It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, let me tell you.

Imagine this: Samael, having just heard Moses’ fiery words, scurries back to God, practically trembling. According to the legends, God’s response wasn't exactly comforting. In fact, God’s wrath ignited against Samael! "Go," God commands, "fetch Me Moses' soul! If you don't, I'll strip you of your soul-collecting duties and give them to someone else!" Talk about pressure.

Now, Samael, being no fool, tries to weasel his way out of it. He pleads with God. "O Lord of the world, whose deeds are terrible!" he cries. "Tell me to go to Gehenna (hell) and flip it upside down, and I'll do it without hesitation! But please, don’t make me face Moses!"

God, understandably, wants an explanation. "Why not?" God asks.

And Samael's response is fascinating. "I can't do it," he explains, "because he's like the princes in your great chariot! Lightning and fire shoot from his mouth when he speaks to me, just like it does with the Seraphim (angelic beings) when they praise you! Please," he begs, "don't send me. I can't face him."

Think about that for a moment. This is Samael, a powerful celestial being, admitting he's afraid of a human!

But God, in His divine resolve, isn't having it. "Go," God thunders, "fetch Me Moses' soul!" And while Samael reluctantly prepares to obey, God adds a little extra... encouragement.

"Wicked one!" God declares, "You were created from the fire of Hell, and to the fire of Hell you shall return! You eagerly set out to kill Moses, but when you saw his grandeur and greatness, you backed down. I know you'll return from him a second time in shame and humiliation."

Ouch.

According to Legends of the Jews, as retold by Ginzberg, this encounter really highlights the unique status of Moses. He wasn't just a prophet; he was a figure of immense spiritual power, radiating a divine presence so intense that even an angel like Samael couldn't stand before him.

It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What was it about Moses, about his dedication and his connection to the divine, that inspired such awe and even fear in such a being as Samael? And what can we learn from that about our own potential for spiritual greatness?