What does Your Heart Desire?
Shelach
אִם חָפֵץ בָּנוּ ה' וְהֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת
If Hashem desires us, and He will bring us into this Land…
The ten spies came back from Eretz Yisrael with a slanderous report. They described the great and fearful people who inhabited the Land, the fortified cities and the giants who protected them. They concluded that they would not be able to conquer the Land. Their words succeeded in creating a deep fear and panic amongst Klal Yisrael.
Kalev and Yehoshua remained faithful to Moshe Rabbeinu and were not party to the spies slander. They tried to convince Bnei Yisrael that Hashem was with them and that they would surely succeed in conquering Eretz Yisroel. In his appeal to the Jewish people, Kalev said “If Hashem desires us, and He will bring us into the Land.”
Kalev’s words are difficult to understand. By using the word “if”, he seems to suggest that it was not certain that Hashem would bring them into the Land and that it was subject to doubt. Yet on numerous occasions, Hashem had told them that He would bring them into the Land as He had sworn to their ancestors. Hashem is trustworthy on His word and nothing can stand in His way. So why should there be any doubt whether it would happen or not?
The Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk presents a novel interpretation of the words of this verse.
In preface, he points out that all of the spies were Tzaddikim. Surely these great individuals would not speak slanderously about the Holy Land, which Hashem had already promised was a good land, flowing with milk and honey.
Chassidus explains that the spies had holy (albeit mistaken) intentions in giving their negative report.
On their tour of Eretz Yisroel, the Meraglim saw the great prosperity of Eretz Yisroel. They saw the giant fruits that grew there witnessed first hand how it was truly a good land, flowing with milk and honey.
But they were afraid that when Bnei Yisroel would enter the land and enjoy this prosperity, it would cause them to forget about Hashem. In the Song of Haazinu, the Torah itself forewarns “And Yeshurun became fat and kicked. You became fat, you became dense, you became corpulent—and it deserted G-d its maker.” Seeing themselves as masters of their own wealth, without having to rely on Hashem, they would forget about Him and their Divine mission in the world.
This is why the spies described the Land as “a land that devours its inhabitants” and recounted how they saw “the strong nation who dwell upon it and the children of the giant.” They also brought back some of the gigantic fruits. They were trying to warn the people that the great blessing and prosperity of the Land would cause them too to become “great” and “mighty”, giants who were strong and secure in their own eyes.
In response, Kalev told the Jewish people that they had nothing to fear and that despite the challenge that the spies feared, they could ensure that their material wealth and success would not devour them and take them away from Hashem. This is the inner meaning of Kalev’s words אם חפץ בנו ה' - “if Hashem desires us”, which, as stated above, were certainly not said as a doubt on Hashem’s promises or His strength.
These words could also be read as “if the desire within us is Hashem”. If we strengthen ourselves in the fear of Hashem and not get caught up in the pursuit of physical indulgence, there is no reason for fear. If the primary desire within our hearts is for Hashem and His service, He will bring us into the Land and we will be successful.
Kalev continuedעלה נעלה וירשנו אותה - “we will surely go up and conquer it”. Not only will we not be pulled-down and corrupted , we will raise ourselves spiritually and conquer the temptation for material pleasure, pushing it aside to attain our true desire of serving Hashem. Then we will have nothing to fear.
If Hashem desires us, and He will bring us into this Land…
The ten spies came back from Eretz Yisrael with a slanderous report. They described the great and fearful people who inhabited the Land, the fortified cities and the giants who protected them. They concluded that they would not be able to conquer the Land. Their words succeeded in creating a deep fear and panic amongst Klal Yisrael.
Kalev and Yehoshua remained faithful to Moshe Rabbeinu and were not party to the spies slander. They tried to convince Bnei Yisrael that Hashem was with them and that they would surely succeed in conquering Eretz Yisroel. In his appeal to the Jewish people, Kalev said “If Hashem desires us, and He will bring us into the Land.”
Kalev’s words are difficult to understand. By using the word “if”, he seems to suggest that it was not certain that Hashem would bring them into the Land and that it was subject to doubt. Yet on numerous occasions, Hashem had told them that He would bring them into the Land as He had sworn to their ancestors. Hashem is trustworthy on His word and nothing can stand in His way. So why should there be any doubt whether it would happen or not?
The Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk presents a novel interpretation of the words of this verse.
In preface, he points out that all of the spies were Tzaddikim. Surely these great individuals would not speak slanderously about the Holy Land, which Hashem had already promised was a good land, flowing with milk and honey.
Chassidus explains that the spies had holy (albeit mistaken) intentions in giving their negative report.
On their tour of Eretz Yisroel, the Meraglim saw the great prosperity of Eretz Yisroel. They saw the giant fruits that grew there witnessed first hand how it was truly a good land, flowing with milk and honey.
But they were afraid that when Bnei Yisroel would enter the land and enjoy this prosperity, it would cause them to forget about Hashem. In the Song of Haazinu, the Torah itself forewarns “And Yeshurun became fat and kicked. You became fat, you became dense, you became corpulent—and it deserted G-d its maker.” Seeing themselves as masters of their own wealth, without having to rely on Hashem, they would forget about Him and their Divine mission in the world.
This is why the spies described the Land as “a land that devours its inhabitants” and recounted how they saw “the strong nation who dwell upon it and the children of the giant.” They also brought back some of the gigantic fruits. They were trying to warn the people that the great blessing and prosperity of the Land would cause them too to become “great” and “mighty”, giants who were strong and secure in their own eyes.
In response, Kalev told the Jewish people that they had nothing to fear and that despite the challenge that the spies feared, they could ensure that their material wealth and success would not devour them and take them away from Hashem. This is the inner meaning of Kalev’s words אם חפץ בנו ה' - “if Hashem desires us”, which, as stated above, were certainly not said as a doubt on Hashem’s promises or His strength.
These words could also be read as “if the desire within us is Hashem”. If we strengthen ourselves in the fear of Hashem and not get caught up in the pursuit of physical indulgence, there is no reason for fear. If the primary desire within our hearts is for Hashem and His service, He will bring us into the Land and we will be successful.
Kalev continuedעלה נעלה וירשנו אותה - “we will surely go up and conquer it”. Not only will we not be pulled-down and corrupted , we will raise ourselves spiritually and conquer the temptation for material pleasure, pushing it aside to attain our true desire of serving Hashem. Then we will have nothing to fear.