Shelach – Page 4 – Peninim on the Torah

שלח לך אנשים ויתרו את ארץ כנען

Sent forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan. (13:2)

The chapter of the meraglim, spies, follows immediately after the closing chapter of the previous parshah, which details the incident of Miriam Ha’Neviayah’s criticizing Moshe Rabbeinu and the consequential punishment which she experienced. Despite the fact that the spying incident took place shortly after Miriam’s debacle, the spies did not learn a lesson concerning the gravity of malicious gossip. They saw what happened to Miriam, yet they still had no compunction whatsoever about slandering Eretz Yisrael. The commentators question this exposition (Midrash Rabbah 16:6; cited by Rashi). They quote Chazal in the Talmud Arachin 16a, who deplore the speaking of…

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ונהי בעינינו כחגבים וכן היינו בעיניהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5776

We were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so were we in their eyes. (13:33)

The meraglim felt a sense of low esteem when they heard the Canaanites refer to them as grasshoppers. These people were giants and, to them, the Jewish spies appeared quite puny. Why is it necessary to inform us how they felt about themselves? All that is necessary for the reader to know is that the Canaanite giants perceived the Jews as tiny insects. Perhaps the lesson is that, as long as one maintains his own self-esteem, others will also respect him. Once the meraglim felt like grasshoppers, they were, in turn, viewed as grasshoppers. One cannot be put down unless…

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ויאמרו כל העדה לרגום אתם באבנים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5776

But the entire assembly said to pelt them with stones. (14:10)

Rashi comments: “Them” refers to Yehoshua and Calev. Is this a rational reaction? We can accept anger and even threatening bodily harm against those who would do us harm. We seek to avenge ourselves from those who have caused us pain and trouble. Yehoshua and Calev, however, had done nothing negative to the Jewish people. They posed no threat. Ten spies disputed them. What power could they hold with which to dissuade the people? Indeed, if the entire assembly was prepared to stone them, it means that everyone was against them. What threat or potential danger did these two harmless…

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וישכמו בבקר ויעלו אל ראש ההר לאמר הננו ועלינו אל המקום אשר אמר ד' כי חטאנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5776

They awoke early in the morning and ascended toward the mountain top saying, “We are ready, and we will ascend to the place of which Hashem has spoken, for we have sinned. (14:40)”

The nation was chastened. They now realized that they had overreacted to the slanderous news conveyed by the meraglim, spies, and that they must do something to repair the rift created by their sins. Nonetheless, there is a time and place for everything. They had forfeited their chance to enter Eretz Yisrael. Without Hashem’s mandate and leadership they could never conquer the Land. Now was not the time. Some people simply do not understand the meaning of “no.” A group of Jews decided to prove that they were willing to move on, to wage war against the inhabitants of the…

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והיה לכם לציצית וראיתם אותו וזכרתם את כל מצוות ד' ועשיתם אותם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5776

It shall constitute Tzitzis for you, that you may see it and remember all the commandments of Hashem and perform them. (15:39)

We are to wear Tzitzis, so that when we look at them, we will remember all of the other mitzvos in the Torah. In other words, wearing Tzitzis generates mitzvah observance. “Seeing” catalyzes remembering, which engenders positive action via religious observance. Indeed, the Rambam writes that one should be diligent in his observance of Tzitzis, because of its compelling effect vis-à-vis all other mitzvos. In his commentary to the Chumash, Rashi writes: “The parsha of the mekosheish eitzim— he who had transgressed Shabbos by picking twigs and carrying them in a public place– is juxtaposed upon the parsha of avodah…

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שלח לך אנשים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5775

Send forth men, if you please. (13:2)

The Baal HaTurim makes an interesting observation which gives the reader an opportunity to pause and question. The letters at the end of the three words: shlach, lecha, anashim are ches, chof and mem, which spell the word chacham, wise man. This spurs the Baal HaTurim to say that there was Heavenly instruction concerning the quality of the person Moshe Rabbeinu would select to be among the meraglim, spies. He was to be a chacham, wise man. These men were Nesiim, Princes, of each shevet, tribe. It, thus, makes sense that they were individuals not lacking in wisdom, and they…

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ויקרא משה להושע בן נון יהושע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5775

Moshe called Hoshea bin Nun Yehoshua. (13:16)

Rashi explains that Moshe Rabbeinu added the letter yud to Hoshea’s name, thereby transforming it to Yehoshua, so that his name would begin with Yud-Kay, the letters of G-d’s Name. The Hebrew name, Yehoshua, means, “G-d will save.” Moshe was praying that Hashem would spare his primary student, Yehoshua, from falling under the mutinous influence of the spies. Chazal give a number of reasons that Moshe singled out Yehoshua over Calev. Surely, it was not favoritism. Moshe was concerned that Yehoshua’s extreme humility would get the better of him and not permit him to stand up to the meraglim. Alternatively,…

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ויקרא משה להושע בן נון יהושע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5775

Moshe called Hoshea bin Nun, Yehoshua. (13:16)

One needs only to open up the Chumash, peruse the words of commentary found in Chazal, and study our turbulent history, to observe that Eretz Yisrael is not only a special land – it is ours – as bequeathed to us by Hashem. The subject should be closed. Nonetheless, throughout the millennia, there have been those who have taken umbrage with this position, laying claim to the Holy Land for which they have no right. We have suffered and have been persecuted to preserve our legacy of ownership… and, we will persevere, if we remember that Hashem gave us the…

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ואמרו אל יושב הארץ הזאת שמעו כי אתה ד' בקרב העם הזה. ועננך עמד עליהם ובעמוד ענן אתה הלך לפניהם יומם ובעמוד אש לילה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5775

And they will say about the inhabitants of the Land, “They have heard that You, Hashem are in the midst of this people… and that Your cloud stands over them, and that in a pillar of cloud You go before them by day, and in a pillar of fire at night.” (14:14)

The above pasuk underscores Hashem’s overwhelming love for the Jewish People, as perceived by the gentile nations. While it is unquestionably true, their perception of His love is interestingly based on a vision of chesed, kindness, which, albeit impressive, requires elucidation. “You, Hashem, are in the midst of this people”: The nations are impacted by Hashem’s close relationship with us. How do they see this closeness? What unique manifestation of love impacts them most? “That Your cloud stands over them, and that in a pillar of cloud You go before them”: The Ananei HaKavod, Clouds of Glory, protected the Jews…

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כי לא פרש מה יעשה לו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5775

For it had not been clarified what should be done with him. (15:34)

They knew that one who profanes the Shabbos is put to death. They were just unclear as to the nature and procedure of the execution. In an alternative exposition, the commentators state that actually they were well aware of the type of execution which is meted out to a mechallel Shabbos, one who desecrates Shabbos. Nonetheless, they were uncertain as to what to do with the mekoshesh eitzim, the man who gathered wood on Shabbos. Why? It seems that the mekoshesh’s intentions were noble. He wanted the people to realize the seriousness of Shabbos desecration. They should know that one…

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שלח לך אנשים ויתרו את ארץ כנען

Sent forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan. (13:2)

ונהי בעינינו כחגבים וכן היינו בעיניהם

We were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so were we in their eyes. (13:33)

ויאמרו כל העדה לרגום אתם באבנים

But the entire assembly said to pelt them with stones. (14:10)

וישכמו בבקר ויעלו אל ראש ההר לאמר הננו ועלינו אל המקום אשר אמר ד' כי חטאנו

They awoke early in the morning and ascended toward the mountain top saying, “We are ready, and we will ascend to the place of which Hashem has spoken, for we have sinned. (14:40)”

והיה לכם לציצית וראיתם אותו וזכרתם את כל מצוות ד' ועשיתם אותם

It shall constitute Tzitzis for you, that you may see it and remember all the commandments of Hashem and perform them. (15:39)

שלח לך אנשים

Send forth men, if you please. (13:2)

ויקרא משה להושע בן נון יהושע

Moshe called Hoshea bin Nun Yehoshua. (13:16)

ויקרא משה להושע בן נון יהושע

Moshe called Hoshea bin Nun, Yehoshua. (13:16)

ואמרו אל יושב הארץ הזאת שמעו כי אתה ד' בקרב העם הזה. ועננך עמד עליהם ובעמוד ענן אתה הלך לפניהם יומם ובעמוד אש לילה

And they will say about the inhabitants of the Land, “They have heard that You, Hashem are in the midst of this people… and that Your cloud stands over them, and that in a pillar of cloud You go before them by day, and in a pillar of fire at night.” (14:14)

כי לא פרש מה יעשה לו

For it had not been clarified what should be done with him. (15:34)

YEARS

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