Sotah

Buried they in Shechem.  Why just in Shechem? — R. Hama son of R. Hanina said: From Shechem they stole him,  and to Shechem we will restore what is lost. The following verses are contradictory: it is written: And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him,  and it is written: And the bones of Joseph which the children of Israel brought up  etc.! — R. Hama son of R. Hanina said: Whoever performs a task without finishing it and another comes and completes it, Scripture ascribes it to the one who completed it as though he had performed it. R. Eleazar said: He  is likewise deposed from his greatness; for it is written: And it came to pass at that time that Judah went down.  R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: He also buries his wife and children; for it is written: Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died etc.,  and it is written: But Er and Onan died. Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Why was Joseph called 'bones' during his lifetime?  Because he did not interfere to safeguard his father's honour when [his brothers] said to him, Thy servant our father  and he made no reply to them. Rab Judah also said in the name of Rab, and others declare that it was R. Hama son of R. Hanina: Why did Joseph die before his brothers? Because he gave himself superior airs. And Joseph was brought down to Egypt.  R. Eleazar said: Read not 'was brought down' but 'brought down', because he brought Pharaoh's astrologers down from their eminence.  And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's bought him, Rab said: He bought him for himself;  but Gabriel came and castrated him,  and then Gabriel came and mutilated him [pera'], for originally his name is written Potiphar but afterwards Potiphera. WHOM HAVE WE GREATER THAN MOSES etc. And the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee.  R. Levi said: With the word 'suffice' [Moses] made an announcement and with the word 'suffice' an announcement was made to him. With the word 'suffice' he made an announcement: 'Suffice you';  and with the word 'suffice' an announcement was made to him: 'Let it suffice thee'. Another explanation of 'Let it suffice [rab] thee' is, Thou hast a master [rab], viz., Joshua.  Another explanation of 'Let it suffice thee' is, That people should not say: How severe the Master is and how persistent the pupil is.  And why so? In the School of R. Ishmael it was taught: According to the camel is the burden. And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day.  Why does the text state 'this day?' [The meaning is], This day are my days and years completed.  Its purpose is to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, completes the years of the righteous from day to day, and from month to month; for it is written: The number of thy days I will fulfil.  I can no more go out and come in  — what means 'go out and come in'? If it is to be understood literally, behold it is written: And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated;  it is also written: And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo;  and it has been taught: Twelve steps were there, but Moses mounted them in one stride! — R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan: [It means] to 'go out and come in' with words of Torah, thus indicating that the gates of wisdom were closed against him. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meeting.  A Tanna taught: That was a Sabbath when two teachers [gave discourses] and the authority was taken from one to be transferred to the other. It has further been taught: R. Judah said: Were it not for a Scriptural text, it would be impossible to utter the following. Where did Moses die? In the portion of Reuben, for it is written: And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, and Nebo was located in the portion of Reuben, for it is written: And the children of Reuben built … and Nebo etc.  — It was called Nebo because three prophets [nebi'im] died there, viz. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. — And where was Moses buried? In the portion of Gad, for it is written: And he provided the first part for himself etc.  Now what was the distance between the portion of Reuben and that of Gad? Four mil.  Who carried him those four mil? It teaches that Moses was laid upon the wings of the Shechinah, and the Ministering Angels kept proclaiming, He executed the justice of the Lord, and His judgments with Israel,  and the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Who will rise up for Me against the evil-doers? Who will stand up for Me against the workers of iniquity? Samuel  said [that God declared], Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing?  R. Johanan said [that God declared], Where shall wisdom be found?  R. Nahman said [that God announced], So Moses died there etc.  Semalyon  said: So Moses died there, the great Sage of Israel. It has been taught: R. Eliezer the Elder said: Over an area of twelve mil square, corresponding to that of the camp of Israel, a Bath Kol made the proclamation, 'So Moses died there', the great Sage of Israel. Others declare that Moses never died; it is written here, 'So Moses died there', and elsewhere it is written: And he was there with the Lord.  As in the latter passage it means standing and ministering, so also in the former it means standing and ministering. And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-peor.  R. Berechyah said: Although [Scripture provides] a clue within a clue, nevertheless no man knoweth of his sepulchre.  The wicked Government once sent to