Mattot - Masei 5781

Question: Why are we told only now of the date of אהרן’s death and his age?


Approach: Since we're not given any date of death anywhere else in the תורה, and only a few instances of age at death, it seems that this was part of משה's "diary" that got added into the תורה. 

The date may also be significant as it's around (at least according to tradition) the anniversary of חטא המרגלים, and it could be that the subsequent war with מלך ערד was part of the test for the generation to see that they would not die in the final year, and actually start the process of capturing land and entering the Land.

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