It's a poignant moment, and the book of Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, sheds light on the depth of that experience.
"You are crossing the Jordan today," Moses tells the Israelites, as it's written in Deuteronomy. But this wasn't just a statement of fact. According to Devarim Rabbah, Moses was also subtly preparing them for a new reality. In the wilderness, God had often forgiven their sins because of Moses's fervent prayers on their behalf. But now, things were changing. Moses understood that crossing the Jordan meant a new order, a new level of responsibility. They couldn't rely on him to constantly intercede for them anymore.
Remember the sin of the Golden Calf? According to Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, when God wanted to destroy the Israelites, Moses pleaded with Him, invoking the merit of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. The Talmud tells us that even angels of destruction – Wrath, Fury, Anger, Destruction, and Annihilation – were present. Moses's prayer pushed some back, but Wrath and Fury remained. He then argued with God, even reminding Him of His own attributes of mercy. Isn't it amazing to think of Moses standing up to God like that?
And what about the Tablets, the luchot, containing the Ten Commandments? The text recounts that Moses didn't shatter them until he saw the Golden Calf with his own eyes. God questioned him, "Did you not believe Me that they crafted a calf?" But the Rabbis suggest Moses used this moment to further advocate for Israel.
He cleverly pointed out a nuance in God's commandments. When God said at Sinai, "I am the Lord your God," He used the singular form – Elohekha – rather than the plural Eloheikhem. And similarly with "You shall have no other gods before Me"—lekha instead of lakhem. Moses argued that the people might have understood the commandments as being directed only to him, not to the entire nation! It's a powerful example of Moses's legal mind and his unwavering dedication to his people.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Moses didn't leave any corner of the firmament unturned in his efforts to advocate for Israel. He exhausted every possible argument. And when Moses stopped, the text suggests, the Divine Spirit itself stepped in to defend them. It's as if the very essence of goodness couldn't bear to see Israel punished.
So, when Moses says, "You are crossing," Devarim Rabbah interprets it as more than just a statement. Rabbi Tanhuma suggests Moses was subtly hinting, "You are crossing, but I am not." He was giving them an opening, hoping they would pray for him, that they would ask God to let him enter the land with them. But they didn't understand.
The text uses a powerful parable: A king who wants to divorce his wife tells her he will take another. The wife tries to warn her children, hoping they'll plead with their father on her behalf. But they don't grasp the situation. Similarly, Moses was trying to prompt the Israelites to pray for him, but they missed the cue.
Finally, realizing they wouldn't intercede, Moses urged them to fear God, as it is written, "You shall fear the Lord your God..." (Deuteronomy 6:13). He understood that without his constant presence, their commitment to God needed to be even stronger.
The passage ends with a promise of future tranquility, quoting the prophet Amos: "I will plant them upon their land, and they will not be uprooted from their land" (Amos 9:15). A time will come when sin and iniquity are gone, and Israel will dwell securely in their land.
So, what does this all mean? It seems to me that it is a reminder of the constant need for reflection, growth, and personal responsibility in our own lives. We can't always rely on others to intercede for us. We must strive to live righteous lives, honoring God and upholding His commandments. And perhaps, most importantly, we should always be mindful of those who have guided us, showing them gratitude and praying for their well-being. Because even a leader as great as Moses needed the prayers of his people.
