Insurmountable Challenges and the Grasshopper Syndrome
Shelach
We all experience challenges in our lives. Sometimes these challenges seem overwhelming and insurmountable. But is this true?
In a letter written to Reb Zalman Serebryanski (Melbourne) dated Kislev 8th 5717, the Rebbe wrote;
“Concerning that which you write about facing difficulties and concealments; you have certainly heard the allusion in the verse ונהי בעינינו כחגבים,… If only those who fear Hashem ... would recognise the tremendous strengths that have been given to them, they would approach all issues with much greater courage than until now. Then automatically the difficulties and the concealments would disappear”.
The posuk quoted in the Rebbe’s response comes from the report of the Meraglim (spies) in this week’s parsha.
Hoping to scare the Jewish people and dissuade them from wanting to enter the Land, they described the mighty inhabitants whom they would have to fight. “And there we saw the Nefilim, the sons of giants, ונהי בעינינו כחגבים וכן היינו בעיניהם - and we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes and so we were in their eyes”.
Rashi brings the Midrash which describes how the spies overheard the giant inhabitants of Eretz Yisroel saying that they had seen grasshoppers that looked like people!
So the Meraglim were aware that they were perceived as small grasshoppers, but why did they preface by saying that we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes?
Here we come to the deep allusion that the Rebbe is referring to.
In face of the giants, the Meraglim felt inferior. They were insecure and felt small and weak - like grasshoppers - in their own eyes. The enemy seemed insurmountable and formidable.
But in truth, why were like grasshoppers in their eyes? Because we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes. The giants were challenging but not insurmountable. Bnei Yisroel had Hashem’s assistance and great strength. It was because of their lowly self-image in the shadow of the challenge that caused them to seem impossible to overcome.
The Alter Rebbe brings out this idea in a Maamar in this week’s Likkutei Torah. In Parshas Vaeschanan, Moshe reminds Bnei Yisroel that Hashem will cause them “to inherit (the land belonging to) גוים גדולים ועצומים ממך, nations who are greater and mightier than you”.
The word ממך can also be read as “from you”. The Torah is teaching that the greatness and strength of the nations which seem so overpowering is coming from you. You have built them up with your own insecurities, lack of faith and not knowing your true inner strengths.
Instead of “growing” our opponents and magnifying our fears and challenges, we should lower them down; by realising our own great strengths.
This was Yehoshua’s reaction. He saw the same formidable giants as the other spies, yet he was courageous and undeterred. Yehoshua told Bnei Yisroel not to fear them, because their protection has departed from them and Hashem is with us.
Even more restrictive than the limitation placed on us by others, is the limitations we place upon ourselves. I can’t do that! It’s too hard! It’s impossible! But look at who I am, how could I possibly achieve that?
Conquering Eretz Canaan and transforming it into Eretz Yisroel represents the overcoming of spiritual challenges.
In this conquest we are not grasshoppers. We are giants! Hashem is with us! We possess tremendous inner strength from our Neshama, a part of Hashem Himself. With these strengths, nothing can stand in our way.
When we advance with this perspective, knowing that we are capable and have the strength, then nothing will stand in our way. Like the Rebbe assures in this letter, the difficulties and concealments will disappear.
In a letter written to Reb Zalman Serebryanski (Melbourne) dated Kislev 8th 5717, the Rebbe wrote;
“Concerning that which you write about facing difficulties and concealments; you have certainly heard the allusion in the verse ונהי בעינינו כחגבים,… If only those who fear Hashem ... would recognise the tremendous strengths that have been given to them, they would approach all issues with much greater courage than until now. Then automatically the difficulties and the concealments would disappear”.
The posuk quoted in the Rebbe’s response comes from the report of the Meraglim (spies) in this week’s parsha.
Hoping to scare the Jewish people and dissuade them from wanting to enter the Land, they described the mighty inhabitants whom they would have to fight. “And there we saw the Nefilim, the sons of giants, ונהי בעינינו כחגבים וכן היינו בעיניהם - and we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes and so we were in their eyes”.
Rashi brings the Midrash which describes how the spies overheard the giant inhabitants of Eretz Yisroel saying that they had seen grasshoppers that looked like people!
So the Meraglim were aware that they were perceived as small grasshoppers, but why did they preface by saying that we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes?
Here we come to the deep allusion that the Rebbe is referring to.
In face of the giants, the Meraglim felt inferior. They were insecure and felt small and weak - like grasshoppers - in their own eyes. The enemy seemed insurmountable and formidable.
But in truth, why were like grasshoppers in their eyes? Because we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes. The giants were challenging but not insurmountable. Bnei Yisroel had Hashem’s assistance and great strength. It was because of their lowly self-image in the shadow of the challenge that caused them to seem impossible to overcome.
The Alter Rebbe brings out this idea in a Maamar in this week’s Likkutei Torah. In Parshas Vaeschanan, Moshe reminds Bnei Yisroel that Hashem will cause them “to inherit (the land belonging to) גוים גדולים ועצומים ממך, nations who are greater and mightier than you”.
The word ממך can also be read as “from you”. The Torah is teaching that the greatness and strength of the nations which seem so overpowering is coming from you. You have built them up with your own insecurities, lack of faith and not knowing your true inner strengths.
Instead of “growing” our opponents and magnifying our fears and challenges, we should lower them down; by realising our own great strengths.
This was Yehoshua’s reaction. He saw the same formidable giants as the other spies, yet he was courageous and undeterred. Yehoshua told Bnei Yisroel not to fear them, because their protection has departed from them and Hashem is with us.
Even more restrictive than the limitation placed on us by others, is the limitations we place upon ourselves. I can’t do that! It’s too hard! It’s impossible! But look at who I am, how could I possibly achieve that?
Conquering Eretz Canaan and transforming it into Eretz Yisroel represents the overcoming of spiritual challenges.
In this conquest we are not grasshoppers. We are giants! Hashem is with us! We possess tremendous inner strength from our Neshama, a part of Hashem Himself. With these strengths, nothing can stand in our way.
When we advance with this perspective, knowing that we are capable and have the strength, then nothing will stand in our way. Like the Rebbe assures in this letter, the difficulties and concealments will disappear.