וַיִּזְכֹּ֥ר יְמֵֽי־עוֹלָ֖ם מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַמּ֑וֹ אַיֵּ֣ה ׀ הַֽמַּעֲלֵ֣ם מִיָּ֗ם אֵ֚ת רֹעֵ֣י צֹאנ֔וֹ אַיֵּ֛ה הַשָּׂ֥ם בְּקִרְבּ֖וֹ אֶת־ר֥וּחַ קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃
At naalaala ng kanyang bayan ang mga araw ng sinaunang panahon, ang mga araw ni Moises: “Nasaan siya na nag-ahon sa kanila mula sa dagat, kasama ang mga pastol ng kanyang kawan? Nasaan siya na naglagay sa gitna nila ng kanyang banal na espiritu?”
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Eccl. 9:14): THERE WAS A LITTLE CITY, i.e., the desert; WITH FEW PEOPLE IN IT, i.e., the generation of the desert; AND A GREAT KING CAME AGAINST IT, i.e., the Holy One; AND BUILT GREAT SIEGE WORKS AGAINST IT. When? When Israel made the calf. What is written (in Deut. 9:14)? LET ME ALONE, AND I WILL DESTROY THEM. (Eccl. 9:15:) NOW THERE WAS FOUND IN IT A PERSON WHO WAS POOR AND WISE, i.e., Moses the Righteous, as stated (in Prov. 21:22): A WISE ONE WENT UP TO A CITY OF WARRIORS. (Eccl. 9:15, cont.:) WHO DELIVERED5The verb is translated in the past tense here and in various English versions. For the translation (used earlier in this section) into the English potential mood, see the new JPSA translation. THE CITY BY HIS WISDOM. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 32:11): < BUT MOSES IMPLORED THE LORD HIS GOD AND SAID >: WHY DOES YOUR WRATH BURN AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE? (Eccl. 9:15, cont.:) BUT NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT (ZKR) THAT POOR PERSON. The Holy One said: If no one has remembered (ZKR) him, I am remembering (rt.: ZKR) him, as stated (in Is. 63:11): THEN HE REMEMBERED (rt.: ZKR) THE DAYS OF OLD: < THOSE OF > MOSES, {HIS SERVANT} [< THOSE OF > HIS PEOPLE].
Eikhah Rabbah
“Return us to You, Lord, and we will return; renew our days as of old” (Lamentations 5:21).
“Return us to You, Lord, and we will return.” The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, it is incumbent upon You to return us.’ He said to them: ‘It is incumbent upon you, as it is stated: “Return to Me and I will return to you, said the Lord” (Malachi 3:7).’ It said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is incumbent upon you, as it is stated: “Return us, God of our salvation” (Psalms 85:5).’ That is why it is stated: “Return us to You, Lord, and we will return.”
“Renew our days as of old [kekedem].” Like Adam the first man, just as it says: “He banished the man; He stationed…east [mikedem] of the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3:24).28Adam repented after being banished from Eden, and his repentance was accepted (Rabbi David Luria). Alternatively, “renew our days as of old.” Just as it says: “The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years” (Malachi 3:4). “As in the days of old,” this is Moses, as it is written: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people” (Isaiah 63:11). “And as in former years,” like the years of Solomon. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: “As in the days [kimei] of old,” as in the days of Noah, as it is stated: “For, like the waters of [ki mei] Noah, this is for Me” (Isaiah 54:9). “And as in former years,” like the years of Abel, when there was not yet idolatry in the world.
“Return us to You, Lord, and we will return.” The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, it is incumbent upon You to return us.’ He said to them: ‘It is incumbent upon you, as it is stated: “Return to Me and I will return to you, said the Lord” (Malachi 3:7).’ It said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is incumbent upon you, as it is stated: “Return us, God of our salvation” (Psalms 85:5).’ That is why it is stated: “Return us to You, Lord, and we will return.”
“Renew our days as of old [kekedem].” Like Adam the first man, just as it says: “He banished the man; He stationed…east [mikedem] of the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3:24).28Adam repented after being banished from Eden, and his repentance was accepted (Rabbi David Luria). Alternatively, “renew our days as of old.” Just as it says: “The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years” (Malachi 3:4). “As in the days of old,” this is Moses, as it is written: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people” (Isaiah 63:11). “And as in former years,” like the years of Solomon. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: “As in the days [kimei] of old,” as in the days of Noah, as it is stated: “For, like the waters of [ki mei] Noah, this is for Me” (Isaiah 54:9). “And as in former years,” like the years of Abel, when there was not yet idolatry in the world.
