The passage opens with the verse from Devarim (Deuteronomy) 3:23: "And I supplicated (va'ethchanan) the L-rd." Va'ethchanan, the text tells us, is a term loaded with entreaty, a heartfelt plea. Moshe isn't just asking; he's begging. The text then throws us a little curveball: "Let 'to say' not be written." What's that about? It means, the Sifrei Bamidbar explains, that Moshe wasn't just uttering words; he wanted G-d to make it known to him, definitively, whether or not he would cross the Jordan. He needed to know.
He addresses G-d as "Adonai" and "Elokim." Adonai signifies G-d as the master of all creation. Elokim, on the other hand, represents the attribute of justice, the very foundation upon which G-d created the world. Moshe is acknowledging both G-d's power and His unwavering commitment to justice.
Moshe then says, "You have begun…" This can be interpreted in a couple of ways. One, that G-d has already opened the door for Moshe by allowing him to allocate land to the tribes of Reuven and Gad. Or, more pointedly, that G-d has broken an oath. How so? Well, the text references Shemot (Exodus) 22:19, which states, "He who sacrifices to a god shall be condemned." Yet, the text points out, the Israelites worshipped idols, and G-d forgave them after Moshe’s intercession.
The prayer continues, with Moshe asking G-d "to show Your servant" miracles and mighty acts. The text connects this to the burning bush in Shemot 3:3, where Moshe first encountered G-d's awesome power. He then praises G-d's "greatness," which the text equates with G-d's goodness, referencing Bamidbar (Numbers) 14:17: "And now, let the power of the L-rd be made great."
The text then speaks of G-d's "mighty hand," the right hand extended to all. It quotes Shemot 15:6: "Your right hand, O L-rd, is exalted in power." This "mighty" hand subdues justice with mercy. Michah (Micah) 7:18-20 is cited: "Who is a G-d like You, forgiving transgression and passing by offense… You will give truth to Yaakov."
"Who is mighty in heaven and earth?" the text asks. Flesh-and-blood rulers are limited; a greater power can overturn their decrees. But who can overrule G-d? As Iyyov (Job) 23:13 puts it, "And He is One, and who can turn Him back?" Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava adds that G-d’s ways are not like human ways. A person's name in the "royal codex" (think: a list of those condemned) can't be erased with money. But with G-d, repentance can wipe away sins, as Isaiah 44:22 says: "I have wiped away your offenses like a cloud, your sins, like a mist." The passage emphasizes G-d's unique power and ability to forgive. There is no other!
Moshe's plea culminates in the verse, "Let me pass over na and see." Na, the text explains, is another term of imploration, adding even more urgency to his request. What did Moshe want to see? "The good land across the Jordan," specifically, the land of Canaan, not just the territories already given to Reuven and Gad. He wanted to see "this good mountain": Jerusalem, and "the Levanon" (Lebanon), which the text interprets as the Temple itself, citing Zechariah 11:1: "Open your doors, O Levanon!" and Isaiah 10:34. Others interpret "Levanon" as a reference to Israel's kings, referencing Ezekiel 17:3 and II Chronicles 25:18.
So, what can we take away from all this? Moshe's prayer is a powerful example of human vulnerability before the Divine. It's a reminder that even the greatest leaders can experience longing, disappointment, and a desperate need for connection. And it highlights G-d's attributes of justice, mercy, and unparalleled power. It invites us to consider: where do we turn when we're faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles? And how can we emulate G-d's qualities of forgiveness and compassion in our own lives?