Musar su Deuteronomio 3:78

It is written in the name of Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, “And I pleaded with Hashem” (Devarim 3:23). Our Sages of blessed memory have explained (Devarim Rabbah 11:10) that he prayed 515 prayers — the numerical value of the phrase, “And I pleaded” (Va’eschanan) — that he be allowed to enter the Holy Land

Yalkut Shimoni item 177 on Exodus 6,12, where we have another instance in which Moses uses the word לאמור when speaking to G–d, says that there are altogether four such instances. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah claims that Moses demanded that G–d reply to him, i.e. “לאמור, whether He would redeem the Children of Israel or not. G–d responded in Exodus 6,1: "Now you will see what I shall do to Pharaoh, etc." A similar incident occurred when the Torah reported Moses as using this expression in Numbers 12,13 when he wanted an immediate answer whether G–d was going to heal Miriam or not. There, too, G–d is reported as responding to this outcry in verse 14, indicating that Miriam would be healed after a week. We also have such an instance in Numbers 27,15 where Moses wanted a reply from G–d to his request that He appoint a suitable leader in his stead. G–d responded in verse 18 that Joshua would be the new leader of the people. Lastly, the Yakut quotes the verse in our portion where Moses supposedly demanded an immediate response to his request to enter ארץ ישראל.

Let me now arrange the three "gifts" in their proper sequence. In 3,25: "Let me please cross and see this good land," Moses describes the nature of the land as being "good." Afterwards, he begins to extol the gift of Torah and the fact that studying it will lead to observing its commandments. 4,1 begins: "And now, O Israel, give heed to the laws and rules that I am instructing you to observe see, I have taught you social laws and statutes….for what great nation is there that has G–d close at hand as is the Lord our G–d whenever we call upon Him? Or what great nation has laws and rules as perfect as all this Teaching that I set before you this day?" Following this description of the gift of Torah, Moses continues by recalling the overwhelming experience of G–d's revelation at Mount Sinai when He gave Israel the Torah. This is followed by 4,25 when Moses looks into the future, warning the nation not to abandon the Torah which was a gift from Heaven.

והיה עקב תשמעון . In the previous paragraph (7,7) the Torah explained that G–d's love for the Jewish people is not based on our superior numbers, seeing that we are "small," numerically speaking. The Talmud Chulin 89a states in the name of Rabbi Eliezer that the meaning of this verse is that G–d likes the Jewish people because even when they are riding high (economically) they still humble themselves, i.e. they behave as if they were מעט מכל העמים, the least significant of all nations. Abraham, for instance, described himself as: אנכי עפר ואפר, "I am but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18,27). Moses and Aaron (Exodus 16,7) said of themselves: ונחנו מה, "What do we amount to?" David described himself as: ואנכי תולעת ולא איש "I am only a worm, not a man" (Psalms 22,7). On the other hand, the "great" men among the Gentile nations did not react in this fashion to the greatness I (G–d) have bestowed upon them. I have given greatness to Nimrod; he responded by building a Tower in order to assert himself against Me. I gave greatness to Pharaoh; he responded by claiming "Who is the Lord that I should listen to Him?" (Exodus 5,2). I made Sancheriv a mighty ruler and he reacted by saying: "Who among the gods of all these lands has saved them from me that you should imagine that the Lord will save you from me?" (Kings II 18,35). Similar expressions of arrogance are recorded as having been used by Chirom the king of Tzor, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and others. Rava or Rabbi Yochanan are reported to have said that the continued existence of the universe would not have been permitted had it not been for Moses and Aaron and people of their caliber, all of whom said of themselves: "what do we amount to?" It is interesting that G–d is described in Job 26,7 as תולה ארץ על בלימה, "suspending earth over merely מה" (hardly something), a reference to Moses and Aaron who had described themselves as נחנו מה. Rabbi lla'i, also on folio 89 Chulin, suggests the meaning of the verse in Job to be that the earth will be allowed to survive for the sake of people who בולם את עצמם, "put the brakes on their ego" at times of strife. Rabbi Abahu, on the other hand, says that he who considers himself as if he did not exist is the "salt of the earth." He uses Deut. 3,27: ומתחת זרועות עולם, in the sense of "he who is trampled by the world is the real 'arms' supporting the universe." Rabbi Yitzchak derives this same message from Psalms 58,2: האמנם אלם צדק תדברון מישרים תשפטו בני אדם. He understands this verse to mean that maintaining a silent (אלם) profile and speaking out only in matters of צדק, i.e. Torah, is what keeps the world going.

