Va-etchanan | Moshe's View from the Mountain

 On his final day, why is Moshe Rabbeinu eager to see Lebanon?
     And when he ascends the mountain for a final view, why does God show him a view of Saudia Arabia?
     And why do Chazal interpret all of this as Jerusalem?

     In this 'mini shiur', we'll attempt to answer these questions as we uncover the very first 'virtual' Jerusalem!

INTRODUCTION
     In the opening psukim of this week's Parsha, Moshe Rabbeinu begs God to allow him to cross into the Holy Land (see 3:23-26).  However, note how the manner in which he states his request is rather peculiar:
  "Let me pass over and see this good land that is on the
  other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and the
  Lebanon" (3:25).

     We can understand why Moshe wants to see the 'good land', for that seems to imply the Land of Israel - as it was described in 'spy-report' by Yehoshua and Kalev:
  "The land that we have passed to scout it, the land is
  very very good" (see Bamidbar 14:7).
          [Note also 'asher avarnu'; compare 'evra na' in 3:25!]

     But why does Moshe express interest to see Lebanon as well?  True, Lebanon is located on the northern border of Eretz Canaan, but Moshe doesn't ask to see any of the other borders.  Furthermore, why is Moshe only interested in seeing mountain ranges?  What about the Negev, the Shefeila, and the coastal plain?
  In fact, when he is shown the land (as recorded later on in Devarim 34:1-4), God shows him the Negev, the mountain ranges, and even the Mediterranean.  Yet, in those psukim, Lebanon is not even mentioned!
  In the following shiur, we attempt to explain deeper motivation behind Moshe Rabbeinu's request.

A GREAT VIEW
     As we all know, God does not grant Moshe's request. Instead, he instructs Moshe to climb to the top of a mountain to get a glimpse of the land that he is not permitted to enter.  However, here we find yet another difficulty.  Note the directions that God tells Moshe to look:
  "Climb to the top of the mountain, and lift up your eyes
  to the west, north, south and east - and see with your
  eyes, for you will not cross the Jordan" (3:27).

     Recall that Moshe now stands on Mount Nevo in the Moabite Mountains, directly east of Eretz Canaan.  Hence, it makes sense that he should look towards the west, and even to the north and south, for that could be understood as northwest and southwest; but why would he look to east?  After all, to the east, the only area in sight would be wide plains and desert areas of modern day Jordan, Iraq and Saudia Arabia.
  So why does God tell Moshe to look to the East?
  The answer can't be that God wanted to show him the fullest borders of the Land of Israel, for Moshe had already seen them in his battle against Sichon, and furthermore, Moshe's request dealt specifically with the other side of the Jordan.

     To answer these questions, we must note an interesting parallel between these psukim and similar psukim in Sefer Breishit.

THE SAME TOUR GUIDE
     In our study of Sefer Breishit, we discussed the centrality of Bet El in Avraham Avinu's first journey to the Land of Israel.
  His arrival in Canaan from Aram climaxed with his building of a mizbeiach in Bet El, where he called out in God's Name (see Breishit 12:1-8).  Similarly, upon Avraham's return to Canaan from Egypt, he ascended once again to his mizbeiach in Bet El - to call out in the Name of God.
  At that same time, Lot had decided to leave him, choosing instead the Jordan valley.  After Lot's departure, God appeared to Avraham once again in Bet El, and reiterated His promise that this Land will one day become the homeland of his offspring.
  However, note the special preface that God adds to this promise, and its similarity to our pasuk in Sefer Devarim:
  "And God said to Avram after Lot had left him: Lift up
  your eyes and SEE from the place where you are - to the
  north and south, east and west, for this land that you
  see I will give to you and your offspring" (see Breishit
  13:14-16).

     Note how God tells Avraham to lift up his eyes and look in all four directions from Bet El, just as He later tells Moshe Rabbeinu to look in all four directions from Har Nevo.
     Of course, this parallel could simply be incidental, for this is usually the directions that one looks when he is on a high place.  However, we find one additional instance where these four directions are mentioned, and once again in relation to Bet El.

THE FIRST BET ELOKIM
     Recall when Yaakov Avinu was running away from Esav on his way to Aram, he stopped overnight at Bet El.  There, God appeared to him in a dream, confirming that Yaakov would be the inheritor of His covenant with Avraham.  In that blessing, note how we find once again all four directions:
  "...And your offspring will [numerous] be like the dust
  of the earth, and you spread out to the west and east,
  north and south, and through you will be a blessing to
  all the nations on the earth" (see Breishit 28:10-15).

     Here once again we find all four directions, and in fact these three sources are the only times in Chumash where these 'four directions' are found.  However, this source concerning Yaakov is most significant, for when he awakes from his dream Yaakov makes a special promise concerning this site.
  "And Yaakov awoke in the morning and took the rock that
  was by his head and erected it as a monument and anointed
  it with oil.  Then he named this spot Bet El... and he
  vowed that when he returns... this monument will become a
  Bet- Elokim [House for God]..." (see 28:18-21).

     These psukim establish a connection between this special site of Bet El and a House for God - a Bet Elokim.  [In case you didn't notice, that's why it is called Bet El.]
     This site was destined to house the bet ha-mikdash - that would become the symbol of the very purpose of God's choice of the Jewish nation.  A site where man will be able to focus on perfecting his connection [through prayer] to God.

VIRTUAL JERUSALEM
     With this background, we can suggest an alternate reason for both Moshe's request and for God's response.
     Surely, Moshe wants to see the land, but not simply as a tourist; rather Moshe wants to see the achievement of the ultimate goal for Am Yisrael, as reflected in Yaakov's dream at Bet El and Avraham's vision from Bet El.  When Moshe requests to see 'ha-har ha-tov' - the good mountain (3:25), one could suggest that he wants to 'see' the Temple Mount [note 'tov' in Breishit 1:4,10,12 etc.], and when he requests to see Ha-Levanon - he may be hinting not only to that northern mountain range, but to the bet-ha-mikdash that will one day be constructed from the wood of the cedars of Lebanon (see I Melachim 5:16-32!).
     In a similar manner, we can now understand God's response to Moshe.  He instructs Moshe to climb to the highest mountain and to look out in all four directions, just as Avraham Avinu had done at the dawn of Jewish History.  Moshe wishes to see the dream of God's promise to Avraham Avinu fulfilled, and God allows Moshe an experience that would reflect its fulfillment.
     Moshe looks in all four directions for God has 'virtually' placed him in Jerusalem.  With that vision, he can proceed to charge Yehoshua, for he will lead Bnei Yisrael into the land (see Devarim 3:28), and it will be his responsibility to make Moshe's dream come true.

     Not only is this week's Haftara ('Nachamu') most fitting for the shabbat after Tisha Be-av, so too are its opening psukim of the Torah reading form Parshat Va-etchanan.