"A very, very good land"(Numbers 14:7) Sivan 22, 5784/June 28, 2024 The sudden descent into an abyss of spiritual despair and nihilistic negativity of which we were witness to in reading last week's Torah selection, Beha'alotcha, continues unabated in this week's Torah reading, Shelach. "Shelach lecha - Send out for yourself men who will scout the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel. You shall send one man each for his father's tribe; each one shall be a chieftain in their midst." (Numbers 13:2) It is unclear whether HaShem was presenting a commandment or simply granting approval to an idea that arose from within the Israelite encampment, but clearly it seemed like a reasonable proposition. The nation was preparing to enter into and conquer the land that G-d had promised them, so why not first have a look at what awaits them? The fact that G-d has promised them the land of Canaan for an eternal inheritance, and has made it abundantly clear that taking Israel out of Egypt and bringing them to Sinai where they received Torah was all for the purpose of fulfilling His promise, conducting proper reconnaissance would appear to be the responsible thing to do in advance of entering the land. After all, the Torah which Israel agreed to at Sinai was a covenant in which Israel became an active partner in achieving HaShem's plans for humanity. Without personal and national responsibility there is no covenant. Nevertheless, the spy mission proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Parashat Shelach presents us with many clues as to why the plan failed so miserably. Why were twelve people required to search out the land? This suggests a delegation and not a spy mission. Why twelve leading tribal figures, notables of prestige? Each had their own interests at play. Being well situated under their current circumstances perhaps they were intimidated by the idea of entering into Canaan where their elevated status might no longer apply? And why did Moshe ask them to evaluate what they saw, rather than to simply report on the facts and leave it to the military experts to analyze them? "You shall see what kind of land it is, and the people who inhabit it; are they strong or weak? Are there few or many? And what of the land they inhabit? Is it good or bad? And what of the cities in which they reside are they in camps or in fortresses? What is the soil like is it fat or lean?" (ibid 13:18-20) Clearly, the twelve notables, none of whom possessed any military credentials, with the exception of Yehoshua, were unqualified to answer these questions. Nevertheless, by posing these questions to them, Moshe was unwittingly inviting them to form their own opinions and then to vocalize them. And, finally, upon their return, why did they not first meet privately with Moshe and Aharon and deliver their thoughts to them. Moshe could have reminded them that G-d's promise was G-d's promise, that whatever challenges might lay ahead, G-d would see to it that Israel would emerge victorious. By delivering their evil report before the entire congregation of Israel the twelve spies incited a rebellious mob, rendering Moshe and Aharon unable to properly respond and turn the tide. If the sin of the golden calf was an embarrassment and a stain on the nation of Israel, and a flagrant violation of not one, but two of the Ten Commandments that Israel had only recently received, its negative ramifications and its heretical implications were dwarfed by the sin of the spies. Casting aspersions as to G-d's ability to follow through on His explicit promise that He first promised to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, and later promised to Moshe before sending him to Egypt to free his people, was in itself, a horrific declaration of an utter lack of faith in HaShem as the deliverer of Israel. Calev tried to address this when he silenced the grumbling of the people and said, "We can surely go up and take possession of it, for we can indeed overcome it." (ibid 13:30) But when his fellow spies countered, "The land we passed through to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of stature. There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, descended from the giants. In our eyes, we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes," (ibid 13:32-33) Calev realized the situation was far more serious than he had suspected. Their underlying message was far more grave than questioning G-d's ability to fulfill His word. This is why Yehoshua and Calev's final appeal to the people's better judgment, began with simple statement, "The land we passed through to scout is a very very good land." (ibid 14:7) "Very very good land," is not simply a re-emphasis of the spies original assessment of the land they had seen. It is a restatement of the very act of creation itself, and the very reason why G-d created our world. Seven times through the six days of creation G-d observed His work and declared it good. G-d's final reflection on all he had created, following the creation of man on the sixth day, was that " it was very good." (Genesis 1:31) By stating that "The land we passed through to scout is a very very good land" Calev and Yehoshua were reminding the people that the very purpose of creation was to place the children of Israel within the land of Israel to live by the Torah of Israel. While the lay of the land and the nature of its current inhabitants and the cities within which they dwelled may prove to be important information for Israel to possess before entering the land, it has no