15 Facts You Should Know About the Death of Prophet Moses

 1. It was his 120th birthday

Moses died on Adar 7, 2488 (1273 BCE), the exact same day he was born 120 years earlier. It is very rare for someone to die on their birthday! This shows that Moses completed his life’s mission perfectly, without missing a single day.

2. Moses Spent Five Weeks Delivering His Last Will and Testament

On Shevat 1, Moses gathered the Jewish people and began delivering his final words to them. For the next five weeks, he urged them to follow God’s path and reviewed all the mitzvahs they had received at Mount Sinai. His parting words became the Book of Deuteronomy , the fifth and final book of the Torah.

3. Moses Wrote 13 Torah Scrolls

Moses was very busy on the day he died! The Talmud tells us that he wrote 13 Torah scrolls that very day—one for each of the 12 tribes and one to be kept in the Ark of the Covenant. According to another tradition, Moses used practical Kabbalah to imbue his quill with miraculous powers.

4. Some say it was a Sabbath

According to one tradition, Moses died on the afternoon of the Sabbath. 9 But how could he have written the Torah scroll if writing was forbidden on the Sabbath? Some explain that he finished it on a Friday, while others say that writing miracles was not forbidden on the Sabbath. Another tradition holds that Moses actually died on a Friday, before the Sabbath began.

5. He blessed each tribe

Moses gathered the Jews and blessed them. He first blessed the entire nation and then gave special blessings to each tribe. His final words were filled with love and encouragement:

“You are blessed, O Israel! Who is comparable to you? You are a people saved by the Lord. He is a shield to help you and a sword to give you victory. For fear your enemies will try to deceive you, and you will trample on their high places.” 6. Moses handed over the reins to Joshua

Leadership didn’t end with Moses—on the day he died, he officially passed the baton to his faithful disciple, Joshua . Moses instructed Joshua to join him in teaching the nation the song Haazinu, ensuring that the people would follow their new leader with the same devotion.

7. He Took a Spiritual Leap

Although Moses was the greatest prophet in Jewish history, the Talmud tells us that he only mastered 49 of the 50 gates of understanding. But on his final day, the elusive 50th gate was revealed to him, elevating his spiritual awareness to a whole new level.

8. God showed him the land of Israel

Moses had one great desire: to enter the Promised Land. He prayed to God over and over again, but the answer was always no. But God did something extraordinary—He told Moses to climb to the top of Mount Nebo, where He showed him the entire land of Israel. How could Moses see so far? According to one tradition, God illuminated his eyes with the light of the first day of creation, expanding his vision beyond the limits of human vision.

9. Moses as part of Israel's history

It wasn't just geography that Moses saw—he was given a vision of the entire future of Jewish history. According to the Midrash, God revealed to him everything that would happen to the Jewish people, up to this time and beyond.

10. He Was as Vigorous as Ever

Even at the age of 120, Moses remained strong. Tradition says that he climbed Mount Nebo in one step, displaying superhuman energy until the end.

11. God “kissed” him

Moses did not experience death as something painful. Rather, the midrash describes God taking his soul with a “kiss.” Moses was faced with a high level of spiritual bliss, prompting his soul to leave his body and attach itself to its divine source.

12. His Burial Site Was a Mystery That Endured for Thousands of Years

Moses died on Mount Nebo, on the eastern bank of the Jordan River. He was buried “in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor.” Yet despite these clues, the Torah states, “No one knows the place of his burial to this day.”

The Talmud tells an interesting story: A group of Roman officials once set out to find this holy place, but wherever they stood, it seemed to be somewhere else! Even when they split into two groups, each thought they were looking at the location where the other group was standing. 13. He Was Buried by God—Or Himself!

If no one knows where he was buried, then who buried Moses? According to one tradition, God Himself performed this final mitzvah, laying His faithful servant to rest. Another says that Moses, in his unique greatness, buried himself.

14. His Body Remained Intact

The Torah tells us that even after Moses died, “His appearance did not fade, and his bodily fluids did not disappear.” Not only did his soul live on forever, but miraculously, his body remained intact as well.

15. He Remained With His People

As a true Jewish leader, Moses did not abandon his flock even in death. Since the Jews he had redeemed from Egypt had died in the desert, he remained there with them. But not for long: When Moshiach comes, he will rise and lead them to the Promised Land at last