Let's delve into a poignant moment from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, that sheds light on this very question.
Imagine Moses, after a lifetime of leading the Israelites through the desert, of receiving the Torah at Sinai, of being the conduit between the Divine and humanity. The Holy One, blessed be He, tells him, "Behold, your time [to die] is approaching" (Deuteronomy 31:14). Can you just feel the weight of those words?
And Moses, in his humanity, pleads, "'Master of the universe, after all this exertion, You say to me: “Behold your time…is approaching”?'" He cries out, "'Let me not die, but live, and I will relate the deeds of the Lord'" (Psalms 118:17). He wants to continue, to keep serving, to keep witnessing and sharing God's greatness. Who wouldn't?
But the response is firm: "'You cannot, “for that is all of man”'" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). A stark reminder of our mortality, our limitations. Even Moses, the great Moses, is subject to the natural order.
Yet, Moses doesn't give up. He makes one final, powerful request. "'Master of the universe, I request of You one matter before my death, that I will enter...Let me enter the Land of Israel, and all the gates of the heavens and the depths will be split, and everybody will see that there is none but You.'" He desires a final, undeniable revelation, a moment where all creation recognizes the one true God. From where do we know this desire? The text points us to Deuteronomy 4:39: "'You will know this day, and restore to your heart [that the Lord, He is the God]…there is no other.'"
And the Holy One, blessed be He, responds with a profound echo. "'You said: “There is no other.” I, too, say: “There has not arisen another prophet in Israel like Moses…with all the signs and the wonders…and with all the great awe, that Moses performed before the eyes of all Israel”'" (Deuteronomy 34:10–12).
It's a moment of recognition, a divine affirmation of Moses's unique role. God acknowledges that just as Moses proclaimed God's uniqueness, so too is Moses himself uniquely blessed.
What does this teach us? Perhaps it’s about accepting our mortality while still striving to make a difference. Perhaps it's about recognizing the unique gifts each of us possesses, gifts that, like Moses's, can be used to reveal the Divine in the world. And maybe, just maybe, it's about the comfort of knowing that even in our final moments, our contributions, our very essence, can be acknowledged and cherished.