Moshe Rabbeinu was a man beyond comparison. He took care of Bnei Yisrael and many times put their needs before his. Using the 13 attributes of mercy and telling Hashem to have his name erased from the Torah, he convinced Hashem not to get rid of the Jews. Despite this, in the last portion of Parshat Haazinu, Moshe is told again that he can’t go into Israel. The pasuk explains that it is because Moshe betrayed Him and did not sanctify Him. Rashi explains that when the pasuk says Moshe betrayed Him, He is saying that Moshe helped the people rebel against Him. Once Moshe went against what Hashem had said, Bnei Yisrael felt that they were able to do what their leader had done.

Sanctifying Hashem is the second reason which was stated to explain why Moshe can’t go to Israel. What does it mean that he is not sanctifying Hashem? As Jewish people, we have a mitzvah to act like Hashem because we have a part of Him in us. When we listen to Him, act morally, and go in His ways, we are sanctifying Him.

Being a Jew is special and allows us to act like Moshe and be a leader. We are supposed to be a light for other nations, and should inspire them and each other to be good and moral people. That being said, we must look at Moshe and realize that we are always being watched. Leading is hard and it has its troubles, but as long as we continue to go in the way of Hashem and the Torah, we can be a light for other nations and change the world. As Yom Kippur just ended, we should use this clean slate to start anew and become people who lead and follow the way of Hashem, as Moshe had taught us by putting Bnei Yisrael first countless times.

By Shira Sedek