As Bnei Yisrael prepared to enter the Land of Israel, Moshe recounted the experiences that had brought them to that point. He began by reminding them that if not for the episode of the spies, G-d would have brought them into the Land of Israel 39 years earlier: “Hashem, our G-d, spoke to us at Chorev (Mount Sinai), saying, ‘Your stay at this mountain has been plenty for you. Turn away and journey... Go in and possess the land that G-d promised to your fathers.’”
Rashi explains that the phrase “Your stay has been much” can be understood literally. That is to say, “Not only has your stay been sufficient, it has already been excessive.” In other words, G-d so strongly desired to hasten Bnei Yisrael’s arrival at the Land of Israel that He regarded their stay at Mount Sinai as too long.
Granted, their eleven months at Mount Sinai were not wasted. In addition to receiving the Torah and growing in their knowledge and understanding of its precepts throughout their stay, their very residence at the foot of the mountain reminded them constantly of the extraordinary Divine revelation they had witnessed there. Nevertheless, G-d’s desire for them to proceed to the Promised Land was so great that He regarded any additional time spent at Sinai as excessive.
From here we understand the extent to which the Torah demands constant advancement in our service of G-d. “Your stay has been much!” No matter how admirable our current spiritual state may be, for a Jew to “stay put” is unnecessary and undesirable; even the slightest pause in growth is already too much.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 24, pp. 14–18
