Rabbi Meir Ronen is a former Avrech in Chicago (1998-1999), today Principal of the Middle School at Yeshivat Bnei Akiva Netanya
In our parasha, we encounter one of the greatest tragedies of the desert generation - the Sin of the Spies. An entire nation, which saw open miracles in Egypt and at the Sea, stands at the gateway to the Promised Land and refuses to enter. When we look at the spies' report, we discover something puzzling. The spies did not lie completely; they described an existing reality: "The people who inhabit the land are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large." If so, why was this considered such a severe sin, causing weeping for generations and a delay of forty years in the desert?
The answer lies in the perspective. The sin of the spies was not in the factual report, but in the conclusion they drew from it: "We cannot attack that people, for it is stronger than we." The spies looked at reality through flesh-and-blood eyes alone, completely disconnected from the Divine promise. They conducted standard military and strategic calculations, and forgot that the battles of the People of Israel are not won through physical strength alone, but primarily through the power of faith and Divine guidance. When a person views the world through material glasses only, he is immediately struck by fear and sees himself as a "grasshopper" against giants.
Opposing them stood Joshua bin Nun and Caleb ben Jephuneh. They did not ignore the difficulties, but they chose to look at the land and the future through the eyes of faith. In their resolute call, "We should by all means go up, and we shall gain possession of it, for we can surely overcome it," they expressed the deep understanding that Hashem stands behind us, and they also expressed optimism: "And they spoke to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, saying: 'The land through which we passed to scout it-the land is very, very good...'" The key to victory and inheriting the land does not depend on the strength of the fortified cities, but on the measure of our devotion and faith in Hashem and His promises.
A direct connection to this principle is found at the end of the parasha, in the mitzvah of Tzitzit. The Torah commands us to place a thread of blue (techelet) on the garment, and explains the purpose of the mitzvah: "That you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of Hashem... and that you do not follow after your own heart and your own eyes." The Torah uses the same root here as the mission of the spies - "Latur" (to scout/follow). The spies scouted the land and followed their physical eyesight, which led them to erroneous conclusions and despair. The mitzvah of Tzitzit comes to correct exactly this failure. The sight of the Tzitzit, which reminds one of the sea, the sky, and the Throne of Glory, is intended to uplift a person's gaze. It teaches us not to be enslaved to what the natural eyes see, but to connect every material sight to its spiritual and Divine source.
In our day as well, we often stand before complex challenges - both on a national and personal level. Enemies from within and without try to frighten us, and voices of despair may be heard. The great lesson from Parashat Shelach and from the words of Joshua and Caleb is that we must not fall into the spirit of the "spies." We must always remember that "the land is very, very good," and its protection and inheritance depend on our firm faith in the justice of our path and our reliance on the Almighty.
When we learn to look at reality through the lenses of Torah and mitzvot, and with absolute trust in the Rock of Israel, we will know that "we can surely overcome it" and we will merit to see His salvation and His protection over us against all those who seek our harm.
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