SHELACH by Mark Gersten in memory of Helene

G-D WAS QUITE ANGERED BY THE TWELVE SPIES WHO GAVE NEGATIVE REPORTS ABOUT THE LAND OF ISRAEL. IN ACTUALITY THEY HAD BEEN ASKED TO SCOUT OUT THE LAND AND REPORT BACK, WHICH THEY DID. SO WHERE WAS THEIR CRIME? WHY WAS G-D SO ANGRY? SOME OF THE BEST ANSWERS WILL BE PRESENTED:

1) THEY WERE TOLD TO GIVE FACTUAL REPORTS, NOT TO EDITORIALIZE. INSTEAD THEY ADDED THEIR OWN COMMENTARY

DOUBTING THE JEWISH PEOPLE’S ABILITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CONQUEST OF THE LAND

2) THEY CALLED THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY “EFES” (NOTHING/WORTHLESS), BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY COULD NOT CAPTURE IT. THIS SLANDERED THE LAND AND ALSO SHOWED A PRIMARY LACK OF FAITH THAT G-D COULD HELP THEM CAPTURE IT

3) EACH SPY REPRESENTED HIS OWN TRIBE AND CARED LITTLE ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AS A WHOLE

4) THEY BERATED THEMSELVES AND SAID THAT THE GIANTSOF THE LAND LOOKED AT THEM AS GRASSHOPPERS.THIS WAS LASHON HARA ABOUT THEMSELVES

THE JEWISH PEOPLE HEARD AND BELIEVED THEIR REPORT. THEY CRIED AND LAMENTED. FIRST G-D WANTED TO DESTROY THE ENTIRE PEOPLE FOR THIS SIN, BUT MOSES TALKED HIM OUT OF IT.

NEXT G-D TOLD MOSES THAT HE WOULD SEND AN ANGEL TO LEAD THE PEOPLE TO ISRAEL, BUT THAT HE WOULD NOT LEAD THEM HIMSELF, AGAIN MOSES WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE G-D TO LEAD THE PEOPLE HIMSELF

WHEN WE SINNED IN THE DESERT

MADE AN IDOL CALF OF GOLD

LISTENED TO THE LIES OF SPIES

BELIEVED WHAT WE WERE TOLD

LAMENTED ALL THE TRIALS

THAT HASHEM WANTED US TO FACE

HE VOWED THESE EVIL PEOPLE

FROM HIS BOOK HE WOULD ERASE

BUT HE GAVE MOSES AMPLE CHANCE

TO ABROGATE THIS VOW

WITH LOGIC AND APPEASEMENT

MOSES KNEW EXACTLY HOW

BUT HASHEM STILL ANGRY

SAID UNTO THE HOLY LAND

HE’D NOT BRING OR LEAD US

BUT AN ANGEL HE’D COMMAND

THIS  GREATLY UPSET MOSES

THOUGH AN ANGEL’S HELP IS FINE

MOSES PLEADED TO HASHEM

TO MAKE THE HELP DIVINE

G-D AGREED AGAIN WITH MOSES

GAVE IN ANOTHER TIME

WE WERE A STIFF NECKED PEOPLE

BUT G-D SAID, “THEY STILL ARE MINE”.