First of all let me explain that there is a difference between the meaning of the word טוב when it is spelled with the vowel חולם and when it is spelled with the vowel שורוק. The former spelling is employed when the visible "good" i.e. the נגלה, only is revealed. When the word is spelled with the vowel שורוק, however, the good that is meant is also the intrinsic good, that which is not visible. We observe this principle when checking the spellings of these three "gifts." When referring to Torah, Psalms 119,72, we have טוב לי תורת פיך מאלפי זהב וכסף, "The Torah of Your mouth I prefer to thousands of pieces of gold and silver." The word טוב in this case is spelled with the vowel חולם. On the other hand, six verses earlier in Psalms 119,66, we find טוב טעם ודעת למדני, "teach me good sense and knowledge," and the word טוב is spelled with the vowel שורוק. Similarly we find ארץ ישראל described as ארץ טובה, with the vowel חולם, on occasion (Exodus 3,8), whereas in Isaiah 1,19, we read "אם תאבו ושמעתם, טוב הארץ תאכלו," "if you agree and listen, you will eat of the good of the land." In this case the word טוב is again spelled with the vowel שורוק. Concerning this verse our sages have said that Isaiah speaks of "the world which is totally good," since they could not understand what other justification there could be for the different spellings. They concluded that in that distant future there will no longer be a difference between the hidden aspects of טוב, and the part which is visible to all. At that time, a blessing will no longer contain also those elements that are not good. A reference to something intrinsic is appropriate only if the same gift described contains both external and internal features. This is why they described that future as one that is כלו טוב, i.e. "totally good."

The beginning of the פרשה speaks about the gift of the land of Israel which is a patently "good" gift both in its manifest and in its hidden aspects. The land is situated "opposite" a corresponding ארץ ישראל in the Celestial Regions. Both the terrestrial land of Israel and the Celestial land of Israel has areas of varying degrees of sanctity. We have learned (Keilim 1,6) about the ten respective layers of sanctity of terrestrial ארץ ישראל culminating in the Holy of Holies. Moses thought that the lands of the kings Sichon and Og, i.e. the East Bank of the Jordan, already contained some level of the sanctity common to the whole of ארץ ישראל. We will explain why he thought so later on. A leader who leads the people to take possession of the Holy Land acquires great spiritual advantages. The authority of Jewish leaders is not of the same caliber as that of the Gentile kings or rulers. While the Gentiles derive their authority from physical power and material attributes, this is not so in the case of leaders of the Jewish people. Their authority is rather of the caliber of Heavenly authority. To be more specific: Leaders are appointed according to superior intellectual qualities, according to the ability of the individual in question to lead the people in Torah observance. As soon as the first Jewish king, Saul, was anointed king by the prophet Samuel he was granted Holy Spirit, as we know from Samuel I 10,11-12: הגם שאול בנביאים, "Saul too has joined the ranks of the prophets." One of the reasons the kingdom was transferred to David was that there was no one as qualified as David as far as Torah scholarship was concerned. G–d was with him to such an extent that any religious rulings pronounced by David were always accepted by his colleagues as binding. In addition, no one excelled like David in singing the praises of the Lord. These are the considerations that made Moses so desirous of remaining the leader who would bring the Jewish people into the Holy Land. He knew that if he were to be granted this request he would further perfect his personality, would be granted even greater insights by G–d. He wanted to fulfill those commandments which can only be fulfilled on the soil of the land of Israel, and he was certain that by doing so he would ascend still higher spiritually (Sotah 14a).

