Entering the Land with the Best Plan
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This week is Shabbos Mevarchim for the month of Tammuz, the parsha of Shelach and the Shabbos before Gimmel Tammuz. When we learn parshas Shelach the following question arises. The Meraglim were hand selected by Moshe Rabbenu from the very best from of each tribe. How could they have possibly failed in their mission? What caused them to reach the conclusion that they cannot conquer Eretz Yisroel? Also, what was really the purpose of sending them in the first place? Was it not better for them not to investigate and to go in with pure emunah without having first scouted out the land? It was Moshe Rabbenu’s discretion and choice whether not to send them in the first place. What was Moshe Rabbenu trying to accomplish? Without Chassidus it is difficult if not impossible to truly understand what really happened.
Moshe had no doubt that Eretz Yosroel was very good and that because Hashem was with them they would be successful in conquering the land. Moshe Rabbenu only wanted that the Jewish people should feel the greatness of the land. Therefore he wanted them to verify the beautiful and fruitful land etc. themselves in order to arouse their desire to conquer the land and to live and be in the land.
Not wanting them to conquer and live in the land by their emunah alone, Moshe Rabbenu also wanted it to be brought into their hearts and into their minds and have the experience of Eretz Yisroel permeate throughout their being.
The question of the Meraglim was based on the assumption that Hashem would conquer Eretz Yisroel as He did in the land of Mitzrayim, with wonders and miracles. Their opinion changed once they were asked to scout the land. Obviously, they reasoned, that the mission required their evaluation assessment and their analysis as to whether or not it was feasible to enter the land. Otherwise why would they be being asked to scout the land? They did not realize that when Hashem promised it would be delivered into their hands the intention was not that it would be handed to them as they stood passively by, rather that their involvement was required. Moshe Rabbenu was not asking them whether or not to enter the land, he was asking them to use their best abilities, to be all in to facilitate entering the land.
This story teaches us a lesson for our lives as well. The Rebbe has givenu us clear directives about our mission of conquering the galus and bringing Moshiach. At the same time Chabad Chassidus demands not only that we believe in the Tzadik, our Rebbe but also to to be involved in bringing about the geula. We should realize that our purpose is not to decide or to challenge whether it is viable to bring Moshiach rather to fulfill the mission with our entire heart and mind and with our entire being. When we will we will surely be successful.
Kalev was afraid that he would fall into the trap of the other Meraglim. He was the first person in the Torah that went to daven by the kever of the Avos in Chevron. His prayer was to stay with the purpose of his mission and to always be connected to Moshe Rabbenu.
We are now on the Shabbos before Gimmel Tammuz. So many years have past. The words of the Rebbe our Moshe Rabbenu are are as relevant today as ever before: “Moshe emes vToraso emes, Moshe is true and his Torah is true”.
Our challenge is that we don’t always see or feel that we can actually fulfill the mission of bringing Moshiach. We make our own calculations about these things similar to the way it was in the story of the Meraglim.
For this we need to remember two things. First, although we are Chabad we need to remember our emunah. Whatever our Moshe Rabbenu, the Rebbe said Is what Hashem wanted us to know and to do. As it says: “Gilu devarav al yedei Avadav ha’Neviim, that Hashem revealed his words through his servants the prophets”. This is also true of the Rebbe.
Secondly we need to remember that if we get weak, we get strength and vitality from learning Chassidus and going to the Ohel just as Kalev went to the kever of the Avos. Similar to Kalev, our prayer at the Ohel is to stay with the purpose of our mission and to always be connected to the Rebbe, our Moshe Rabbenu.
With this approach we will be successful in conquering the galus and bringing the revelation of Moshiach now.
A Good Shabbos. A Good Chodesh