(Devarim 3:26) "But the L-rd was wroth with me": As one would say (to his neighbor): That man was angry with me and was filled with wrath against me. "because of you": You are the cause. Likewise (Psalms 106:32) "And they aroused the wrath (of the L-rd) at the waters of contention, and Moses was afflicted because of them." "and He did not heed me": He did not accept my prayer. R. Nathan says: It is written (Iyyov 36:5) "Behold G-d is great, and He will not despise" — the Holy One Blessed be He does not despise the prayer of the many, but here "and He did not heed me."
He did not accept my prayer. "And the L-rd said to me, etc." He said to me: "It is enough for you with this thing," (My refusal to heed You), tzaddikim being kept (by such rebuke) from a graver transgression. In this regard, R. Yishmael adduced a folk-saying: "According to the camel is the load." Variantly: If Moses, the wise, the father of the wise; the prophet, the father of the prophets, was not forgiven, how much more so lesser men who delay judgment and who pervert judgment! (lit.,) "much for you": He said to him: Much (reward) is in keeping for you; much is stored away for you, viz. (Psalms 31:20) "How much is Your good that You have stored away for those who fear You!"
And it is written (Isaiah 64:3) "And none had ever heard or given ear (to such things before). No eye had ever seen a god other than You doing (such things for those) who hope to Him." Variantly: "Much for you": He said to him: "Much have you labored; much have you toiled. Take leave, Moses, and rest," viz. (Daniel 12:13) "Go (to your reward) in the end (of days), when you will rest."
He said to him: "A king (Moses) does not enter (Eretz Yisrael) as a commoner." Moses: "If not, I will become Joshua's disciple." The L-rd: "Rav lecha" ("The station of 'Rav' is yours.") "It does not befit a Rav to become the disciple of his disciple."
Moses: "I will enter through the air or through space." The L-rd: (Devarim 32:52) "And there shall you not come." Moses: "If not, let (at least) my bones cross the Jordan." The L-rd: (Ibid. 3:27) "For you shall not cross this Jordan": Your bones, too, will not cross, viz. (Ibid. 4:22) "for I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan."
Now can a dead man cross? — Moses was saying: "My bones, too, will not cross." (Ibid. 3:26) "Do not speak to Me again about this thing": He said to him: "Do not ask this thing of Me, but decree a different thing upon me, and I will do it." An analogy: A king issues a difficult decree upon his son, who asks him to rescind it. The king: Do not ask this thing of me, but decree a different thing upon me and I will do it, viz. (Iyyov 22:28) "You will decree and it will be fulfilled for you."
Moses: If not, (i.e., If I cannot enter Eretz Yisrael), let me see it. The L-rd: This I will do. (Devarim, Ibid. 23) "Go up to the summit of Pisgah, etc." We are hereby apprised that the L-rd showed Moses the distant as (if it were) near; the concealed, as (if it were) revealed — all that is called "Eretz Yisrael," as it is written (Ibid. 34:1-3) "And the L-rd showed him the whole land … and all of Naftali … and the Negev and the plain, etc."