In the words of our sages there: "Surely Moses did not plead with G–d to let him enter the Holy Land merely to taste its fruit!" While on this subject let me explain Rashi's comment on 3,24. He divides his comment into פשט and דרוש. As far as the דרוש is concerned I find it difficult to follow him because, if he is correct, the Torah should have written אתה החילות והראית, "You have begun and shown me." I therefore prefer to deal with the פשט part of his commentary: that Moses felt that because he had been allowed to defeat the kings Sichon and Og on the East bank of the Jordan, this was a sign that G–d had rescinded His decree (Numbers 20,12) that he, Moses would not be allowed to lead Israel to the Holy Land. He considered the lands ruled by these kings as part of the land of Israel. Rashi quotes 2,31 where G–d had said: ראה החילותי תת לפניך את סיחון as proof that Moses thought that the decree had been rescinded. If Rashi's reasoning is correct, why did the Torah add the words בעת ההיא "at that time," in 3,23?

In the words of our sages there: "Surely Moses did not plead with G–d to let him enter the Holy Land merely to taste its fruit!" While on this subject let me explain Rashi's comment on 3,24. He divides his comment into פשט and דרוש. As far as the דרוש is concerned I find it difficult to follow him because, if he is correct, the Torah should have written אתה החילות והראית, "You have begun and shown me." I therefore prefer to deal with the פשט part of his commentary: that Moses felt that because he had been allowed to defeat the kings Sichon and Og on the East bank of the Jordan, this was a sign that G–d had rescinded His decree (Numbers 20,12) that he, Moses would not be allowed to lead Israel to the Holy Land. He considered the lands ruled by these kings as part of the land of Israel. Rashi quotes 2,31 where G–d had said: ראה החילותי תת לפניך את סיחון as proof that Moses thought that the decree had been rescinded. If Rashi's reasoning is correct, why did the Torah add the words בעת ההיא "at that time," in 3,23?

I want to add a few words in connection with 22,1 that we must not idly watch the ox or lamb of a fellow-Jew outcast. Let me preface my remarks with a comment by the Kabbalists on the transmigration of souls. The words of the saintly Rabbi Solomon Alkabez [who composed the famous Lecha Dodi which we sing every Friday night, Ed.] describe these concepts in the clearest terms. I have therefore chosen to quote from his works: "On the day the Lord created Adam (Man) on earth He equipped him with 248 luminaries [in the sense of inspirations. Ed.] which contained the details of the highest spiritual regions, אצילות, within which are found His statutes, social laws, and moral instructions. The function of the positive commandments is not only to enable man to live in this spiritual world, but also to enable him to live on this earth as a form of secondary existence, i.e. בצלם. G–d also created man with 365 sinews corresponding to the 365 negative commandments. When G–d "blew" the soul of life from the most refined spiritual regions into Adam's nose, Adam, so to speak, brought a soul equipped with all these מצות into this earthly existence. These מצות formed the attire of Adam's soul and not a single one was missing. Becoming guilty of "losing" even one of all these מצות is a mortal sin which results in one's soul's inability to attain the place assigned to it in the highest Spiritual Spheres. The distance one will be short of in attaining one's goal is in direct ratio to the number of מצות one has not fulfilled. If one has not only failed to fulfill all the positive commandments but has even become guilty of transgressing negative commandments, the result is an even greater distance between the place one occupies and the place one should have occupied in the Spiritual Regions. G–d, in His great pity for His creatures, has made thoughtful provisions so as not to totally cast out a sinner. This is why He established the principle of re-incarnation, i.e. transmigration of souls. By allowing a soul to return to earth once more, it is given a "second chance" to rehabilitate itself and recapture its original place in the world of the spirits. This principle of transmigration of souls is applied in three different ways, corresponding to the attributes in which our three patriarchs excelled respectively. Some souls do not return to earth because they have to rehabilitate themselves for positive commandments neglected or for negative commandments which they transgressed when they were on earth previously. The only reason they return to earth is in order to perform acts of kindness for the people of their respective generations. Details of this are explained in ספר הפליאה, ספר התמונה, and ספר לבנת ספיר. The Torah alludes to this in Deut. 3,26: ויתעבר ה' בי למענכם. The term עבור is compared to גלגול, both meaning a kind of "transfer." Moses is in effect telling the Jewish people that his being transferred from this world at that time and place was for their own good. This paralleled the attribute of חסד which Abraham excelled in.

