Even Moses, the great lawgiver, felt it.
In Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, we find a poignant moment where Moses pleads with God. He says, essentially, "After all I've seen, all the miracles, all the glory… I still have to die?"
And God's response? It's not exactly comforting, but it’s profound. He quotes Psalms 89:49: "Who is the man who lives and does not see death?"
But what does that mean? The text goes on to explore this question, and it's where things get really interesting. Rabbi Tanhuma, a well-known sage, unpacks it by giving us a series of examples.
Who is a man like Abraham, who was thrown into a fiery furnace and miraculously saved? A story, by the way, that's found in various Midrashic sources and expanded upon in Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews. Yet, even Abraham "expired and died" (Genesis 25:8).
Then there's Isaac, who willingly offered himself as a sacrifice on the altar, a story that still sends shivers down our spines. But even he, later in life, lamented, "Behold, I have now grown old; I do not know the day of my death" (Genesis 27:2). Even after that incredible act of faith, mortality came knocking.
What about Jacob, who wrestled with an angel? A powerful image. But even for him, "the time of Israel approached to die" (Genesis 47:29).
And finally, Moses himself, who spoke to God "face to face" – an unparalleled level of intimacy and connection. Yet even to him, God says, "behold, your days are approaching to die."
It’s a sobering thought. No matter how righteous, how brave, how close to God we are, death is an inevitable part of the human experience. This isn't meant to be depressing, though. It's a reminder.
Perhaps the point isn't to escape death, but to live a life so meaningful, so impactful, that our actions resonate far beyond our own lifespan. To make our lives a testament to something greater than ourselves. To leave the world a little brighter than we found it.
What do you think? Is it about accepting mortality or striving for something that transcends it? Maybe it's a little of both. Maybe it's about how we choose to live in the face of the inevitable.