Learning From the Mistakes of the Meraglim and Tzelafchad
By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
The following was written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis based on a drasha given by Rav Moshe Sternbuch, Rosh Av Beis Din of the Eidah Hachareidis of Yerushalayim.
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LIVING MIRACULOUSLY
“Send for yourself men of stature to spy the land” (Bamidbar 13:2).
Ten makkos, monn and Krias Yam Suf were among the numerous miracles that Hashem performed for the Jewish people during Yetzias Mitzrayim. After seeing Hashem's Hand perform so many wonders, there was seemingly no place to have any doubt about His ability to take them into Eretz Yisroel. Why was there a need to send spies in beforehand?
The meraglim knew that Hashem is all powerful and had no difficulty miraculously taking the Jewish people into Eretz Yisroel. However, they also realized that He generally acts according to nature. Spies were sent ahead beforehand to check if the land could be conquered naturally without turning to miracles.
When the meraglim realized that Eretz Yisroel could not be conquered naturally, they felt that it was improper to go ahead with their conquest. Relying on a change of nature would mean that the Jewish people would have to elevate themselves to be worthy of these miracles, and they did not feel that Klal Yisroel could rise to the occasion. The Sanhedrin met to decide on this issue, and they agreed with the meraglim not to enter Eretz Yisroel.
Wherein lies the mistake of the meraglim and the Sanhedrin?
Emunah in Hashem obligates us to recognize that, in truth, there is no difference between nature and miracles. Whatever He wants will be the ultimate reality.
In truth, living in Eretz Yisroel, in the palace of the King, while witnessing all of the miracles that would be needed to conquer the land, would obligate Klal Yisroel to elevate themselves. The meraglim were correct in their concern that this would not be a simple task. However, since Hashem commanded us to go into Eretz Yisroel miraculously, there was no room to make calculations that contradicted this, and the meraglim should have put all their worries aside and listened without hesitation.
LIVING IN ISRAEL
Rav Sternbuch recounts that when he first traveled to Eretz Yisroel, he traveled via France, and he met up there with Rav Mordechai Pogramansky. Rav Mordechai asked Rav Sternbuch if he was prepared for his trip, and Rav Sternbuch replied that his suitcases were packed and he was ready to go.
Rav Mordechai responded that his question was not whether he was physically ready. He was referring to the fact that living in Eretz Yisroel requires great preparation beforehand, and one cannot simply hope to have success. For example, while lashon hara is always a serious transgression, in the palace of the King it is much worse.
It was for this reason that Hashem responded so strongly to the transgression of the meraglim and did not let them, nor the rest of the generation, enter Eretz Yisroel. To live in Eretz Yisroel requires constant recognition that Hashem is the only Ruling Power in the universe. “Hashem is one,” which we repeat every day in Shema Yisroel, must be engraved on the heart and mind of everyone living in Eretz Yisroel.
In contrast to this clear recognition of Divine power, Amaleik denies Hashem's all-encompassing rule of the world, and does not believe in miracles. Therefore, Hashem commanded us to fight and destroy Amaleik in every generation. We are obligated to completely annihilate their presence from the world.
Although the meraglim and their entire generation perished in the desert, the underlying philosophy behind their transgression and that of Amaleik lives on. Now, during the time right before the coming of Moshiach, the power of this ideology continues to grow stronger and stronger. On the day of the final revelation of Hashem's complete control of the world, this evil power will disappear, and it will be clear that there is only One controlling force in the world.
WELL-ROOTED
“…are there trees or not?” (Bamidbar 13:20).
Rashi explains that the Torah is speaking metaphorically. Trees refer to people with great merit, not simply to plants in the ground. The people knew that the presence of such individuals in Eretz Yisroel would make capturing the land much more difficult.
What is the deeper meaning of this analogy? Trees are well rooted in the ground and even the strongest gusts can generally not move them. So too, a man of truth is firmly planted, and the gusts of crooked ideologies that blow in the world do not change his way of thinking.
As we approach the time of Moshiach's arrival, this attribute becomes increasingly more crucial. The winds of falsehood that exist today have reached hurricane proportions, and only someone with very clear hashkofas haTorahcan stand strong in the midst of such gales. We must provide ourselves and our families with the proper Jewish chinuch to ensure that we can maintain our Jewish identities.
Another attribute of a tree is that it produces fruit. Similarly, a tzaddik is rewarded in this world and the next for the results of his actions as well as the deed itself. The smallest act can produce countless fruit over the span of generations.
Every year, on a person's yahrtzeit, the niftar is judged for his actions that year. If he has already passed on to the next world, what is the point of analyzing his deeds again and again, year after year? While he can no longer do more mitzvos, what he did in his lifetime continues to bear fruit, and it is on this that he is judged.
This is the meaning of what we say each day in tefillah, “Eternal life He planted within us.” A Jew who fills his life with Torah and mitzvos is well rooted in the next world even during his lifetime. We must try to do whatever is in our ability during our lives, and in that way, we will reap great benefits in the World to Come.
GOOD INTENTIONS
At the end of the parsha, Tzelafchad was mechallel Shabbos. In doing so, he was the first person punished with death for transgressing. After seeing so many miracles, how could he act against the Torah?
The mMedrash Tanchumah says that Tzelafchad acted lesheim Shomayim. After the entire generation that transgressed was punished, they lost their drive to keep the Torah. They felt that if they wouldn't have a portion in the World to Come, why should they do mitzvos?
In order to refute this way of thinking, he was mechallel Shabbos. When he received the death penalty for his actions, it was clear to all observers that they must continue to keep the Torah as before. However, with all of Tzelafchad's good intentions, he was mistaken in his thoughts.
In rare instances, we find the concept of an aveirah lishmah, a sin done with good intentions. These instances are few and far between, and can only be considered after consulting with gedolei Torah. Tzelafchad acted on his own accord, and although he meant well, his transgression was not an aveirah lishmah.
Some people transgress lesheim Shomayim with numerous good reasons to back up their actions. We must learn from the meraglim and Tzelafchad that even the most elevated intentions are not sufficient reason to sin. Especially during the time before Moshiach when the tests we face are extremely subtle, the need to follow the exact guidelines of the Torah is even more crucial than ever.
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Rabbi Travis is a rosh kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim, and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy - A Daily Tefilla Companion," a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. Rav Shternbuch's weekly shiurim on the parsha, compiled and edited by Rabbi Travis, are now available as a sefer titled “A Voice in the Darkness.” For more information about his work, contact dytravis@actcom.com.
TEASER
Emunah in Hashem obligates us to recognize that, in truth, there is no difference between nature and miracles.
