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Rashi explains that when Kalev cried out, “Is it this alone that the son of Amram has done to us?” he caught the people off guard. When they heard this declaration, equating his rebuke of Moshe Rabbeinu as the “son of Amram,” in a seemingly degrading manner, they thought for certain that Kalev was coming out in support of a rebellion. They all became silent to listen to what he had to say. It was not what they expected to hear. Instead, he sang Moshe’s praises, relating his positive accomplishments for the people. One wonders what Kalev accomplished by this…

It is a land that exhausts its inhabitants. It is a land not designed for people of ordinary size. Unless one has the constitution of a giant, he will become moribund there. Small and weak people do not survive there. Veritably, the meraglim encountered funerals wherever they went. Their error was a lack of faith in Hashem. They never asked themselves: Could Hashem be doing this for a reason? He was. The people were too preoccupied with visiting the cemeteries to notice a team of Jews wandering through the countryside. The report the spies brought back was based upon their…

The mitzvah of Tzitzis is of such primary significance that it enables the Jew to remember all the Torah’s precepts. The corners of a garment are seen and accessible; otherwise, they cannot serve as much of a reminder of the mitzvos. Why is the reminder specifically on one’s garments? Horav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, zl (Michtav MeiEliyahu), explains that clothing is a person’s vehicle for presenting himself to the world, highlighting the role that he wants to play and the manner in which he wishes to be perceived. Thus, it is important that the garments be sanctified with reminders about Hashem,…