The end is in sight. After forty years of Moshe waiting in the desert, his dream of entering the land seems about to be realized.

Suddenly, Moshe does one misstep and all is lost forever.

Instead of speaking to the rock to make water flow from it, he strikes it and a result he is denied entry to the land of Israel.

Moshe’s punishment seems extreme, and even more puzzling is G-d’s refusal to revoke the punishment, despite Moshe’s heart wrenching entreaties, despite all that Moshe has done in the service of G-d.