Erev Shabbat Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat: 6:45 pm (Plag HaMincha is 7:00pm) STREAMED ON ZOOM UNTIL THE END OF LECHA DODI Candlelighting for Shabbat: 8:14pm Sundown: 8:32pm Shabbat Sunrise: 5:48am Shacharit at 8 am will start at Shochen Ad. 9:30 with Berachot. End of Time for Sh'ma: 9:29am End of Time for Shacharit: 10:43am Mincha on Shabbat Afternoon: 7:30 pm Sundown: 8:32pm Shabbat ends: after 9:15pm Maariv for Motzei Shabbat: 9:35 pm (AVAILABLE ON ZOOM)
The Parasha begins with a famous insinuation. When Hashem commands Moshe Rebbenu to send the spies, He does not just say, Shlach, which would mean “send them.” Rather, he says Shlach Lecha, or “send as you want.” The command is really a granting of permission to carry out a mission that arose from them. And that introduces a great theme of the story: A stark warning about the weight of responsibility borne by those inspired to take the initiative in carrying out what they see as Hashem’s will.
That the people initiated the sending of the spies matches the fuller retelling of the story in Devarim. The idea came from the Jewish people, who approached Moshe, and he turned to Hashem for guidance.
But the insinuation in this is that Hashem is taking no responsibility for the command. If it was up to Him, He would not have sent them. At which point, it might seem proper to ask, “What was Moshe Rabbenu thinking? Why so much latitude for a suggestion from the people?“
But by now we are used to this. Not just in scenes of complaint or rebellion, but in a scene like Pesach Sheni, we have seen a shift in the pivot of initiative. The fact that something comes from the Jewish people is not automatically a sign of error or worse.
And this applies especially in the thrust of the movement into Eretz Yisrael. The Jewish people did not march into Israel as they marched out of Egypt. Hashem would not miraculously leave the previous inhabitants of the land washed up on the shore of the Jordan river. The entrance into Eretz Yisrael would be in full partnership with Hashem but they would have to carry the burden, and part of that burden involves initiative.
Inherent in this shift is a great challenge. What does initiative look like in such a partnership? Where does Hashem fit in the picture? There is a lot that can be gleaned from the end of the episode, where one sees what bad initiative looks like.
The story of the spies divides neatly into two sections. The first is the narrative of choosing the spies and planning their trip. Then comes the trip itself and their return. Then comes their report and the general rebellion it whips up.
The second section is Hashem’s punishment. The punishment section begins with Hashem’s impulse to destroy the whole nation. That is averted because of Moshe’s supplication and the punishment turns into 40 years in the desert. That is followed by a swift end of the spies themselves because they are responsible for stirring up the general rebellion. Finally, the story ends with the episode of the Ma’apilim, the defiant ones, who tried, in regret and frustration, to make up for the previous episode by storming Eretz Yisrael on their own, without permission. The parallel to this in the first part of the story is the trip the original spies took to Eretz Yisrael. R’ Elchanan Samet points out that the parallel is made explicit in the appearance of the word “Aleh,” to go up, four times in the trip the spies take and then four times again in the effort of the defiant ones. The ascendance of the spies was quite peaceful, while that of the defiant ones ends in misery.
But it’s crucial to point out that the mistake of the defiant ones is not in their taking the initiative. Acting like the defiant ones and not acting like them will look very similar in terms of initiative. In fact, the defiant ones want to go to Eretz Yisrael because, they say, it is “the place Hashem has spoken [about]...” They are described as waking early, eager to repent for the sins of the spies by retracing their steps. Indeed, there are those who say that they ignored Moshe’s warning because they saw in his words no more than a test of their fortitude. Those who believe they are acting for the sake of heaven often view obstacles as nothing more than tests on the way. The original spies had permission while the defiant ones do not. But the other important takeaway is how the wish to do Hashem’s will can turn into arrogance about one’s ability to discern that will. Our autonomy is really quite complete when it comes to initiative. It’s just that the autonomy comes with a heavy responsibility. Looking for permission requires an extreme care that is sometimes antithetical to enthusiasm. But enthusiasm without that care runs headlong into failure.
Congregation Emek Beracha 4102 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306
