How the Angels Taught Moses the Secret of the Incense That Stops Plague

"And Moses said to Aaron, Take the fire-pan" (Numbers 17:11). From whom did Moses learn this matter? Rather, our Sages of blessed memory said that at the hour when Moses ascended on high to receive the Torah, the angels said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "What does this one seek?" He said to them, "To receive the Torah." They began to say to the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the universe, 'What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You take note of him?' (Psalms 8:5)." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Return them an answer." Moses said, "Master of the universe, I am afraid lest they burn me with the breath of their mouths, for the breath of their mouths is fire." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Moses, grasp the throne of My glory and return to them their answer, for they have no permission to enter this place." And so he did, as it is said, "He holds fast the face of His throne, and spreads His cloud over it" (Job 26:9). He said to them: "The Torah that you seek, what is written in it? Is it not written in it, 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt' (Exodus 20:2)? Were you in Egypt? What is written after it? 'You shall have no other gods' (Exodus 20:3) — do you have idolatry? What is written after it? 'You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain' (Exodus 20:7) — do you have business and commerce, that you would need to swear? What is written after it? 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; six days you shall labor, and the seventh day is a Sabbath' (Exodus 20:8-10) — do you have labor? What is written after it? 'Honor your father and your mother' (Exodus 20:12) — do you have a father and mother? What is written after it? 'You shall not murder' (Exodus 20:13) — do you have murder? What is written after it? 'You shall not commit adultery' (Exodus 20:14) — do you have wives? What is written after it? 'You shall not steal' (Exodus 20:15) — do you have movable goods? What is written after it? 'You shall not bear false witness' (Exodus 20:16) — is there falsehood among you? What is written after it? 'You shall not covet' (Exodus 20:17) — do you have oxen or donkeys?" When they heard this, they all said, "O Lord our Lord, how mighty is Your name in all the earth!" (Psalms 8:10). Immediately each and every one of the angels taught him something, and even the Angel of Death taught him the matter of the incense — that when wrath went out, he should take the fire-pan and place upon it some of that incense in order to hold back the wrath. And when wrath went out and the plague began among the people, immediately "Moses said to Aaron, Take the fire-pan and put incense upon it." Why was the wrath held back? Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: They murmur about the incense, that it killed Nadab and Abihu; therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, Say to Aaron that he should offer incense over the people — to make known to them that the incense does not kill, but rather it is the sin that kills. Therefore the incense was found worthy and atoned for the people.