The Grasshopper Delusion

A happy summer to all of you! Working with teenagers, I have felt the enthusiasm of summer break in the air, and I want to wish you a summer full of adventure and growth. Many travel in the summer, scouting out new lands, and this week's Torah portion - Shelach -  discusses just that: The infamous scouting of the land of Israel by the 12 spies of the Jewish people.

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If you've been to Israel before (I'm going for the month of July, so excited!) you've experienced the wide range of beauty and qualities the land of milk & honey has to offer. But instead of focusing on the positive aspects of the land, 10 of the spies (excluding Caleb & Joshua) reported: "We are unable to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we...The land we passed through to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of stature. There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, descended from the giants. We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we were in their eyes." (Numbers, 13:31-33) Joshua & Caleb, however, reported: "We shall surely ascend and conquer it, we can surely do it!" (Numbers, 13:30)

Were these 12 men looking at the same land? At the same enemy? How could they have perceived the situation in such differing ways!? Significantly, the spies said: "We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we were in their eyes." 

"Whether you think you can, or that you cannot—you are right." - Henry Ford (as much as I dislike quoting him, wisdom can be attained by anybody). The Torah is teaching us that it was because the spies perceived themselves as weak, with no self confidence or trust in G-d, that they therefore perceived their enemies as unbeatable. When one has self esteem and a trust in G-d, there is nothing to fear. Often, when we think others are looking down upon us, it's really just a lack of self worth in our own eyes. Nothing should get in our way if we are aiming to achieve a worthwhile, holy goal.

In life we encounter many tests and obstacles, but the lesson we learn from the story of the spies is that if we approach life's tests with trust in G-d, and in our G-d given abilities, we will succeed. Years later, after the 10 spies had already passed away in the desert, Joshua & Caleb were part of the conquering of the land. It was a self fulfilling prophecy.

May we always have a trust in G-d, perceiving the obstacles in our lives in a positive light, knowing that: "G‑d doesn't ask of us more than what lies in our power to do." (Midrash Tanchuma, Naso 11)

Shabbat Shalom!

Feet on the Ground - Head in the Clouds

We spoke last week about the calamity involving the spies. Because they lacked confidence in themselves and their mission, they saw their ability at conquering the land in a negative light. On a deeper level, it is explained that the spies didn't mean bad! They believed that their people's present situation in the desert was the most ideal it could get! They had "manna" - food from heaven, that would satiate them every day. We are told that their clothes miraculously stayed in perfect shape for the entire 40 years in the desert. They had no physical or material worries at all. All they did was learn the new Torah they had received, while working on their spiritual life and connection to G-d. No wars. No farming. No reaping. No working. Just spiritual bliss. Surely that was the ideal way to live life? Why mess with it and enter this land of Israel? Where they'd have to farm and earn a living, busy with the mundane?

That, our Sages explain, is why the Spies gave a negative report to the people about the land. So what did they do wrong? Their mistake lay in thinking that G-d Desires only our spiritual or intellectual pursuits. In Judaism, we are taught that G-d Primarily Desires what we do.

Which leads us to this week's Torah Portion, Korach. The cousin of Moses, Korach leads a rebellion against him, in a familiar scene of seeming jealousy and hatred for another's lofty position and seat of power. But here again, our Sages teach us not to just take this story at face value. Korach had a seemingly very valid argument!
"Look at what happened with the spies!" He said. "G-d Showed us that action is what truly matters to Him, not lofty spiritual levels. And if that's the case, why is Moses any better than you or I!? Sure he is greater in holiness, but if what matters to G-d most is a physical mitzvah, a good deed, Moses is no different to you or I! Each of us can do a physical deed with equal vigor as he!"

Seems to be a valid point. So where did Korach go wrong?
Korach's mistake, was thinking that action was all that mattered. Torah demands action, yes, but action that is infused with inspiration and spiritual enlightenment.
Thus, the spies & Korach teach us the value of a healthy balance: Unlike the spies, one mustn't shy away from confronting the world and affecting it positively. But on the other hand, Judaism's emphasis on action must never lead to a life of meaningless ritual and a lack of spirituality and enthusiasm. We have to work to change the world in an inspired way, performing mitzvot with enthusiasm and joy.

Good luck and Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

The Grasshopper Delusion

"Send out for yourself men who will scout the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel."


There is a famous but unfortunate event that occurs in this week's Torah portion, "Shelach." Moses (through G-d) sends out 12 leaders of the tribes of Israel, to travel ahead and scout out the land of Israel.
But instead of focusing on the positive aspects of the land "which flows with milk & honey," with trust in G-d that they could & would conquer the land, 10 of the spies reported: "We are unable to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." They spread an [evil] report about the land which they had scouted, telling the children of Israel, "The land we passed through to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of stature. There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, descended from the giants. We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we were in their eyes." (Numbers, 13:31-33)
The 2 remaining spies, however, reported: "We shall surely ascend and conquer it, we can surely do it!" (Numbers, 13:30)

Were these 12 men looking at the same land? At the same enemy? How could they have perceived the situation in such differing ways!? Significantly, the verse quotes the spies as saying: "We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we were in their eyes." There is an old saying that goes: "Whether you think you can, or that you cannot—you are right." The Torah is telling us, that it was because the spies looked at themselves as weak, as unable to succeed, that their enemies in the land of Israel looked down upon them. When a person has self esteem, as well as trust in G-d, then there is nothing to fear. If one thinks that others look down upon him for whatever reason, often it is because that person looks down upon himself.

I remember when I was younger, often I would hide my Jewish identity, thinking I would get more respect. But when I began walking around proud of my Judaism, others I met showed great respect for the Judaism I represented. "G‑d doesn't ask of us more than what lies in our power to do." (Midrash Tanchuma, Naso 11) In life we encounter many tests and seeming obstacles, but the lesson we learn from the story of the spies, is that if we approach life's tests with trust in G-d, and in ourselves, with self-esteem and self confidence, we will succeed. The 2 spies that looked at the land positively, with trust in G-d, ended up being a part of the conquering of the land 40 yrs. later, while the other 10 spies died in the desert.

May we have trust in G-d, and look positively at our situation, ourselves, and our great potential!
Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel