Moshe’s Prayer

Shabbat Nachamu (Comfort)

Parsha V’Et Chanan – And I besought (pleaded, supplicated)
Torah:  Devarim 3:23 – 7:11

Moshe’s life was coming to an end.  Aharon had died six months earlier and Israel was about to go over the Jordan, into Canaan, without him.  In desperation, Moshe makes one last effort to change Avinu’s mind about ending his life on the east side of the river.  Moshe’s prayer follows the pattern of what is known as a “supplication”.  A request usually for a special favor for the person submitting the request. Notice how Moshe eases the situation with Avinu before he submits the actual request:

23 And I sought Avinu at that time, saying, 24  O Avinu Elohim, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your mighty hand: for what El is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to your works, and according to your might? (Devarim 3:23-24)

Sounds pretty good so far. A little schmoozing goes a long way in getting a favorable answer.  Now the tone of the request changes and the formal request is made:

25  I pray you, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

Moshe has made his case. The request has been submitted.  Will he be successful?

and Avinu said to me, Let it suffice you; speak no more to me of this matter. 27  Get you up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with your eyes: for you shall not go over this Jordan. 

Moshe didn’t get his request.  His request was against Avinu’s will for him. The pattern of making “supplication” for our wants or needs is probably repeated billions of times every day.  Here is what Ya’akov (James) has to teach us:

1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (Jas 4:1-3 )

When we supplicate Avinu for something it has to meet several criteria. Asking for some things that don’t meet Avinu’s requirements isn’t a good idea.  The request usually ends in silence. Ya’akov has a little more to teach us:

13  Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14  Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of Yeshua. 15  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and Avinu will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16  Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (Jas 5:13-16 )

Here is what Yeshua has to teach us about supplications:

10  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (Lu 11:10-13 )

Think about these “criteria” when you feel the need to request something from Avinu and see if you don’t get better results.