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Deuteronomy 34:4 - Moses sees, but can't enter.

Deuteronomy 34:4 - דברים 34:4

Hebrew Text

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלָיו זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה הֶרְאִיתִיךָ בְעֵינֶיךָ וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תַעֲבֹר׃

English Translation

And the Lord said to him, This is the land which I swore to Avraham, to Yiżĥaq and to Ya῾aqov, saying, I will give it to thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thy eyes, but thou shalt not go over there.

Transliteration

Va'yomer Adonai elav zot ha'aretz asher nishba'ti le'Avraham le'Yitzhak ule'Ya'akov lemor le'zar'acha etnenna her'iticha ve'eincha veshamah lo ta'avor.

Hebrew Leining Text

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו זֹ֤את הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֠שְׁבַּ֠עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹב֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה הֶרְאִיתִ֣יךָ בְעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְשָׁ֖מָּה לֹ֥א תַעֲבֹֽר׃
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו זֹ֤את הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֠שְׁבַּ֠עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹב֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה הֶרְאִיתִ֣יךָ בְעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְשָׁ֖מָּה לֹ֥א תַעֲבֹֽר׃

🎵 Listen to leining

Parasha Commentary

Context of the Verse

This verse (Devarim 34:4) records Hashem's words to Moshe Rabbeinu at the end of his life, showing him Eretz Yisrael from Mount Nevo but informing him that he will not enter the land. This follows the earlier incident at Mei Merivah (Bamidbar 20), where Moshe struck the rock instead of speaking to it, leading to this decree.

Rashi's Explanation

Rashi (Devarim 34:4) explains that Hashem showed Moshe not only the land itself but also:

  • The entire history of the Jewish people in the land
  • The conquest by Yehoshua
  • The periods of the Judges and Kings
  • The destruction and future redemption

This demonstrates that while Moshe wouldn't physically enter, he was granted prophetic vision of all that would occur there.

Why Show Moshe the Land?

The Ramban (Devarim 32:52) explains that this vision served multiple purposes:

  • To fulfill the promise that Moshe would see the land (Devarim 32:52)
  • To comfort Moshe by showing him the future Jewish settlement
  • To emphasize that the failure to enter was due to Divine decree, not lack of merit

The Three Forefathers Mentioned

The Sforno notes that the verse specifically mentions the oath to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov because:

  • Each forefather had a unique relationship with the land
  • Avraham received the initial promise (Bereishit 12:7)
  • Yitzchak was forbidden to leave during famine (Bereishit 26:2)
  • Yaakov was promised the land would be for his descendants (Bereishit 28:13)

Spiritual Significance

The Kli Yakar (Devarim 34:4) explains that "seeing with your eyes" refers to spiritual vision. Though Moshe couldn't enter physically, he achieved a higher level of connection to the land through prophetic insight, representing the ultimate bond between Torah leadership and Eretz Yisrael.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Sotah 13b
The verse is referenced in the context of discussing Moses being shown the land of Israel but not being allowed to enter it, emphasizing the fulfillment of God's promise to the patriarchs.
📖 Sanhedrin 90a
The verse is cited in a discussion about the resurrection of the dead, linking the promise of the land to the patriarchs as a basis for future redemption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Deuteronomy 34:4 mean when it says Moshe saw the land but couldn't enter?
A: This verse describes Hashem showing Moshe Rabbeinu the Land of Israel before his passing. Rashi explains that Moshe was shown the entire land to comfort him, even though he couldn't enter due to the incident at Mei Merivah (Numbers 20). The Talmud (Sotah 13b) teaches this was one of Moshe's final acts of leadership - seeing the land his people would inherit.
Q: Why is the promise to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov mentioned in this verse?
A: The Torah emphasizes that the land was promised to all three Patriarchs to show the eternal nature of Hashem's covenant. Rambam explains in Hilchot Melachim that this teaches us the land belongs to the Jewish people in all generations. The mention of all three Patriarchs also connects Moshe's leadership to our ancestral legacy.
Q: What lesson can we learn from Moshe seeing the land but not entering?
A: The Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 11:10) teaches this shows leaders don't always merit to see the completion of their work. Moshe brought the Jews to the border but Yehoshua would lead them in. This teaches humility - we must do our part in serving Hashem, even if we don't see the final results.
Q: How does this verse connect to Jewish belief about Eretz Yisrael today?
A: This verse establishes the eternal Jewish connection to the land, as explained by Ramban. Just as Hashem showed Moshe the land's boundaries (Rashi on Deuteronomy 34:1-3), traditional Jewish sources maintain these borders define our biblical inheritance. The oath to our ancestors forms the basis for our ongoing relationship with the land.