Midrash sur Les Nombres 20:28

6) (Vayikra 8:7) "And he put upon him the kutoneth and he girded him with the avneit, etc." (See Shemoth 29): We are hereby taught that Moses was made an aid to Aaron. And just as he was made his aid in his lifetime, so, he was made his aid in his death. And he would dress him and he would undress him, as it is written (Bamidbar 20:25): "Take Aaron and Elazar his son… (Bamidbar 20:26) and strip Aaron of his vestments, etc." And whence is it derived that Moses did this? From (Bamidbar 20:27): "And Moses did as the L–rd commanded, and they went up to Hor Hahar … (Bamidbar 20:28) and Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments." Now how could Moses strip his vestments in order and dress Elazar in order. Do not the outer garments remain outer garments, and the inner garments remain inner garments? (i.e., We see from Scripture that Aaron did not die until he saw Elazar dressed in the priestly vestments. Is it possible that Aaron stood naked until Elazar donned all the eight vestments?) This transpired miraculously. Variantly: The Holy One Blessed be He accorded him greater honor in his death than in his life. Moses stood him on a rock and stripped him of his priestly vestments, and vestments of the Shechinah clothed him in their stead. Moses stripped his vestments (in order) and clothed Elazar with them in order.

16 (Numb. 20:22) “Then setting out from Kadesh, the whole congregation [of the Children of Israel came to Mount Hor]”: This text is related (to II Chron. 20:37), “Because you have joined with Ahaziah,⁶⁵Son of Ahab and a wicked king of Israel (I Kings 22:51-52), with whom Jehoshaphat had allied himself (I Kings 22:44; II Chron. 20:35.) the Lord will destroy your work.” [Similarly,] because they made an alliance with this wicked king to pass through his land, they lost this righteous man (i.e., Aaron). For that reason the death of Aaron⁶⁶See Numb. 20:28: … AND AARON DIED THERE ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. is made [immediately] adjacent after the parashah about the king of Edom. (Numb. 20:21-22), “So Israel turned away from them. Then setting out from Kadesh, [the whole congregation of the Children of Israel came to Mount Hor]”:⁶⁷Cf. yYoma 1:1 (38ab). What is the meaning of “the whole congregation?” A complete congregation, a congregation which would be entering the land, since those who had come out from Egypt had died. So these were the ones of whom it is written (in Deut. 4:4), “But you who clung to the Lord your God are all alive today.” (Numb. 20:22) “Mount (hr) Hor (hr)”: What is [its] meaning? A mountain (hr) on top of a mountain (hr), like a small apple on a large apple. Even though a cloud proceeded before them which lowered the high [places] and raised up the low, the Holy One, blessed be He, left this mountain as a sample,⁶⁸Gk.: deigma. so that they would know what miracles the Holy One, blessed be He, had done for them; as He had not left a mountain in the desert, lest they become weary climbing and descending. Moreover, although the cloud had made all the desert a plain, He left an elevated spot where the tabernacle would have its resting place. He left three mountains: Mount Sinai for the Divine Presence, Mount Nebo for the burial of Moses, and Mount Hor for the burial of Aaron.

19 (Numb. 20:25-26) “Take Aaron [and his son Elazar] […,] And strip [Aaron]”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to [Moses], “See, you may console him that he is bequeathing his crown to his sons. [This is] something that you are not bequeathing to your [own] children.” (Numb. 20:28): “So Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments and put them [on his son Elazar].” But if the high priest leaves the Temple mount in priestly vestments, does he not receive forty lashes, since [these vestments] are [made of] wool and flax?⁶⁹Cf. Deut. 22:11, which forbids the mixture, and Kil. 9:1, which allows robes of this mixture for priests when they minister in the Temple. Cf. also Yoma 72a, according to which the forty lashes are for one who tears a priestly garment. However, [Scripture serves] to inform you that, with the wording by which he inducted him into the priesthood, when [the Holy One, blessed be He,] said to [Moses] (in Lev. 8:2), “Take Aaron,” with this very wording He also said to him (in Numb. 20:25), “Take Aaron.” (Numb. 20:27) “So Moses did as the Lord commanded”: [This verse serves] to teach you that, even though He had spoken a decree against Aaron, he did not hesitate.

