Divrei Torah Parshas Shlach L'Cha
Torah Table of Contents
Be Careful With What You Wish, the Modzitzer Rebbe Shlita, in Alei Deshe The First Jewish Trade Delegation to Eretz Yisrael, The Divrei Yisrael Walking a Country Mile, the Torah Way, The Imrei Shaul The REAL Source of Milk and Honey, The Imrei Aish A Dvar torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l
based on a ma'amar of the Modzitzer Rebbe Shlita, in Alei Deshe, Parshas Shlach
"I will smite them with a plague, and I will make you into a great nation" [Bamidbar, 14:12]
There was a previous occasion when G-d told Moshe Rabbeinu that he would destroy the Jewish nation and start a new one from him. This was during the Ma'aseh HaEgel, when the Golden Calf was made. At that time, Moshe Rabbeinu told G-d, "if a three-legged stool [the Jewish nation, who are the descendants of the three founding fathers - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob] will not survive your anger, certainly a one-legged stool [the new nation to come from Moshe Rabbeinu] will not!" Why didn't Moshe use this same defense for the Jewish Nation during the Chet HaMeraglim - the sin of the Spies?
It is possible to see a difference in circumstances between the two stories. In the case of the Meraglim, G-d told Moshe Rabbeinu that he would start a new Jewish Nation from him because the Jews had specifically stated that they weren't interested in going to Eretz Yisrael [the Land promised to the three forefathers]. The Jews said that they would prefer to die in the desert, rather than to go to Eretz Yisrael. Thus G-d was ready to fulfill their wish.
But by the Ma'aseh HaEgel, G-d was going to punish the Jewish Nation by destroying them
[which was not according to their wish]. Thus, Moshe Rabbeinu's use of this defense was
appropriate.
Translated by Reb Yehuda Nathan of Brooklyn, a Modzitzer Chasid
Based on the Divrei Yisrael, as found in Alei Deshe, Parshas Sh'lach
"VaYishlach Osam Moshe LaTur Es Eretz Canaan, VaYomer Lahem, 'Alu Zeh BaNegev, V'Alisem Es HaHar' - And Moshe sent them to scout the land of Canaan, and he told them, 'Enter up into the land from the Negev (south), and climb up the mountain." (BaMidbar 13:3)
Most of the classical commentaries view the "spies" negatively, as men of stature who started out with the "best that was in them", but ended up falling into despair, turning the minds and hearts of the Jewish people away from following Moshe Rabbeinu and Hashem in terms of entering into Eretz Yisrael. The Divrei Yisrael seeks to identify that early kernel of weakness, so we can learn a lesson from it.
The Divrei Yisrael quotes Rashi on our pasuk - "For its the way of traders (tagarim) to show first the lower quality wares first, and then to show the finer ones". He then asks why does Rashi refer specifically to "traders", why not call them businessmen (socharim)?
The answer provides the insight that the Divrei Yisrael wishes to point out. The name socharim-businessmen relates to a loftier caliber of person, since the same terminology is used to refer to the Torah, which is also called s'chora-business merchandise, as in the pasuk "ki tov sachra - it's (the Torah is) good merchandise" (Mishlei, 31:18). Conversely, the name tagar-trader relates to a much lower class of person. The basic term "tagar" has the same root as the phrase koreh tagar to be a (constant) complainer.
When the Mishna in Avos states Yafeh Talmud Torah Im Derech Eretz (the study of Torah goes well with earning a livelihood), we must keep in mind that the loftier part is the Torah, of course. Derech Eretz is secondary to the Torah, not vice-versa. But the way a working person relates to Torah and Derech Eretz reveals whether he is thinking/acting like a businessman or a trader. If one deals with his worldly/business affairs in a Torah-faithful manner, like a Torah "businessman", then he will keep the issues of primary importance primary and those that are secondary, secondary. When he arises in the morning, he will daven and learn first, and then attend to his business affairs. But the lowly trader starts his day off with his business affairs, the secondary issues in life, and leaves the ones of primary importance - Torah and Tefilla, to the end of the day, when he's worn out and too tired to invest any effort or thought into it.
This weakness of the meraglim (the spies), whom Rashi compares to tagarim-traders, therefore seems to be the kernel of what led them off. Instead of being a proper business team, out to do serious "work" of primary importance, they became a "trade delegation", focusing on the secondary matters. We can all learn a lesson from their actions.
We can all learn a lesson from their actions.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid
Based on the Imrei Shaul, Parshas Shlach.
"V'hischazaktem U'lekachtem Mipri Haaretz... Be courageous, and take from the Fruit of the Land"... Bamidbar 13:20
The Imrei Shaul, who was known for his intense love for Eretz Yisrael, is intrigued by the phraseology of this pasuk. Its almost as if he is asking, What kind of courage is needed to take the fruit? Surely, this word "V'hischazaktem" must refer to something other than courage.
