Pisqa’ 305⁸ 305.1, see H:488, Pisqa’ 305, n. 1 and F:323-324, l.11.

1. “Then HASHEM said to Moses: Take for yourself Joshua b. Nun, a man with spirit” (Nu. 27:18)— **take for yourself a virile type,**⁹; literally, “manly.” This glosses the verse’s description of Joshua as ‘ish ‘asher ruakh bo, “a man with spirit.” **like yourself!*¹⁰ “Take for yourself” (Nu. 27:18)— this phrase actually implies an act of seizure¹¹ “taking;” Built on the same root as qakh (“take,” l-q-kh).,* for a study partner can be acquired¹²; from root q-n-h, “acquire.” only with great difficulty. On this basis they taught: A person should acquire for himself a study partner— to declaim Scripture with him, to repeat oral traditions with him, to eat and drink with him, and to whom he can reveal his secrets.

“Two are better than one” (Ecc. 4:9), and “A three-ply rope will not soon be severed” (Ecc. 4:12).¹³ 2. The Blessed Holy One replied to Moses,

Provide Joshua with an interpreter¹⁴ spokesman, declaimer. See Jastrow, p.1657. so that he may inquire and expound, and teach [practical] instructions while you are alive. Then, when you pass from the world,

You never spoke during your Master’s life, But now you’re speaking? ¹⁵

Moses picked [Joshua] off the ground and sat him between his knees, while Moses and Israel lifted their faces to hear Joshua’s teachings. What, exactly, did he say? Blessed is the Holy Name, Who gave Torah to Israel through the medium of Moses, our Master— **such were the teachings of Joshua.**¹⁶

footnotes: ⁸ H:294-297;JN2:291-294. On the text of Pisqa’ ⁹ Heb: gaveratan ¹⁰ Cf. ARNA:17 ¹¹ Heb: leqikhah, ¹² Heb: niqneh ¹³ //ARNA:8; Cf. M.Av.1:6) ¹⁴ Heb: turgeman; ¹⁵ // ARNA:17; //Sifre Nu. 140. ¹⁶ Cf. Sifre Nu, 140.

3. R. Nathan says: Moses was pained in his heart that none of his own sons rose [to the occasion]. Said to him the Blessed Holy One: Why eat your heart out— because none of your own sons rose to the occasion? Aren’t the sons of your brother, Aaron, like your own sons? What’s more— the person I appoint over Israel, will need to [humble himself] by standing at the Priest, Elazar’s, door [awaiting the priestly ruling]! There is an analogy— to a king of flesh and blood. He had a son who was unworthy to rule the kingdom. So he took the kingdom from him and gave it to the son of his friend. The king said to the friend’s son: Even though I have exalted you, go and stand at my son’s door. This is what the Blessed Holy One said to Joshua: Even though I have exalted you, go and stand at the door of Elazar, As it is stated: “And before Elazar the Priest shall he stand” (Nu. 27:21). At that moment, Moses recovered his powers. He emboldened Joshua in the view of all Israel, as it is stated: “And Moses called to Joshua, and he said to him in the view of all Israel— be strong and courageous!” (Dt. 31:7) He said to him: This people whom I am entrusting to you, they are still kid-goats, even nurslings. Don’t criticize everything they do, for even their Master did not criticize everything they did!¹⁷ and so He says: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him” (Hos. 11:1).4. Rabbi Nehemiah says: [Said Moses:] I haven’t the right, but if I did, I would bring them in beside the shepherds’ tents to dwell there (cf. Song 1:8).¹⁸ 305, ns. 10-11.

footnotes: ¹⁷ Cf. ARNA:17. ¹⁸ For an interpretation of this difficult comment, see H:489, Pisqa’

The story is told: Concerning Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai. He was riding on an ass, And his disciples trailed after him. He saw a certain young girl gathering barley kernels from [the droppings] beneath the legs of cattle tended by some Arabian bedouin. When she saw Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai, she wrapped herself in her hair and stood before him.

My Master! Provide for me!

Whose daughter are you?

The daughter of Naqdimon b. Gurion am I!

My Master! Do you recall signing my marriage contract?