He continued by emphasizing ואראה את הארץ הטובה, "So that I may see the good land." I have already mentioned that there are many different levels of sanctity. Even though Moses thought that the lands of Sichon and Og were already part of the Holy Land, he was well aware that the West bank was of a higher level of sanctity than the East bank of the Jordan. Terrestrial ארץ ישראל is situated "opposite" ארץ ישראל של מעלה, Celestial Eretz Yisrael. The most holy part of terrestrial ארץ ישראל may be presumed to be "opposite" the holiest part of Celestial ארץ ישראל. Moses longed for the holiest part of ארץ ישראל למטה in order to be closest to the holiest part of ארץ ישראל למעלה. This is why he spoke of "the good Mountain, Lebanon," meaning the Temple Mount and site of the Holy of Holies on that Mount. He wished to be able to fulfill the commandments calling for one's presence in the Holy Land and, more specifically, in the Temple. When Moses continued (3,26) ויתעבר ה' בי למענכם, this means that G–d denied Moses' request precisely because granting it would result in the whole people being spiritually raised to a level even with Moses who had despised the angel. Israel was simply not worthy of such a level on its own merits. Only under Joshua, who enjoyed the assistance of the angel (Joshua 5,14) who introduced himself with the words "now I have come," could the conquest of the remainder of the land proceed. Moses had rejected that very angel in Exodus 33,15 as an inadequate level of Divine guidance. Moses therefore had to tell the people that his departure was due to their not meriting direct Divine guidance such they had enjoyed during his leadership. The scholars who specialize in רשומות, see in the respective first letters of the words גם בי התאנף ה' בגללכם an allusion to גרשוני מסתפח בנחלת ה' "G–d has expelled me from participating in His heritage."

When G–d told Moses not to belabor the point any further, we must understand this reply on two levels, as G–d addressing Himself to two arguments. First G–d addressed Moses' desire to enter terrestrial ארץ ישראל in order to fulfill מצות התלויות בארץ. Concerning this request he told Moses "רב לך." Rashi explains this as G–d telling Moses that there is a great deal more in store for him where he was going (עולם הבא) than he could hope to achieve by performing commandments in the land of Israel on earth. These words of Rashi need further elucidation.

עלה ראש הפסגה ושא עיניך ימה וצפונה ותימנה ומזרחה. In this verse (4,27) G–d begins to explain to Moses that he had erred when he thought that his being allowed to defeat Sichon and Og was proof that He had rescinded His decree against his leading the Jewish people in their conquest of the West bank of the Jordan. G–d wanted to show Moses with his own eyes that the lands of Sichon and Og were not part of the Holy land, i.e. the area of 400 by 400 Parsot that are traditionally considered the area of ארץ ישראל (Rashi Numbers 17,8). Moses could encompass a tremendous area with his eyes. This is why the Torah uses the extra word בעיניך. When someone is told to raise his eyes and see, it is clear that he is meant to use his eyes to see with. The Torah wanted us to know that Moses' eyes were special. Only he was able to see the whole extent of the land of Israel with his physical eyes, unassisted by something supernatural. He could convince himself that the 400 square Parsot made up the land west of the Jordan, without including any part of the lands formerly owned by Sichon and Og. The מלחמת מצוה, the "holy war" to conquer those 400 square Parsot across the river Jordan, was a task wholly reserved for Joshua. G–d's decree had not been rescinded. G–d added that He would actually have allowed Joshua also to lead in the conquest of the lands of Sichon and Og although they did not belong to ארץ ישראל proper, had it not been for the need to strengthen Joshua by visual example, as described in 4,28. Once Joshua had witnessed how Moses had successfully defeated the mighty kings Sichon and Og and conquered their lands he would be able to summon the courage to lead the people of Israel in their battles with the 31 kings on the West bank of the Jordan. This is why the Torah had mentioned at the end of the last פרשה, (3,21) that Moses had commanded Joshua not to be afraid since he had seen with his own eyes what the Lord had done to those two kings.