Another matter, “you are crossing the Jordan today” – he said to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan, there will be a new order. Do not think that it will be just as it was in the wilderness, where you would sin and I would pray on your behalf for mercy.’ He said to them: ‘When you performed that act,18The sin of the Golden Calf. and the Holy One blessed be He sought to eradicate you, did I not pray and advocate on your behalf?’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I prayed to the Lord, and said: My Lord God, do not destroy Your people…” (Deuteronomy 9:26). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses in the firmament: “Rise, descend quickly from here” (Deuteronomy 9:12), five angels of destruction heard and sought to harm him. They were: Wrath, fury, anger, destruction, and annihilation. When Moses mentioned the merit of the three patriarchs, as it is written: “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants” (Exodus 32:13), anger, destruction, and annihilation fled, and the two harshest remained, wrath and fury. [Moses] said before [God]: ‘Master of the universe, I mentioned three, and three fled; You overcome wrath,’ as it is stated: “Arise, Lord, in Your wrath” (Psalms 7:7).19This is understood to mean: ‘Arise, Lord, and hold back Your wrath’ – i.e. the angel of wrath, one of the angels of destruction that remained. That [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He overcame wrath. From where is it derived that Moses overcame fury? As it is stated: “Had it not been for Moses, His chosen one, who stood before Him in the breach, to turn back His fury from destroying” (Psalms 106:23). Moses descended from the firmament and the Tablets were in his hand, but he did not shatter them until he saw [the Golden Calf] with his eyes. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “It was when he approached the camp and he saw the calf,” (Exodus 32:19), at that moment, “he cast the Tablets from his hand [and he shattered them at the foot of the mountain]” (Exodus 32:19). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, did you not believe Me that they crafted a calf,’ as it is stated: “They quickly deviated from the path that I commanded them; [they crafted themselves…a calf]”? (Exodus 32:8). The Rabbis say: From this matter, Moses quickly ascertained how to exonerate Israel, as the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “That I commanded them.” He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I was commanded; did I perhaps violate the command? They were not commanded and they did not know.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, were they not commanded?’ He said to Him: ‘They were not.’ He said to Him: ‘What did You say at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God [Eloheikhem]”? You said only: “I am the Lord your God [Elohekha]” (Exodus 20:2).20In giving the Ten Commandments, God had used the second person singular term “your God [Elohekha],” rather than the second person plural term “your God [Eloheikhem].” Moses argued that the command could be understood as being addressed only to him, and not to the entire nation. What did You say: “You [lakhem] shall have no other gods before Me”? You said only: “You [lekha] shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).’21In the second commandment as well, which prohibited idolatry, the singular term you [lekha] was used rather than the second person plural term you [lakhem]. That is: “My Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance” (Deuteronomy 9:26). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Moses did not leave any corner of the firmament regarding which he did not exert himself.22He exhausted every possible argument in pleading on behalf of the Israelites (Etz Yosef). What would he say? What the mouth knows, it will say. Another matter, “My Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: When the advocate stopped,23When Moses concluded his prayers. the Divine Spirit was advocating on their behalf. So it would say: “Do not be a witness against your friend for nothing, nor spread wide your lips” (Proverbs 24:28). “Do not be a witness against your friend for nothing” – this is Israel, who are called friends of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “For the sake of my brothers and friends…” (Psalms 122:8). “And do not spread wide [vahafitita]” – as it is written: “They beguiled Him [vayfatuhu] with their mouths” (Psalms 78:36). [The Divine Spirit said:] ‘Even when you said at Sinai: “We will heed and we will perform” (Exodus 24:7), and did not fulfill it, I said to the Holy One blessed be He: “Do not say: I will repay him; as he did to Me, so I will do to him” (based on Proverbs 24:29). Instead, “my Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance.”’ That is why, when they came to cross the Jordan, he reminded them of all the advocacy in which he had engaged on their behalf, as he believed that they would pray for mercy for him so that he would enter with them. What is “you are crossing”? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Moses was expending every effort before them and saying to them: ‘You are crossing, I am not crossing,’ providing them with an opening so that, perhaps, they would pray for mercy for him. But they did not understand. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had many children from a noblewoman. The noblewoman betrayed him. He sought to expel her, and he said to her: ‘You should know that I will take another [wife].’ She said to him: ‘Yes; but will you not tell me who she is that you are going to take?’ He said to her: ‘So-and-so.’ What did the noblewoman do? She gathered her children and said to them: ‘You should know that your father seeks to divorce me and to take so-and-so, will you be able to bear being subject to her?’24Translation based on Rabbi David Luria. See also Etz Yosef. They said: ‘Yes.’ She said to them: ‘Know what she is going to do to you.’ She was saying [all this] so that perhaps they would understand and request mercy on her behalf from their father. But they did not understand. When they did not understand, she said: ‘I am commanding you only for your own sake, so you will be vigilant regarding the honor of your father.’ So, Moses, after the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take to you Joshua son of Nun…” (Numbers 27:18), “as you will not cross the Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27), he would say before Israel: “When the Lord your God will bring you to the land into which you are coming to take possession of it” (Deuteronomy 7:1); “you are crossing today,” I am not crossing – perhaps they would understand and ask for mercy on his behalf. But they did not understand. When they did not understand, he said: ‘I am commanding you only so you will be vigilant regarding honoring your Father in Heaven.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “You shall fear the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 6:13).25Since Moses would not be there with them to instruct them or to intercede on their behalf if they would sin, it was that much more necessary to reinforce to them that they must fear God. If the people would not do so and, on the contrary, would worship idols, Moses warns, “He will destroy you from upon the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 6:15). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘In this world, everyone was yearning for the Land of Israel, but because of iniquities, you were exiled from it. But in the future, when you have neither sin nor iniquity, I will plant you in it in tranquility.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I will plant them upon their land, and they will not be uprooted from their land” (Amos 9:15).
