Israel's Irrefutable Salvation: The Ultimate Goal
In the final months of Israel's desert wanderings, Moses, the great leader, made a heartfelt plea to God. This plea, recorded in Parashat Va-et'chanan, was Moses' request to be allowed to enter and see the Promised Land, the land of cis-Jordanian Israel, before his death.
Moses' plea came after decades of leading the Israelites in the wilderness and preparing the next generation to enter the Promised Land, a land they had long awaited after wandering for 40 years. The specific event Moses referred to was his request to God to allow him to go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—the "good hill country and Lebanon"—before his death.
The context of this plea was that God had decreed Moses would not enter the land himself because of earlier disobedience. Despite Moses’ dedicated leadership and his witnessing God's mighty deeds, he was only granted the mercy to see the land from afar, from the top of Mount Pisgah, but not to enter it.
This moment reflects both the tragic consequence of Moses' earlier sin (which barred him from entering the land) and God's grace in allowing him to glimpse the Promised Land before he died. It highlights that Moses’ plea was a final, heartfelt request to personally witness what the Israelites were about to inherit after their long journey.
The yearly cycle of Torah readings was standardized towards the end of the Second Temple era, and Parashat Va-et'chanan is invariably read on the Shabbat immediately following the 9th of Av. The 9th of Av is a day of mourning for the Jewish nation, marking the destruction of the First and Second Temples and the loss of national sovereign independence in their Land. The Shabbat following the 9th of Av is called the Shabbat of Consolation.
The current period is relevant as a riposte to the 9th of Av. The Jewish nation is still mourning on this day and fighting to bring kidnapped people back home. Despite the damage inflicted by enemies, the ultimate destiny of complete redemption is still on its way.
Targum Yonatan homiletically renders the Haftarah as speaking of the future filling of Jerusalem with the exiled nation. The Prophet's language in the Haftarah allows for different interpretations. According to Midrash Sifrei, after the events at Mei Merivah, God told Moses and Aaron that they would not enter the Land of Israel.
The Jewish nation is currently going through a difficult period with personal losses and threats in Israel and exile. However, the memory of Moses' plea serves as a reminder of the longing for the Promised Land and the hope for redemption that continues to burn within the hearts of the Jewish people.
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses%27_death
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parashat_Va-etchanan
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9th_of_Av
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat_of_Consolation
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuteronomy_3:23-25
Jewish politics and general news often intersect with the story of Moses' plea for entry into the Promised Land, a request that reflects both the consequences of his earlier sin and God's grace in allowing him a glimpse of the land before his death. This event, recorded in Parashat Va-et'chanan, resonates with contemporary Jewish experiences, serving as a reminder of the enduring longing for and hope in the Promised Land amidst modern personal losses and threats in Israel and exile.
