Good Shabbos! As we make our way through the book of Devarim we must acknowledge: Moses is drawing close to the end of his life. The end for him, though, is not one that will be sudden or without warning. It is an end brought about by the completion of his life's task. The Nation of Israel is about to enter into the Holy Land. Moses has guided them well to this point, but, from here on, it is Joshua who shall lead the people into and throughout the land. As Moses comes to terms with his own death, he struggles with the question: If I helped lead the people this far, if this was my life's work, don't I deserve, can't I, PLEASE, enter into the Holy Land? The answer offered to Moses can help guide us in thinking about our own last days and the question of: May I, please, see the promised land that I have worked so hard to lead my family, my community, myself to?
Soon we will dive together into both our Torah text and the midrashic imagination of the rabbis. Before we do, please consider the following questions. If possible, discuss your answers with a chevruta, a study partner.
- What has been your life's work?
- Who have you led to the "promised land"?
- What's something on your "bucket list" that you fear is out of your reach?
Below we will start with a few verses from our Torah. Remember, at this moment in the Torah, Moses is retelling the story of the Exodus from Egypt to the people who will now enter into the land of Israel. The people he is speaking to now are not the same ones who left the land of Egypt. As you read below ask yourself the following questions:
- Why is Moses sharing this part of the story with the people?
- How do you think Moses feels in this moment?
- Why does God respond to Moses in the way God does?
Enough! Never speak to Me of this matter again!
These are strong words of rebuke. Why would God respond in this way? What is so inappropriate in Moses's request that the Divine should put God's "foot" down and demand that they move on from this conversation?
Below we will dive into the Midrash to try to understand some of the tensions that seem to be sitting just below the surface of this moment.
First, as with all of us, at the moment of death one wants to compare themselves to others. "He was so lucky to have lived so long," stands as a positive statement with a dark implication, "for so many are not as lucky and die young." " He died before his time," holds the assumption that, like others, if one had just been given a few more years they would have been able to accomplish many more things.
Moses being the leader that he is does not simply compare his life's span to that of a regular Israelite, but rather Moses looks toward the other great prophets to ask of God, "If they got to be in the land, why not me? Is not my life and my accomplishments equal to theirs?"
Devarim Rabbah:
My Lord, God (Adonai Elohim).... And what does it mean, "My Lord, God..."?
Moses said to God: Master of the Worlds! If I deserve judgement, than give me judgement from Your side of justice (which is represented by the name for God, Elohim.) And, if I do not deserve judgement, than give me compassion from Your side of compassion (which is represented by the tetragramaton being read as Adonai) as you gave to Abraham when he said, "What can you give me?" (Gen. 15:2)
God said to Moses: Don't be arrogant in front of me. You compare yourself to Abraham?!
Abraham is certainly one of the greatest prophets of our Torah, but Moses is the greatest! Why, then, does God admonish Moses for comparing himself to Abraham? Moses and God have spoken often of the connection the people have to our ancestors. Moses in speaking to the people refers to the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob who has heard their cries. So, why the pushback here from God?
While it might be fair to compare ourselves to others in life, to ask if we deserve the same as others have received for their troubles, it is not appropriate, even for Moses, in death. At the end of Moses' life, God turns to him, in the Midrashic imagination, and says, "Your end is your end. Do not try to compare yourself to others, not even to Abraham."
It is hard to imagine Moses as an insolent child turning to God and saying, "But what about Abraham? It's not fair!" So, why does Moses push so hard here at the end to be able to enter the land? Our next midrash tries to provide an answer.
Midrash Yelamdenu:
Let me go, please, and I will see the good land... Why was it that Moses tried so hard to be allowed to enter the land of Israel? Perhaps he needed to eat of its fruit, or perhaps he needed silver and gold? Rather, thus was what Moses said: Master of the World! Many are the commandments that You gave to Israel through me, and many aren't done except in the land of Israel, as it says, "These are the rules and laws that you will guard and do in the land." (Deut 12:1) Let me enter with them and preform the commandments with them, in order that I will receive reward in the future. God said to Moses: Do not be upset about this, for I will write through the prophets all of the commandments that I have given through you, and if even one Jew does it and upholds even one of the many mitzvot, you will have a place with that Jew in the future to come, as it says, "Therefore I shall apportion to him in plenty." (Isaiah 53:12)
The work of our lives often creates opportunities for our children and others to do things we could have never imagined. This is often a parent's dream, to provide opportunities for our children that we never had. Here Moses, our father, wants to participate in the good opportunities for mitzvot he has created.
Read back through the text above and ask yourself the following questions:
- Is Moses's desire understandable?
- Do you expect that Moses was comforted by God's response?
It must be hard for God to deny Moses this request. Below we'll dive into the most striking part of our original Torah text, where God admonishes Moses and says, "ENOUGH!"
Read below and ask yourself: Why does God say enough? Is God angry?
Devarim Rabbah:
Enough!.... Why does God say, "Enough!" to Moses? Rather, thus is what Moses said: Master of the World! If you won't let me enter into the land of Israel, then at least turn me into a beast of the field. They eat grass and drink water, they live and they see the world, and sing a song before their creator, thus let my soul be amongst them. God said to Moses: "Enough!" Moses said to God: Master of the World! If you won't let me enter as a person, nor as a beast of the field, then at least turn me into a bird in this world. They float upon the four winds of the world, and they gather their food all day and at night return to their nest, thus let my soul be amongst them. God said to Moses, "Enough!" What does it mean, "Enough!"? Thus God said to him: Enough of what you've said, for I don't wish to show how hard it is for the teacher and how insufferable the student is.
We've been using the metaphor of a parent and child as we've been speaking about God and Moses throughout this sheet. Here, in this past midrash, God and Moses are described as teacher and student. How does this change the relationship? Does God have a different responsibility in this moment as a teacher rather than as a parent?
Lastly, we must ask the question, could God's hand have been forced?
Let's look at the power of the word "please" below:
Midrash Yelamdenu:
Let me go, please (na)... Why did Moses use the word Na (please)? Everything Moses asked God for, he asked for using the word na (please): "Forgive, please!" (Num 14:19) "God, please, heal her, please!" (Number 12:13) and "Let me go, please..."
I heard that they taught Moses, our teacher, in heaven that when one prays and uses the word na (please) twice in their prayer, this prayer is received. As it is written, "God, please, heal her, please!" Moses here began to say, "Let me go, please and I will see..." and it was Moses intention to finish sentence by saying please (na) again, and thus God said, "Enough! do not continue to speak about this." God interrupts so that Moses does not say please (na) again.
Now, let's ask our initial questions again:
- How do you think Moses feels in this moment?
- Why does God respond to Moses in the way the God does?
Want to learn a little more about this portion? There's SO MUCH amazing Torah, even just in this portion. I invite you to sit down, close your eyes, and join me as you listen to a word of Torah, a dvar Torah from me, Rabbi David Winship.
Good Shabbos!
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