Pisqa’ 3411
1
“For only from afar shall you see the Land, but you shall not enter it” (Dt.32:52)—
It is stated here:
“You shall not enter it,”
and it is stated elsewhere:
“You shall not cross through it” (Dt.34:4).
It’s impossible to say,
“You shall not cross through it,”
for indeed it already says,
“You shall not enter it!”
And it’s impossible to say,
“You shall not enter it,”
for indeed it already says,
“You shall not cross through it!”—
[How shall we resolve this puzzle?]
Said Moses to the Blessed Holy One:
If I can’t enter the Land as a king,
I’ll enter as a commoner!
If I can’t enter it alive,
I’ll enter it dead!
Said the Blessed Holy One to him:
“You shall not enter it” (Dt.32:52),
and “You shall not cross through it” (Dt.34:4)—
neither as a king nor as a commoner,
neither alive nor dead!2