I was learning the parsha with my chavrusa and we were discussing the statement of chazal that Moshe davened 515 times, which is the gematria of the word vaeschanan, in order to enter the land of Israel. Hashem tells Moshe at the 515th tefilla “Stop, don't speak to me about this anymore”.
Rashi says that it won’t look great if he kept davening. Rashi gives a mashal of a teacher and a student. The student is begging the teacher for something and the teacher, not willing to give in, looks cruel. Similarly, Hashem says, “Moshe it won’t look good if you keep davening.” The Ohr Hachayim gives a deep explanation as to why Hashem didn't allow Moshe to enter Eretz Yisroel. Hashem knew that the Jews would sin and He will have to use the Bais Hamikdash as a place on which, so to speak, to let out His anger. If Moshe would have entered the land and built the Bais Hamikdosh, it could not have been destroyed, and the anger would have been let out at us.
The above explanations begs the question: if Hashem knew that the answer to the request for going into Israel for whatever reason is no, then why did Hashem allow Moshe to daven 515 times?
I thought of this question on Tisha B’av and then my friend sent me a video showing the kosel at the end of the fast. completely filled with all types of Jews. Their arms were on each other’s shoulders swaying back and forth and singing “ani maamin.” This video quickly brought tears and I was asking myself, how can Hashem not redeem his children when he sees this expression of unity. Then it occurred to me that Hashem isn't ignoring this incredible energy and spiritual construct that the Jews build on Tisha B’av. In fact, it certainly serves as merits both for now and the future. The same can be said of the tefillos of Moshe Rabbeinu. Every cry, every tear, every word that we say in prayer creates something. It creates protection for the future of the Jewish people. This is what I think chazal wanted us to learn from Moshe, that no prayer goes for naught.
This will also shed light on the excitement of Shabbos Nachamu. After all, we didn't rebuild the Bais Hamikdash, so where is everyone running to on this Shabbos? What nechama did we get? The answer is that on Tisha B’av we accomplish so much with our tefillos and tears, and that itself is a source of comfort to us. This is the lesson that Moshe our teacher taught us.
