Tzvi Moshe On The Spies

This week’s Parsha opens with the issues of the Meraglim - the spies. An all-star group of the desert-generation’s biggest leaders set off on a journey to inspect Eretz Yisrael and immeasurably fail to bring back a positive report. They return to the Jewish camp with descriptions of unconquerable giants and mountains that foreshadow decimation and metaphors that describe utter obliteration; all at the hands of unbeatable gargantuans – ‘It is a land that eats its inhabitants!’

We need to analyze what was the exact point that generated this skewed perspective of the land, and from there we will hopefully discover how Hashem Yisborach wants us to engage reality.
There is a term that comes up again an again in relation to the spies - LaTur, meaning to scout, spy or explore. “Shlach L’Cha Anashim V’Yaturu Es HaAretz”, ‘Send men to explore the land.’ (13:2). “Eileh Shemos HaAnashim Asher Shalach Moshe LaTur Es HaAretz”, ‘These are the men that Moshe sent to scout the land’ (13:16). “VaYishlach Otam Moshe LaTur Es HaAretz”, ‘And Moshe sent them to spythe land (13:17). And similar expressions of the term appear again in Passuk 21, 25, twice in 32, and again in Passuk 36.

Why to we need to mention the same language of‘LaTur’ – To spy - so many times?

At the very end of the Parsha our word, ‘LaTur’ makes another guest appearance, this time in a totally different role- in a paragraph dealing not with the land of Israel, but rather in regards to Tzitzis. Hashem gives us the following instructions: V’LoSasuru Acharei Lvavchem V’Acharei Eineichem Asher Atem Zonim Achareihem. L’Ma’an Tizkeru Va’Asisem Es Kol Mitzvosai.” Here, our word, Sasuru has a different connotation – to stray. ‘And you shall not stray after your heart and eyes which drive you to lustfully follow after them. So that you will remember and perform all of My commandments.’

(We need to now add another question to the previous two. When the Passuk instructs us ‘Lma’an Tizkeru - in order that we shall remember, what exactly are we supposed to remember that will drive us to fulfill Hashem’s commandments?)

Rashi explains the following: V’Lo Sasuru can be understood here in the same way that it was used before by the Meraglim. In the same way that the spies scouted out the land; the eyes and the heart are the spies of the body. The eyes and heart perceive and internalize desires and passions based on externalities that present themselves and from that point they drive a person to come to sin. So too by the spies, their judgments based on externalities led to their mistakes
Based on Rashi’s definition we are coming to see that the spies that explore have a general negative connotation about them. Spies get caught on externals. this is the beginning of the problem.

We learn from this Rashi that the downfall of the Meraglim was their susceptibility to the enticements of apparent realities. LaTur doesn’t just mean to spy; it also has the connotation to be led astray or distracted.

In order to fully understand this issue we need to begin to clarify our perception of creation and what does ‘real’ really mean?

The Rambam in Yesodei HaTorah lays down a core principle about the nature of the universe: All of creation is predicated on God. If God were to cease to be (which of course is an impossible contemplation) it would automatically render the universe to naught – existence would end. The opposite on the other hand is not true. If the universe became not, it would not affect Hashem in the slightest. Our existence is totally predicated on God and it’s not a two-way street. We need Him, but He doesn’t need us.

What does this mean? It means that HaKadosh Baruch Hu is the standard-bearer for real. Hashem ‘exists’ way more than we do. We live on condition that He sustains us, while no such thing holds true by God. Hashem is super-real, meta-real, really-real, and we just happen to exist.

Obviously this is problematic to the untrained mind. “What do you mean? I see me! I feel me, and I sense the world around me. All of this stuff? It’s definite. God is a ‘Maybe’.”
This is obviously a very shallow perception of reality. Let’s explain.

When you talk to a person, do you talk to their face? No. Their face is merely a means to speak to that person’s mind, to that person’s soul. Have you ever seen a mind? If you cut open a brain will you find mind-stuff? No. The mind is invisible, but you can feel in yourself that it is the most real part of you - much more real that any physical limb. You are still you even if you lose your thumb or have someone else’s kidney. The body is a means to relate to the soul or mind. The mind is much more real than any part of you, but it is the least physically apparent.
How about love? Have you seen that? If you see a couple walking, you may sense love – but you won’t do so with any physical perception. Love is very real, but there is nothing in the physical reality that displays it, only manifestations of it.

