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Shelach L'cha (Send forth)
20 June 2009
Numbers 13:1-15:41
Joshua 2:1-24
Heb.3:7-19
Bamidbar (Numbers) 13:1ff
HaShem spoke to Moses saying, “Send forth men, that they
may spy out the land of Canaan, that I gave to the children of Israel; one
man each from his father’s tribe shall you send, everyone a leader among
them.” Moses sent them forth from the Wilderness of Paran at the command
of HaShem. They were all distinguished men; leaders of the children of
Israel.
The children of Israel were awaiting G-d’s word in order to
enter the Land. At that very last moment of time at their appointed time
of triumph; as the divine plan was to bring us directly from Sinai into
the Land, tragedy is about to strike.
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is more deceitful than all else and is
deceptively sick. Moses commanded the twelve to spy out the Land in order
to confirm to the people what G-d had revealed. The land is flowing with
milk and honey. Ten of the twelve returned to give a bad report. Some
translations call it an evil report.
Moses had asked them to look for the following:
1. Did the land indeed flow with milk and honey?
2. Were the cities there fortified?
3. How were the inhabitants?
These were the main things the spies were to look for.
They found that the land was brimming with milk and honey. They even
brought back the cluster of grapes, which they carried on a pole; also
pomegranates and figs were abundant (Num.13:23-24). Instead of reporting
that the inhabitants were in fear of the Israelites and hiding behind high
walls, the report of ten of the returning spies was turned around in a way
that implied that the walls were too big to conquer. Furthermore, the
size and abundance of fruits was interpreted in such a way as to indicate
that the people were giants and the Israelites were like grasshoppers in
comparison, certainly too weak to conquer such a superior people. The ten
caused great fear among the Israelites by stating that the Land is one
that devours its inhabitants (Numbers 13:27-28).
The people believed the bad report, lies and exaggerations
of the ten spies, having itchy ears for falsehood (2 Timothy 4:3). These
people listened to a lie instead of trusting G-d, even after all the
miracles they had seen since leaving Egypt.
(Number 15:1) G-d states, “When you will come to the Land
of your dwelling places that I give you …” This implies that the giving of
the Promised Land is a done deal, as far as G-d is concerned.
When G-d tells them to go forward, they want to run in fear
back to Egypt. Only when He says that He will punish them with forty
years of wanderings in the desert for their disobedience and rebellion do
they suddenly find courage and prepare to go forward.
Unless the L-rd builds the house, it will surely fall. We
must trust in G-d. When He says to move forward however, the promise He
has for us is ahead, we must move ahead.
Shavua Tov
Rabbi Z.
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