In Deuteronomy Rabbah 11.5, Moses is portrayed as having a triple dialogue with an angel concerning his death. This would be interpreted by Rabbi Yitzḥak as having a conversation with his soul. Compare this narrative and the use of scripture with the temptation in the wilderness narratives in the Synoptic Gospels:
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 so – “For You rescued
me from death”’ (Psalms 116:8). ‘Are you saying that you saw them weeping, and
you are weeping with them?’ It said to him: “My eyes from tears” (Psalms
116:8). He said to it: ‘Are you saying perhaps that they sought to push you
into 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).