Our Emotions. The Soul. God. You can’t see any of these things – but they are the realest part of our lives.

So we can suggest the following – contrary to common understanding – the most real things in the universe are the least physically apparent.

Based on the above let’s try to understand the holy words of the Sfas Emes in his explanation of the Meraglim.

He explains that every object in the world has a Nekuda HaPenimis an internal-point. It’s the holy aspect of an object – how Hashem wants this thing to be used or perceived. It’s for this reason that Hashem gives the object existence. (Take food as a very basic example. Hashem pulls the strings of cause-and-effect to ensure that a very specific portion of food makes its way to the plate in front of you. Hashem specificially wants you to channel the energy that this food provides for a very specific purpose. This is the food’s Nekuda HaPenimis. )

Can you see a Nekuda HaPenimis? No. But the entire reason that any object exists is because of it – so it is now very understandable to claim that the Nekuda HaPenimisof any given thing is its realest part!

This is a unique power of a Jewish soul. We, more than anyone else have the unique power to tap into what is truly real – we have the ability to reach essence.

When did we get this power? Way back in Parshas Lech Lecha, when Hashem extracts Avraham from the apparent reality. The constellations clearly dictated that Avraham was not destined for children. But Hashem said, ‘It doesn’t matter! From this point forward you are not subject to the apparent, obvious, physical reality!” And from that point forward we were empowered to penetrate to the Nekuda HaPenimis of the world.

Now we can answer our first two questions:1) Where did the Meraglim go wrong?2) What is the obsession with LaTur?

Based on our deeper understanding of LaTur the Psukim are emphasizing exactlywhere the Meraglim went wrong from the very start! The whole mindset of theMeraglim was LaTur in the way that we explained V’Lo Sasuru Acharei Lvavchem V’Acharei Eineichem –The Psukim go to great lengths to describe how the Meraglimgot caught on the external reality. And was because of this that they messed up.

Nothing that they said in their report was a lie. The land was dangerous. The giants were powerful. The Meraglim were in fact weak. But this is all the apparent, external reality. We as Jews are connected to the Nekuda HaPenimis, and the Nekuda HaPenimis of Eretz Yisrael is to have the Jews in it! And if the apparent reality dictates otherwise? So what?! Hashem wants us in that land, so we are going there!

And with this lesson we can answer our third question. Let’s remind ourselves: The Passuk says: V’Lo Sasuru Acharei Lvavchem V’Acharei Eineichem Asher Atem Zonim Achareihem. L’Ma’an Tizkeru Va’Asisem Es Kol Mitzvosai.” ‘And you shall not stray after your heart and eyes which drive you to lustfully follow after them. So that you will remember and perform all of My commandments.’

What is the flow of the Passuk here, and what are we supposed to remember that will push us to keep the Mitzvos? The Sfas Emes contines with a really beautiful idea:

It is Lo Sasuru that we should remember! It is our constant awareness of Lo Sasuruthat will drive us to keep the Mitzvos! Why? Because all too often I look at myself or I look at my surroundings and I don’t see any feasible way to grow or succeed in myAvodas Hashem. ‘I’ve done too many Aveiros to make a comeback now. It’s not happening. It’s like the whole world is against me getting close to Hashem!’

We’ve all felt this at one time or another, but now we are coming to see the answer. In Davening we describe Torah, Mitzvos and my relationship with Hashem as Ki Heim Chayeinu - for they are our life - V’Orech Yameinu - the value of our days. Do you hear it? We are saying that Torah, Mitzvos and my relationship with the Creator is my Nekuda HaPenimis! And I have the ability to get to that no matter what then physical reality dictates!

If I focus on Lo Sasuru then nothing can hold me back from keeping all the Mitzvos, all the time! Even if the whole world stand between me and my relationship withHaKadosh Baruch Hu - it just doesn’t matter.

B’Ezras Hashem we should all be Zoche to this out look. The world is a mask. It covers the essence – but we are uniquely empowered to uncover that mask. If we can begin to live lives of Lo Sasuru then there is no doubt we will grow and live with happinessand fulfillment, moving closer to the Creator and ultimately the redemption!