Sunday, May 17, 2015

Why Did Moshe Die?

Moshe died, and did not enter the land. Why? Let the sources speak:

E: "Here, your days to die have come close. Call Yehoshua..." (Devarim 31:14). No specific reason is given.
J: He reached the maximum age of 120. (Devarim 34:5-7)
D: He was sentenced for Chet HaMeraglim. Caleb was not the only exception to the sentence. Yehoshua, the successor of Moshe, was the other. There were no more exceptions. It definitely was Chet HaMeraglim. (Devarim 1:37)
P: The Chiddush we accept, in part: Yehoshua is an exception next to Caleb. But Moshe is an exception also. Rather, he had to die because, at the waters of Meriva, while he was commanded to speak at the rock, he hit the rock. (BaMidbar 20:8-13)

If someone asked me what is the truth, I would avoid the question, by saying that the Halacha is according to J.