Why Even Moses the Righteous Could Not Escape Death

(Deut. 31:14:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE DRAWING NEAR FOR YOU TO DIE. This is what Scripture says (in Prov. 11:31): BEHOLD, SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS ONE BE RECOMPENSED ON EARTH? With reference to whom was this verse spoken? It was spoken of none other than Moses the Righteous, for there was none like him, neither among the prophets nor among the sages, for the Holy One, blessed be He, testifies concerning him after his death (in Deut. 34:10): AND THERE AROSE NOT A PROPHET SINCE IN ISRAEL LIKE MOSES, etc. Even so, it was not within his power to save himself from death. For thus said David (in I Chron. 29:15): FOR WE ARE STRANGERS BEFORE YOU, AND SOJOURNERS, AS WERE ALL OUR ANCESTORS; OUR DAYS ON THE EARTH ARE AS A SHADOW, AND THERE IS NO HOPE. But is it not written (in Ps. 37:34): HOPE IN THE LORD, AND KEEP HIS WAY, AND HE SHALL EXALT YOU TO INHERIT THE LAND? Then what does Scripture teach by saying, AND THERE IS NO HOPE? David said: Sovereign of the Universe, for all the conditions of a person there is hope: if he is poor, until he becomes rich; if he is weak, until he becomes strong; if he is sick, until he is healed; if he is imprisoned in the prison-house, until they release him. But for the day of death there is no hope. For behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with Moses face to face, and yet he could not save himself from death. And likewise Solomon said (in Eccl. 9:2): ALL THINGS COME ALIKE TO ALL; THERE IS ONE EVENT TO THE RIGHTEOUS AND TO THE WICKED. Rabbi Hanina said: There is an intercessory spirit (Pisqonit) that has permission to speak before the Holy One, blessed be He, like a senator before the king. And it says before Him: Sovereign of the Universe, all flesh is for death. Abraham tasted death; Nimrod the wicked tasted death; Isaac tasted death; Abimelech tasted death; Moses tasted death; Pharaoh the wicked tasted death. For thus said Solomon (in Eccl. 3:20): ALL GO TO ONE PLACE. And now, what did the righteous gain who occupied themselves with the Torah, and with the commandments, and with good deeds in this world, and what did the wicked lose who sinned and caused others to sin in this world? Solomon explained it (in the same, 3:21): WHO KNOWS THE SPIRIT OF THE SONS OF MAN, etc.? THE SPIRIT OF THE SONS OF MAN—these are the souls of the righteous, which are laid up and stored away beneath the Throne of Glory; AND THE SPIRIT OF THE BEAST THAT GOES DOWN BELOW TO THE EARTH (in the same)—these are the souls of the wicked, which go down to Gehinnom. And so it says (in Isa. 14:15): YET YOU SHALL BE BROUGHT DOWN TO SHEOL, etc. And whence do we know that the righteous are called "man" (adam)? For thus said Jonah (in Jonah 4:11): AND SHOULD NOT I SPARE NINEVEH, etc., WHEREIN ARE MORE THAN SIXTYSCORE THOUSAND MEN (adam), etc., AND ALSO MUCH CATTLE? "Men" (adam)—these are the righteous; "and cattle"—these are the wicked, whose deeds are like the deeds of the wicked. Therefore it is said (in Prov. 11:31): BEHOLD, SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS ONE BE RECOMPENSED ON EARTH?