Parshas Pinchas 5785 - The Right Way to be Right

In this week’s Parsha, Hashem says to Moshe: “Go up to this mountain of Avarim and see the Land that I have given to the Children of Israel. You shall see it and you shall be gathered unto your people…. Because you rebelled against My word.” (Bamidbar 27:12-13). Here, Hashem tells Moshe that he will not be allowed to enter the Land of Israel. However, he will be allowed to ascend the mountain and see the Land before he dies.

This is puzzling. Why do we need the Torah to tell us this here? Moshe already knows that he will not be allowed to enter the Land of Israel. Hashem told him earlier after the incident with the rock: “You shall not lead this congregation into the Land that I have given them.” (Bamidbar 20:12).

Rashi provides an answer based upon context. Just before this passage, Hashem commands Moshe to give the daughters of Tzelafchad a portion in the Land. The Torah even says, “You shall surely give them an inheritance” (27:7). Moshe, says Rashi, saw this as a glimmer of hope. If he was the one to give out the inheritance, perhaps the decree had been lifted, and he might yet enter the Land. Hashem immediately affirmed that the decree still stands. Moshe may see the Land, but he will never actually enter into Israel.

But why did Hashem need to correct Moshe’s misunderstanding now? Why couldn’t this wait until later, when Moshe’s death was closer?

It appears that Hashem wanted to spare Moshe unnecessary emotional pain. If He allowed Moshe’s hopes to develop and grow over time and waited until the point just before Moshe’s death, then Moshe would feel much more pain and disappointment. To prevent this, Hashem tells Moshe clearly and irrevocably now that he will not enter the Land.

But Hashem’s compassion for Moshe extends even further. Although Moshe will not be allowed to enter the Land, Hashem tells Moshe that he will be given the next best thing – to ascend the mountain and view the Land of Israel with his own eyes.

We see that even though Moshe was mistaken in his hopes that he would enter the Land, Hashem was still concerned about his feelings, to the extent that He promised Moshe that he would still be able to at least see the Land.

If Hashem—who is never wrong—took such care to consider another’s emotional state, how much more must we, who are certainly not perfect, be concerned about the feelings of others in all situations, even if we are convinced that we are right.