Devarim Rabbah
Another matter, what is hen? Rabbi Sima said: The day raised a grievance before the Holy One blessed be He. It said: ‘Master of the universe, I will not move and will not set, as long as Moses is alive.’4Since the day had arrived for Moses to die and for Joshua to take over, metaphorically the day would not end before the transition took place (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, the Rabbis said: Since Moses knew that he was supposed to die on that day, what did he do? Rabbi Yanai said: He wrote thirteen Torah scrolls; twelve for the twelve tribes, and one, he placed in the Ark, so that if one would seek to falsify a matter, they would be able to find the one that is in the Ark. Moses said: ‘By means of me being engaged in the Torah, which is all life, the day will set and the decree will be nullified.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He signaled to the sun, but it stood obstinate against Him. It said: ‘I will not set as long as Moses exists in this world.’ That is why Job said: “Truly, I wept for the downtrodden [keshe yom], [my soul grieved for the indigent]” (Job 30:25) – as the day was obstinate [nitkasha] against Him.5Job is saying that he wept for Moses, who died after the day was obstinate before God. “Hen” – what is “behold, your days are approaching”? It is like a person who says to another: ‘So-and-so filed a grievance against you before the king.’
“Summon Joshua” – he [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, let Joshua take my kingdom, but I will live.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Act to him just as he acts to you.’ Immediately, Moses awakened and went to Joshua’s residence. Joshua became afraid, and Moses said: ‘My master, come to me.’ They went out to walk. Moses walked to Joshua’s left. They entered the Tent of Meeting. The pillar of cloud descended and partitioned between them. When the pillar of cloud ascended, Moses went to Joshua and said: ‘What did the Divine Speech say to you?’ Joshua said to him: ‘When the Divine Speech was revealed to you, would I know what it was speaking with you?’6Just like Moses did not report to Joshua on everything that God spoke to him, similarly Joshua would not report to Moses. At that moment, Moses shouted and said: ‘One hundred deaths, but not one [instance of] jealousy.’ Solomon articulated it: “As love is as intense as death, jealousy is as cruel as the grave” (Song of Songs 8:6) – the love that Moses loved Joshua, and the fact that Moses was jealous of Joshua. Once he accepted that he would die, the Holy One blessed be He began to placate him. He said to him: ‘In this world, you led My children. In the future, too, I will lead them through you.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people” (Isaiah 63:11).
Another matter, the Rabbis said: Since Moses knew that he was supposed to die on that day, what did he do? Rabbi Yanai said: He wrote thirteen Torah scrolls; twelve for the twelve tribes, and one, he placed in the Ark, so that if one would seek to falsify a matter, they would be able to find the one that is in the Ark. Moses said: ‘By means of me being engaged in the Torah, which is all life, the day will set and the decree will be nullified.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He signaled to the sun, but it stood obstinate against Him. It said: ‘I will not set as long as Moses exists in this world.’ That is why Job said: “Truly, I wept for the downtrodden [keshe yom], [my soul grieved for the indigent]” (Job 30:25) – as the day was obstinate [nitkasha] against Him.5Job is saying that he wept for Moses, who died after the day was obstinate before God. “Hen” – what is “behold, your days are approaching”? It is like a person who says to another: ‘So-and-so filed a grievance against you before the king.’
“Summon Joshua” – he [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, let Joshua take my kingdom, but I will live.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Act to him just as he acts to you.’ Immediately, Moses awakened and went to Joshua’s residence. Joshua became afraid, and Moses said: ‘My master, come to me.’ They went out to walk. Moses walked to Joshua’s left. They entered the Tent of Meeting. The pillar of cloud descended and partitioned between them. When the pillar of cloud ascended, Moses went to Joshua and said: ‘What did the Divine Speech say to you?’ Joshua said to him: ‘When the Divine Speech was revealed to you, would I know what it was speaking with you?’6Just like Moses did not report to Joshua on everything that God spoke to him, similarly Joshua would not report to Moses. At that moment, Moses shouted and said: ‘One hundred deaths, but not one [instance of] jealousy.’ Solomon articulated it: “As love is as intense as death, jealousy is as cruel as the grave” (Song of Songs 8:6) – the love that Moses loved Joshua, and the fact that Moses was jealous of Joshua. Once he accepted that he would die, the Holy One blessed be He began to placate him. He said to him: ‘In this world, you led My children. In the future, too, I will lead them through you.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people” (Isaiah 63:11).