Eretz Yisroel Man

The Midrash (Devarim 2:8) says that Moshe asked if the bones of Yosef get to be buried in Eretz Yisroel why can’t I get to go?  דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם עַצְמוֹתָיו שֶׁל יוֹסֵף נִכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ, וַאֲנִי אֵינִי נִכְנַס לָאָרֶץ. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִי שֶׁהוֹדָה בְּאַרְצוֹ נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצוֹ וּמִי שֶׁלֹא הוֹדָה בְּאַרְצוֹ אֵינוֹ נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצוֹ, יוֹסֵף הוֹדָה בְּאַרְצוֹ, מִנַּיִן, גְּבִרְתּוֹ אוֹמֶרֶת (בראשית לט, יד): רְאוּ הֵבִיא לָנוּ אִישׁ עִבְרִי וגו' וְלֹא כָפַר, אֶלָּא (בראשית מ, טו): גֻּנֹּב גֻּנַּבְתִּי מֵאֶרֶץ הָעִבְרִים, נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצוֹ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע כד, לב): וְאֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם קָבְרוּ בִשְׁכֶם, אַתְּ שֶׁלֹא הוֹדֵיתָ בְּאַרְצְךָ אֵין אַתָּה נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצֶךָ, כֵּיצַד בְּנוֹת יִתְרוֹ אוֹמְרוֹת (שמות ב, יט): אִישׁ מִצְרִי הִצִּילָנוּ מִיַּד הָרֹעִים, וְהוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ וְשׁוֹתֵק, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצוֹ  Why does the midrash say Moshe was held accountable for not objecting to be called a MItzri if he did so in order to protect his life?  Furthermore, we don’t find Moshe is criticized for not acknowledging that he is a Jew in this exchange, so why is he criticized for not mentioning his connection to Eretz Yisroel?  Also, Yosef came from Eretz Yisroel, but Moshe didn’t, he came from Mitzraim, so it makes sense that he didn’t call himself an עברי ? 

We see from the midrash that no matter where a Jew comes from s/he is always considered someone from Eretz Yisroel.  This isn’t just a nice idea, it has a halachick difference as well as my father cites in his blog from the Rogatchover that one can even take an oath that they are from Yerushalaim, and its not considered a false oath.

Rav Rafael Shmulevetz explains that the midrash isn’t a critique of Moshe, he didn’t have to point out he is a Jew for it would have endangered his life.  So too he didn’t have to speak up about his connection to Eretz Yisroel so as to not endanger himself.  Moshe’s denial of entry to Eretz Yisroel isn’t a punishment, it’s a metzies, a state of fact.  To have a right to Eretz Yisroel one must retain his connection to the land.  Moshe’s connection was severed and therefore the land no longer “desired” him.