After the sin of the Golden Calf, Moses implored God to not destroy the Israelites, and his prayer was answered. But when Moses prayed to enter the Land of Israel, he was told that he could not be granted this request as well. Moses preferred to overlook his own personal benefit.

The Holy One, blessed be He, issued two decrees, one about the Israelites and one about Moses. One about the Israelites: When they performed that action of worshipping the Golden Calf. From where is that derived? It is stated: “Let Me, and I will destroy them” (Deuteronomy 9:14). And one about Moses: When Moses requested to enter the Land of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: “You will not cross this Jordan” (3:27). Moses requested from the Holy One, blessed be He, to abrogate each of those decrees. Moses said before Him after the sin with the Golden Calf: Master of the Universe, “Please pardon the iniquity of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your kindness” (Numbers 14:19). And the Holy One, blessed be He, abrogated His decree, and Moses’ request was fulfilled…as it is stated: “I have pardoned in accordance with your word” (Numbers 14:20).

When Moses came to enter the Land of Israel, he began saying: “Please, let me cross, and I will see the good land” (Deuteronomy 3:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses, I already abrogated My decree and fulfilled your request; I said: “And I will destroy them” (9:14), and you said: Please pardon, and your request was fulfilled. Now, I seek to fulfill My decree and abrogate your request.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses, you do not know what to do. You seek to hold the rope at both ends…. If you want to fulfill the request of “please let me cross,” abrogate the request of “please pardon.” If you want to fulfill the request of “please pardon,” abrogate the request of “please let me cross.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Once Moses heard this, he said before God: Master of the Universe, let Moses and one hundred others like him die, and let not even one of their fingernails be damaged. (Devarim Rabba 7)