Parashat Sh'lach

THOUGHTS FOR PARASHAS SH'LACH 5755
(by Rav Moshe Friedman, Executive Vice-President of Ner Yisroel Yeshiva of Toronto)

Send for yourself men that should tour Eretz C'na'an which I am giving to B'nei Yisroel. (13:2)

Reish Lakish said: "Send men according to your understanding." "As for Me, I do not command you. But since B'nei Yisroel asked you to send, as it says (D'vorim 1:22) "All of you approached me"; I will not withhold it from you." (Talmud Tractate Sotah 34b, Midrash Tanchumo)

The events surrounding the episode dealing with the leaders of Klal Yisroel sent to spy on the Promised Land is one of the most intriguing and complex subjects in the entire Tanach. It is quite evident from the outset that this excursion to visit Israel did not originate with the leadership but rather from the masses. (In today's modern secular society as soon as politicians or directors are voted into office they begin organizing luxury tours and extravagant conventions in far off places at the expense of their constituents. These G'dolei Yisroel were not looking for free trips at their tribes' expense.) Moshe Rabbeinu conveyed the people's concerns and Hashem left it up to Moshe to do as he deemed fit. There are a number of glaring problems that confront us. Firstly, how could these great and holy leaders agree to go on a fact finding mission when Hashem openly declared that Eretz Yisroel was good? Secondly, why would Hashem who knew that the heads of the tribes would bring back a bad report and speak evil words, allow Moshe to arrange this trip that has had lasting effects throughout the millenia and has caused "weeping for all generations"? What is even more perplexing is that Moshe himself must have had insights as to the outcome of this mission since he felt it necessary to bless Yehoshua so that he not be influenced by the others. We may further ask, if Moshe indeed harbored such concerns, why did he not give a b'rocho to all the participants? Was he rationed in his dispensation of b'rochos?

The Tiferes Shlomo zt"l, discussing another point in this parasha says that it is quite clear to the learned that any time when a mitzva is to be performed it is dependant upon man's free will. Therefore, it is not possible to offer t'fila, for the option to fulfill the mitzva is the responsibility of the individual and he must therefore, on his own merits, choose the outcome. If t'fila in this regard would help, it would counteract the power of free will and choice.

Targum Yonasan ben Uziel on the verse "and Moshe called Hosheia bin Nun, Y'hoshua" states "Moshe, realizing the humility of Yehoshua added a 'yud' to his name and thus blessed him 'Hashem should spare you from the advice of the spies'. The Shem Mishmuel zt"l says in the name of his father, the Avnei Nezer zt"l, that Moshe detected in Yehoshua's humble nature, that he would succumb to the pressures of the other leaders. Says the Tiferes Shlomo, with the act of Moshe changing his name, he took away Yehoshua's power of choice. With this insight we can appreciate why Moshe was not afraid for the others. He reasoned that this was part of their Avodas Hashem as they were strong individuals and therefore empowered to use their free will. Yehoshua, on the other hand, would surely falter in the presence of such great and pious men. Moshe therefore, found it necessary to remove his free choice should the leaders fail in their test which they subsequently did.

The Talmud says (1) that when one appoints an agent to separate t'ruma, the agent must do it according to the intentions of the sender. Perhaps this is what Hashem was alluding to with the words "according to your understanding". The intentions of B'nei Yisroel were not pure and were fraught with skepticism. Hashem instructed Moshe to send them with his thoughts which are noble and holy. The fact that Hashem knew the sad outcome had absolutely nothing to do with Moshe Rabbeinu, for this falls into the realm of His knowing and our free choice, which is never in conflict. This may be what Hashem instructed Moshe, "Send them according to your knowlege, for you as well as they have free choice, be it that I already know the end result."

"Send" usually denotes a direct command. How did Hashem convey to Moshe Rabbeinu that this "send" is different? Furthermore, "for yourself" invariably connotes personal gain and pleasure. (2) How did Moshe ascertain that "for yourself" in this instance meant something else?

The notes that accompany the words in the Torah were also given at Sinai. These notes have more purpose than for the ba'al koreh to please the congregation with his chanting. The words in Torah consist of: cantillation notes, vowels, crowns, and letters. The Talmud states that Rebbi Akiva understood the crowns that appear on certain letters and deduced from them mountains of laws. A higher degree of Torah knowledge is incorporated in the vowels. The highest level of Torah is hidden in the cantillation notes which many call the "trop". The great Chassidic master, Rebbi Mordechai of Neshchez zt"l, in his sefer Rishpei Eish, says the cantillation notes are called "reasons of Torah" meaning reasons, to teach us that through the cantillation notes we can derive the intent of what Hashem wants. Perhaps Moshe Rabbeinu was able to unravel the mystery of "send" by analyzing the cantillation notes. "Send" in this instance has no cantillation note. We may conclude that since there is no intonation accompanying "send", Moshe understood that there is no directive from Hashem in this matter. He further noticed that under the word "for yourself" there is a note called "Munach" meaning "placed". Moshe Rabbeinu took this to mean that Hashem placed this decision entirely in his hands.

Footnotes

(1) Talmud Tractate Bovo M'tzio 22a.
(2) See Zohar HaKadosh "Sh'lach L'cho", and see Rabbeinu Bachya.