The Imrei Shaul finds some direction in the targum/translation of Yonasan Ben Uziel. V'hischazaktem - rather
than relating it to courage or strength, he translates it to mean - "make a kinyan chazaka on the Land.
(Note: Chazaka is one of three halachic methods of acquiring land by demonstrating possession of it.
Examples are: locking it up, putting up or taking down a fence, and walking around the property.)
But now we ask - why?
As mentioned, there are 3 methods to acquire land: by monetary payment, by deed, and by the chazaka process mentioned above. To make Eretz Yisrael inalienably become the property of Clal Yisrael, it would be most appropriate that all three of these methods be accomplished, and that is exactly what the Imrei Shaul shows us.
Our Forefathers carried out the financial acquisition. Avraham Avinu purchased with money, when he bought Me'aras Hamachpela (the Cave of Machpela) to be the gravesite for his wife, Sarah Imeinu. Yaakov Avinu bought the city/area of Shechem.
As a national entity, we carried out the documentary acquisition - with the Torah being the deed that gives us ownership. The Imrei Shaul points out that from here, we see that Eretz Yisrael is designated specifically for learning Torah.
However, the chazaka process was still lacking, and this was the unique mission that the Meraglim (Spies) could have carried out. Moshe Rabbeinu commands them to go out, and according to the Targum Yonasan Ben Uziel, to make a kinyan chazaka to culminate the process.
The Imrei Shaul then shares with us an astounding Gematriya - the sum of the introductory words of our Parsha "Sh'lach Lecho Anoshim" is exactly the same as the three words "kesef, shtar, chazaka" - 789. This is the real reason that Moshe Rabbeinu sent the Meraglim (Spies) into Eretz Yisrael - to finish this three-tiered acquisition process.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid
based on a ma'amar of the Imrei Aish in sefer "Ashei Yisrael", Parshas Shlach
And they (the spies) told him (Moshe): "We came to the land to which you sent us, and it is also flowing with milk and honey.." (Bamidbar, 13:27)
(Calev and Yehoshua): "If Hashem desires (is satisfied with) us, and brings us to this land, and gives it to us - a land which is flowing with milk and honey." ( Bamidbar, 14:8)
The Imrei Aish asks, what did the spies intend when they described the land (of Israel) as "flowing with milk and honey"? Why did they use the word "also" (gam)? And what is the meaning of Calev and Yehoshua's response, "a land which is flowing.."?
There is a verse in Devarim (11:12) which describes Eretz Yisrael as, "A land which Hashem your G-d looks after.." Rashi asks, "Doesn't He look after all the lands, as it says (Iyov, 38:26), 'To cause it to rain on a land where no man is'? However, it's as if He only looks after it, and by looking after it, He looks after all the (other) lands with it."
This means, says the Imrei Aish, that all the shefa (Divine influence, blessing, and livelihood) comes first to Eretz Yisrael, and from there it goes to the other lands. Egypt is also described as a land "flowing with milk and honey," as stated in Parshas Korach (Bamidbar, 16:13). The truth is, though, that Egypt receives this bounty from Eretz Yisrael.
The spies wanted to turn this truism upside down. That's why they said that Eretz Yisrael is " also flowing with milk and honey". This implied that there was another land which was the source of this blessing, and Eretz Yisrael receives its blessing from that place ("also" implies "secondary") - Egypt.
That's why Calev and Yehoshua answered them, "a land which is flowing with milk and honey." It is not a secondary source, but rather Eretz Yisrael is THE source for the flow of milk and honey in the entire world.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (Dvorim, 10:13)
A Dvar torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, grandson of Harav Shaul the Second Rebbe
"K'Chagavim V'Chen Hayeenu B'Enayhem"(Perek 13:33). When the Meraglim returned from Eretz Yisrael, they reported to Moshe and the rest of Klal Yisrael on what they saw. As we know 10 out of the 12 had nothing good to say about the land. They said that they were as grasshoppers in the eyes of the residence of the land.
The Baal HaTurim brings down a Medrash that says that they saw a giant eating a rimon, pomegranate, and then throwing away the shell. The Meraglim were able to crawl inside the shell and use it as protection from the shade.
The Gemara in Chagiga (Daf 15:B) relates that one of the beautiful things about Rav Meir was "rimon matza", he found a pomegranate, "tocho achal", he ate the inside, "v'kleepaso zarak", and threw away the peel. What does this mean? It means that Rav Meir never concentrated on the simple outside of anything, he always concentrated on the deeper meaning of things. (Both the Divrei Yisrael pg. 134 and the Imrei Shaul Daf Kof Ayin Ches Siman Yud Tes go into this subject in more detail)
This is just the opposite of the Meraglim. They sat in the shell - their concentration was on the appearance of
Eretz Yisrael and that is why they were nechsal - that is why they sinned.
Submitted by Chumi Friedman, daughter of Reb Motti Rosen z"l
