“Moshe told Klal Yisrael: "Today I am one hundred and twenty years old. I can no longer go or come, and Hashem said to me, "You shall not cross this Jordan River." The question is: Why does Moshe have to tell this to Klal Yisrael, and what does his age have to do with entering Eretz Yisrael?
The answer may be: A person at the age of 120 is usually frail and sick and cannot lead a nation. Now, Klal Yisrael might think that Moshe was unfit to lead them further, therefore Hashem was taking him from this world. Therefore, Moshe was clarifying: I thank Hashem for letting me reach the age of 120, and as the Torah states:
Moshe was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye had not dimmed, nor had he lost his natural freshness (34:7)
Moshe said: I feel as if I am a young man, however the only reason I am not allowed to enter Eretz Yisrael is because Hashem has forbidden me, not because I am too frail to lead you. Based on this insight we can say that Moshe wanted to teach Klal Yisrael two very important lessons: First lesson was to come across clean and avoid suspicion, as the torah commands, when the tribes of Reuven and Gad wanted to take their part of Eretz Yisrael on the other side of the Jordanian River, since they needed vast lands as pasture for their sheep.
Moshe obliged on the condition that they join forces with the other tribes to conquer Eretz Yisrael due to “and the land has been subdued, at the instance of Hashem and then you return—you shall be clear before Hashem and before Klal Yisrael”; Never do something that can be interpreted as you are doing a sin.
The next lesson is to show gratitude to Hashem every day that one wakes up and is healthy, and to thank Hashem for the kindness. Therefore, we say upon arising Modeh Ani to thank Hashem for returning our soul. When showing gratitude and thanking Hashem, He will continue to give us health. This can be relayed into a deeper thought: Moshe said he is 120 years old “today”. The word “Today” is eternal. Moshe hinted Klal Yisrael, that “today” is the ideal time to show gratitude and thank Hashem for all He has done to us, and we can rest assured that Hashem will derive great satisfaction from this, and write a good decree for the new year.
Finally, Moshe promises Klal Yisrael that in order to win the war, they must be strongly connected to Hashem:
Be strong and courageous! Neither fear, nor be dismayed of them, for the Lord, your God He is the One Who goes with you. He will neither fail you, nor forsake you." Being strong and courageous, is found in Tehilim 27:14, as Dovid Hamelech reveals his secret for success:
Hope for the Lord, be strong and He will give your heart courage, and hope for the Lord.
The word “Hope” is explained in the heilige Seforim as Tefilah, prayer. Dovid Hamelech never gave up. If his prayers weren’t answered the first time, he didn’t give up, he just prayed again and again. he was sure that eventually his prayers would be answered. the same is for every Yid. If the Tefilah wasn’t answer the first time, don’t give up, keep on praying and Hashem would answer then.
The proof is seen by Moshe in the beginning of Parshas Vaeschanan.
Moshe prayed 515 prayers as the Baal Haturim states the word equals 515. He prayed that Hashem should nullify the decree and allow Moshe to enter the land of Israel. After the 515th Tefilah, Hashem said: "It is enough for you; speak to Me no more regarding this matter”.
The Meforshim say, that if Moshe would have said one more prayer, hashem would have listened to it. Moshe wasn’t selfish and understood that Hashem said “speak to Me no more regarding this matter”, He put aside his wants, and listened to Hashem. Hence, we see that never give up on prayer, just keep on praying and eventually there will be that moment of Eis Ratzon– a time of favor –when Hashem would accept the Tefillah.
But, as for me, may my prayer to You, O Lord, be in an acceptable time. O God, with Your abundant kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation. Let’s keep up our prayers!
(Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
