Shelach – Page 6 – Peninim on the Torah

“Calev silenced the people toward Moshe.” (13:30)

Calev sought to attract the people’s attention, in order to listen to what they were saying against Moshe: “Is it this alone that the son of Amram has done to us?” Calev gave the inaccurate impression that he would now disparage Moshe (here it was a matter of pikuach nefesh of Klal Yisrael). They were wrong. He only wanted their attention, so that he could reveal the wonderful things that Moshe had done for them. Is one permitted to resort to subterfuge, to give the impression that he is not very observant, only to clarify the matter shortly thereafter? The…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5772

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

What did the spies want to prove when they said, “And so were we in their eyes”? The Kotzker Rebbe, z.l., said that this comprises, in effect, a major aspect of their sin. The fact that the spies felt small in their own eyes is something we can accept. They saw these giant men, and they felt overwhelmed by them; they felt small compared to them. While a Jew who has faith in Hashem should not have feelings of inadequacy, it is understandable that some of us have a difficult time dealing with pressure. What the Canaanites thought, however, also…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5772

“And the people wept that night.” (14:1)

Klal Yisrael believed the spies’ malignant report of what they saw in Eretz Yisrael. They responded to the report in a manner unbecoming a noble people, a nation that had stood at Har Sinai and was privy to an unprecedented Revelation of the Almighty. What was their response? They cried – and cried. They withdrew to their tents and lamented the terrible “fate” that was awaiting them. They lived through a night of ceaseless weeping, a night of unwarranted weeping. Hashem also responded. The Talmud in Taanis 28a states that Hashem said to Klal Yisrael, “You wept without reason; I will…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5772

“And it will be in front of the eyes of the assembly.” (15:24)

The Torah refers to leadership, the Sanhedrin, as the einei ha’eidah, the eyes of the assembly. Their ability to see far beyond that of the common person; their penetrating insight; their global perspective; their clear vision and comprehension of a situation makes this nom de guerre highly appropriate. Their vision and perception is honed and refined by their constant immersion in the sea of Torah. The eyes that never leave the Gemora are capable of seeing beyond the limits imposed by nature. Horav Yitzchak Zilberstein, Shlita, relates that Horav Isser Zalmen Meltzer, z.l., was able to look at a vessel…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5772

“Bnei Yisrael were in the wilderness and they found a man gathering wood.” (15:32)

In directing the spies where to investigate the land, Moshe Rabbeinu instructs them to confirm whether “there are trees in it or not.” Rashi defines the word tree as a reference to an adam kasher, a decent, righteous man who would protect Canaan’s inhabitants through his merit. Eitz, tree, is an allusion to a pious, upright man in whose merit a community, or an individual is sustained. In order to receive the merit of the tzaddik, however, one must be machshiv, recognize, value and appreciate the tzaddik. If he “knocks” every Torah scholar; if he determines who is a scholar…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5771

And how is the land in which it dwells – is it good or is it bad? (13:19)

Prior to their departure for their ill-fated trip to reconnoiter Eretz Yisrael, Moshe Rabbeinu gave the spies a“shopping list” of things they should investigate. One of the questions for which Moshe sought an answer was: Is it a good land or not? It is almost impossible to read this pasuk without wondering how our quintessential leader could ask such a question. If Hashem had promised that He was taking us into eretz tovah u’rechavah, “a land that is good and spacious” (Shemos 3:8), then what need is there to investigate? Did anyone doubt Hashem’s word? The mere fact that Hashem declared…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5771

Calev silenced the people toward Moshe. (13:30)

How did Calev get the attention of the people? How was he able to halt the rebellion momentarily, so that he could get a word in edgewise? Rashi explains that Calev intimated that he, too, was about to disparage Moshe. How did he indicate this? The Sifsei Chachamim quotes the Mizrachi that when Calev referred to Moshe Rabbeinu as ben Amram, the son of Amram, the people thought that he was on their side. After all, he had referred to Moshe by something other than his given name. This constituted disrespect. Obviously, he did not esteem Moshe as a leader….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5771

In this wilderness shall your carcasses drop. (14:29)

During their forty-year trek through the Wilderness, Klal Yisrael breached their relationship with Hashem, as they committed a number of transgressions. Yet, the Almighty punished the actual perpetrator(s) and forgave the rest of the populace. These were not simple sins. The chet ha’eigel, sin of the Golden Calf, was no simple transgression. Shortly after they left Egypt, Klal Yisrael committed a sin of grave proportions, as they turned their backs on Hashem, Who had done so much for them. They were scared; their leader, Moshe Rabbeinu, was late in descending the mountain, so they sinned. This was no excuse. Yet,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5771

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

What is it about the mitzvah of Tzitzis that the Torah – more so than for any other mitzvah – emphasizes that will engender the remembrance of all of the other mitzvos? The commentators render explanations, ranging from the simple p’shat, to the homiletic and even to the esoteric. Perhaps, we might suggest the following: Tzitzis, unlike any other mitzvah, also comprises the Jew’s uniform. A Tallis katan (Tzitzis) is worn all day. The Tallis gadol is worn during davening, and some righteous Jews even sit in their Tallis and Tefillin throughout the day. In any event, the Tallis is the Jew’s…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Shelach, 5770

“Moshe sent them to spy out the land of Canaan.” (13:17)

Yehoshua also sent spies to spy out the land prior to conquering it. He had no problem with his spies. In contrast, when Moshe Rabbeinu, his rebbe, sent twelve distinguished leaders of the Jewish nation, a terrible calamity resulted. The impact of this calamity affected the entire Jewish nation. Wherein lay the difference between the two groups of spies? Perhaps the difference is in the numbers. Doleh U’mashkeh cites the pasuk in Devarim (1:22): “Vatikrevun eilai kulchem”, “And you all came close to me,” when the people requested spies. Yehoshua sent two representatives of the people, whom he felt were…

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“Calev silenced the people toward Moshe.” (13:30)

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

“And the people wept that night.” (14:1)

“And it will be in front of the eyes of the assembly.” (15:24)

“Bnei Yisrael were in the wilderness and they found a man gathering wood.” (15:32)

And how is the land in which it dwells – is it good or is it bad? (13:19)

Calev silenced the people toward Moshe. (13:30)

In this wilderness shall your carcasses drop. (14:29)

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

“Moshe sent them to spy out the land of Canaan.” (13:17)

YEARS

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