This is what G–d showed Moses before he died, since Moses could be considered the ראש העולם "the head of the world, and the opening word of the Torah is בראשית, meaning בשביל משה רבנו שנקרא ראשית, "the world was created on account of Moses who is called ראשית." G–d commenced the creative process with the directive "let there be light," a reference to the light emitted by the forehead of Moses (Exodus 34,29). This kind of light was hidden (after Moses died). Moses is also considered the סוף העולם, the "end" of the world, i.e. when the world will finally renew itself it will draw on the qualities possessed by Moses. Such a world will be more perfect than the original world. The Zohar on Deut. 3,24: אתה החילות comments that Moses represents the beginning of this process, i.e. the first perfect human being, and the Messiah will represent its conclusion. The generations between these two find themselves surrounded by varying degrees of darkness, to compensate for which they will experience this excess of light at the time of the Messiah.

The words: ויתעבר ה' בי למענכם in 3,26 also contain a mystical dimension. This also touches upon the subject of the great gift of Torah G–d has bestowed on the Jewish people. I have found the following comment among the writings of a great Kabbalistic scholar Rabbi Chayim, the leading disciple of the Arizal. [I will paraphrase his comments Ed.] "As a consequence of Moses' accepting the mixed multitude as converts, he became involved in the סוד העיבור, the calculations pertaining to leap months, leap years, etc., as well as their halachic implications of the time conceptions can take place. One of these calculations involves determining when a Jubilee year occurs (the fiftieth year after the conclusion of seven periods of seven years). G–d had not wanted to accept this mixed multitude as converts. Had they not been accepted, Israel would neither have experienced death nor exile, since the acceptance of the Tablets would have signified everlasting life, as our sages (Eruvin 54 on Exodus 32,16) have taught us when they said: אל תקרא חרות אלא חירות, "do not read 'engraved' i.e. Charut but 'Free' (from death) i.e. Cheyrut." Moses had not consulted G–d before accepting this mixed multitude, thinking that he was performing a good deed by bringing them closer to G–d (which had been Abraham's lifework). In addition he had developed a personal interest in the conduct of these people as he had hinted when he referred to them (Numbers 11,21) as העם אשר אנכי בקרבו, "the people amongst whom I find myself." He had also foretold that these people would convert when he told Pharaoh in Exodus 11,8 that כל העם אשר ברגליך ישתחוו לי, "all these people who now sit at your feet will bow down to me." This meant that Moses was anxious to convert these people. Alas, not only did Moses fail to truly convert them, but they also infected the Israelites proper with their lack of faith during the episode of the golden calf, so that G–d told Moses: לך רד כי שחת עמך, "Go and descend, for your people have become corrupt" (Exodus 32,7). These people and their offspring by now made up the majority of the Jews in the desert. This is why Moses was forced to insert an extra year after every 49 years. This extra year serves as a warning that Israel must not again err by accepting converts wholesale and be misled by them. [I suspect that the association between "freedom" which is emphasized in the יובל- year legislation of the Torah -although the Torah calls it דרור- (Leviticus 25,10), forms the background to the סוד העיבור which Rabbi Chayim calls "this involvement of Moses in each generation in the determination of the Jubilee year." He must mean that the need to proclaim freedom would not have arisen but for Moses' accepting the mixed multitude when he did Ed.]

