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By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin
A mission gone awry. In this week’s parsha, Shelach, we learn of the meraglim, scouts sent to check out the Promised Land, prior to Bnei Yisroel settling there.
As Moshe recounts, the people said, “Let us send men before us, that they may search the land”. Rashi comments that the nation approached Moshe, “b’irbuvia”, with confusion, in a disorderly, disrespectful manner. The young were pushing the elders, the elders pushing the leaders. (Devarim 1:22)
Rashi cites a Midrash that Moshe was unsure how to proceed. He turns to HaShem for direction. The response was that He already told Bnei Yisroel that the land was good. Yet, if they still want to scout out the land, “shelach, send”. But they should be aware that such a mission comes with the risk to err through the words they will hear back from the meraglim.
Imagine being offered a most precious, valuable gift from a parent. However, before accepting, one hesitates, saying, not just yet…. I have to first check it out, I need to ascertain its true value.
The generation of the exodus was given the precious gift of Eretz Yisroel, but they requested to first scout out the land.
Shelach lecha. Rashi comments, “l’da’ascha, for your knowledge, for your own interest”. This is in contrast to HaShem’s telling Avraham Avinu, “Lech lecha, Go for yourself”. Rashi on that pasuk explains, “l’ha’anoscha, for your own benefit, u’le’tovascha, and for your own good.” HaShem instructed Avrohom to pick himself up, to leave the world he knew, his home, his birthplace, his family, and go “el ha’aretz asher ar’echa, to the land that I will show you.”
Avrohom, together with Sora, made the journey to Eretz Yisroel, sight unseen. A journey that brought Avrohom and Sora to great spiritual heights, to becoming patriarch and matriarch of the Jewish nation.
Two journeys to Eretz Yisroel, lech lecha and shelach lecha. The first, commanded by HaShem to Avrohom, the second initiated by Bnei Yisroel.
Avrohom’s journey ended in greatness. In contrast, the meraglim’s journey had a tragic ending. The Torah tells us that the meraglim were “anoshim”, men of importance. They were “neseeim”, each one the leader of his respective tribe. After forty days of exploration, they returned, carrying beautiful, grand-sized fruits. They reported to the nation that it was a land of milk and honey. But that’s where the good news ended. They spoke of walled cities and giants who inhabited the country. They painted a picture of despair, saying it was an “eretz ocheles yoshvehah, a land that eats its inhabitants”. A land that would be impossible to conquer and settle.
How could this have happened? How could it be that leaders would speak negatively about Eretz Yisroel? The nation that witnessed the Hand of G-d, and experienced multiple miracles, from crossing the sea to receiving the Torah at Sinai. They were provided with manna from Heaven, had clouds of glory to guide them by day, and a fire to protect them at night – where was their faith and trust in HaShem?
The meraglim walked in the footsteps of the Avrohom, but the similarity ended there. Unlike Avrohom whose heart and soul were filled with emunah, the scouts allowed worry and hopelessness to set in.
Until now, life in the desert was one filled with miracles. They depended on HaShem for their daily existence. Bnei Yisroel now feared that upon entering the land, HaShem’s miracles will cease. How would they survive the hardships of life without HaShem’s miraculous hand.
They allowed the “what if” factor to take over and consume them. Yes, there will be challenges and difficulties at times, even dangers and perils in settling the land. But they failed to have confidence that HaShem’s guiding hand would always be with them.
A life lesson for us all. Don’t concentrate on the “what ifs”. While life comes with its bumps along the way, we must truly believe that when HaShem sends messages our way, it will all work out. That it can’t be any other way. That HaShem is always with us. As we recite every day in the Modim prayer, “v’al neesecha she’b’chol yom imanu, and for the miracles that are with us each and every day”.
The Ohr HaChaim explains that it’s easier to be a believer, to be righteous, when one sees a nes golui, an open miracle, than when the daily miracles are hidden from us.
The meraglim assessed the land correctly. Everything was beautiful and wonderful. The fruits were large and luscious, the inhabitants powerful, the cities strong and fortified. But, it was their perception of themselves that was lacking. As the pasuk relates, “We were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and similarly in their eyes.” (Bamidbar 13:33) A feeling of insecurity overtook their very being. They became overwhelmed, filled with fear and self-doubt. They felt small and insignificant, undeserving of HaShem’s constant care and protection.
Only two of the scouts, Yehoshua and Calev, stood strong and spoke positively, giving the nation words of encouragement. Yehoshua received a special bracha from Moshe to be successful in his mission. Yehoshua’s name was originally Hoshea, meaning salvation. This reflected his constant prayers for Divine protection, and to be shielded from negative influences. Moshe added a yud to Hoshea, which is symbolic of HaShem’s name, transforming Hoshea to Yehoshua. Moshe assured Yehoshua, that the extra yud in his name will bring with it all of the blessings from HaShem, not only in this mission, but in his future years as the leader of the Jewish nation.
Calev was married to Miriam, the sister of Moshe. Miriam was known for her strong emunah. It was Miriam who prepared tambourines for the women before the exodus, knowing in her heart that a great miracle was about to happen. A miracle worthy of shira, songs with tambourines.
Calev, as Miriam’s husband, was enveloped with emunah. It permeated their home day and night. Calev means ca-lev, like a heart. Calev’s heart was one with HaShem, and one with His people.
We need to learn from Yehoshua and Calev to always have HaShem in our hearts and minds. To replace worry with emunah, to eradicate anxiety and despair with bitachon, trust and faith in HaShem, and in ourselves.
Shabbat Shalom!
Chaya Sora
Chaya Sora can be reached at [email protected]
This article was written L’zecher Nishmas/In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l
