Monday, Menachem Av 17, 5781 / July 26, 2021

 

Parshat Va’etchanan, which we read last Shabbat, began how Moshe prayed that G-d allow him to enter into The Promised Land together with all the Jewish people.  However, G-d refused, telling Moshe, enough to pray to Me for this, as I will not rescind My decree.  

 

Q. How many prayers did Moshe pray that G-d revoke the decree?

 

A.The Torah uses the word “Va’etchanan” to describe Moshe’s prayers. Our sages say, that the word Va’etchanan has a numerical value of 515, which is the amount of prayers which Moshe prayed. However, G-d did not rescind the decree. Moshe died and was buried in the desert.

 

Q.Why did Moshe desire so much to enter into The Promised Land?

 

A.Our sages explain that Moshe didn’t beg to go into Israel for the sake of eating its fruits or benefitting from the land. Moshe knew that there are certain mitzvot which one can perform only in the Holy Land. Therefore, he wanted so much to fulfil these mitzvot that he begged G-d to allow him to go into the land.

 

Q.Aaron was punished not to go into Israel at the same time that Moshe was. Why didn’t Aaron, whose love for the land of Israel, was also great, pray like Moshe to go into the land? We don’t find in the Torah that Aaron prayed to enter into The Promised Land?

 

A.Most of the mitzvot which apply in Israel are associated with the produce of the land or parts from sacrifices which have to be given to the kohen (priest). There are 24 gifts which had to be given to the kohen. Aaron, who was a kohen, did not pray to go into the land because it would seem that he is doing it for personal gain, to benefit from the gifts which will be given to the kohen.  

 

Q. Why didn’t Moshe pray on behalf of his brother Aaron to enter?

 

A.  Most of Moshe’sprayers were after he conquered the lands of Sichon and Og on the east side of the Jordan River. These lands were then issued by Moshe to two and a half tribes and became part of Israel.

 

At that point Moshe thought that G-d’s decree was rescinded because he was now in part of Israel. He thought that he would now be able to go into the rest of Israel, crossing to the west of the Jordan River. But when G-d told him that the decree was not off, he prayed all his prayers to be able to cross the Jordan River into Israel proper.

 

At that time Aaron had already passed away, Thus, he didn’t pray for Aaron.

 

Q.How old was Moshe and Aaron when they passed away?

 

A.Aaron was 123 and Moshe was 120.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY