Overview
of the Weekly Reading
To be read on Shabbat Shelach -19 Sivan 5776 /June
25
Torah: Numbers 13:1-15:41; Haftorah: Joshua 2:1-24
(the two spies sent to Jericho)
Pirkei Avot:
Chapter 2
Shelach is the 4th Reading out of 10 in
Numbers and it contains 5820 letters, in 1540 words,
in 119 verses
Overview: Shelach
begins by relating how Moshe sent the 12 spies to explore the
Promised Land. Ten of the spies subsequently gave an evil report
which influenced a majority of the people. Because of the Jews’
apparent disbelief in G-d’s ability to conquer the Land, the adult
men of that generation were decreed to perish in the desert during
the next 38 years (see the Book of our Heritage for a detailed
account). Despite the decree, a group of Jews defiantly attempted
to enter the Holy Land but were defeated by Amalekites and Canaanites.
The next section describes the details of meal and dough offerings,
and communal and individual sin offerings for committing idolatry
inadvertently. Next is the story of a man caught gathering sticks
in violation of Shabbos and his death as consequence. The Reading
concludes with the mitzva to separate challah from dough, to wear
fringes (tzitzis) with a special strand of blue on four cornered
garments and not to be drawn after your heart and eyes.
An
essay from Rabbi
Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
One of the Torah’s most dramatic episodes is
found in this week’s Torah portion: the story of the twelve
spies and their evil report on the Land of Israel:“They
are a mighty nation that dwells in the Land, and the cities are
heavily fortified”. (Num. 13:28)
There were two spies who opposed the other ten and spoke in defense
of Israel and G d. One of them, Caleb, responded that the Jews
would indeed be able to conquer the Land. Rashi states that Caleb
began to list many of G d’s miraculous deeds for the Jews—all
to demonstrate that nothing can hinder G d’s will.
The ten spies continued their attack: “We will not be
able to conquer the people, because they are stronger than us
[in Hebrew, mimenu]”. (Num. 13:31) The Levush
explains that the word mimenu can also be pronounced “mimeno,”
meaning, “than Him” — referring to G d. These spies
implied that G d would be unable to conquer the Land of Israel.
This claim seems surprising, considering that all the Jews had
witnessed G d’s miraculous victories over the Egyptians—and
yet they were persuaded by the spies!
What did these spies say to cause such doubt in G d’s abilities?
They spoke of having seen the nefilim in Israel (Num. 13:33).
Who were the nefilim that they instilled such panic?
“Nefilim” comes from the Hebrew word nafal,
“to fall.” These nefilim were originally angels who
“fell” from Heaven to dwell among humans at the time
of Enoch, 235 years after the creation of the world. They were
extremely powerful angels who came to the physical world in that
corrupt era before the Flood to prove that temptation and evil
could be resisted. Unfortunately, they fell further into spiritual
corruption than their mortal neighbors, and eventually led rebellions
against G d. The Jews understood that physical barriers were no
obstacles for G d. However, these spiritually charged nefilim
seemed to pose a real threat.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains the inner reason for these spies
opposing the entry into Israel. The desert represented a spiritually
oriented lifestyle; the Land of Israel denoted physical reality.
The spies were the leaders of the Jews, and were concerned for
the people’s spiritual welfare. They saw how very lofty angels,
the nefilim, had tried and failed to overcome the potent
lure of materialism. These pure beings “fell” from spiritual
heights to the basest depths. A fortiori, the assumption
was that if angels couldn’t make it, how much more so we
humans would not be able to pass the test, standing up against
the odds of a physical existence in Israel.
In Israel the Jews would be compelled to work the land, engage
in business, cook, sew, do laundry, etc.—time-consuming mundane
tasks they did not perform in the desert. The spies saw the desert
as ideal for spiritual pursuit. Entering Israel and tending to
physical matters could be of spiritual harm and a temptation to
the Jews—so, if possible, better to avoid it completely.
(Ultimately, the Jews were punished for believing the spies.
It was decreed that they all wander—and the men perish—in
the desert for the next forty years.)
Joshua and Caleb recognized the mistake of the other spies and
answered, “...Do not fear the nation of the Land”.
(Num. 14:9) We are more capable than the angels. G d has placed
a G dly soul within each Jew, thereby giving us the ability not
only to withstand the temptation of physicality but also to instill
the world with spirituality. This is what Joshua and Caleb knew:
that every Jew is not only strong enough to overcome the lowest
physical elements, but can even transform them to vessels for
serving G d.
May each and every one of us succeed in making the factors of
our life—including the smallest details—vehicles for
holiness, and may this lead to the immediate redemption.
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on
this week's Reading, see the archive.
FROM
THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org
Specifically,
for an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary
Kabbalists, and more,
click to Shelach
one sample:
Mystical Classics
By
the Sweat of Your Brow
From Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
"Man does not live by bread alone, rather on all that emanates
from the mouth of G-d."
The Ari explains that the intake of food enables the soul to
remain attached to the body, although the soul, by definition,
does not need to eat for food is something both physical as well
as spiritual. The soul can benefit from those spiritual ingredients
in food, just as the body derives strength from the foods' nutrients.
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