Shelach

Throughout the episode of the spies, the terms used to describe Bnei Yisrael are edah and Bnei Yisrael. There is one exception. After the debate between Kalev and Yehoshua on the one hand and the rest of the spies on the other, Bnei Yisrael exclaim nitnah rosh v'nashuva mitzraymah - let us appoint new leadership and return to Egypt. The verse then states vayipol Moshe v'Aharon al pneihem lifnei kol KEHAL ADAS BNEI YISRAEL - Moshe and Aharon fell (prostrated) before all of kehal adas Bnei Yisrael. Here, three terms are used to describe the Jewish People: kehal, adas, Bnei Yisrael.

The Ramban explains that the reason Moshe and Aharon 'fell on their faces' was out of despair and hopelessness. They were perplexed and simply did not know what to do to rectify the situation. Tragically, it is particularly at this moment that Moshe and Aharon were needed most to provide leadership and guidance. There is conflict among the spies. Bnei Yisrael are confused. This is precisely the time for Moshe and Aharon to rise up and provide clarity. Why, then, are they falling on their faces in despair and hopelessness?

At the end of parshas Shelach, we read the portion defining the mitzvah of tzitzis. The verse states v'lo sasuru acharei levavchem v'acharei eineichem - do not stray after your hearts and eyes. Rashi explains that lo tasuru should be understood 'k'mo mitur ha'aretz. The term taturu is similar to the term used defining the mission of the spies discussed earlier in the parsha. Rashi explains further: halev v'ha'ayin heim meraglim laguf...ha'ayin roeh vehalev chomed vehaguf oseh es ha'aveiros - the heart and the eyes are the spies for the body...the eye sees, the heart desires, and the body performs the transgression.

Rashi's explanation requires clarification. Firstly, Rashi compares the wandering after the eyes and heart to the spies. However, the spies saw and did NOT desire.They saw Eretz Yisrael, admitted that it is indeed a land flowing with milk and honey and still did NOT want to enter the land. This seems to be the opposite reaction to the one Rashi describes.

Second, the verse itself seems to conflict with Rashi's explanation. Rashi states that the eye sees and then the heart desires. If that were the case then the verse should have stated its phrases in reverse order and stated v'lo sasuru acharei eineichem v'acharei levavchem. But, in fact, the verse states the heart before the eyes - v'lo sasuru acharei levavchem v'acharei eineichem - implying that the heart desires before the eye sees.

We are told of many instances of Bnei Yisrael complaining and sinning in the desert. Often, the subsequent punishment included fatalities of even thousands of people. Yet, the episode of the spies resulted in the loss of 600,000 lives, an entire generation was destroyed. It is hard to believe that after hearing the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu, hearing the claims of Moshe and Aharon, hearing the testimony of Yehoshua and Kalev, that there was not even one person who believed them and sided with them. Even if no one completely agreed, there had to be some who had some doubts regarding the testimony of the spies. Yet, the entire generation was eventually destroyed.

The term edah is often used to connote a negative element amongst the Jewish people. The term Bnei Yisrael is usually used to connote a positive element amongst the Jewish people. It is used when we are worthy of the exalted name of Yisrael. The term kehal is at times used to connote a negative element and at times used to connote a positive element. For instance, when Bnei Yisrael complain of lack of water, the verse states vayiKAHALu al Moshe v'Aharon. Yet, we know that the mitzvah of HAKHEL signifies a very positive event.

At this point of their journey, Moshe and Aharon were expecting to bring Bnei Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael in short order. Therefore, as leaders, they needed to prepare Bnei Yisrael for practical, every day life, a life quite dissimilar than the one filled with constant miracles they were currently experiencing in the desert. Specifically now, they were attempting to teach Bnei Yisrael an essential life lesson: life is complex. Not everything is black and white. There are times filled with conflict and confusion. Each individual needs to make decisions and not constantly rely on others to decide for them. The debate between Yehoshua and Kalev on one hand and the other spies on the other simply laid out the facts. The leaders - Moshe, Aharon, Yehoshua, Kalev - expressed their opinion. Others disagreed. It was now time for each individual to take a stand. Straddling the fence on the issue was unacceptable. It was time to take a stand and decide to do the right thing, to pick a side and insist on implementing that decision.  Therefore, Moshe and Aharon fell on their faces, as if to say, 'there is nothing more for us to do. The decision is now each of yours'.

Similarly, it is for this reason that the verse refers to the Jewish people as kehal adas bnei Yisrael in this instance.  Whether a person was categorized amongst the negative edah, the confused kehal, or the positive Bnei Yisrael, now was the time for individuals to stand up and be counted.

This is the explanation of Rashi at the end of the parsha as well. There are, indeed, times when the eyes see, the heart desires, and the body sins. However, there are other times when it is precisely the weakness of the heart that causes the eyes to have a distorted view. This was what Rashi means when he compares lo sasuru to kemo metur ha'aretz.  The comparison to the spies is specifically the weakness of the heart that made them, and consequently Bnei Yisrael, stray. Their weak hearts distorted the view of a land that they admitted was flowing with milk and honey. The subtle difference between Rashi's explanation of the verse and the actual episode of the spies, as well as the difference between Rashi's explanation and the order of the terms in the verse, delivers the dual lesson. The eyes can lead the body astray. Beware, however, of the weak heart which can distort even a proper viewing of the eyes.

If, instead, we follow the lead of the spies described in the haftarah during the time of Bnei Yisrael's entry into the land then we will be able to overcome all obstacles ki nasan Hashem b'yadeinu. Rak chazak ve'ematz.