Why Israel Refused to Believe That Aaron Had Died

"And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain" (Numbers 20:28). Israel said: Where is Aaron? He said to them: He has already died. But they would not believe him. They said to him: The man who held back the Angel of Death and would not allow him to strike the people—now the Angel of Death has gained power over him? And they would not believe, until the Holy One, blessed be He, showed them his bier, like a man who lies upon a bed; immediately they believed him. Therefore it is said, "And all the congregation saw that Aaron had expired" (Numbers 20:29). Another interpretation: Do not read it as "and they saw" (va-yir'u), but rather as "and they feared" (va-yir'u), for immediately the clouds of glory departed, since the clouds were there by the merit of Aaron; and therefore, "that Aaron had expired." And we render it in the Aramaic translation, "for Aaron had died" (ari mit Aharon).