Inspirational Moment

Our sages teach us that throughout life man is presented with challenges which are actually an impetus for spiritual growth, to spur us on to greater faith and to deeper depth of character and soul. Nisyonos are also a powerful vehicle for Kiddush Hashem. We learn in Tehillim (60:60)

Our sages teach us that throughout life man is presented with challenges which are actually an impetus for spiritual growth, to spur us on to greater faith and to deeper depth of character and soul. Nisyonos are also a powerful vehicle for Kiddush Hashem. We learn in Tehillim (60:60) : “Nosato l’re’acho nes l’hisnosses – You have given a banner to those who fear You that it may be displayed” . The Hebrew word nes can also mean tests, for when a person passes a nisayon, he proudly carries the banner of Hashem.

When Moshe Rabbeinu sent the meraglim, spies, to explore Eretz Yisroel, he did so upon the command of Hashem and with His consent. Rashi tells us that the individuals who were sent were Nesi’im, the elite and preeminent people among the nation. Moreover, the nation itself – Am Yisroel – were a select group who had been privileged to experience Krias Yam Suf. They witnessed Ma’amad Har Sinai and aspired to greatness. The pasuk affirms (Shemos 24:11) that they were like nevi’im, for they “gazed at Hashem.”

The question then presents itself: If the Nesi’im were on such an elevated madreigoh how could they possibly have erred and spoken unfavorably of Eretz Yisroel?

Maran HaRav Shach points to Mesilas Yesharim, written by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, where it says that the meraglim realized that their position as Nesi’im would become redundant once Bnai Yisroel entered the Land and they would spontaneously become even more spiritually elevated, immersed as it were in the holy atmosphere of Eretz Yisroel. This awareness created a personal conflict in their desire to enter Eretz Yisroel. Yet, is it possible that they allowed their bias -- their reluctance to relinquish their position – to bring about such disastrous results for an entire nation?

At first glance it would appear so. Albeit there was no ill intent here, we cannot say that they transgressed unknowingly. How did they fall short?

The Nesi’im felt that since Hashem Yisborach gave His permission for this mission and He allowed Moshe to send meraglim, their charge was to clarify whether they should attempt to capture the Land or not. They perceived it as an option that had two alternatives – either they would enter into Eretz Yisroel or they would not enter Eretz Yisroel. They didn’t analyze the objective of their mission any further than that.

Therefore, when the meraglim gave their opinion that the land was not good, they had no intention of contradicting Hashem. Rather, despite the fact that they knew that Hashem had promised that they would go into Eretz Yisroel, their subjectivity prevented them from heeding Hashem’s word. That is, in fact, the explanation of (Shemos 23:8)the bribe blinds those who see.” Deficient in their objectivity, they could not grasp the significance of Eretz Yisroel, nor could they comprehend the enormity of the travails that Bnai Yisroel would endure in the Midbar.

Rav Shach compares this nisayon to that of Avraham Avinu. Avraham Avinu had been promised by Hashem (Bereishis 21:12) that his offspring would derive from Yitzchok, and then Hashem instructed him to shecht Yitzchak. He could have looked for a way out. The medrash tells us that the Soton argued with Avraham to consider a possibility that would eliminate the need to slaughter Yitzchak.
The challenge was not whether they would fulfill Hashem’s directive; the test was whether they would look for some latitude, an excuse that would preclude their need to execute the Hashem’s commandment.

There is discussion in Talmud (Bava Metzia 59b) whether a certain oven is susceptible to tumah. R’ Eliezer says it was not susceptible to tumah, but the chachamim had an opposing opinion.

The braysa relates that on the day they took the vote R’ Eliezer tried to convince the chachamim of his opinion but they wouldn’t accept his argument.

He called upon the carob tree to prove that he was right, and the carob tree uprooted itself and moved 100 amos. The chachamim, however, refused to acknowledge its corroboration.

R’ Eliezer then called upon the stream of water, and the water in the stream started flowing in the opposite direction.
The chachamim did not acknowledge its corroboration either.

Then R’ Eliezer called upon the walls of the bais medrash, which began to tilt like they were going to fall. R’ Yehoshua rebuked the walls for interfering, and the walls did not collapse, but they did not straighten up either.

Finally R’ Eliezer called upon the heavens to defend his opinion, and a bas kol came out and said, “How can you argue with R’ Eliezer? The halacha is like him in every case.”

R’ Yehoshua, however, claimed that the Torah is not in the Heavens. The statute of the law is that the majority rules, and a bas kol cannot declare the decree.

Rabbeinu Nissim Gaon explains that this too was a trial, to test whether the chachamim would listen to a bas kol rather than adhering to the age-old tradition of following the Torah.