Dedicated by Shimmy Jay
Parshas Shelach 5786
Cheit hameraglim, an episode that has provoked endless commentary and caused much ink to be spilled, puzzles the mefarshim who grapple with understanding the exact nature of their transgression. How could these righteous individuals sin so gravely?
Briskers are known for their meticulous analysis and thorough questioning, not accepting anything as fact until it is rigorously examined. The Brisker Rav, the patriarch of this approach, is troubled by a fundamental question regarding what we traditionally understand to be the sin of the meraglim. He asks the following compelling, fundamental question:
UNKNOWN LAND
The backdrop to this week’s parashah is Eretz Yisrael, the promised land. After sojourning in the wilderness for years, b’nei Yisrael finally reached the time to occupy their divinely ordained inheritance. Despite this, they were filled with fear and uncertainty about the unknown land, prompting them to request spies to reconnoiter and report back. Moshe heard their concern and presented the question to Hashem. Hashem responded (Bamidbar 13:2):
שלח לך אנשים ויתרו את ארץ כנען אשר אני נתן לבני ישראל איש אחד איש אחד למטה אבתיו תשלחו כל נשיא בהם.
Send agents to scout the land of Canaan, which I am giving to b’nei Yisrael; send one participant from each of their ancestral tribes, each one a chieftain among them.
Rashi comments: שלח לך. לדעתך – The decision to send spies into Eretz Yisrael was left to Moshe’s discretion. Hashem is not commanding Moshe to send the scouts, but is giving him permission to do so if he wishes.
On the one hand, Hashem’s response to Moshe seemed “pareve,” leaving the decision up to him. As the leader of klal Yisrael, Moshe could decide either way, and Hashem would be okay with it. As we know, spies were indeed sent. Despite the disastrous outcome of the first mission, Moshe himself did not hesitate to send spies again later in Parashas Chukas (Bamidbar 21:32):
וישלח משה לרגל את יעזר וילכדו בנתיה ויירש [ויורש] את האמרי אשר שם.
Then Moshe sent to spy out Yazer, and they captured its dependencies and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.
YEHOSHUA'S SPIES
Similarly, Yehoshua sent spies as well (Yehoshua 2:1). Seemingly, there was nothing wrong with the spy mission. Even after the first infiltration, Moshe and Yehoshua conducted their own operations based on Hashem’s “pareve” answer. Yet, on the other hand, Rashi quotes the Midrash Tanchuma which states:
ומשה נמלך בשכינה, אמר, אמרתי להם שהיא טובה, שנאמר אעלה אתכם מעני מצרים חייהם שאני נותן להם מקום לטעות בדברי מרגלים, למען לא יירשוה.
Moshe consulted with the Shechinah, and Hashem reminded him that He had already told b’nei Yisrael that the land was good, as stated in Shemos 3:17: “I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey.” Hashem then decided to let b’nei Yisrael send the spies, knowing they might be misled by their report. This way, they wouldn’t immediately take possession of the land.
This implies that Hashem was upset about spying out the land, to the point that because of it, klal Yisrael forfeited the opportunity to conquer the land of their inheritance.
So, the Brisker Rav asks: If Hashem gave them the green light to send the spies, could there have been anything inherently wrong with their actions after all? On one hand, they acted within the parameters set by Hashem. Yet, on the other hand, their decision to send spies led to severe consequences, including the forfeiture of their right to enter the promised land. How do we reconcile this apparent contradiction?
The Brisker Rav offers profound insight into the narrative of the meraglim.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN
He explains that Hashem’s original plan was to grant Eretz Yisrael to b’nei Yisrael as a yerushah and a matanah without the need for battle. (This is seen explicitly in the pesukim in Devarim 1:8 and explained by Rashi.) The sending of the meraglim was not merely an innocent introduction to the negative report they brought back. Rather, sending the meraglim was a display of a lack of bitachon. Hashem intended to provide the land miraculously, without the need for conventional conquest. B’nei Yisrael’s request for spies indicated a preference for conventional methods of war over Divine assurance, reflecting a fundamental mistrust in Hashem’s promise.
This shift from faith to hishtadlus was the root of their sin. B’nei Yisrael’s lack of trust in Hashem led them to push away the Divine gift. As a result, they forfeited the opportunity to receive Eretz Yisrael as an unchallenged inheritance, and had to engage in battles and face resistance from the inhabitants of the land.
