For Moses did not die. But is it not written, “And Moses died there”? The truth is, however, that although the departure of the righteous is always designated “death”, this is only in reference to us. For over him who has attained completeness, and is a model of holy faith, death has no power, and so he does not, in fact, die. This was, for instance, the case with Jacob, in whom was the completeness of Faith,
as may be confirmed from the words: “thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name” (Gen. 35, 10); “Israel” means the completion of all, as it is written, “And thou, O my servant Jacob, fear not, neither be dismayed, O Israel, for lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity…” (Jer. 30, 10).’
R. Judah derived the fact of Israel’s completeness from the words ” for I am with thee” (Ibid.). ‘Happy’, he said, ‘was his lot in that his Lord spoke to him in this wise! It does not say, “for thou art with Me”, but “for I am with thee”- that is to say, his Master came to unite His lot with His servant’s, and to dwell with him.’
R. Simeon said: ‘It was well said by R. Abba that the verse, “and Jacob shall return and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid” (Ibid. II), signifies that Jacob shall return to be called by another name, as it is written: “Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel.”
There is, however, also another interpretation, as follows: “and Jacob shall return” -namely, to the place whence he was taken; “and be in rest”-while in this world; “and be quiet”-in the world to come; “and none shall make him afraid”-not even the Angel of Death. So we see that all perfection was in him.’ Said R. Isaac: ‘The Companions have proved the last point in another way, viz., from the words “and thy seed (shall return) from the land of their captivity”; just as his seed is alive, so also is he alive.’
דְּתַנְיָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מֹשֶׁה לָא מִית. וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא כְּתִיב (דברים לא) וַיָּמָת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה. כַּךְ בְּכָל אֲתָר לְצַדִּיקַיָּא קָרֵי בְּהוּ מִיתָה. מַאי מִיתָה. מִסִּטְרָא דִּילָן אִקְרֵי הָכִי. דְּתַנְיָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְכֵן תָּנָא, דְּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בִּשְׁלִימוּתָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא תַּלְיָיא בֵּיהּ, לָא תַּלְיָיא בֵּיהּ מִיתָה וְלָא מִית. כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה בְּיַעֲקֹב דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ.
For Moses did not die. But is it not written, “And Moses died there”? The truth is, however, that although the departure of the righteous is always designated “death”, this is only in reference to us. For over him who has attained completeness, and is a model of holy faith, death has no power, and so he does not, in fact, die. This was, for instance, the case with Jacob, in whom was the completeness of Faith,
דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, (בראשית ל״ה:י׳) לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַאי יִשְׂרָאֵל. שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא. דִּכְתִּיב, (ירמיהו ל׳:י׳) וְאַתָּה אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִי יַעֲקֹב וְאַל תֵּחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מֵרָחוֹק וְאֵת זַרְעֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם וְגוֹ'.
as may be confirmed from the words: “thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name” (Gen. 35, 10); “Israel” means the completion of all, as it is written, “And thou, O my servant Jacob, fear not, neither be dismayed, O Israel, for lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity…” (Jer. 30, 10).’
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה מֵהָכָא, (ירמיהו ל׳:י״א) כִּי אִתְּךָ אָנִי, דַּיְיקָא, זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵיהּ, דְּמָארֵיהּ אָמַר לֵיהּ כֵּן. כִּי אִתִּי אַתָּה לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא כִּי אִתְּךָ אָנִי, דְּמָארֵיהּ אָתֵי לְאִתְחַבְּרָא דִּיּוּרֵיהּ עִמֵּיהּ.
R. Judah derived the fact of Israel’s completeness from the words ” for I am with thee” (Ibid.). ‘Happy’, he said, ‘was his lot in that his Lord spoke to him in this wise! It does not say, “for thou art with Me”, but “for I am with thee”- that is to say, his Master came to unite His lot with His servant’s, and to dwell with him.’
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שַׁפִּיר קָאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא דְּאָמַר (ירמיהו ל׳:י׳) וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב וְשָׁקַט וְשַׁאֲנַן וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד. וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב: לְאִתְקְרֵי בִּשְׁמָא אַחֲרָא, דִּכְתִּיב לא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֹב כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל.
R. Simeon said: ‘It was well said by R. Abba that the verse, “and Jacob shall return and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid” (Ibid. II), signifies that Jacob shall return to be called by another name, as it is written: “Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel.”
דָּבָר אַחֵר וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב, לְאֲתָר דְּאִתְנְסִיב מִתַּמָּן. וְשָׁקַט, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְשַׁאֲנַן, בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד מִמַּלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת. דְּמַשְׁמַע דְּכֹלָּא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ. רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, חַבְרַיָּיא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דִּכְתִּיב וְאֶת זַרְעֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם, מַה זַרְעוֹ בַּחַיִּים, אַף הוּא בַּחַיִּים.
There is, however, also another interpretation, as follows: “and Jacob shall return” -namely, to the place whence he was taken; “and be in rest”-while in this world; “and be quiet”-in the world to come; “and none shall make him afraid”-not even the Angel of Death. So we see that all perfection was in him.’ Said R. Isaac: ‘The Companions have proved the last point in another way, viz., from the words “and thy seed (shall return) from the land of their captivity”; just as his seed is alive, so also is he alive.’