במדבר, פרק כ״ז, פסוק ו׳

Following the appeal of Zelophehad's daughters, God's response creates a dual turning point. It settles a complex legal issue regarding the inheritance of the land while simultaneously preparing Moses for the end of his life.

God's communication here is not the introduction of a completely new law, but rather an explanation and expansion of an existing legal principle [רש ר הירש]. The basic rule that property passes to male descendants was already established and well-known, even to the daughters themselves. Moses' uncertainty only concerned how to apply this law to their specific situation and integrate them into the actual division of the land. God instructs Moses to share this ruling openly, ensuring he does not keep the justification merely as a private matter for the judge's ears. He is directed to relay the decision directly to the daughters, and perhaps to the entire nation of Israel [אור החיים].

The final ruling dictates that the daughters step directly into their father's place to inherit his full share. They receive Zelophehad's portion of the property from Hepher, their grandfather who was among those who left Egypt. Furthermore, they receive a double portion because Zelophehad was a firstborn son. Typically, a firstborn does not take a double share of assets that are not yet physically possessed. However, from a legal standpoint, the Land of Israel is considered as if it were already in the possession of the generation that left Egypt [תורה תמימה].

Immediately following this inheritance ruling, the focus shifts to Moses himself as God commands him to ascend Mount Abarim. This rapid transition prevents a historical misunderstanding. Because the division of the land brought up the fact that the entire desert generation died due to the sin of the spies, someone might mistakenly conclude that Moses and Aaron shared in that exact guilt. To prevent this, God clarifies that their punishment stemmed solely from the events at the Waters of Strife. This was not a severe, intentional rebellion, but rather the result of the community's intense arguing, which ultimately distracted Moses from his original intent [אלשיך].

In these final moments, God grants Moses a unique comfort. The command to look at the land refers not only to the physical Land of Israel but also to the spiritual realm above. Usually, when a person dies outside the land, their soul experiences a delay in being gathered to its people. Moses, however, will pass away through the kiss of the Divine Presence. His pure body, which was refined during his time on Mount Sinai, along with his soul, will immediately be gathered to his people in the lands of the living, exactly as his brother Aaron experienced [אלשיך].