Moshe Designates the Cities of Refuge
Barred from Eretz Yisrael, Moshe Rabbeinu still sets aside the three cities of refuge east of the Jordan, though they would not take effect in his lifetime.
Hashem commanded the Jewish nation to set aside six cities of refuge. Three were to be in Israel proper and three in Transjordan. Moshe Rabbeinu, who was not allowed in Eretz Yisrael, could not possibly designate all six cities. While he could designate the three cities in Transjordan, his designation would not be in effect until the remaining three cities in Israel were likewise designated as cities of refuge.
It was the very punishment of not being allowed in Eretz Yisrael that stopped Moshe from fulfilling the mitzvah of activating all six cities of refuge. Yet, Moshe Rabbeinu nevertheless exclaimed, “A mitzvah that I could fulfill, I will fulfill” (Rashi, Devarim 4:4). Whereupon, he performed the designation process for the three cities in Transjordan, knowing full well that it would not be effective in his lifetime.