I write this as hundreds of bombs are shot at Israel. And need to briefly thank H' that as far as I can tell, not a single Bnei Yisrael has been killed as a result of this insane act of terrorism about which no one in the entire world seems to care. No matter - what we are seeing here is that H' truly loves, cares about, and protects the Jewish People and the entire, holy State of Israel. Not to make this into a Grammy acceptance speech, but the relationship I am seeing there - the hundreds of thousand feverishly studying Torah day and night and the hundreds of thousands rising up to protect the Holy Land - I know this partnership is bringing true blessing onto the Land.
Turning to this week's new parasha, V'etchanan, after seeing what we can, tongue-in-cheek, fairly call some historical revisionism on Moshe's part about the reasons for his not entering the land, an interesting insight regarding what he asked for and what he received emerges. Specifically, I was always taught that Moshe was denied access to the Land (and everything associated with it).
This isn't quite true after reading exactly what his "plea" is (taking from the title of this parasha). Specifically, in Devarim 3:25, Moshe requests that G-d let him "cross now and let me see the Land that is good that is on the other side of the Jordan, the mountain that is good that one and the Livnon.
Leaving aside for now what exactly Moshe was referring to regarding "the mountain that is good, that one" (a potentially fascinating detour in its own right), compare this prayer to what Moshe says happens to him in his own words, specifically that G-d commanded him just a few verses later, in Devarim 3:27: "Go up to the top of the mountain and raise up your eyes westward, northward, southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes, for you shall not cross the Jordan."
What we see here (no pun intended) is that Moshe's prayer is actually half granted: he asked see the Land and, in fact, he was specifically commanded to ascend and see with your eyes the Land. Of course, this wasn't on the terms Moshe wanted - he didn't get to first cross and see, but he obviously still saw.
Hm. What does this teach us? That even when there is an example in which we clearly think that our prayers have not been answered - our pleas to use Moshe's word - even then, they most certainly have. They may not be on our terms, or in the context and circumstances for which we wished, but as partners with H', they are still answered, or at least partially are. If they were not, then perhaps - G-d forbid - we would have reason to doubt the partnership. It is for this reason that I now must state my personal disagreement with the aphorism that "our prayers are answered - sometimes the answer is just 'no.'" I disagree - our prayers, I believe as some chasidim have written - are always answered - I would add now that sometimes they are just partially answered.
Perhaps it was a lesson for Moshe in not losing the faith, even one he didn't realize since he was so utterly transixed on entering and seeing, not just seeing. But as a lesson for us - the power of prayer cannot be understated and our relationship with H' should be all the more strengthened as a result.
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