Little by Little: Lessons from the Spies and the Settlement of the Land

Behaloscha

Little by Little

דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם

חַיֵּיכֶם נָתַתִּי אוֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב, וְכֻלָּם מִן הַמִּקְרָא, וְהַבֵּן יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הָאָב, לְכָךְ אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם

The first half of Parshas Shelach tells the story of the מְרַגְּלִים, their journey, and the disaster wrought upon their return. Although there was no overt punishment brought upon Klal Yisroel, save the מְרַגְּלִים themselves who all perished, their חֵטְא caused significant impact nonetheless: וּבְנֵיכֶם יִהְיוּ רֹעִים בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה. Although Klal Yisroel had been on the cusp of entering Eretz Yisroel, because of the way they had reacted to the words of the מְרַגְּלִים, their journey through the Midbar would be extended to forty years.

After relating the story of the מְרַגְּלִים, and briefly telling us of those who attempted to defy the Devar Hashem only to perish, the Torah turns to a new topic beginning with the words דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם. The Pessukim continue, speaking about the Dinim of the נְסָכִים that are brought with each Korban. These Pessukim discuss each type of Korban, delineating the נְסָכִים that are to be offered with each one.

At first glance, it is difficult to understand this sequence of Pessukim: why did the Torah teach the Halachos of the נְסָכִים here, immediately following the Parsha of the מְרַגְּלִים? Rashi addresses this question head-on, explaining the placement of these Pessukim at this juncture: בִּשֵּׂר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ. Following the events of the מְרַגְּלִים, and the pronouncement of the consequences, there may have been a sense of despair, a feeling that Eretz Yisroel was now out of reach. HKBH therefore gave a Tzivuy that begins with the wordsכִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם , reassuring Klal Yisroel that they would in fact reach the land.

While the choice of the Dinim related to the נְסָכִים requires explanation, the fact remains that these Pessukim were placed here because of the element of בִּשֵּׂר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ delivered by the words כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם . Considering this, it is important to note that the Medrash here highlights an interesting point about this phrase.

The Medrash tells us that when Bnei Yisroel heard the words כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם they asked HKBH a question: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם בְּכָל מָקוֹם אַתָּה קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, וְכָאן אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם. In most places, the Torah refers to אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, why are the words אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם used here instead. The Medrash continues, telling us how HKBH answered this question: חַיֵּיכֶם נָתַתִּי אוֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב, וְכֻלָּם מִן הַמִּקְרָא, וְהַבֵּן יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הָאָב, לְכָךְ אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם. Because the land had be given to the Avos Hakedoshim, and passed down through Yerusha, it is considered אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם.

How can we understand this Medrash? It is certainly true that Eretz Yisroel belongs to us from the time of the Avos, but why is it here, specifically, that the Torah wishes to pass on the message of הַבֵּן יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הָאָב, לְכָךְ אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם? If we consider the words of Rashi, the words כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם were said to give a sense of comfort to Klal Yisroel that they would indeed reach Eretz Yisroel, בִּשֵּׂר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ. Why then is it here that the Torah chose to use the words אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם, which are out of the ordinary and bear their own message?

We may be tempted to answer this question on a simple level: since Bnei Yisroel may have been concerned that they would not reach Eretz Yisroel at all, HKBH chose to teach them a Mitzvah that begins with the words כִּי תָבֹאוּ, indicating that they would indeed enter the land. The words אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם were then added to highlight the historical nature of our connection to Eretz Yisroel, נָתַתִּי אוֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב, and our right to this land by virtue of the rule that הַבֵּן יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הָאָב, adding further impact to the element of בִּשֵּׂר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ.

This simple approach is, however, complicated by a Gemara in Kedushin.

As we know, when Yehoshua led Bnei Yisroel into Eretz Yisroel, there was a fourteen-year period—seven years of יְרוּשָּׁה and seven of ישִׁיבָה—before they were completely settled upon the land. The Gemara in Kedushin explains that of the Mitzvos that did not apply in the Midbar, some began immediately upon our arrival in Eretz Yisroel, while others were only Noheg after the years of יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה.

