I May Not Get There With You

Rabbi Shai Held

Parashat Ha'azinu

Moses is the paradigmatic prophet, a model for all Israelite prophets and the greatest among them. And yet God insists that this incomparably great prophet must die before he reaches the Promised Land. The lesson of Moses' death is both tragic and redemptive. When we dedicate our lives to causes greater than ourselves, we may accomplish a great deal, but we very rarely live to see our projects completed; to live with God is to plant seeds in the hopes that they will flourish—whether in our lifetime or (long) after. (5774)