Is this a decree of fate placed on every leader; or perhaps a test of leadership?? The Lubavitcher Rebbie explains Moshe’s fate as follows:
Moshe himself certainly could have brought about his entry into the Holy Land. But since the Jews of his generation sinned by speaking negatively about the Land during the sin of the spies, and were consequently caused to die in the ensuing years, Moshe Rabbeinu chose of his own free will not to abandon his flock and to remain together with them in the desert. Believing that when they would merit in the “end of days” to enter the Land, so would he.
Reaching the summit of achievement, can be an easy feat for any leader, if he will allow himself the political price of leaving his followers behind. A real leader is one who chooses to concede and remain loyal to his constituents, even at the cost of remaining in the wilderness, while the Promised Land is a handbreadth away.
On motzei Shabbat (Saturday night)/Sunday, Gimmel (the third day of) Tammuz, the Jewish people will commemorate the 27th yahrzeit of the great Jewish leader of our generation – the Lubavitcher Rebbe of saintly memory.
The Rebbe, in a 1956 letter to Israel’s president wrote:
“From the time that I was a child attending heder, and even earlier than that, there began to take form in my mind a vision of the future Redemption: the redemption of Israel from its last exile, redemption such as would explicate the suffering of galut (exile).”
In his first public discourse, upon accepting the mantle of leadership, the Rebbe declared that the mission of our generation is to bring Moshiach, the Geula, and ascend to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel.
In his last years, the Rebbe repeated over and over that: “Ours will be the… generation of the Redemption; that the arrival of Moshiach is imminent”.
However, as a true leader, for whom the Land of Israel was of the utmost priority, the Rebbe chose to remain, during his lifetime and in his passing, outside of Israel with his flock, insisting not to leave a single Jew behind.
The redemption is tangible – reach out and touch it. That last action could be yours or mine. Let us continue in the way of the Rebbe: belief, anticipation, plenty of mitzvot and good deeds, and we will soon all merit the promised redemption.
The writer is the Chabad-Lubavitch representative in the new northern Tel Aviv neighborhoods, Rav of the Sea and Sun Synagogue.