Torah Portion

A Pessimistic Nature
Affects One's Self-Image

and a belief, not only in God but also
in themselves. These pioneers did not
see the continued persecution and
repeated curtailment of activities for
our people and say, "We can't do it."
They saw vibrant Jewish life thriving
in a free society and set about, with
faith in God, to establish it.
here are many examples of
As was with the Israelites in the
MI the difference between the
desert, they faced seemingly insur-
optimist and the pessimist.
mountable obstacles and, though the
For example: The optimist
"prudent decision" (read "pes-
sees the doughnut; the pessimist sees
simistic") would be to change course,
the hole. The optimist sees a glass as
they dared, won the day and the rest
half full; the pessimist sees it as half
is history.
empty. The optimist wakes
Now, what about our
up in the morning with,
view of ourselves today and
"Good morning, God." The
what we are to do with our
pessimist says, "My God, it's
Jewish lives. It is very easy
morning!'
to give in to the perceived
This week's Torah portion
ease of assimilation — just
brings out the low self-image
blend in and no one will
that the people of Israel
notice. This is the pes-
seemed to have as illustrated
simistic attitude of those
in the pessimistic report
who are unsure of their
from the spies.
Jewish identity, who see no
SY MAN ELLO
The children of Israel had
need to transmit traditions,
Edi torial
sent out a team of 12 men to
culture or Jewish values on
Assi
stant
spy out the Land of Canaan. .
to their children and
They saw the great size of
grandchildren, those who
the natives and 10 were dismayed.
see no meaning in their Jewish dis-
"We were, in our own sight, the
tinctiveness.
size of grasshoppers and so were we in
We need to wake up and to revive
their sight. We shall never be able to
our positive thinking. Take hold of
overcome these giants and inherit this
the opportunities that are there for
land." (Numbers 13:33) They project-
the taking: a pair of candles waiting
ed their fears on their perceptions and
to be lit, a service to attend, a
distorted the facts with their anxieties.
Shabbat story time shared with a
But why were they so pessimistic?
grandchild. For these, it is never too
Well, until now they had been escort-
late and never beyond our capabili-
ed by the presence of God, fed and
ties. These are not the giants of
housed. Now they feel they are on
Canaan, unless we make them so.
their own and the fuit reaction is to
There is an anecdote which says that
say, "We can't do it." They seem to
aerodynamic tests and wind tunnel
have lost confidence in any ability to
experiments have proven that based on
succeed; most importantly, they have
size, shape and wing strength, the
lost their anchor. They were so
bumblebee is unable to fly. Ignorant of
wrapped up in the logistics of con-
this, the insect continues to make a lit-
quering the land, they left God out of
tle more honey each day.
their thinking entirely.
Our goals need not be giant ones,
Thus, their feelings of insecurity
but we owe it to ourselves not to sab-
were reflected in what they reported
otage possibilities by stressing the dis-
as the Canaanites' view of them; they
appointment of possible failure. ❑
fell back on making excuses and even
blaming Moses for taking them out of
Egypt. Yet, 40 year later, the children
of Israel went back and conquered
n.
that land under Joshua. Had they
How strong is the national
grown taller or mightier? No, but in
dream to you and how can you
the course of time, they had achieved
go about furthering it? What are
a greater faith in God and faith in
some
Jewish "ways" that seem
themselves.
too
hard
to follow? Why? Are
Let us come forward in time and
there
others
not beyond your
see a strong, effective minority with
ability
that
you
can implement
determination succeed in creating the
right
away?
State of Israel. Here were a small
group of idealists with strong hopes

Shabbat Shelach:
Numbers I 3: 1-15:
Joshua 2:1-24.

,

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