Legends of Old Testament characters, from the Talmud and other sourcesBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
Legends of Old Testament characters, from the Talmud and other sources
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends
Moses and Eleazer came down alone from the mountain, and the people
wailed because Aaron was no more. But the coffin of Aaron rose, borne by
angels, in the sight of the whole congregation, and was carried into
heaven, whilst the angels sang: “The priest’s lips have kept knowledge,
have spoken truth!”[574]
The Mussulman story is not quite the same.
One version is that both Moses and Aaron ascended Hor, knowing that one
of them was to die, but uncertain which, and they found a cave, and a
sarcophagus therein with the inscription on it, “I am for him whom I
fit.”
Moses tried to lie down in it, but his feet hung out; Aaron next entered
it, lay down, and it fitted him exactly.
Then Gabriel led Moses and the sons of Aaron out of the cave, and when
they were again admitted Aaron was dead.[575]
Another version is this: God announced to Moses that he would call Aaron
to Himself. Then Moses took his brother from the camp, and they went
into the desert, till they came to a tree. When Aaron saw the shadow, he
said, “O my brother, whose tree is this?”
Moses said, “God alone knows.”
Then spake Aaron, “I am weary, and the shadow is cool; suffer me to
repose a little while under the tree.”
Moses said, “Lie down, my brother; and may thy rest be sweet.”
Aaron lay down, and Moses sat beside him till he died.
Then suddenly the tree, the shadow, and Aaron vanished; and Moses
returned alone to the Israelites. They were angry with him, that he had
not brought back Aaron, and they took up stones against him. But Moses
cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed them Aaron on a bed, and he was
dead; and the people looked, and wondered, and wept: then said a voice
from heaven, “God hath taken him.” The people bewailed him many
days.[576]
14. THE DEATH OF MOSES.
When the time came for Moses to die, the Lord called Gabriel to Him, and
said, “Go and bring the soul of My servant Moses to Paradise.”
The angel Gabriel answered in astonishment, “Lord, Lord, how can I
venture to give death to that man, the like of whom all generations of
men have not seen?”
Then the Most High called to Him Michael, and said, “Go and bring the
soul of My servant Moses to Paradise.”
The angel Michael answered in fear, “Lord, Lord, I was his instructor in
heavenly lore! How can I bear death to my pupil?”
Then the Most High called to Him Sammael, and said, “Go and bring the
soul of My servant Moses to Paradise.”
The angel Sammael flushed red with joy. He clothed himself in anger, and
grasped his sword, and rushed down upon the holy one. But he found him
writing the incommunicable name of God, and he saw his face shine with
divine light. Then he stood irresolute, and his sword sank with the
point to earth.
“What seekest thou?” asked Moses.
“I am sent to give thee death,” answered the trembling angel. “All
mortals must submit to that.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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