Parshas Haazenu and Yom Kippur

"Did I take any of the stones that Mr. Cohen offered?? Who needs
stones??"
"They were gold !!!"

G-d told Moshe that he couldn't enter Israel because he (Moshe)
violated His (G-d's) order and "you did not sanctify My name amongst the
Jews..."(Divorim 32:51) Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk points out, that not only
was Moshe taken to task for an inappropriate act, but AT THAT TIME he could
have done something positive !! One of the reasons that we don't always do
good things (and sometimes even do bad) is that we don't realize the
importance of our actions!!

Going into Yom Kippur, we should realize that if G-d commands us to do
good and not bad, that means that our "good and bad" are significant !!

Have a meaningful Yom Kippur and good Shabbos !!

Rabbi Chaim Flom

Dear Rabbi Flom,
Did Bnai Yisrael daven that Moshe should be able to live, when he
was told he was going to die and not go into Israel? If yes, why doesn't it
say so explicitly in the Torah?

Your question is very interesting. Rashi (quoting a Sifre) on Divorim 32:48, says that Bnai Yisroel DID complain to Hashem about Moshe dying before going to Israel.As you mentioned, the psukim don't say this explicitly. Rashi (i.e. the Sifre) really learns this because the posuk says "bietzem hayom hazeh"(in the midst of this day), and other places where this expression is used means "despite what you do, I will do my thing in front of all of you". By Noach, even if people will try stopping him or by Bnai Yisroel leaving Egypt, even though people may try stopping them, they will go out . Here too, Hashem is saying that even though you'll try stopping me, I will have Moshe die. Rav Chaim Shmulevitz says that all of these "bietzem hayom hazeh" cases, G-d is making a miracle (i.e. even though everyone is trying to stop Noach, Hashem will make a miracle). Here too, Hashem is saying that even though everyone is doing something to prevent Moshe from dying (i.e. PRAYING), I will make a miracle and have Moshe die anyway.Therefore, Rav Chaim observes, that if all of Bnai Yisroel prays for something, it should happen UNLESS G-D makes a miracle that it doesn't!!!!We see the great power of prayer, especially when it is a unified effort.(There are other opinions, i.e.the Brisker Rav, on what the inferences are in this Rashi.)
I hope this helps. (If not please let me know.)
Take care.
Rabbi Flom