Rashi explains that Hashem told Moshe “according to your understanding, I do not command you.” Since all the people came and requested to send out spies… Moshe took counsel with Hashem; He said, “I have told them it is good, therefore, as they live, I shall give them the opportunity to err through the words of the spies.”
It is very difficult to understand why Hashem would allow the spies to go forth, knowing the impending disaster that awaited them upon their return. If their mission was doomed, why weren’t they restrained from going? There is a lesson for educators to learn from this. There are instances when despite the negative outcome which may result from a given endeavor, a teacher should not prevent an individual, from attempting to realize his goal. Often, individuals who are enthusiastically pursuing an ideal albeit a misguided one, will accept their error only when they fail and are defeated. There are moments in education when the best approach to take is one that is passive, since a student must sometimes go through trial, error, and defeat before he will realize his mistake. This is the meaning of “send on your own accord”. “I will not stop them from going to spy the land, since they will perceive the wrong reasons for My reluctance to allow them to go.” The approaches to education vary. Through experience and practice a teacher can make an intelligent decision as to the correct course to take in reaching a student.
