The Ohr Hachaim first explains the first word of this possuk in an innovative fashion. He says that Moshe Rabbeinu had a special Mitzvah to fulfill. He was commanded to die, and to accept Hashem’s decree on himself. The Mishna writes ובעל כרחך אתה מת – you will die against your will. Moshe Rabbeinu was commanded to allow himself to die, not to wish anything different.
The Torah tells him that he will be gathered to his people. The Gemara writes that when a Tzadik passes away, the Tzadikim of Gan Eden greet him at the entrance. Moshe Rabbeinu will be gathered with his peers – the other Tzadikim of Gan Eden.
The Ohr Hachaim then gives three reasons for Moshe Rabbeinu’s passing away, all alluded to in this possuk.
First, the Gemara says וא"ר חמא ברבי חנינא מפני מה נקבר משה אצל בית פעור כדי לכפר על מעשה פעור - Rabbi Chama, son of Rabbi Chanina, says: For what reason was Moshe buried near Beis Peor? In order to atone for the incident that transpired at Beis Peor. Whenever the Pe’or lifts itself up to remind Hashem of the aveira of Klal Yisroel, it sees Moshe Rabbeinu’s grave and it is subjugated. For this reason, Moshe is enjoined to die on this mountain. His grave needs to be there in order to counteract the prosecution of the Pe’or.
Second, Moshe Rabbeinu is to die on the mountain where you go up. Moshe’s death will bring him up to new levels in understanding and closeness to Hashem, levels that he could not reach while still attached to this world. His death would elevate him in a new way.
Third, Moshe needed to be gathered to his people. There is a Medrash on the possuk וַיֵּתֵּא רָׁאשֵּי עָׁם צִׁדְקַת ה' עָׁשָׁה וּמִׁשְפָׁטָׁיו עִׁם יִׁשְרָׁאֵּל - He came with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of Hashem, His ordinances with Israel. In the merit of Moshe Rabbeinu, even the generation that went through the desert will merit to enter Gan Eden. When Klal Yisroel made the Golden Calf, Hashem told Moshe that your nation has destroyed. Klal Yisroel is called Moshe’s nation, and his merit is needed to uplift them to Gan Eden.
Moshe will be gathered to his people – to Klal Yisroel. He will bring them along with him to Gan Eden and they will not be lost. If he would not die, they would never arrive in Gan Eden.
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לע"נ גבריאל בן חווה ז"ל, לע"נ משה עזריאל בן חיים שמחה ז"ל, וכן חיים שמחה בן משה ז"ל, וכן לע"נ עמנואל חיים בן גאולה ז"ל, וכן לע"נ טובה ברכה בת אברהם ז"ל וכן לע"נ ליאן הילה בת אברהם ז"ל, וכן רחל בת חיים עזריאל ע"ה.
