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Friend,    With Purim right around the corner, Sefaria is busy preparing for the “Purim bump” — the increase in users who visit Sefaria to celebrate the holiday. Last year, more than 100,000 people visited the library or used the app to connect with the holiday or read along with Megillat Esther. This year we’re expecting even more.    To help with our text and tech preparations ahead of this busy time, a generous Jewish foundation is matching all gifts to the library up to $36,000.    Please give today to help us meet your learning needs!     
Save "Shelach ~ will the real story stand up?
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Shelach ~ will the real story stand up?
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) שְׁלַח־לְךָ֣ אֲנָשִׁ֗ים וְיָתֻ֙רוּ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָד֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד לְמַטֵּ֤ה אֲבֹתָיו֙ תִּשְׁלָ֔חוּ כֹּ֖ל נָשִׂ֥יא בָהֶֽם׃ (ג) וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֛ה מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן עַל־פִּ֣י ה' כֻּלָּ֣ם אֲנָשִׁ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽמָּה׃ (ד) וְאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֑ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֔ן שַׁמּ֖וּעַ בֶּן־זַכּֽוּר׃ (ה) לְמַטֵּ֣ה שִׁמְע֔וֹן שָׁפָ֖ט בֶּן־חוֹרִֽי׃ (ו) לְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה כָּלֵ֖ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּֽה׃ (ז) לְמַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר יִגְאָ֖ל בֶּן־יוֹסֵֽף׃ (ח) לְמַטֵּ֥ה אֶפְרָ֖יִם הוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃ (ט) לְמַטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן פַּלְטִ֖י בֶּן־רָפֽוּא׃ (י) לְמַטֵּ֣ה זְבוּלֻ֔ן גַּדִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־סוֹדִֽי׃ (יא) לְמַטֵּ֥ה יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה גַּדִּ֖י בֶּן־סוּסִֽי׃ (יב) לְמַטֵּ֣ה דָ֔ן עַמִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־גְּמַלִּֽי׃ (יג) לְמַטֵּ֣ה אָשֵׁ֔ר סְת֖וּר בֶּן־מִיכָאֵֽל׃ (יד) לְמַטֵּ֣ה נַפְתָּלִ֔י נַחְבִּ֖י בֶּן־וׇפְסִֽי׃ (טו) לְמַטֵּ֣ה גָ֔ד גְּאוּאֵ֖ל בֶּן־מָכִֽי׃ (טז) אֵ֚לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָת֣וּר אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נ֖וּן יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃ (יז) וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֹתָם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָת֖וּר אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם עֲל֥וּ זֶה֙ בַּנֶּ֔גֶב וַעֲלִיתֶ֖ם אֶת־הָהָֽר׃ (יח) וּרְאִיתֶ֥ם אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ מַה־הִ֑וא וְאֶת־הָעָם֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ הֶחָזָ֥ק הוּא֙ הֲרָפֶ֔ה הַמְעַ֥ט ה֖וּא אִם־רָֽב׃ (יט) וּמָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הוּא֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּ֔הּ הֲטוֹבָ֥ה הִ֖וא אִם־רָעָ֑ה וּמָ֣ה הֶֽעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־הוּא֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהֵ֔נָּה הַבְּמַֽחֲנִ֖ים אִ֥ם בְּמִבְצָרִֽים׃ (כ) וּמָ֣ה הָ֠אָ֠רֶץ הַשְּׁמֵנָ֨ה הִ֜וא אִם־רָזָ֗ה הֲיֵֽשׁ־בָּ֥הּ עֵץ֙ אִם־אַ֔יִן וְהִ֨תְחַזַּקְתֶּ֔ם וּלְקַחְתֶּ֖ם מִפְּרִ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהַ֨יָּמִ֔ים יְמֵ֖י בִּכּוּרֵ֥י עֲנָבִֽים׃ (כא) וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ וַיָּתֻ֣רוּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ מִמִּדְבַּר־צִ֥ן עַד־רְחֹ֖ב לְבֹ֥א חֲמָֽת׃ (כב) וַיַּעֲל֣וּ בַנֶּ֘גֶב֮ וַיָּבֹ֣א עַד־חֶבְרוֹן֒ וְשָׁ֤ם אֲחִימַן֙ שֵׁשַׁ֣י וְתַלְמַ֔י יְלִידֵ֖י הָעֲנָ֑ק וְחֶבְר֗וֹן שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ נִבְנְתָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י צֹ֥עַן מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (כג) וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֗ל וַיִּכְרְת֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם זְמוֹרָה֙ וְאֶשְׁכּ֤וֹל עֲנָבִים֙ אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֥הוּ בַמּ֖וֹט בִּשְׁנָ֑יִם וּמִן־הָרִמֹּנִ֖ים וּמִן־הַתְּאֵנִֽים׃ (כד) לַמָּק֣וֹם הַה֔וּא קָרָ֖א נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹל עַ֚ל אֹד֣וֹת הָֽאֶשְׁכּ֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־כָּרְת֥וּ מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (כה) וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ מִתּ֣וּר הָאָ֑רֶץ מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יֽוֹם׃ (כו) וַיֵּלְכ֡וּ וַיָּבֹ֩אוּ֩ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־מִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן