B"H
Thursday, Tammuz 21, 5781 / July 1, 2021
In this week’s Parsha, Pinchas, we read that G-d tells Moshe, “Go up Mount Avarim and see with your eyes the Land which I have given to the children of Israel. After you have seen it, you too, will be gathered to your people [you will die] just as your brother Aaron was gathered.” The Torah then states the reason for Moshe’s dying in the desert and not going into the Promised Land. For not sanctifying G-d’s name by hitting the rock instead of speaking to it.
Upon hearing that he was soon to die, Moshe says, “G-d, appoint a man over the community who will go forth before them and who will lead them out and bring them in, so the community will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” G-d tells Moshe, “Take Joshua, a man with spirit. Bestow some of your radiance on him, so that the entire community will hear and respect him.”
Although, Moshe’s actual passing is told at the end of the Torah, at the time of his passing a few months later, yet the Torah mentions it here in this Parsha.
Q. Why did G-d tell Moshe about his passing in this Parsha?
A. In this Parsha we read how the five daughters of Tzelafchad came before Moshe asking for their father’s share in the land to be given to them as an inheritance because he had no sons. Moshe brought their case before G-d and G-d told him that they were entitled to their father’s inheritance. When Moshe heard that he was to give them their father’s share in Israel, he figured that he will be going into the land. Thus, G-d told Moshe that the decree against him going into Israel still stands and instead, Joshua will lead the people into Israel.
Q. Why didn’t one of Moshe’s sons inherit the leadership of the Jewish people? Why Joshua?
A. Joshua was Moshe’s most trusted disciple. He is also called Moshe’s servant. Joshua was always at Moshe’s side. During the entire time Moshe was on Mount Sinai, Joshua stayed at the foot of the mountain waiting for Moshe. When Moshe came down with the Tablets and heard the singing and dancing to the Golden Calf, he asked Joshua what that noise was, but Joshua had no idea what it was all about. Due to being so dedicated to Moshe, he merited to inherit the mantle of leadership from his master.
Q. Why, every time the Torah tells us about Moshe not going into the Promised Land, it also mentions the reason - the sin of hitting the rock? Wouldn’t it be better for Moshe if the Torah did not repeat it?
A. Our sages tell us that it was Moshe himself who asked G-d that every time his not going into Israel is mentioned, his sin should also be mentioned. This was so no one may think that his punishment to die in the desert was like the rest of the people who died in the desert because they refused to go to Israel. Moshe wanted it to be known that his dying in the desert was due to the sin of his hitting the rock and not like the other 600,000 people who died in the desert because they refused to go to the Holy Land. Moshe wanted everyone to know his tremendous love for the Land of Israel.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY