“And I besought Hashem at that time, saying…” (Devarim 3:23)

Among the stories in the Torah, one of the most difficult to understand is that of Moshe hitting the rock. This infraction led to a severe consequence: Moshe was barred from entering Eretz Yisrael, a privilege he fervently sought in this week’s parsha, praying some 515 times (see Midrash Aggadah to Devarim 3:23). Despite his prayers, he was not able to get a reprieve to enter Eretz Yisrael. How do we make sense of such an incident?

The short and simple answer is “The bigger they are, the harder they fall.” What might seem a minor infraction to us was, for someone of Moshe Rabbeinu’s stature, a colossal sin. While we may grasp this intellectually, it remains challenging to fully comprehend why Moshe’s action was deemed so severe.

To understand, we must first consider Moshe Rabbeinu’s position in Klal Yisrael. As their leader, he had to meet their spiritual and physical needs, while serving as the conduit between them and Hashem. But what was his personal mission? Like every Jew, Moshe’s purpose was to live a life of Torah, sanctifying Hashem’s great name in all his actions. If he was meant to bring about a kiddush Hashem in a more spectacular way and instead fell short – by striking the rock rather than speaking to it – he failed in a primary obligation in this world. As a result, he was not permitted entry into Eretz Yisrael.

But what of his 515 prayers? Why couldn’t they reverse his decree? The answer lies in a fundamental truth: Prayer can bring you to your destined place, but it cannot take you beyond your designated realm. Consider Klal Yisrael’s sin with the Golden Calf. Even though Hashem forgave them, they did not merit to receive the luchos rishonos again; they received the luchos shenios instead. Their repentance, though complete, could not restore them to where they were before, as the sin had changed them. Similarly, Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayers, as intense as they were, could not restore what he had lost.

Yet, the Mabit (Moses ben Joseph di Trani 1500-1580) offers a profound insight. He explains that no sincere prayer goes unanswered. As proof, in Moshe Rabbeinu’s case in Parshas Va’eschanan, his prayers were partially fulfilled through his being granted the ability to see the entirety of Eretz Yisrael, even if he could not enter it. This partial fulfillment was realized through his tefilos.

We find ourselves now in the seven weeks leading to Rosh Hashanah, a period of consolation from Hashem after His exiling us. This should place us in teshuvah mode, culminating on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We must realize that our sins, which prevent the Beis Hamikdash from being rebuilt in our days, have changed us from who we were a year ago. We must reverse course and reassess what we are supposed to be doing from now until Rosh Hashanah. While this time of year is when people are often on vacation, and grow lax in observing many mitzvos, we should do the opposite and strengthen our commitment to performing mitzvos, giving us a head start on our teshuva process. With Hashem’s help, may we merit a Kesiva Vachasima Tova, and even serve as a catalyst for bringing the Geula Shleima.