קָדֵ֑שָׁה וַיָּשִׁ֨יבוּ אֹתָ֤ם דָּבָר֙ וְאֶת־כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַיַּרְא֖וּם אֶת־פְּרִ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כז) וַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בָּ֕אנוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְ֠גַ֠ם זָבַ֨ת חָלָ֥ב וּדְבַ֛שׁ הִ֖וא וְזֶה־פִּרְיָֽהּ׃ (כח) אֶ֚פֶס כִּֽי־עַ֣ז הָעָ֔ם הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֶֽעָרִ֗ים בְּצֻר֤וֹת גְּדֹלֹת֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְגַם־יְלִדֵ֥י הָֽעֲנָ֖ק רָאִ֥ינוּ שָֽׁם׃ (כט) עֲמָלֵ֥ק יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַנֶּ֑גֶב וְ֠הַֽחִתִּ֠י וְהַיְבוּסִ֤י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהָ֔ר וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב עַל־הַיָּ֔ם וְעַ֖ל יַ֥ד הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ (ל) וַיַּ֧הַס כָּלֵ֛ב אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עָלֹ֤ה נַעֲלֶה֙ וְיָרַ֣שְׁנוּ אֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־יָכ֥וֹל נוּכַ֖ל לָֽהּ׃ (לא) וְהָ֨אֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־עָל֤וּ עִמּוֹ֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לַעֲל֣וֹת אֶל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־חָזָ֥ק ה֖וּא מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (לב) וַיֹּצִ֜יאוּ דִּבַּ֤ת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֡רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ עָבַ֨רְנוּ בָ֜הּ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֗הּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֹכֶ֤לֶת יוֹשְׁבֶ֙יהָ֙ הִ֔וא וְכׇל־הָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥ינוּ בְתוֹכָ֖הּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִדּֽוֹת׃ (לג) וְשָׁ֣ם רָאִ֗ינוּ אֶת־הַנְּפִילִ֛ים בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָ֖ק מִן־הַנְּפִלִ֑ים וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים וְכֵ֥ן הָיִ֖ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃ (א) וַתִּשָּׂא֙ כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַֽיִּתְּנ֖וּ אֶת־קוֹלָ֑ם וַיִּבְכּ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַהֽוּא׃ (ב) וַיִּלֹּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כׇּל־הָעֵדָ֗ה לוּ־מַ֙תְנוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם א֛וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה לוּ־מָֽתְנוּ׃ (ג) וְלָמָ֣ה ה' מֵבִ֨יא אֹתָ֜נוּ אֶל־הָאָ֤רֶץ הַזֹּאת֙ לִנְפֹּ֣ל בַּחֶ֔רֶב נָשֵׁ֥ינוּ וְטַפֵּ֖נוּ יִהְי֣וּ לָבַ֑ז הֲל֧וֹא ט֦וֹב לָ֖נוּ שׁ֥וּב מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (ד) וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו נִתְּנָ֥ה רֹ֖אשׁ וְנָשׁ֥וּבָה מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (ה) וַיִּפֹּ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֛ה וְאַהֲרֹ֖ן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם לִפְנֵ֕י כׇּל־קְהַ֥ל עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ו) וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וְכָלֵב֙ בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֔ה מִן־הַתָּרִ֖ים אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ קָרְע֖וּ בִּגְדֵיהֶֽם׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָבַ֤רְנוּ בָהּ֙ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֔הּ טוֹבָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃ (ח) אִם־חָפֵ֥ץ בָּ֙נוּ֙ ה' וְהֵבִ֤יא אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָ֑נוּ אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֛וא זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ (ט) אַ֣ךְ בַּה' אַל־תִּמְרֹ֒דוּ֒ וְאַתֶּ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י לַחְמֵ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם סָ֣ר צִלָּ֧ם מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם וַֽה' אִתָּ֖נוּ אַל־תִּירָאֻֽם׃ (י) וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִרְגּ֥וֹם אֹתָ֖ם בָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וּכְב֣וֹד ה' נִרְאָה֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֶֽל־כׇּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
