Pisqa’ 29¹

1

“And HASHEM was furious (yit`aber) with me” (Dt.3:26).

Rabbi Eliezer says:

His rage entirely filled (nitmal’ei) me.²

Rabbi Joshua says:

Like a woman in discomfort because of her fetus (`ubarah)³

“Because of you” (Dt.3:26).

That is, on your account was this done to me!⁴

“But He didn’t hear me” (Dt.3:26).

He didn’t accept my prayer.⁵

2

“And HASHEM said to me: Enough with you!” (rav lach; Dt.3:26).

He said to him:

Moses!

A person taking upon himself a vow—

where should he go,

if not to his Master (rabo),

to release him from his vow?

Now isn’t it your place to listen to

the words of your Master (rabach)?

Another word:

“Enough with you!” (Dt.3:26).

He said to him:

Moses!

You are an example for other judges.

They will say: Even if Moses,

that sage of sages,

that giant among giants,

was shown no favor for saying:

“Listen, you rebels!” (Nu.20:10),

and it was decreed that he not enter the Land—

all the more so will [the same apply]

to postponers and perverters of justice!⁶

And just as Moses—

to whom it is said:

“Enough with you! Don’t continue!” (Dt.3:26)—

was not hindered from requesting mercy from the Holy One—

all the more so will [the same apply]

to the rest of humanity!

And just as king Hezekiah,

to whom it is said:

“You will die and not live on!” (2 Ki.20:1),

was not hindered from requesting mercy from the Holy One—

for he would expound:

even if a honed sword dangles over a person’s neck,

let him not be hindered from requesting mercy—

as it is said:

“And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed” (Is.38:2)—

all the more so will [the same apply]

to the rest of Israel!⁷

Another word:

“Enough with you!” (rav lach; Dt.3:26).

He said to him:

Moses! I have much for you (harbeh lach)

in the coming eon!

Like a person saying to his companion:

I have much for you,

so don’t shame me! ⁸

Another word:

“Enough with you!” (Dt.3:26).

Like a person saying to his companion:

So-and-so has crossed the line with So-and-so!⁹

3

“Do not continue to speak with me . . . ascend to the summit of Pisgah” (Dt.3:26-27).

On this basis,

R. Eliezer b. Jacob would say:

Better is a single prayer

than a hundred worthy deeds!

For, with all the deeds of Moses,

he was never told to ascend.

Yet in this matter, [due to his prayer,] he was told:

“Ascend!”

On this basis, they taught:

Those standing [in prayer] outside the Land

turn their faces towards the Land of Israel,

and offer prayer,

for it is said:

“And they shall pray to You towards their Land” (1 Ki.8:48).

Those standing [in prayer] in the Land of Israel

turn their faces towards Jerusalem,

and offer prayer,

for it is said:

“And they shall pray to You towards the city” (2 Chron.6:34).

Those standing [in prayer] in Jerusalem

turn their faces towards the Holy Abode

and offer prayer,

for it is said:

“And he shall pray towards this Abode” (2 Chron.6:32).

Those standing [in prayer] in the Holy Abode

direct their hearts towards the most Holy Domain¹⁰

and offer prayer,

for it is said:

“And they shall pray to this place” (2 Chron.6:26).

It turns out that

if they are standing to the North

[of the Holy Abode],

they turn their faces to the South.

To the South,

they turn their faces to the North.

To the East,

they turn their faces to the West.

To the West,

they turn their faces to the East.

It turns out that all Israel prays

towards a single place¹¹

4

“And see with your eyes” (Dt. 3:27).

There is an analogy—

a king decreed that his son

be excluded from the royal sleeping quarters.

When [the son] entered the gate of the palace,

[the king] welcomed him graciously.

When he entered the door to the banquet hall,

the king welcomed him graciously.

But when he sought to enter the bridal suite,

the king said:

from this point on you are forbidden!

Similarly, Moses said before the Blessed Holy One:

For my part, I, am unwelcome in the Land of Israel!

But perhaps the width of the Jordan

—a rope’s measure of fifty cubits—

[might be granted]?

He replied to Moses:

“And see with your eyes . . . but you shall not cross” (Dt.3:27).¹²

5

“Command Joshua” (Dt.3:28).

The term, command, implies encouragement,

for it is said:

“Moses called to Joshua, saying to him: . . .

be strong and firm!” (Dt.31:7)—

be strong in Torah

and firm in worthy deeds.¹³

“For he will cross before this people” (Dt.3:28)—

if Joshua crosses in front of them, they will cross;

but if not, they will not cross.

“And he will bequeath to them the Land” (Dt.3:28)—

if Joshua bequeaths to them, they will inherit;

but if not, they will not inherit.

6

And, similarly, you find that

when they went to war against Ai,

thirty six of their Righteous fell in battle,

for it is said:

“The forces of Ai killed about thirty six of the men . . .

“And Joshua tore his garments, and fell on his face to the ground . . .”

“And he said:

Ah! HASHEM-God!

Why did you bring this people across the Jordan

only to bring us under the thumb of the Amorites?

What can I say after Israel has turned tail against its enemies?

Then HASHEM said to Joshua:

Why do you fall on your face?” (Josh.7:5-10)

Didn’t I say to Moses your Master from the outset:

If Joshua crosses in front of them, they will cross;

but if not, they will not cross!

If [Joshua] bequeaths to them, they will inherit;

but if not, they will not inherit!

 

Here you sent them,

but you didn’t follow after them!¹⁴

1. H:53-55; JN1:78-81
2. //Sifre Nu 135.
3. That is, God was as irritable as a woman with a difficult pregnancy. The point is based upon the assonance of vayit`aber and ubarah both of which are formed from the root `-b-r. Cf. F:45, l.10., H: ad loc, ns.1 and 6.
4. // Mechilta Ishmael, `maleq 2.
5. //Sifra Nu 135.
6. // Sifre Nu 135.
7. F:46, l.4 points out that the material in smaller type is labeled in some versions as “an addition.”
8. // Sifre Nu 135.
9. Cf. Sifre Nu 135.
10. Heb: beit qodesh ha-qodashim. Another epithet for the inner sanctum of the Temple.
11. //T. Ber.3:16.
12. Cf. Mechilta Ishamael, `amaleq 2.
13. = Sifre Nu 1.
14. Cf. Sifre Nu 139.