Тегилим 116:7 Мидраш: Midrash Tanchuma, Devarim Rabbah & Midrash Tehillim

(Deut. 33:1:) “Before his death.” Would it cross your mind that he blessed Israel after he died?¹¹PRK 31(suppl. 1):14; see Sifre, Deut. 33:19(342); Deut. R. 11:6. Then what is the meaning of before his death? Before the angel of death. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Deut. 32:49-50) “Ascend [this mountain of the Abarim]…. And you shall die,” the angel of death thought that the Holy One, blessed be He, had already given him authority over Moses' life. He came and stood directly above him. Moses said to him, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has already promised me that he would not deliver me into your hand.” He [answered], “The Holy One, blessed be He, has sent me to you; that you are to depart on this day.” Moses said to him, “Go away from here, as I want to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘I will not die, but rather live and tell the acts of the Lord (Ps. 118:17).’” The angel said to him, “Why are you bragging, He [already] has someone to praise Him, (in Ps. 19:2), ‘The heavens recount God’s glory.’” Moses said, “I will quiet them and praise,” as stated (in Deut. 32:1), “Listen O heavens....” He came to him a second time. What did Moses do? He mentioned the explicit name [of God], and [so the angel] fled, as stated (Deut. 32:3), “For I proclaim the name of the Lord.” He [then] came to him a third time. [At that point,] Moshe said, “Since he is coming from the Heavens, I must justify the judgement [of death] upon myself.” He immediately began saying (in Deut. 32:4), “The Rock, His actions are just.” R. Isaac said, “Moses’ soul was hesitating to leave him, and he spoke with it. He said to it, ‘Tell me, my soul, what will you say, since the angel of death seeks to subdue you?’ It said to him, ‘He will not do so to me, as the Holy One, blessed be He, promised me that he would not deliver me into his hand.’ He said to it, ‘Tell me [what you will say] when you see them crying and you cry with them.’ It said to him (in Ps. 116:8), ‘You have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears’. He said to it, ‘Tell me [what you will say] when they try to push you to Gehinnom.’ It said to him (in Ps. 116:8, cont.), ‘my feet from stumbling.’ He said to it, ‘And where will you be walking in the future?’ It said to him (in Ps 116:9), ‘I shall walk before the Lord in the lands of the living.’ When Moses heard this from it, he said to it (Ps. 116:7), ‘Return, O my soul.’” R. Abba said, “Once he was departed, the lower creatures (people) said (Deut. 33:4), ‘Moses charged us with Torah.’ The higher creatures (angels) said, ‘He executed the Lord’s judgments and His decisions for Israel.’ And even the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself, in all of His glory praises him and says (in Deut. 34:10-11), ‘Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses [...]. For the various signs and portents.’”

What is “before his death”? The Rabbis said: What did Moses do? He took the angel of death and cast him before him. He blessed the tribes, each and every one in accordance with its blessing. Rabbi Meir said: The angel of death went to Moses and said to him: ‘The Holy One blessed be He sent me to you, for you are departing today.’ Moses said to him: ‘Go from here, as I seek to laud the Holy One blessed be He.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is written: “May I not die but live, so I may relate the deeds of the Lord” (Psalms 118:17). He said to him: ‘Moses, why are you being arrogant? He has those who will laud him. The heavens and the earth laud him every hour, as it is stated: “The heavens relate the glory of God”’ (Psalms 19:2). Moses said to him: ‘I will silence them and laud him,’ as it is stated: “Listen, heavens, and I will speak, [and the earth will hear the sayings of my mouth]” (Deuteronomy 32:1). He came to him a second time. What did Moses do? He invoked the ineffable Name against him, and he fled. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “For I will call out the name of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 32:3). When he came to him the third time, he [Moses] said: ‘Since he [the angel of death] is from the Lord, I must accept the judgment.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The Rock: His actions are perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Moses’s soul was struggling to depart, and Moses was speaking with his soul, and said: ‘My soul, are you saying that the angel of death is seeking to gain dominion over you?’ It said: ‘No, the Holy One blessed be He would not do so¹¹He would not send the angel of death. – “For You rescued me from death”’ (Psalms 116:8). ‘Are you saying that you saw them weeping, and you are weeping with them?’¹²Do you see that I am about to die, and people will weep, and you, my soul, will weep with them (See Matnot Kehuna). It said to him: “My eyes from tears”¹³ Moses’ soul will not cry. (Psalms 116:8). He said to it: ‘Are you saying perhaps that they sought to push you into Gehenna?’¹⁴They is a reference to the heavenly beings that place souls which require punishment in Gehenna. It said to him: “My feet from stumbling” (Psalms 116:8). He said to it: ‘To where are you destined to go?’ It said to him: “I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalms 116:9). When Moses heard this, he gave it permission. He said to it: “Return, my soul to your restfulness…” (Psalms 116:7). Rabbi Avin said: When it departed, the residents of the lower worlds were lauding him and saying: “Torah, Moses commanded us” (Deuteronomy 33:4). The residents of the upper worlds were lauding him and saying: “He performed the righteousness of the Lord…” (Deuteronomy 33:21). And the Holy One blessed be He lauds him: “There has not arisen another prophet in Israel like Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:10).

