The View from the Other Side | Va'eschanan 5784

Moshe has already been told he will not enter the Land of Israel. Now, in the final year of his life, he and the Jewish People stand on the brink of entering the land. The People will cross over without their beloved leader.

But Moshe is not willing to accept his fate.

He pleads to God, "Please let me cross the Jordan River and enter the Land of Israel!"

It is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the entire Torah—an urgent prayer after fate has already been sealed. God even demands that Moshe stop praying.

“Enough!” God tells Moshe. “Never speak to Me of this matter again!”

Moshe is allowed to see the land, even though he is forbidden from entering. Yehoshua is charged with leading the Jewish People into the land.

If Moshe already knew he would not be able to enter the Land of Israel, why did he insist on praying anyway?

And what exactly is God’s answer? “Please stop praying”? It doesn’t seem like Moshe’s prayer accomplished much. So what is the significance of recording these unanswered prayers in the Torah?

To understand the significance of Moshe’s prayers, let’s explore the life and controversy surrounding Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato, known by the acronym Ramchal.