Pisqa’ 2818H:52-53; JN1:76-77. 1. “May I, please, cross over and see” (Dt.3:25)? Is it plausible that Moses begged the Blessed Holy One for permission to enter the Land? Now, hasn’t it already been said: “For you will not cross over this Jordan” (Dt.3:27)? There is an analogy— a King had two servants, and he decreed that one of them should drink no wine for thirty days. The servant said: What? He has decreed that I drink no wine for thirty days? I will not taste it for a whole year, or even two years! What for? To diminish the force of his master’s decree! Then the King decreed that the second servant should drink no wine for thirty days. The second servant said: How is it possible for me to go without wine for a single hour! What for? To increase the majesty of his Master’s decree! In just this way, Moses increased the majesty of the All-Present’s words— by requesting before Him that he enter the Land. This is why it is said: “May I, please, cross over and see” (Dt.3:25)?
2. “This good mountain and the Lebanon” (Dt.3:25). Everyone called [the site of the Holy Shrine] a mountain. Abraham called it a mountain, for it is said: “On the mountain will HASHEM appear” (Gn.22:14). Moses called it a mountain, for it is said: “This good mountain” (Dt.3:25). David called it a mountain, for it is said: “Who will ascend the mountain of HASHEM” (Ps.24:3)? Isaiah called it a mountain, for it is said: “The mountain of the house of HASHEM” (Is.2:2). Gentiles called it a mountain, for it is said: “Come, let us ascend the mountain of HASHEM” (Is.2:3).
3. “And the Lebanon” (Dt.3:25). How do we know that the term, “Lebanon,” implies “the Holy Shrine19Heb: miqdash.?” For it is said: “You are as Gilead to me, the summit of Lebanon” (Jer.22:6). And He says: “The forest thickets shall be felled with iron, and the Lebanon will fall to a noble” (Is.10:34). But why do they call it “Lebanon?” Because it whitens (malbyn) Israel’s sins, for it says: “If your sins are like scarlet, they shall be whitened (yalbynu) like snow.” (Is.1:18).20See Pisqa’ 6:2-3;cf Sifre Nu 134; Mechilta Ishmael, `amaleq, 2.
(דברים ג כה) אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה, אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה מְבַקֵּשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (דברים ג כז): ״כִּי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה״! מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי עֲבָדִים, וְגָזַר עַל אֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. אָמַר: מָה גָּזַר עָלַי, שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם? – אֵינִי טוֹעֲמוֹ אֲפִלּוּ שָׁנָה אַחַת, אֲפִלּוּ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים. וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה? כְּדֵי לָפִיג דִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹ. חָזַר וְגָזַר עַל הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. אָמַר: אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁאֲנִי יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת בְּלֹא יַיִן אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת? וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה? כְּדֵי לְחַבֵּב דִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹ. כָּךְ מֹשֶׁה הָיָה מְחַבֵּב דִּבְרֵי הַמָּקוֹם, וּמְבַקֵּשׁ מִלְּפָנָיו שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה.
Pisqa’ 2818H:52-53; JN1:76-77.
1. “May I, please, cross over and see” (Dt.3:25)?
Is it plausible that Moses begged the Blessed Holy One
for permission to enter the Land?
Now, hasn’t it already been said:
“For you will not cross over this Jordan” (Dt.3:27)?
There is an analogy—
a King had two servants,
and he decreed that one of them
should drink no wine for thirty days.
The servant said:
What?
He has decreed that I drink no wine for thirty days?
I will not taste it for a whole year,
or even two years!
What for? To diminish the force of his master’s decree!
Then the King decreed that the second servant
should drink no wine for thirty days.
The second servant said:
How is it possible for me
to go without wine for a single hour!
What for? To increase the majesty of his Master’s decree!
In just this way,
Moses increased the majesty of the All-Present’s words—
by requesting before Him that he enter the Land.
This is why it is said:
“May I, please, cross over and see” (Dt.3:25)?
הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה וְהַלְּבָנוֹן, הַכֹּל קָרְאוּ אוֹתוֹ הָר: אַבְרָהָם קְרָאוֹ הָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כב יד): ״אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר הַיּוֹם בְּהַר ה׳ יֵרָאֶה״, מֹשֶׁה קְרָאוֹ הָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה, דָּוִד קְרָאוֹ הָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים כד ג): ״מִי יַעֲלֶה בְהַר ה׳״, יְשַׁעְיָה קְרָאוֹ הָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ב ב): ״וְהָיָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים נָכוֹן יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית ה׳״, גּוֹיִם קָרְאוּ אוֹתוֹ הָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ב ג): ״וְהָלְכוּ עַמִּים רַבִּים וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל הַר ה׳״.
2. “This good mountain and the Lebanon” (Dt.3:25).
Everyone called [the site of the Holy Shrine] a mountain.
Abraham called it a mountain,
for it is said:
“On the mountain will HASHEM appear” (Gn.22:14).
Moses called it a mountain,
for it is said:
“This good mountain” (Dt.3:25).
David called it a mountain,
for it is said:
“Who will ascend the mountain of HASHEM” (Ps.24:3)?
Isaiah called it a mountain,
for it is said:
“The mountain of the house of HASHEM” (Is.2:2).
Gentiles called it a mountain,
for it is said:
“Come, let us ascend the mountain of HASHEM” (Is.2:3).
וְהַלְּבָנוֹן, מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין לְבָנוֹן אֶלָּא מִקְדָּשׁ? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה כב ו): ״גִּלְעָד אַתָּה לִי רֹאשׁ הַלְּבָנוֹן״, וְאוֹמֵר (ישעיה י לד): ״וְנִקַּף סִבְכֵי הַיַּעַר בַּבַּרְזֶל וְהַלְּבָנוֹן בְּאַדִּיר יִפּוֹל״, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ לְבָנוֹן? שֶׁמַּלְבִּין עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה א יח): ״אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ״
3. “And the Lebanon” (Dt.3:25).
How do we know that
the term, “Lebanon,” implies “the Holy Shrine19Heb: miqdash.?”
For it is said:
“You are as Gilead to me, the summit of Lebanon” (Jer.22:6).
And He says:
“The forest thickets shall be felled with iron,
and the Lebanon will fall to a noble” (Is.10:34).
But why do they call it “Lebanon?”
Because it whitens (malbyn) Israel’s sins,
for it says:
“If your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be whitened (yalbynu) like snow.” (Is.1:18).20See Pisqa’ 6:2-3;cf Sifre Nu 134; Mechilta Ishmael, `amaleq, 2.