Commento su Deuteronomio 1:45

ולא שמע ה' בקלכם BUT THE LORD WOULD NOT HEAR YOUR VOICE — If it is at all possible to say so of God, you made His attribute of mercy as though it were cruel (Numbers Rabbah 17:3).

AND YE RETURNED AND WEPT BEFORE THE ETERNAL. There [in the Book of Numbers]¹²¹Ibid., 14:45. Scripture did not mention this weeping, for there was no need to mention it. But Moses mentioned it now as praise that they regretted their sin, and to tell them that this sin was too great to forgive¹²²See Genesis 4:13. because the great oath [of G-d] had already been pronounced, and a Heavenly decree accompanied by an oath cannot be rent.¹²³Rosh Hashanah 18a.

ולא שמע ה' בקולכם, on account of the desecration of His name that was part of their sin. Whenever a sin includes חילול השם, the desecration of G’d’s name, (seeing that is by definition something public) forgiveness without death of the penitent sinner is impossible. Not only that, but G’d’s decree had been formulated as an oath, something that made it irrevocable after both Joshua and Calev had made efforts to make the people reconsider their negative attitude by accusing G’d of hating them. As a matter of fact, even when they did repent afterwards, this was not genuine, but was based on their fear of punishment. As a result, such a repentance is not sufficient to cancel the punishment due in this life. Something similar had already occurred with Kayin, who also repented but only because he could not face the punishment in store for him. (Genesis 4,15) Both King Shaul, in respect of his failure to wipe out Amalek completely, (Samuel I 15,26) and the High Priest Eli (Samuel I 3,14) repented, but did so only out of their unwillingness to face their punishment.