ואתחנן אל ה, “I pleaded with the Lord. The holy tongue knows of seven different names, each referring to a different category of prayer. They are as follows: תפלה, תחינה, נפילה, פגיעה, רנה, צעקה, זעקה. Of all the types of prayer at the disposal of Moses, why did he choose only one category, i.e. תחינה? When Moses had asked G–d to reveal more of His attributes, especially His method of dealing with sinners, in Exodus 33,13, after answering Moses in part, He had concluded with: וחנותי את אשר אחון, (verse 19 there) He made it clear to Moses that whenever and howsoever He forgives a sinner or reduces the punishment for which that sinner is in line, it is a gift a תחינה. It is not something that the recipient had a claim to. Moses wanted G'd to know that though he pleads, he is aware that even if G–d responds favourably to his plea, he will never forget that this would be an outright gift rather than something he had been entitled to. Letting him cross the Jordan would be an outright gift. (Compare Tanchuma, section three on our parshah). Another reason for Moses’ choice of the word: ואתחנן, is that the numerical value of the letters in that word וחנותי we quoted from Exodus 33,19, is the same as that of ואתחנן.

רב לך, these words introduce G–d’s reply to Moses’ plea which had been based on G–d having released Moses from a vow given to his father-in-law Yitro not to circumcise one of his sons. (as explained by Rashi according to Yalkut Shimoni on our portion item 814.) [Since the author of the Midrash lived at least 100 years after Rashi’s death he could not have quoted him. Ed.] G–d reminded Moses that no one could cancel his own vows. He had been able to do this for Moses, as He was his superior. Since He, G–d, had no superior to do this for him, He could not comply with that request. Yet another way of understanding the words רב לך , with which G–d tells Moses to desist from continuing with his plea: G–d quotes words which Moses had used when denying Korach his request to be elevated to the priesthood. רב לך אל תוסף דבר. [I am summarising Moses’ plea and G–d’s reply. In order to appreciate what follows the reader is advised to read chapter 40 in Job. Ed.] Moses quotes G–d, Who had described him as closer to Him than any previous human being and had made a covenant with him. He hints that G–d is reneging on that covenant if he has to die before crossing the Jordan. G–d replies that mortality has been decreed on every human being, dating back to the time when Adam had sinned, and that He therefore cannot violate that decree by making an exception for him. His time had come to die, and it was therefore futile for him to implore G–d further.