A Possible Change in Plan

Rabbi Dr. Darrell Ginsberg

A few weeks ago, in Parshas Chukas, we read of the incident involving Moshe’s striking of the rock to draw out water, and the subsequent directive by God that due to this error, Moshe would not enter into Eretz Yisrael. This was a pivotal moment in the history of Bnai Yisrael, and marked a premature end to the leadership of the greatest human to walk the planet. It is in Parshas Pinchas when we first face the ramifications of Moshe’s punishment.  As we will soon see, the possibility of Moshe continuing in his role in Eretz Yisrael, contrary to God’s decree, was not that far-fetched.

Following the issue involving the daughters of Tzelofchod, God directs Moshe as follows (Bamidbar 27:12-14):

“God said to Moshe: ‘Go up this Avarim Mountain and look at the land that I have given to Bnei Yisroel. [After] you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aharon was gathered. Because you disobeyed My words in the wilderness of Tzin, when the community quarreled, [you were] to sanctify Me through the water, before their eyes.Those were the waters of dispute at Kadeish, in the wilderness of Tzin.’”

Rashi offers two extremely puzzling expansions of what was taking place here (ibid 12):

“Why is this placed here? When the Holy One, Blessed is He, said [to Moshe], ‘give them...,’ he said, 'God commanded me to give them the hereditary property. Perhaps the decree was abrogated, and I may enter the land.' The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, ‘My decree remains in place.’ Another interpretation: When Moshe entered the inheritance given to the sons of Gad and Reuven, he rejoiced, and said, 'It seems that the vow regarding me was abrogated.' This is comparable to a king who decreed that his son could not enter the doorway to his palace. He [the King] entered the gateway, and he [the son] followed, [he entered] the courtyard, and he followed, [he entered] the anteroom, and he followed. When he was about to enter the chamber, he [the king] said to him, 'My son, from here and onward, you are forbidden to enter’.”

Both explanations imply that Moshe believed God might have changed His mind, so to speak, regarding Moshe’s fate. In the first explanation, it is implied in Moshe’s personal involvement in the distribution of land in Eretz Yisrael – “…you shall give his hereditary property…” (ibid 11). In the second, it is the fact that Moshe was able to enter the lands (eventually) designated for the tribes of Reuven and Gad. Was this truly a possibility? God had made it pretty evident when informing Moshe about his error and the resultant punishment that he was not going enter into Eretz Yisrael. Moshe clearly entertained the possibility, though, that there had been a change in plan. Was this possible? And if so, why does God reject it outright?

 One additional important question involves understanding the difference between the two explanations. In the first instance, Moshe’s thinking is clearly rejected, and the decree stands. Yet in the second reasoning, we see Moshe, in a very technical manner, seemingly avoiding the punishment as detailed by God. While he did not cross the Yarden, he did enter into the halachic Eretz Yisrael. The analogy of the king and his son, as introduced by Rashi, indicates that Moshe was in the palace, yet barred from the innermost chamber. This indicates that being in the lands of Reuven and Gad meant some access to the Land of Israel.  Would this then truly mean that “the vow regarding me was abrogated?” 

The answer to these questions lies in one important premise, one that may seem obvious, but is not often applied to Moshe. God clearly states in Parshas Chukas (ibid 20:12) that “Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the presence of Bnei Yisroel; therefore, you will not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them.” This is a manifest expression of God’s middas hadin, the attribute of justice. Yet we have seen instances in the past where God initially expressed this middah, and yet through tefila and teshuva, the gezar din was reversed, and the middas harachamim is expressed. No doubt, this is an inherent principle in the arena of schar v’onesh, where an individual, through the use of tefilah and teshuva, could bring about a change in the Divine decree. It is the fundamental idea found in Yom Kippur. The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 7:6-7) emphasizes this concept, how the state of sin removes the individual from God, but through teshuva can bring the person closer, to the point where he is “mudvak beshechina.” There is no reason whatsoever why Moshe should be excluded from this principle, and we can assume he completed his process of teshuva and tefilah as a result of his error. Therefore, when Moshe saw indicators that the plan may have been altered, whether it was through his involvement with apportioning the land or through his travel through the lands of Reuven and Gad, he rightly posited that a change could have occurred.

With this in mind, then, we must turn to God’s responses to Moshe’s assumptions. There were two primary features in Moshe’s error at the incident involving the rock. The first was his own error, when he hit the rock rather than speaking to it. The other was the profound negative effect in had on Bnai Yisrael – “…you did not sanctify Me within Bnai Yisrael” (Devarim 32:51). This second aspect to Moshe’s action was a defect in leadership, and this could not be repaired. In Rashi’s first explanation, God explains that the decree would not be reversed. While Moshe may have done teshuva for his own personal error, he could no longer continue as leader of Bnai Yisrael once they crossed the Yarden. His role as leader had been permanently compromised as a result of his action, and the decree would not be reversed, no matter the extent of teshuva done. The second explanation of Rashi offers a different possibility. Moshe’s ability to enter the lands of Reuevn and Gad implied to him that he would be able to continue to Eretz Yisrael. However, it could be that Rashi is telling us that Moshe felt he would not enter as Moshe Rabbeinu, the leader of Bnai Yisrael, rather as Moshe, member of the nation. In other words, with Yehoshua taking over as leader, Moshe would give up the role of leader for good, a well-deserved retirement. Yet such a role was not possible for Moshe, as the nation could never separate who he was as an individual from his role as leader. Therefore, he would never enter into the land. If so, what was the benefit in allowing him to pass through the lands of Reueven and Gad? While he may have not entered into Eretz Yisrael proper, he did have the opportunity to benefit somewhat from what the land had to offer. His previous error did not prevent him from gaining, on a lesser level, from the perfection offered from Eretz Yisrael. Therefore, Moshe, and not Moshe the leader, was granted this opportunity to be positively affected by Eretz Yisrael.