bearing on G-d's intention or ability to follow through on His plan for humanity, and His ultimate plan for creation. Concerning the very first verse of Torah, "In the beginning of G-d's creation of the heavens and the earth," the eleventh century commentator, Rashi, states the following in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak: "It was not necessary to begin the Torah except from “This month is to you,” (Exodus 12:2) which is the first commandment that the Israelites were commanded, (for the main purpose of the Torah is its commandments, and although several commandments are found in Genesis, e.g., circumcision and the prohibition of eating the thigh sinew, they could have been included together with the other commandments). Now for what reason did He commence with “In the beginning?” Because of [the verse] “The strength of His works He related to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations” (Ps. 111:6). For if the nations of the world should say to Israel, “You are robbers, for you conquered by force the lands of the seven nations [of Canaan],” they will reply, "The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it (this we learn from the story of the Creation) and gave it to whomever He deemed proper When He wished, He gave it to them, and when He wished, He took it away from them and gave it to us." "The land we passed through to scout is a very very good land" is not simply a reaffirmation that Israel is a land flowing with milk and honey. It is a reminder that G-d created the world and that He remains the master of the world. It is not the physical stature of our adversaries, or how well armed or fortified they are which determines who will win the battle and who will not, and who will inhabit the land and who will not. It is G-d's will, the same will that brought about creation itself. Calev and Yehoshua's statement of this fact was not enough to sway the crestfallen people of their day. But their message is every bit as relevant today as it was in the wilderness, and even more so. Israel, outnumbered and outgunned by a world that denies its Creator and seeks to confound G-d's very reason for creation, must never forget that the land of Israel is "very very good" and that "we can surely go up and take possession of it, for we can indeed prevail." . |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk, as Yitzchak Reuven talks about Israel today & the bitter lessons of the past, about the sin of the spies & the deadly plunge into negativity, and Calev's declaration that the land G-d promised is very, very good! Israel hits rock bottom as the ill advised spy mission goes awry in the most catastrophic way imaginable. Do we trust HaShem or do we not? This question is as relevant today as it was in the time of the spies. We must be the children of Calev and Yehoshua and take possession of the land and never let go! |
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As human beings we enjoy freedom of thought. We can think what we want and nobody has to know. But our mind tends to wander and we can easily find our thoughts in the employ of outside forces, or just plain wandering. The Torah proposes a low tech solution to keep our minds in check and our thoughts focused. Shelach (Numbers 13:1 - 15:41)
Parashat Shelach is read on Shabbat:
Sivan 23, 5784/June 29, 2024 |
Haftarah For Shabbat Parashat Shelach Yehoshua (Joshua) 2:1-24 "And Yehoshua the son of Nun sent two men out of Shittim to spy secretly, saying, Go see the land and Jericho. And they went, and came to the house of an innkeeper named Rachav, and they lay there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, men have come here this night from the children of Israel to search the land..." |
Tefillin On The Temple Mount
The times they are a-changin, slowly but surely on the Temple Mount. Tefillin (phylacteries) have always been forbidden by the police, not to mention the act of hishtachavia (bowing down on the ground, specifically a positive commandment on the Temple Mount). The policeman doesn't look too pleased, and even less so when the young man throws himself a second time on the ground. |
The First Lottery - Removing The Ashes At Dawn
The first lottery each day determined which kohen will carry out the very first daily task in the Holy Temple service - the removal of ashes from upon the altar. |
The Light Of The Menorah From Talmud tractate Menachot: "The Gemara [Talmud] discusses the menorah and other aspects of the Temple. The verse states: “Command the children of Israel, and they shall take for yourself refined pounded olive oil for illumination, to kindle the lamps continually” (Leviticus 24:2). Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani says: G-d tells the Jewish people that the oil should be taken “for yourself,” to indicate that it is for their benefit and not for My benefit, as I do not need its light." (Menachot 86b) |
The Temple Institute Levitical Choir: Jerusalem Day 2024 On Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), 2024/5784, The Temple Institute's Levitical Choir performed at the Renanim Synagogue in Jerusalem's Heichal Shlomo Great Synagogue. This is a recording of the complete concert, with the exception of a few minutes cut off at the beginning. The choir performed the Hallel prayer which consists of Psalms 114-118. |
