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A Poor Self-Image

Parshat Shelach Lechah:
Numbers 13:1-15:41; Joshua 2:1-2:24.

W

‘

e know the story well: The but for the proven ability to turn dreams
Children of Israel react to
into reality. But the leaders who went
the scary message of most on the mission to scout out the land saw
of the spies whom Moses had sent to
only the physical facts, not the truth and
scout out the land, and their lack of self-
potential for the Israelites’ future. They
confidence, courage and faith condemn
saw only present danger and did not
the people to 40 years of wandering in
have the faith to encourage their follow-
the desert.
ers to “become a free people on
Moses had chosen the 12
their own land.”
men to traverse Canaan and
Dr. Barry Holtz of the Jewish
return with a report about
Theological Seminary added
the land and the people who
another dimension: If the spies
dwelled there. All come back
were really telling the truth (as
and announce that the land is
they saw it), why should they be
good, but 10 fear that the local
punished? Perhaps they failed as
residents are too powerful to
leaders in not understanding the
Rabbi Norman
be conquered by a group of
real impact of their words. They
T. Roman
former slaves.
literally brought a rebellion into
Only Joshua and Caleb
the camp, rather than hope and
disagree, saying with conviction that
optimism — “they proved themselves
the Israelites can overcome the chal-
unworthy of the trust Moses had placed
lenge. But the majority of the scouts, and in them.”
indeed all the congregation, break into
And finally, most of us can prob-
cries, complaints and pleas to return to
ably see ourselves, at some moment
Egypt.
or another, in this narrative. The “self-
As a result (although there are other
perception” of the scouts was their
issues, revolts and crises that affect God’s downfall and the sad consequence for
decision), only these two brave men will
all the people. Yes, the Canaanites were
merit entering the Promised Land.
powerful — but hadn’t the Children of
Why did the Holy One instruct Moses Israel previously witnessed God’s pro-
to send the spies in the first place? The
tection and support?
13th-century sage Nachmanides, among
Joshua and Caleb were convinced that
others, insists that it was the will of the
their people could prevail. They saw the
people to send their scouts on ahead into same things that the doubting men had
the unknown and that Moses brought
seen; but they had faith and confidence.
this request to God. The response was
The other 10 did not: “All the people we
“Shelach lechah!” (“Go ahead — you
saw are of great size … and we looked
send them if you think it’s really neces-
like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we
sary!”).
must have looked to them.”
And then, when the report was so
These 10 were weak; their discourag-
strongly negative and discouraging, God ing words to Moses represented a failure
realized (Moses probably did, too) that
of their own self-image, not the reality
the Children of Israel were still filled with of the situation that faced the Children
feelings of inadequacy and weakness.
of Israel, poised to enter their Promised
Or, my teacher Rabbi Sheldon
Land.
Zimmerman has commented that Moses
Sadly, our people have gone from the
may have misunderstood God’s word: He “highest of highs” at the shores of the
was supposed to send “Anashim … men sea and at Mount Sinai, to a low level of
with clarity of vision, faith in the Eternal despair, weakness of will, and an inabil-
and, above all, the capacity to dream
ity to believe in the destiny and promise
and actualize what seemed to be … the
that God had prepared for them.
impossible.”
Norman T. Roman has served as senior rabbi of
God wanted Moses to choose lead-
Temple Kol Ami in West Bloomfield since 1986. As
ers who could inspire others, who were
of July 1, he will become rabbi emeritus.
known not merely for physical bravery,

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June 30 • 2016

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