My father of blessed memory (author's), explained a Rashi on Deut. 3,26, in which the word רב is understood as "G–d has a great deal more in store for you, more than merely crossing the Jordan." At first glance Rashi's comment seems quite unrelated to the text. My father explained Rashi's description of the conversation between G–d and Moses as follows: G–d to Moses: "You surely did not think that by not crossing the river Jordan you will merely be denied to taste the fruit of the Holy Land, but what you aimed for was fulfilling the commandments which can only be fulfilled in that land. If this is your concern, רב לך, there are many more commandments which you would not be able to fulfill even if I allowed you to cross the river Jordan. You cannot fulfill the string of commandments applicable only to priests, etc. You cannot fulfill the commandment of the levirate marriage, neither many other commandments." Rashi therefore means that G–d reassured Moses: "just as you will receive credit for fulfilling the commandments relating to residence in the Holy Land, so you will also receive credit for all the other commandments you have not fulfilled in practice but have studied." This whole subject matter has been discussed at length in קול בוכים on Lamentations 4,16: פני ה' חלקם, "The Lord's countenance has turned away from them." The author claims that just as terrestrial man's body has 248 limbs so his soul – which represents Torah study – has 248 parts. This is the meaning of רב טוב אור הגנוז, "there is a wealth of good light stored up in the heavens for Moses", and this is why the sages described the face of Moses as comparable to the "face" of the sun, whereas the face of Joshua was as the "face" of the moon. The difference was due to the fact that Moses received the Torah directly from its Source. It was a relatively easy matter for Moses to understand all parts of the Torah and therefore to fulfill the requirements of residence in the land of Israel on a spiritual plane employing all 248 parts of his soul. Joshua, on the other hand, observed those commandments in practice. The fulfillment of the commandments on a spiritual plane seems of still greater value. In Proverbs 6,23 Solomon speaks of נר מצוה ותורה אור, that the relationship between individual commandments and the totality of Torah is like the relationship between a single candle and a luminary.

Now to the subject of the Hereafter. Israel had been afraid that if they were to continue to acquire greater insights, i.e. over and beyond what they were spiritually and intellectually equipped to digest, they would surely die. They therefore had asked Moses that he should approach G–d and serve as their intermediary. They did this because, since Moses had already experienced the insights other people achieve only in the Hereafter, he had no reason to fear premature death. They realized that Moses had attained the fiftieth of the שערי בינה. When you take the letter ה which symbolizes the 5 Books of Moses and the letter י which symbolizes the Ten Commandments and you multiply them which each other the result is 50, an allusion to the fact that between the Ten Commandments and the five Books of the Torah you have the wisdom contained in the fifty שערי בינה. When Israel sinned at the golden calf, G–d told Moses: לך רד, "go and descend from the lofty platform of לך=50," as we have outlined earlier. Now G–d said: אל תוסף (3,26). The message was that during one's lifetime on earth the fiftieth level of בינה would not again be attained. This had to await a person's death. Only when separated from his body would one's soul-personality be able to attain that level of insights. To demonstrate that Moses did attain this level again when he died, the Torah describes his death as an ascent, i.e. ויעל משה … אל הר נבו (34,1). I have already mentioned that the name of the Mountain can be read as נ-בו, "50 is attainable through this Mountain." The choice of the word ויעל here is, of course, the reverse of the word רד G–d used when He told Moses about the sin of the golden calf. Moses attained during his lifetime what other צדיקים achieve only after their death. Once their bodies are left behind on earth their souls may behold what the Psalmist describes in Psalms 17,15: אשבעה בהקיץ תמונתך, "When I awake I will behold a vision of You." Concerning Moses, the Torah has testified that already during his lifetime: ותמונת ה' יביט, Moses was able to behold visions of G–d at will (Numbers 12,8). No one has an idea of the quality of עולם הבא in store for Moses; it is beyond anything we can imagine seeing that only G–d knows where even his body is buried.

It is implied in the Zohar (Parashas Va’eschanan 260a) that the hosts of Heaven look forward to the moment that a Jew will rise from his bed to engage in study and prayer. The proof to this is that when he does so a proclamation goes forth saying, “Behold, bless Hashem all servants of Hashem who stand in the House of Hashem at night” (Tehillim 134:1). Then, when he has risen and gone to the synagogue to beseech his Master they proclaim, “And I will grant you movement among these standing ones” (Zecharyah 3:7). All this is true, however, only if he prays with devotion, pouring out his supplications like a beggar, just as our teacher Moshe did when he said, “And I pleaded with Hashem, etc.” (Devarim 3:23).