Biblical Personalities-Moshe-Death With a Kiss
The 7th of Adar is the Yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu, whom, we are taught, died by means of a Divine Kiss: Let us explain the concept of death by means of the Divine Kiss: Our Sages said: Rabbi Abahu gazed upon thirteen rivers of fragrant scent (Bereishit Rabbah 62:1).” That is, before his death he was shown the reward he would receive in the World to Come for his service of God. So it is with all the righteous: before death they are led, and their great reward is revealed to them. Than, because of their great love and yearning for this reward, they remain there alive, not desiring to return to the world.
How right that Sages were when they said, “The righteous even in death are called living (Berachot 18a),” by which they meant that when the righteous are about to die, they are called to the other world to be shown their great reward.
Why is this so? In order to make them remain there while yet alive, as they are in this world.
This is what is meant by death by a kiss, for those who know the hidden wisdom in esoteric matters. Therefore, it cannot be said of the righteous that they died in this world; their death is primarily in the World to Come, when the magnitude of their reward is revealed to them and they do not desire to return to the realm of human existence. (Kedushat Levi, Likkutim)
In the Shabbat Mussaf we say, “Those who delight in it will inherit eternal honor, those who savor it will merit life.” Shabbat is our opportunity to experience a “Taste” of the pleasures of eternal life, meriting to experience, at te right time, such a Divine kiss.