V’zos Habracha
The passuk states Moshe was 120 years old when he died and “לא כהתה עינו ולא נס לחו.” Rashi explains even after Moshe died, לא כהתה עינו, the shine of his face did not change. The word עינו means his color or appearance. ולא נס ליחו, and no moistness left, means there was no deterioration or any rotting at all. The Nefesh HeGer explains this describes the physical features of Moshe; his shine remained and no moistness left him.
Onkelos translates differently; לא כהתה עינו means his eyes did not dim, ולא נס ליחו means and the radiance of the honor of his face did not change. The Nefesh HaGer explains this refers to the קרן עור פניו which did not change when he died. This is as the Midrash brings: Adam HaRishon said to Moshe Rabbeinu, “I am greater than you because I was created with the tzelem of Hashem.” Moshe responded “I elevated myself more than you. The honor that was given to you was taken away from you, however I was given the זיו הפנים, radiance and shine, which is with me as it states לא כהתה עינו ולא נס ליחו.” This describes the great holiness of Moshe.
The Gemara brings that the Torah states a sign within a sign as to where Moshe was buried; בגיא בארץ מואב מול בית פעור in the valley, in the land of Moav, opposite Beis Peor. The wicked kings of the non-Jewish nations wanted to see where Moshe was buried. After all the signs which the Torah states, they could not believe it can be possible to state ולא ידע איש את קבורתו that no one knew where his burial-plot was. They tried to track Moshe down and find him. When they stood on the upper area, he seemed to be lower down, and when they stood on a lower area he seemed to be above. They split into two groups, one above and one below, and for each he was not found to be near them. Rebi Chamah bar Chanina added that Moshe did not even know where he himself was buried. The Torah states ולא ידע איש and no man knew, which refers to Moshe, as it stated at the beginning of the parshaמשה איש האלוקים. How do we understand this that Moshe’s burial place was not found?
The Maharsha explains that when Moshe was alive he became a spiritual being, by abstaining from food and separating from physical pleasures. He refined his body to be similar to an angel. This is as the beginning of the parsha describes Moshe as משה איש האלוקים, Moshe was a G-dly like being. Something spiritual is not physical or tangible, and does not have boundaries or limits. So too when Moshe was buried he remained a spiritual being without boundaries or limits, and no one was unable to pinpoint him and find him.
Moshe remained physically intact until the end of his life, since he refined and transformed his entire physical being into a spiritual being as an angel, and therefore remained with his spiritual features.
May Hashem help us learn the Torah and become refined to a more spiritual being, becoming connected to Hashem!
