Moses: " my brother, how long will you hide from me what God has told you? You know that For you know that although God speaks to you first, God's mouth testifies on my behalf. Even now he is setting out to meet you, and he will be happy to see you. Why do you conceal the matter which the Holy One entrusted to you?even if it is about my death, I will accept it with joy. Moses said to him: "Since you mentioned the subject of death, I will confirm your suspicion, and say that it is a matter of death which he spoke to me. I was afraid, however, to inform you of it. Your death is not like that of anyone else, for the ministering angels have come to carry you away. Aaron said to him: "My brother Moses, why didn't you tell me in the presence of my Maker, my wife, and my children?" Moses answered: " My brother, do you not know that it is forty years since you made the calf and that you deserved to be killed then, but I stood in prayer and supplication before God, and God saved you from death, as it is written: "Moreover, God was angry enough with Aaron to have destroyed him; so I also interceded (Deuteronomy 9:20). Is my death then going to be like your death? For when you die, you will have me to bury you, but when I die, I will not have my brother to bury me. When you die, your sons inherit your station, but when I die others will inherit my honor." Thus he comforted him with his words.