(יא) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה עַד־אָ֥נָה יְנַאֲצֻ֖נִי הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה וְעַד־אָ֙נָה֙ לֹא־יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ בִ֔י בְּכֹל֙ הָֽאֹת֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃ (יב) אַכֶּ֥נּוּ בַדֶּ֖בֶר וְאוֹרִשֶׁ֑נּוּ וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙ אֹֽתְךָ֔ לְגוֹי־גָּד֥וֹל וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־ה' וְשָׁמְע֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם כִּֽי־הֶעֱלִ֧יתָ בְכֹחֲךָ֛ אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה מִקִּרְבּֽוֹ׃ (יד) וְאָמְר֗וּ אֶל־יוֹשֵׁב֮ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּאת֒ שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה ה' בְּקֶ֖רֶב הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־עַ֨יִן בְּעַ֜יִן נִרְאָ֣ה ׀ אַתָּ֣ה ה' וַעֲנָֽנְךָ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עֲלֵהֶ֔ם וּבְעַמֻּ֣ד עָנָ֗ן אַתָּ֨ה הֹלֵ֤ךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וּבְעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לָֽיְלָה׃ (טו) וְהֵמַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְע֥וּ אֶֽת־שִׁמְעֲךָ֖ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (טז) מִבִּלְתִּ֞י יְכֹ֣לֶת ה' לְהָבִיא֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣ע לָהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (יז) וְעַתָּ֕ה יִגְדַּל־נָ֖א כֹּ֣חַ אדושם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (יח) ה' אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֖ן וָפָ֑שַׁע וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֞ד עֲוֺ֤ן אָבוֹת֙ עַל־בָּנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃ (יט) סְלַֽח־נָ֗א לַעֲוֺ֛ן הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כְּגֹ֣דֶל חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתָה֙ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם וְעַד־הֵֽנָּה׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' סָלַ֖חְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃ (כא) וְאוּלָ֖ם חַי־אָ֑נִי וְיִמָּלֵ֥א כְבוֹד־ה' אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כב) כִּ֣י כׇל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָרֹאִ֤ים אֶת־כְּבֹדִי֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣תֹתַ֔י אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתִי בְמִצְרַ֖יִם וּבַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיְנַסּ֣וּ אֹתִ֗י זֶ֚ה עֶ֣שֶׂר פְּעָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּקוֹלִֽי׃ (כג) אִם־יִרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָ֑ם וְכׇל־מְנַאֲצַ֖י לֹ֥א יִרְאֽוּהָ׃ (כד) וְעַבְדִּ֣י כָלֵ֗ב עֵ֣קֶב הָֽיְתָ֞ה ר֤וּחַ אַחֶ֙רֶת֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַיְמַלֵּ֖א אַחֲרָ֑י וַהֲבִֽיאֹתִ֗יו אֶל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣א שָׁ֔מָּה וְזַרְע֖וֹ יוֹרִשֶֽׁנָּה׃ (כה) וְהָעֲמָֽלֵקִ֥י וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּעֵ֑מֶק מָחָ֗ר פְּנ֨וּ וּסְע֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר דֶּ֥רֶךְ יַם־סֽוּף׃ {פ}
(כו) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃ (כז) עַד־מָתַ֗י לָעֵדָ֤ה הָֽרָעָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה מַלִּינִ֖ים עָלָ֑י אֶת־תְּלֻנּ֞וֹת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵ֧מָּה מַלִּינִ֛ים עָלַ֖י שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃ (כח) אֱמֹ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם חַי־אָ֙נִי֙ נְאֻם־ה' אִם־לֹ֕א כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּרְתֶּ֖ם בְּאׇזְנָ֑י כֵּ֖ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃ (כט) בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַ֠זֶּ֠ה יִפְּל֨וּ פִגְרֵיכֶ֜ם וְכׇל־פְּקֻדֵיכֶם֙ לְכׇל־מִסְפַּרְכֶ֔ם מִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲלִֽינֹתֶ֖ם עָלָֽי׃ (ל) אִם־אַתֶּם֙ תָּבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־יָדִ֔י לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן אֶתְכֶ֖ם בָּ֑הּ כִּ֚י אִם־כָּלֵ֣ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֔ה וִיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃ (לא) וְטַ֨פְּכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם לָבַ֣ז יִהְיֶ֑ה וְהֵבֵיאתִ֣י אֹתָ֔ם וְיָֽדְעוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְאַסְתֶּ֖ם בָּֽהּ׃ (לב) וּפִגְרֵיכֶ֖ם אַתֶּ֑ם יִפְּל֖וּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ (לג) וּ֠בְנֵיכֶ֠ם יִהְי֨וּ רֹעִ֤ים בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְנָשְׂא֖וּ אֶת־זְנוּתֵיכֶ֑ם עַד־תֹּ֥ם פִּגְרֵיכֶ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (לד) בְּמִסְפַּ֨ר הַיָּמִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־תַּרְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֘רֶץ֮ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יוֹם֒ י֣וֹם לַשָּׁנָ֞ה י֣וֹם לַשָּׁנָ֗ה תִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־עֲוֺנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־תְּנוּאָתִֽי׃ (לה) אֲנִ֣י ה' דִּבַּ֒רְתִּי֒ אִם־לֹ֣א ׀ זֹ֣את אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֗ה לְכׇל־הָעֵדָ֤ה הָֽרָעָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את הַנּוֹעָדִ֖ים עָלָ֑י בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֛ה יִתַּ֖מּוּ וְשָׁ֥ם יָמֻֽתוּ׃ (לו) וְהָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָת֣וּר אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּשֻׁ֗בוּ (וילונו) [וַיַּלִּ֤ינוּ] עָלָיו֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לְהוֹצִ֥יא דִבָּ֖ה עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (לז) וַיָּמֻ֙תוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים מוֹצִאֵ֥י דִבַּת־הָאָ֖רֶץ רָעָ֑ה בַּמַּגֵּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י ה'׃ (לח) וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֔וּן וְכָלֵ֖ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֑ה חָיוּ֙ מִן־הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם הַהֹֽלְכִ֖ים לָת֥וּר אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (לט) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֶֽל־כׇּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּֽתְאַבְּל֥וּ הָעָ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃ (מ) וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיַּֽעֲל֥וּ אֶל־רֹאשׁ־הָהָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֶּ֗נּוּ וְעָלִ֛ינוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֛וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אָמַ֥ר ה' כִּ֥י חָטָֽאנוּ׃ (מא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֛ה אַתֶּ֥ם עֹבְרִ֖ים אֶת־פִּ֣י ה' וְהִ֖וא לֹ֥א תִצְלָֽח׃ (מב) אַֽל־תַּעֲל֔וּ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין ה' בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְלֹא֙ תִּנָּ֣גְפ֔וּ לִפְנֵ֖י אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃ (מג) כִּי֩ הָעֲמָלֵקִ֨י וְהַכְּנַעֲנִ֥י שָׁם֙ לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם וּנְפַלְתֶּ֖ם בֶּחָ֑רֶב כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֤ן שַׁבְתֶּם֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י ה' וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה ה' עִמָּכֶֽם׃ (מד) וַיַּעְפִּ֕לוּ לַעֲל֖וֹת אֶל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר וַאֲר֤וֹן בְּרִית־ה' וּמֹשֶׁ֔ה לֹא־מָ֖שׁוּ מִקֶּ֥רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (מה) וַיֵּ֤רֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי֙ וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב בָּהָ֣ר הַה֑וּא וַיַּכּ֥וּם וַֽיַּכְּת֖וּם עַד־הַֽחׇרְמָֽה׃ {פ}

(1) ה' spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Send agents to scout the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelite people; send one participant from each of their ancestral tribes, each one a chieftain among them.” (3) So Moses, by יהוה’s command, sent them out from the wilderness of Paran, all of them being men of consequence, leaders of the Israelites. (4) And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur. (5) From the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori. (6) From the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh. (7) From the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph. (8) From the tribe of Ephraim, Hosea son of Nun. (9) From the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Rafu. (10) From the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi. (11) From the tribe of Joseph, namely, the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi son of Susi. (12) From the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli. (13) From the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael. (14) From the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi. (15) From the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Machi. (16) Those were the names of the participants whom Moses sent to scout the land; but Moses changed the name of Hosea son of Nun to Joshua. (17) When Moses sent them to scout the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up into the Negev and go up the hill, (18) and see what kind of country it is. Are the people who dwell in it strong or weak, few or many? (19) Is the country in which they dwell good or bad? Are the towns they live in open or fortified? (20) Is the soil rich or poor? Is it wooded or not? And take pains to bring back some of the fruit of the land.”—Now it happened to be the season of the first ripe grapes. (21) They went up and scouted the land, from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, at Lebo-hamath. (22) They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron, where lived Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites.—Now Hebron was founded seven years before Zoan of Egypt.