Pisqa’ 340¹

1

“Insofar as you violated Me” (Dt.32:51)—

you caused them to violate Me.

“When you did not sanctify Me in the midst of the community of Israel” (Dt.32:51)—

you caused them not to sanctify me.

“When you rebelled against My uttered will”² (Dt.32:51)—

you caused them to rebel against My uttered will

[by ignoring My order not to strike the rock].

Said the Blessed Holy One to Moses:

Didn’t I say to you [in Egypt]:

“What’s this in your hand . . . ? Throw it to the ground!” (Ex.4:2-3)—

and you did throw [your staff] to the ground.

If in the case of

signs within your hand you didn’t foil [Me],

shouldn’t you not have foiled Me

in this simple matter

[and used speech alone to draw water from the rock as I wished?]³

2

On what basis do I know that

Moses did not pass from the world

before being bundled up in the wings of the Blessed Holy One?

For it is stated:

“Therefore, you will not bring this community into the Land” (Nu.20:12)—

[but, you shall enter “the Land” of eternal life before the people].⁴

1. H:348; JN2:396.
2. See Nu.20:9-13.
3. Nu.27:14; cf. Ex.17:1-7.
4. The implication of the verse in the present context is unclear. My own surmise, based on the common midrashic equation of “the Land” with “the coming eon” of resurrection to eternal life (e.g., M. San. 10:1), is added within brackets. Cf. H:505, Pisqa’ 340, n.2.