Midrash Petirat Moshe

Midrash Petirat Moshe (Hebrew: מדרש פטירת משה) or Midrash on the Death of Moses is one of the smaller midrashim. This midrash describes in great detail the last acts of Moses and his death, at which the angels and God were present. There are several recensions of it, dating to between 7th and 11th centuries (Strack & Stemberger 1991). The first, published at Constantinople in 1516 (Venice, 1544, and elsewhere; also in Adolf Jellinek, B. H. i. 115–129), begins with a brief exegesis by R. Samuel Naḥmani and R. Tanḥuma of the first verse of the pericope "We-zot ha-berakah" (Deut. xxxiii. 1, xxxiv. 12), closing with its last verses, and doubtless intended for Simḥat Torah.