As part of this discussion, the Gemara teaches: כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּיאָה וּמוֹשָׁב אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְאַחַר יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה. Any Mitzvah in which the Torah speaks about בִּיאָה , arriving in Eretz Yisroel, and מוֹשָׁב, settling in Eretz Yisroel, was only relevant after the years of יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה. The Gemara learns this from the Dinim of נְסָכִים , because the words כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם reference יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה and these Dinim were only Noheg after the years of יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה.

If the Torah wished simply to reassure Bnei Yisroel about their entrance into Eretz Yisroel, if the words כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם were said only to reinforce the reality that we would one day arrive in the land that was really already ours through the Din of הַבֵּן יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הָאָב, why choose a Mitzvah that was only Noheg after יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה? It seems that another Mitzvah, which is also found in the Parsha could have been used in its stead.

After the Torah finishes the discussion about נְסָכִים , the Pessukim turn to another Mitzvah: רֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם חַלָּה תָּרִימוּ תְרוּמָה. The Mitzvah of חַלָּה was also not Noheg in the Midbar, and is introduced with the words בְּבֹאֲכֶם אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מֵבִיא אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה. Rashi, based on the Sifri there, notes that this too is an unusual formulation and explains: אֲבָל זוֹ נֶאֱמַר בָּהּ בְּבֹאֲכֶם מִשֶּׁנִּכְנְסוּ בָהּ וְאָכְלוּ מִלַּחְמָהּ נִתְחַיְּבוּ בְחַלָּה. The Mitzvah of חַלָּה took effect immediately upon our arrival in Eretz Yisroel, and was Noheg even during the years of יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה.

If it was true HKBH wanted to dispel the fears of Klal Yisroel, and therefore introduced one of the מִצְוֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ, why speak first about נְסָכִים , which were only Noheg after יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה and then חַלָּה , which was Noheg immediately? In fact, one could argue that the Mitzvah of חַלָּה is immediately Noheg, even while the other nations still live upon the land, shows that it is already ours, through the Din of הַבֵּן יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הָאָב. If so, why did the Torah first speak about נְסָכִים , which were only Noheg later, and add the words אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם to bring the message of נָתַתִּי אוֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב...וְהַבֵּן יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הָאָב?

It seems that there must be another message that can be understood from the words כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם and their implication, which we can perhaps understand with an insight into the years of יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה.

As the beginning of Parshas Vayera, the Torah tells us about the way that Avrohom Avinu greeted his guests, who were actually Malachim, including the following words: יֻקַּח־נָא מְעַט־מַיִם וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם. The Medrash Tanchuma, there, tells us that Avrohom was richly rewarded for the way that he treated the Malachim, including the following Drasha: אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ מְעַט, אֲנִי אֲגָרֵשׁ אֶת שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶן מְעַט מְעַט. Because Avrohom said the words יֻקַּח־נָא מְעַט־מַיִם , inviting the Malachim to rinse their feet, he was rewarded with the fact that the inhabitants of אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן were expelled from the land מְעַט מְעַט, slowly, as the Passuk in Parshas Mishpatim says: מְעַט מְעַט אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ.

One might wonder why this is a reward—would it not be better for all the enemies of Bnei Yisroel to be summarily dispatched from Eretz Yisroel? Why was the fact that the enemies of his children would be sent away slowly, מְעַט מְעַט, a reward for Avrohom? This question, however, is answered directly by the Passuk there. Hashem told Klal Yisroel: לֹא אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ בְּשָׁנָה אֶחָת פֶּן־תִּהְיֶה הָאָרֶץ שְׁמָמָה וְרַבָּה עָלֶיךָ חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה, if all its inhabitants were sent out of Eretz Yisroel at one time, the land might lay fallow, or become overrun with wild animals. Therefore, the fact that they would be sent away מְעַט מְעַט, slowly, was a benefit to Bnei Yisroel.

The Me’or V’Shemesh, in Parshas Mishpatim, asks a question on these Pessukim, however: HBKH is the בַּעַל הַיְּכֹלֶת כֻּלָּם, and certainly could have rid Eretz Yisroel of its inhabitants while still preventing an eventuality of רַבָּה עָלֶיךָ חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה. Why, then, was the experience of מְעַט מְעַט אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ necessary?

