Shelach Lecho

Reb Yerucham Levovitz Zt’’l in Daas Chochmo V’Mussar, comments on the essential nature of Classification. The naming of a thing defines and describes its nature. Science spends a great deal of time before giving something a name. Essentially, (as far as is possible) the name is the thing. The Medrash reports an intriguing episode.

The Angels questioned HaShem about the nature of his new creation, Man. He replied that Man’s wisdom is greater than theirs! HaShem then brought three animals in front of the Angels and asked them to name them. They could not. He then showed the animals to Adam who said this one is a Shor (Ox) this one is a Chamor (Donkey) and this a Gamal (Camel). HaShem then asked Adam to name himself and he replied I should be called Adam because I was made from Adama (Earth). HaShem then said to Adam " and what is My Name? And Adam replied with the Hebrew name which we pronounce "Master."

This name is the name HaShem treasures. King David says (Tehillim 105. Vs.1) "Call to HaShem with His name." Only with that name will you be answered.

Reb Yerucham then admits to always having been baffled by the first statement made by both Moshe and by Miriam when they sang the songs at the Red Sea, "I sing to HaShem because he is Gao Gao." The word "Gao" is the root of the Hebrew Gaivo, which means "Superior" or "Very high", or its usual meaning "Proud." Of all the things one could have sung about HaShem why choose this?

The answer is contained in the designation, which Adam choose. HaShem is Master over everything. The natural state for a human being is Humility based on the realisation that HaShem is above everything.

He is the master of Riches and Power. He is the master of wisdom and health etc. etc.

Both Miriam and Moshe stated that first fundamental principal at the Red Sea. It was the perfectly accurate designation chosen by Adam. With that reality contained and expressed in his name, prayers are answered.

When the Jewish People came to the border of Israel they requested spies to go and see what the land was like. The hidden agenda was a lack of Betachon (trust) in HaShem.

HaShem does not endorse their request but permits them the right to make a mistake if they choose. The verse says Bamidbar Chpt.13 Vs.2….

"Send for yourself great men and they will spy out the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Children of Israel."

The Alshich points out that although HaShem gave them scope to make a mistake, He wanted to hint to them that they were making a mistake. He asks why the verse says, "Which I am giving to the children of Israel." Everyone knows that Canaan has been given to Israel. The Torah has reported the fact countless times till now.

The quality of a gift depends on two factors, the person giving the gift and the person receiving it. When the Queen of England travels to a foreign country, she is often presented with gifts. They are often antique works of art or specially commissioned crystal. All will be precious and expensive. You can’t get away with giving the Queen a ten dollar book token.

Conversely if the Queen gives a present it too must be prestigious and significant. It would reflect badly on her to give a little thing.

So HaShem was addressed their doubts. Could He give a present, which was not "up to scratch"? And they are "The children of Israel" whom he calls "His first born son" could he give them an inferior gift?

Perhaps their doubts were regarding the Military might of the Canaanites? Even if they had Tanks, Jet fighters and Atom bombs and the Jews were only armed with bows and arrows they would still take the land, because it is the land which "I am giving to the Children of Israel."

When the Jewish people forgot that HaShem was "Gao Gao" and Master of everything

They made a tragic mistake, which cost them a delay of forty years before they received their gift.

Shelach Lecho #2

The sedra recalls the story of the most profound tragedy to befall the Jews. It was believing the spies damning report of the land of Israel which was delivered on the ninth of Av. This date became fixed as the day of Jewish tragedy through the ages. The first two temples were destroyed on that day. The Jews were ejected from Spain England and Portugal on the Ninth of Av. Historians often refer to world was 2 as being world 1 past two. World war one began on the ninth of Av. It would be an enormous achievement if the Jewish nation could isolate the cause of the chain of tragedy and reverse it.

In Chpt. 14 verse 39 of Bamidbar the first step in the continuing tragedy is recorded Moses had delivered G-d's verdict and punishment. All the male Jews who cried in despair and conviction that G-d would not overcome their enemies were to die in the desert. The women of that generation did not believe the spies and therefore eventually entered the land of Israel........

"And Moses spoke all these words to all the children of Israel and they mourned very much. And they rose in the morning and went to the border of Israel saying, here we are and we will go up to the place that G-d has spoken of because we have sinned."

Some of the Jews then proceed against Moses warnings to enter the Land and a promptly decimated by Caananites and Amalakites.

The mystery is why their sincere attempts to rectify matters is not acceptable. The classic formula for Teshuva (repentance) is 1. Acceptance that you have sinned 2. Sincere regret 3. Determination to never do it again.

The people in this tragedy seem do be doing that. They accept they have sinned and are obviously sorry about it. The only way tat they can correct their lack of faith and trust in G-d's ability to take them into the land is to go into the land.

The Ohr HaChayim in Devorim 1 Vs 23 makes and interesting comment. They were not going in to correct their mistake. Their original error was in listening to the spies and arriving at their own judgement and conclusion. Here too, instead of asking Moses how they could put things right they again make their own judgement.

Imagine you have a very sore stomach. You go to the doctor and wait with twelve other people in his waiting room. The doctor is taking a long time and so you describe your symptoms to your fellow patients. Ten of them shake their head and tells you that you have the exact same symptoms as their friend Tom who just died of cancer! Two of the patients say "Nonsense, sounds like acid indigestion." Which group do you listen to? The answer is of course neither you wait and ask the doctor. He knows, they think they know. Had the Jews asked for Moses opinion of the spies report instead of crying in despair then history would have told a happier tale. Again the Jews decide to practice self cure rather than ask the doctor.

Rabbi Dessler in Volume 3 of Michtav MiEliyohu page 293 makes an intriguing observation. When a person is trying to improve them self, do Teshuva they often fail. It may be that they attempt to achieve a new level or climb out of a hole that they have kept sliding into. The failure saps one of self esteem and confidence. He suggests sound advice, "burn your bridges!"

Some times the route which seems the shortest one to take you to your destination will in fact take you furthest from it. Imagine two countries separated by a river. You wish to go from a city in one country to city in the other. The quickest route is across a bridge on to the highway. Surely only someone deranged would instead choose to follow the river back to it's source and wade across there. But the bridge, the easy way across is also the easy way back again! In Exodus Chpt 13 Vs. 17 it says......

"And G-d did not lead them the way of the Philistines because it was near"

Rabbi Dessler then pints out that the Jews were not totally successful in escaping form Egypt. The Torah relates that Phaoroh pursued them and caught up to them. The symbolism is that Egyptian culture and values still had some purchase on them. That is why Moses said that they were only going to leave for three days. It was to minimise the "test" of going. A part of them did not want to leave.

When G-d told the Jewish men that they would have to die in the desert it was not a punishment it was the necessary treatment for a specific malady. They would need to take "The long way round". The problem was too profound for the normal process of Teshuva to work. There could be no "quick fix".

It may be that a Jew keeps failing to achieve the ambition they have set themselves. But what you can't achieve as an eighteen year old you may succeed at hen you are twenty. A twenty year old may have to wait till his thirty. Because most of us are here for quite a while we should realise that some solutions take time.