I signed this one’s marriage contract. Moreover, I read in it of a dowry of a million gold dinars from her father-in-law’s household and the young girl’s household. These families would hardly have time to enter and prostrate themselves on the Mount of the Abode before others would spread fine carpets beneath their feet. Then they would enter, prostrate themselves, and return to their homes with joy. Now, all my days,

“If you are not aware of it, oh most beautiful of women, get yourself to the footsteps of the flock, and tend your kids by the shepherds’ tents” (Song 1:8)—

Don’t declaim the text as “your kids” (gediyotayikh); Rather, declaim it as “your corpses” (geviyotayikh)! For, insofar as Israel performs the will of the All-Present, no nation or kingdom can dominate them. But, insofar as Israel does not perform the will of the All-Present, he hands them over to a benighted nation. And not merely into the hands of a benighted nation, but even beneath the legs of **the cattle of a benighted nation!**¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁹ //ARNA:17; cf. T.Ket.5:9-10

5. In a single year, three of the Righteous died: Moses, Aaron and Miriam. After the death of Moses, Israel could never again find peace of mind,

“And I cut off the three shepherds in one month” (Zekh. 11:8)— Now, did they really all die in a single month? Didn’t they all die in a single year?

“The well dug by princes, excavated by nobles” (Nu. 21:18)— [this alludes to the leadership of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam]. ²⁰ 305, n.14 Actually, Miriam’s death caused the well to run dry, but it returned due to the merit of Moses and Aaron. When Aaron died [later that year], the pillar of cloud dispersed, but both [of these]returned due to the merit of Moses. When Moses died [later that year], **all three vanished, never to return.**²¹ 6. Now, at that moment, Israel was scattered, denuded of commandments. So all Israel gathered together around Moses,

Where is Aaron, your brother?

God has hidden him away for life in the coming eon! But they didn’t believe Moses.

We know you to be an intemperate man! Could he have spoken to you out of turn, and you sentenced him to death? What did the Blessed Holy One do then? He brought Aaron’s bier and suspended it in the heights of the Heavens. Then the Blessed Holy One stood to eulogize him, **with the angelic servants responding in kind.**²² Now, what did they say? “The Torah of truth was in his mouth, and no perversity was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and honor, turning many from sinfulness” (Mal. 2:6)

footnotes: ²⁰ //T. Sotah 11:10. For comments on interpretation of this midrash, see H:489, Pisqa’ ²¹ cf. T.Sota.11:1-2. ²² Cf. ARNB:25.

7. Now, at that moment,

Go and bring me the soul of Moses! The messenger left, and stood before Moses,

Moses! Give me your soul!

Where I sit, you have no business standing! And, now you tell me to give you my soul? So did Moses rebuke him, and so, in shame, he left. Then the Death-messenger went to relate these things to the Mighty One.

Go and bring me the soul of Moses! He went to Moses’ place, sought him, but could not find him.

Have you seen Moses?

I haven’t seen him since the day that he brought Israel through me!

Have you seen Moses?

We haven’t seen him since the day Israel received the Torah on Mt. Sinai!

have you seen Moses?

I’ve heard the name, but I can’t place the face!

Have you seen Moses?

Go and check among the descendants of Adam!

Have you seen Moses?

Only God intuits His ways! God has hidden him away for life in the coming eon, but no creature knows a thing about him!

“And He buried him in a valley . . . and until this very day, **no one knows his burial place” (Dt. 34:6).**²³

footnotes: ²³ Cf. ARNA:12, ARNB:25.

8. Now, when Moses died, Joshua would weep, cry out, and mourn bitterly for him, saying: My Father, my Father! My Master, my Master! You are my Father, who raised me, And my Master, who taught me Torah! Now, he mourned for Moses many days, until the Blessed Holy One said to him: Joshua! How long are you planning to mourn? Has Moses died only for you? And hasn’t he died also for Me? Now, since the day he died, Great mourning has befallen Me! As it is stated: “And HASHEM God declared that day Set aside for weeping and eulogies” (Is. 22:12). Nevertheless, he was guaranteed to inherit the coming eon,

**Now you lie among your ancestors—but you shall arise!”**²⁴ will whore after the alien gods.” This truncation of the verse is clearly a tendentious proof for Moses’ share in the resurrected life.The truncated citation is attested in the citation of the baraita at B. San.90b, ARNA:12, RH, TA, and Ish-Shalom, but many others cite the complete verse (e.g.,the first Venice edition of 1546, Pardo; see Finkelstein, p. 327, critical apparatus, l.11). **(Dt. 31:16)**²⁵

footnotes: ²⁴ The verse continues: . . . “and this people ²⁵ Cf. ARNA:12.