He answers this question with an important Yesod in Avodas Hashem.

HKBH gives each person the opportunity to choose between the offerings of the Yetzer Tov and the Yetzer Harah. We are, in a sense, placed at an intersection with the choice of which path to take. In many cases, explains the Me’or V’Sehemesh, if we understood the role of Hashgacha in the world, if we saw the Yad Hashem openly, we would not have the ability to choose—we would be compelled to go in the path of the Yetzer Tov. HKBH is therefore מְצַמְצֵם Himself, making His presence less obvious, so that we have the opportunity to be Misgaber on our Yetzer, and choose Tov of our own volition.

There are no shortcuts, explains the Me’or V’shemesh. Each day is a new battle, and if we are victorious in one realm, defeating our Yetzer Harah to some extent, he will find a way to engage us anew. In fact, even if one engages in sincere Teffilah, asking that he be free of the influence of the Yetzer Harah, he will not be successful—of course HKBH could remove the Yetzer, but it is not in our best interest. We must face the two roads so that we may have the opportunity to overcome the Yetzer and choose the path of Tov.

The only path, he continues, is that of מְעַט מְעַט. Each day we must make a little more progress, making small gains in our battle against the Yetzer Harah, diminishing his influence over us one small step at a time. If we take this approach, we will find that the battle becomes a bit easier with time, even if it is never completely abated.

This, explains the Me’or V’Shemesh, is the message of the Pessukim in Parhas Mishpatim: of course the בַּעַל הַיְּכֹלֶת כֻּלָּם could have banished the inhabitants of Eretz Yisroel in one fell swoop—but we would have missed an important lesson. Our ultimate enemy is the Yetzer Harah, and he cannot be defeated in one moment. The years of מְעַט מְעַט אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ were meant to teach us the ways of Avodas Hashem, that the pathway of מְעַט מְעַט is the surest way to achieve victory. This was the reward promised to Avrohom Avinu: אֲגָרֵשׁ אֶת שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶן מְעַט מְעַט. Upon entering Eretz Yisroel, we would learn the lesson of מְעַט מְעַט, setting us on a path to do battle with the Yetzer Harah for generations to come.

The fourteen years of יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה were the classroom in which this lesson was taught. These were the years of מְעַט מְעַט, as we watched our enemies slowly dissipate and learned that the slow-and-steady approach was the most effective. Perhaps this was the intention of the Torah in introducing the Mitzvah of נְסָכִים in the aftermath of the מְרַגְּלִים.

The ultimate argument made by the מְרַגְּלִים was that it would be too difficult for Klal Yisroel to conquer Eretz Yisroel: לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת אֶל־הָעָם כִּי־חָזָק הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ. The battles, they feared, would be too fierce. Inherent in this argument is the failure to understand that the battle itself is important. The מְרַגְּלִים did not see a way for Bnei Yisroel to defeat the inhabitants of the land because they didn’t understand that it would be a slow process--מְעַט מְעַט, one battle at a time.

After the מְרַגְּלִים met their fate, and Bnei Yisroel understood that they had committed a serious misstep, they were perhaps concerned that they would never be Zoche to enter the land. HKBH therefore wanted to transmit one of the מִצְוֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ, which would carry an encouraging message, as Rashi says, בִּשֵּׂר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ.

In doing so, however, HKBH conveyed an additional message: the Mitzvah given was not Noheg until after the years of יְרוּשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה to show that our position in the land was not secure until then. It was only once we learned the important lesson of מְעַט מְעַט , which had not been understood by the מְרַגְּלִים, that we were truly ensconced in Eretz Yisroel with all its Mitzvos. The words כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם help contribute to this message because they remind us that, in truth, we did not need to conquer the land—it was already ours as Hashem said נָתַתִּי אוֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב...וְהַבֵּן יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הָאָב—but these years were given to us so that we may learn the path of מְעַט מְעַט.

It was those years, during which our enemies were dispatched, that we would understand the pathway to Avodas Hashem that bears the greatest fruits, so that we could then lead lives of מְעַט מְעַט אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ, defeating the Yetzer Harah one step at a time.