"Reward Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word." This is what Isaiah said (Isaiah 59:18), "According to their deeds, so will He repay wrath to His adversaries." The Lord pays the wicked according to their deeds, and to the righteous, He pays them according to their works. He pays the wicked (Isaiah 34:5), "For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; behold it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of My curse, to judgment." And He rewards the righteous, as it says in Psalm 73:1, "Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart." And it says in Isaiah 63:7, "I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses." The Lord does not pay anything for free, neither to the wicked nor to the righteous. The evil that comes upon the wicked is not brought upon them by the Lord. As it says in Lamentations 3:38, "Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good." But they bring it upon themselves. And it says in Isaiah 3:9, "The shew of their countenance doth witness against them." What does He reward the righteous with? Life, without any charge. And it says in Psalm 103:2-4, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction." And not only this, but He does many righteous deeds, as it says in Psalm 146:7, "The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed." And it says in Psalm 116:7, "Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." And David said to the Lord, "Reward Your servant with life, that I may keep Your word." And why does He reward me with life? Because I keep Your word. Life is the Torah. And it says in Proverbs 4:13, "Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life." Therefore it is said, "Recompense on Your servant, I will live." David said to him, "Master of the universe, it is Your will that I keep Your word. Unveil my eyes that I may perceive wonders from Your Torah. And if You do not unveil my eyes, how can I know? Therefore it is said, 'Unveil my eyes and I will perceive wonders.' Even though my eyes are open, I know nothing. Come and see, even though Samuel was a prophet, he knew nothing until the Holy One, blessed be He, unveiled his ear, as it is said (I Samuel 9:15), 'And the Lord had revealed to Samuel.' Likewise, Nebuchadnezzar said (Daniel 2:47), 'Truly your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries.' And so did Daniel say (Daniel 2:30), 'But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living man, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king.' And he said (Daniel 2:22), 'And He reveals the deep and secret things.' So did David say, 'Unveil my eyes that I may perceive wonders from Your Torah.' And why does he say (Psalms 119:129), 'Your testimonies are wonderful?' 'Wonderful' refers to the Torah. And so the Scripture says, 'Wonderful are Your testimonies.' Therefore it is said, 'Wonders from Your Torah are treasures.' And so the Scripture says (Proverbs 21:20), 'A desirable treasure.' It is a hidden treasure, as the Scripture says (Deuteronomy 33:19), 'And of the hidden treasures of the sand.' There are many doors and many entrances in it, as it says (Psalms 24:7-8), 'Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!' And so David said, 'The Torah is full of wonders.' Moses said, 'It is not a wonder from you, as it says (Deuteronomy 30:11), 'For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you.' It is not too hard for you, but it is a wonder from you, because you did not toil in it. Therefore it is said, 'Wonders from Your Torah.'...