20 (Numb. 20:29) “Then all the congregation saw that Aaron had died”: When Moses and Elazar came down [from the mountain], the whole congregation assembled themselves against them and said, “Where is Aaron?” They said to them, “He is dead.” They said to them, “How could the angel of death hurt him, a man who has halted the angel of death and held him back?” It is so stated (in Numb. 17:13), “So he (i.e., Aaron) stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was halted.” They said to them, “If you bring him [back], well and good; but if not, we will stone you [to death].” At that time Moses rose in prayer. He said, “Master of the world, bring us out from [this] suspicion.” Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, opened the [burial] cave and showed him to [the congregation] for them. It is so stated (in Numb. 20:29), “Then all the congregation saw that Aaron had died.” What is written after this (in Numb. 21:1)? “When the Canaanite king of Arad, [who dwelt in the Negeb], heard.” You find that once Aaron died, the clouds of glory withdrew, and they appeared like an unkempt woman. And who was this king of Arad? This [was Amalek, since it is stated (in Numb. 13:29), “Amalek dwells in the land of the Negeb […].” Now he dwelt in the gap (in the border), and when he heard that Aaron was dead and that the clouds of glory had departed, he immediately engaged them in battle. (Numb. 21:1, cont.) “By way of Atharim (a place name interpreted as coming from twr),”⁷⁰The actual root is ’TR. [meaning] the great scout (rt.: twr) that had scouted (rt.: twr) the way for them. It is so stated (in Numb. 10:33), “and the ark of the covenant of the Lord traveled ahead of them [three days' journey to seek (rt.: twr) out a resting place for them].” (Numb. 21:1, cont.) “He fought against Israel”: If that was Amalek, why did [Scripture] call him a Canaanite? Because Israel was forbidden to fight with the children of Esau, of whom it is stated (in Deut. 2:5), “Do not engage them in battle [...].” When Amalek came and engaged in battle with them a second time, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “This [nation] is not forbidden like the children of Esau. Just look. They are like Canaanites, of whom it is stated (in Deut. 20:17), ‘Rather you shall utterly destroy them, [the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites].’” For that reason he was called a Canaanite. From time immemorial Amalek has been a strap for the punishment of Israel. You find that when they said (in Exod. 17:7), “Is the Lord amongst us or not,” immediately (in Exod. 17:8), “And Amalek came.” [And also (in Numb. 14:4),] “And they said – one man to his brother – let us appoint a head and return to Egypt,” [is followed by (Numb. 14:45),] “And the Amalekites and the Canaanites [...] came down [and dealt them a shattering blow at Hormah].” And here (in Numb. 20:29,) “Then all the congregation saw that Aaron had died,” [is followed by (Numb 21:1),] “When the Canaanite, king of Arad heard.” You find that, when Aaron died, Amalek went out against them; and Israel retreated back seven stages [of their journey]. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 10:6), “Then from the wells of Bene-Jaakan the Children of Israel journeyed to Moserah; there Aaron died.” Did Aaron die there? Did he not die on Mount Hor, as stated (in Numb. 20:28) “and Aaron died there on Mount Hor?”⁷¹yYoma 1:1 (38ab); ySot. 1:10 (17d); cf. Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Wayassa‘ 1, on Exod. 15:22. And [so] the verses are evidence of seven stages backwards (from Mount Hor to Moserah) to teach you that [Israel] had retreated.

(Numb. 21:1, cont.:) HE FOUGHT AGAINST ISRAEL. <That king> was Amalek. Why did < Scripture > call him a Canaanite? Because because Israel was forbidden to fight with the children of Esau, of whom it is stated (in Deut. 2:5): DO NOT ENGAGE THEM IN BATTLE. When Amalek came and engaged in battle with them a first time and a second, the Holy One said to them: This <nation> is not forbidden like the the children of Esau. Just look. They are like Canaanites, of whom it is stated (in Deut. 20:17): NO, YOU SHALL UTTERLY DESTROY THEM: THE HITTITES, THE AMORITES, THE CANAANITES, [….] For that reason he was called a Canaanite; and from time immemorial Amalek has been a {scourge} [strap] for the punishment of Israel. You find that, when Aaron died, Amalek went out against them; and Israel retreated back seven stages <of their journey>. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 10:6): THEN FROM THE WELLS OF BENE-JAAKAN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL JOURNEYED TO MOSERAH. THERE AARON DIED…. Did Aaron die there? Did he not die on Mount Hor, as stated (in Numb. 20:28) AND AARON DIED THERE ON THE SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN?¹⁷²yYoma 1:1 (38ab); ySot. 1:10 (17d); cf. Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Wayassa‘ 1, on Exod. 15:22. The verses are evidence of seven stages backwards (from Mount Hor to Moserah)¹⁷³Cf. Numb. 33:31-37, which lists the seven stages, but in the opposite direction. to teach you that <Israel> had retreated.