The Dawn Patrol After the first lottery was concluded and a winner had been determined, the overseer unlocked the gate to the Temple court with the key he had been given by the priestly family elders. Within the gate of the Chamber of Fire, there was a smaller gate that opened into the court. He opened this smaller entrance, and went through it, out from the Place of the Fire and into the court, with all the kohanim following him. |
Parashat Shelach: Techelet Fringes This week's Torah reading, Shelach closes with a call to Israel to " make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments." These white threads also include a single techelet blue thread in each corner: HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them that they shall make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and they shall affix a thread of techelet - sky blue - wool on the fringe of each corner..." |
A Day In The Holy Temple: Beginning The Day With Ritual Purification All of the kohanim who were eligible and desirous of performing the first service would rise up early and purify themselves by immersing in the water of a mikvah, a special pool of naturally-collected water (such as natural spring water, or rainwater) containing the amount of 40 se'ah (app. 340 liters). This immersion was necessary for everyone, even for a kohen who was certain that he had not become defiled. |
Parashat Shelach: Taking Challah "HaShem spoke to Moshe saying: Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them, When you arrive in the land to which I am bringing you, and you eat from the bread of the land, you shall set aside a gift for HaShem. The first portion of your dough, you shall separate a loaf for a gift; as in the case of the gift of the threshing floor, so shall you separate it. From the first portion of your dough you shall give a gift to HaShem in all your generations." (Numbers 15:17-21) |
The Daily Lotteries The assignment of which kohanim may have the privilege and honor of carrying out the important Temple services was designated by special lotteries which was held each day in the Temple. All the kohanim of the family clan whose were serving that day would participate in this drawing, which was conducted by an official who was entrusted with this role. |
Mikdash Monday - Ark of the Covenant (Part 2) “Place there the Aron HaBrit (Ark of the Covenant), and screen off the Ark with the Parochet (Curtain).” (Shemot 40:3) |
This Week: Parashat Shelach - The Spies & G-d’s Promise This week's Torah reading, Shelach, (Numbers 13:1 - 15:41), tells the sad story of the twelves spies sent by Moshe to search out the land of Canaan and return with a report to help Israel plan its imminent invasion of the land. Unfortunately, ten of the twelve spies who participated in the mission presented Moshe with a report that essentially slandered the land and displayed a grievous lack of faith in HaShem's promise. |
A Day In The Holy Temple Three times a year the entire nation of Israel gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur were likewise observed with special rituals and offerings in The Holy Temple. But what took place within the Temple Gates the remaining days of the year? How exactly was the Tamid, (continual), offering conducted each day of the week? How were the kohanim (Temple priests) organized and what were their special tasks? What was the role of the Levites? |
Shavua Tov From The Temple Mount!
Only two photos this week, as the Temple Mount was closed most of last week due to a Muslim holiday.
"HaShem, G-d of Hosts, hearken to my prayer; bend Your ear, O G-d of Yaakov, forever. See our shield, O G-d, and look at the face of Your anointed. For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand; I chose to sit on the threshold of the house of My G-d rather than dwell in tents of wickedness. For a sun and a shield is HaShem G-d; HaShem will give grace and glory; He will not withhold good from those who go with sincerity. HaShem of Hosts, fortunate is the man who trusts in You." (Psalms 84:9-13) Shavua tov - have a good week! |
Build a House for HaShem! "Be strong and have courage! Build a House for HaShem!" In this scene from a film soon to become an integral part of the Temple Institute's Jerusalem based Visitors Center experience, the prophet Samuel charges King David with the task of building the Holy Temple! |
The Glory of this Last House Shall be Greater than the First! "The Glory of this Last House Shall be Greater than the First!" In this scene from a film soon to become an integral part of the Temple Institute's Jerusalem based Visitors Center experience, Zerubavel from the house of David and Kohen Gadol (High Priest) Yehoshua consult with the prophet Haggai who instructs them to waste no time in rebuilding the Holy Temple! |
Red Heifers Arrive In Israel! On Thursday, September 15, 2022, 5 PM, 5 perfect, unblemished red heifers arrived in Israel from the USA. A modest ceremony was held at the unloading bay of the cargo terminal at Ben Gurion airport, where the new arrivals were greeted and speeches were made by the incredible people who have put their hearts and souls and means into making this historic/prophetic day become a reality. |
Biblical Red Heifer Could Bring Million Visitors To Samaria The Ancient Shiloh heritage site will soon host a Red Heifer research center. Hundreds of visitors flocked to Shiloh in Samaria’s Binyamin region on Thursday to welcome a biblically pure red heifer. The 22-month-old cow, which was brought to Israel from the United States, found a new home at the Ancient Shiloh heritage site, where the biblical Tabernacle once stood. |
Blessings from the holy city of Jerusalem!
Yitzchak Reuven
The Temple Institute |
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