"I have forgiven them in accordance with your word" (14:20) Consider Rashi's refinement:
Because of what you said, namely, “They might say that Hashem lacks the ability"
However we must understand why would compelling skeptics be a motivation for granting forgiveness. The Tchebiner Gaon, Harav Dov Berish Weidenfeld provides the proper perspective on this problem. There were instances of Moshe Rabbeinu entreating on his own behalf without a positive response from Hashem. We cannot apprehend the reasons, or even doubt the power of prayer. But, it is an altogether different matter when one seeks to avoid the Degradation of the respect of Hashem's name, - Chilul Kvod Shamayim- and one seeks only to uphold and fortify the honor and Kvod Shomayim. The Satan has no power to go against such attempts. Here in the Parsha, Hashem proclaimed "I have forgiven" to deflect skeptics saying that He was powerless to bring the Yidden into Eretz Yisroel. The driving motivation for Moshe's prayer for that supreme end was to magnify and augment the Honor of Shomayim, which no accuser could block. The Tchebiner Rov advised any Yid in need of a salvation to beg Hashem to grant his request not only on its own merits, but additionally so that the Glory and Honor of Shomayim be upheld, thereby shielding the prayer from hostile interdiction.
This insight allows us to better understand a Posuk from Tehillim (13:6),
I trusted in Your loving-kindness; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation; I will sing to Hashem for He has bestowed upon me. As if to say, "As I, a simple person, entreat Hashem's mercy, I am confident that He will accept my prayer. Why so? Because my heart rejoices in the salvation You send me, because through it, the Glory of Hashem is magnified, and no accusers can interfere. Hashem Himself, as it were, attains a 'salvation.' Therefore, I sing to Hashem and seek only to praise You, not only because You have granted my request."
A deeper understanding of another Posuk (3:9) follows in this way.
It is incumbent upon Hashem to save, and it is incumbent upon Your people to bless You forever. "If my prayers succeed in attaining a 'salvation', as it were, for Hashem, and increasing the Honor of Heaven, then Your people will bless You eternally, as part of their eternal Salvation." By praying for Hashem’s honor, He would bless his nation of Yisrael.
This can be said on the Posuk we recite at the Mincha of Shabbos, which says in Tehilim 69:14
But, as for me, may my prayer to You, Hashem, be in an acceptable time. Hashem, with Your abundant kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation.
To understand why does Dovid use the words when he could have said simply? The answer is that Dovid prayed that Hashem should have honor, therefore, it would be an acceptable time, and Hashem would answer my Tefilah.
The main reason we pray for the Geula, is not for our benefit. It is because Hashem is in pain for being in exile, and yearns for the building of the Bais Hamikdash. As the Seforim use the phrase “Shechinta Begalusa”: Therefore says the Alsheich Hakadosh on the prayer in Shemna Esrei we are praying and yearning for Hashem to have His Yeshua, since Hashem is in pain, and bring the Geula and Bais Hamikdash. It is amazing that the Sefer Peleh Yoatz bases on this Alsheich, that anytime a person needs a Yeshua, he should recite the Posuk seven times forward and backwards and have in mind that Hashem is in pain when a Yid is in pain, and pray that Hashem should relieve Himself from this pain and the person will have his Yeshua.
(Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