A thought we all know, yet often struggle to implement, is the idea of כמים הפנים לפנים. Just as water reflects the face looking into it, our relationship with Hashem often mirrors the way we approach Him.
In the context of bitachon, the more we turn to Hashem with trust and confidence in His goodness, the more we become aware of His presence and guidance in our lives. Bitachon does not guarantee an easy path, but it allows us to walk that path knowing we are not walking it alone.
Accordingly, says the Brisker Rav, when Hashem said “שלח לך לדעתך – Send based on your own decision,” Hashem wasn’t advocating for sending spies. Hashem had already promised them that the conquest would be peaceful, without battles – essentially a gift. However, klal Yisrael was filled with fear and doubt. They doubted not only the land and its inhabitants but also their own worthiness to receive such a gift. The Chafetz Chaim explains that after the sin of the חטא העגל, the sin of the golden calf, klal Yisrael felt unworthy. Despite their repentance and Hashem’s forgiveness, they doubted the power of teshuvah and believed they would not receive the land so easily.
PUNISHMENT
Because of their lack of faith, they felt compelled to take matters into their own hands – conquering, fighting wars, and validating for themselves. In doing so, they demonstrated a lack of trust in Hashem’s promise and control over their destiny. Because of this Hashem responded:
If you do not trust Me, if you do not recognize My control and adherence to my word, then I cannot grant you entry.
They had been offered free entry, but their disbelief necessitated a harsh reminder. Thus, they were punished and denied access to their promised land. Because of this, Hashem withdrew Himself from actively guiding them – the most profound, most bitter, darkest punishment.
Consequently, even Moshe and Yehoshua found themselves sending spies later on, as they were left to navigate without Hashem’s direct intervention.
The dispatching of the meraglim marked a significant shift where the Jews felt compelled to exert maximum hishtadlus. As a result, Hashem removed Himself from the driver’s seat, a consequence of their forgetting His sovereignty. This shift was the cause of calamity and death at that time, leading to their denial of entry into the Promised Land and the subsequent destruction of the Beis Hamikdash – consequences which we suffer from profoundly today.
The lesson of the meraglim can be depicted in the following story:
WEDDING WORRIES
Once, there was a man renowned for his unwavering trust in God. He was preparing for his daughter’s wedding, but as the day approached, he faced insurmountable costs he couldn’t cover.
Undeterred, he relied on his deep faith, certain that God would provide. He imagined a scenario where a timely package, delivered by the mailman, would contain exactly the funds needed to rescue him and pay for the wedding. Just days before the event, his anticipation peaked as he sensed the mailman’s arrival with what he believed to be his salvation — a large package bearing his name.
Filled with joy and hope, he couldn’t wait for the mailman to deliver his neighbor’s package, and hastily seized what he thought was his own. To his delight, it turned out to be a box stuffed with cash from his rich uncle for the big day. Pinching himself to ensure it wasn’t a dream, he was ecstatic.
His elation, however, was short-lived as sirens suddenly pierced the air. The arrival of the police shattered his dreams. Stealing mail is a federal crime, and besides losing the money, he ended up behind bars, missing his daughter’s wedding and failing to pay for it.
This story teaches us that while we trust in God’s plan, we must avoid manipulating situations or acting rashly. True faith requires patience and acceptance of Divine timing, refraining from forcing outcomes or taking matters into our own hands. Just as the spies doubted God’s promise of the Promised Land and faced enduring consequences felt even today, we too must trust in God’s plan. Otherwise, rachmana litzlan, there may be heavy price tags to pay.
Through prayer, belief, and patient reliance on His guidance and provision, we can rest assured that He will take care of us and our needs, as each Yid is loved and tended to like an only child.
Hashem knows our needs, what’s best for us, and the perfect timing and manner in which to provide for them. When we wholeheartedly place our hope and faith in Him, He will care for us, guide our paths, and fulfill our needs in the best possible way. Let us learn from the mistakes of our ancestors and the chet hameraglim, allowing Hashem to direct our lives as our guiding light and embracing His endless and unwavering goodness, however and whenever He decides to bestow it upon us.•
