Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa: All forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, Moses did not refrain from serving in the High Priesthood. That is what is written: “Moses and Aaron among His priests” (Psalms 99:6). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Simon cites it from this verse: “The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn offerings before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His name forever.
Moses, the man of God, his sons will be reckoned among the tribe of Levi” (I Chronicles 23:13–14).9The implication is that Moses’ descendants will be considered Levites rather than priests, but Moses himself was a priest. Rabbi Elazar bar Yosei said: It is clear to us that Moses served all seven days of investiture in a white robe. Rabbi Tanḥum taught in the name of Rabbi Yudan: All seven days of investiture Moses served in the High Priesthood, but the Divine Presence did not rest through him.
That is what is written: “All the people saw it and they sang out in praise and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:24).10This verse is stated in the aftermath of the service performed on the eighth day. It was only on the eighth day, when Aaron performed the sacrificial service, that the Divine Presence rested on the Tabernacle. Rav Shmuel bar Naḥman said: All seven days at the [burning] bush, the Holy One blessed be He was cajoling Moses to go on His mission to Egypt.
That is what is written: “Neither yesterday, nor the day before, nor since You have spoken to Your servant” (Exodus 4:10). Those are six.11The verse explicitly refers to yesterday and the day before, which taken together with the day on which this was said, equal three. Additionally, the word also [gam] appears three times, which is understood to refer to an additional three days. On the seventh, he said to Him: “Please…send by means of whom You will send” (Exodus 4:13).
The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You say: “Please…send by means of whom You will send,” as you live, I will tie this for you to your hems.’12There will be negative consequences because you made this statement. When did He exact retribution from him? Rabbi Berekhya said: Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Ḥelbo [explained this point]. Rabbi Levi said: All seven days of Adar,13The first seven days of Adar in the fortieth year following the exodus from Egypt.
These were the last seven days of Moses’ life. Moses was requesting with prayer and supplications that he enter the Land of Israel. On the seventh, He said to him: “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27). Rabbi Ḥelbo said: All seven days of investiture, he served in the High Priesthood, and he was under the impression that it was his.
On the seventh, He said to him: ‘It is not yours, but rather, it is your brother Aaron’s.’ That is what is written: “It was on the eighth day” (Leviticus 9:1).