— (23) They reached the wadi Eshcol, and there they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes—it had to be borne on a carrying frame by two of them—and some pomegranates and figs. (24) That place was named the wadi Eshcol because of the cluster that the Israelites cut down there. (25) At the end of forty days they returned from scouting the land. (26) They went straight to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran, and they made their report to them and to the whole community, as they showed them the fruit of the land. (27) This is what they told him: “We came to the land you sent us to; it does indeed flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. (28) However, the people who inhabit the country are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large; moreover, we saw the Anakites there. (29) Amalekites dwell in the Negeb region; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites inhabit the hill country; and Canaanites dwell by the Sea and along the Jordan.” (30) Caleb hushed the people before Moses and said, “Let us by all means go up, and we shall gain possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it.” (31) But the other men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot attack that people, for it is stronger than we.” (32) Thus they spread calumnies among the Israelites about the land they had scouted, saying, “The country that we traversed and scouted is one that devours its settlers. All the people that we saw in it are of great size; (33) we saw the Nephilim there—the Anakites are part of the Nephilim—and we looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to them.” (1) The whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night. (2) All the Israelites railed against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in the land of Egypt,” the whole community shouted at them, “or if only we might die in this wilderness!” (3) “Why is ה' taking us to that land to fall by the sword?” “Our wives and children will be carried off!” “It would be better for us to go back to Egypt!” (4) And they said to one another, “Let us head back for Egypt.” (5) Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembled congregation of Israelites. (6) And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, of those who had scouted the land, rent their clothes (7) and exhorted the whole Israelite community: “The land that we traversed and scouted is an exceedingly good land. (8) If pleased with us, ה' will bring us into that land, a land that flows with milk and honey, and give it to us; (9) only you must not rebel against ה'. Have no fear then of the people of the country, for they are our prey: their protection has departed from them, but ה' is with us. Have no fear of them!” (10) As the whole community threatened to pelt them with stones, the Presence of ה' appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. (11) And ה' said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me, and how long will they have no faith in Me despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst? (12) I will strike them with pestilence and disown them, and I will make of you a nation far more numerous than they!” (13) But Moses said to ה', “When the Egyptians, from whose midst You brought up this people in Your might, hear the news, (14) they will tell it to the inhabitants of that land. Now they have heard that You, ה', are in the midst of this people; that You, ה', appear in plain sight when Your cloud rests over them and when You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. (15) If then You slay this people wholesale, the nations who have heard Your fame will say, (16) ‘It must be because ה' was powerless to bring that people into the land promised them on oath that [that god] slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ (17) Therefore, I pray, let my lord’s forbearance be great, as You have declared, saying, (18) ‘יהוה ! slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression; yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of parents upon children, upon the third and fourth generations.’ (19) Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to Your great kindness, as You have forgiven this people ever since Egypt.” (20) And ה' said, “I pardon, as you have asked. (21) Nevertheless, as I live and as יהוה’s Presence fills the whole world, (22) none of those involved—who have seen My Presence and the signs that I have performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and who have tried Me these many times and have disobeyed Me— (23) shall see the land that I promised on oath to their fathers; none of those who spurn Me shall see it. (24) But My servant Caleb, because he was imbued with a different spirit and remained loyal to Me—him will I bring into the land that he entered, and his offspring shall hold it as a possession. (25) Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites occupy the valleys. Start out, then, tomorrow and march into the wilderness by way of the Sea of Reeds.” (26) ה' spoke further to Moses and Aaron, (27) “How much longer shall that wicked community keep muttering against Me? Very well, I have heeded the incessant muttering of the Israelites against Me. (28) Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says ה', ‘I will do to you just as you have urged Me. (29) In this very wilderness shall your carcasses drop. Of all of you [men] who were recorded in your various lists from the age of twenty years up, you who have muttered against Me, (30) not one shall enter the land in which I swore to settle you—save Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. (31) Your children who, you said, would be carried off—these will I allow to enter; they shall know the land that you have rejected. (32) But your carcasses shall drop in this wilderness, (33) while your children roam the wilderness for forty years, suffering for your faithlessness, until the last of your carcasses is down in the wilderness. (34) You shall bear your punishment for forty years, corresponding to the number of days—forty days—that you scouted the land: a year for each day. Thus you shall know what it means to thwart Me. (35) I ה' have spoken: Thus will I do to all that wicked band that has banded together against Me: in this very wilderness they shall die and so be finished off.’” (36) As for the agents whom Moses sent to scout the land, those who came back and caused the whole community to mutter against him by spreading calumnies about the land— (37) those who spread such calumnies about the land died of plague, by the will of ה'. (38) Of those involved in going to scout the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived. (39) When Moses repeated these words to all the Israelites, the people were overcome by grief. (40) Early next morning [their fighting force] set out toward the crest of the hill country, saying, “We are prepared to go up to the place that ה' has spoken of, for we were wrong.” (41) But Moses said, “Why do you transgress יהוה’s command? This will not succeed. (42) Do not go up, lest you be routed by your enemies, for ה' is not in your midst. (43) For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there to face you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned from following ה' and ה' will not be with you.” (44) Yet defiantly they marched toward the crest of the hill country, though neither יהוה’s Ark of the Covenant nor Moses stirred from the camp. (45) And the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that hill country came down and dealt them a shattering blow at Hormah.

(יט) וַנִּסַּ֣ע מֵחֹרֵ֗ב וַנֵּ֡לֶךְ אֵ֣ת כׇּל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַגָּדוֹל֩ וְהַנּוֹרָ֨א הַה֜וּא אֲשֶׁ֣ר רְאִיתֶ֗ם דֶּ֚רֶךְ הַ֣ר הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה ה' אֱלֹקֵ֖ינוּ אֹתָ֑נוּ וַנָּבֹ֕א עַ֖ד קָדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵֽעַ׃ (כ) וָאֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵכֶ֑ם בָּאתֶם֙ עַד־הַ֣ר הָאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֱלֹקֵ֖ינוּ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽנוּ׃ (כא) רְ֠אֵ֠ה נָתַ֨ן ה' אֱלֹקֶ֛יךָ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ עֲלֵ֣ה רֵ֗שׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר ה' אֱלֹקֵ֤י אֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ אַל־תִּירָ֖א וְאַל־תֵּחָֽת׃ (כב) וַתִּקְרְב֣וּן אֵלַי֮ כֻּלְּכֶם֒ וַתֹּאמְר֗וּ נִשְׁלְחָ֤ה אֲנָשִׁים֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ־לָ֖נוּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיָשִׁ֤בוּ אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ דָּבָ֔ר אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲלֶה־בָּ֔הּ וְאֵת֙ הֶֽעָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָבֹ֖א אֲלֵיהֶֽן׃ (כג) וַיִּיטַ֥ב בְּעֵינַ֖י הַדָּבָ֑ר וָאֶקַּ֤ח מִכֶּם֙ שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֣ר אֲנָשִׁ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ אֶחָ֖ד לַשָּֽׁבֶט׃ (כד) וַיִּפְנוּ֙ וַיַּעֲל֣וּ הָהָ֔רָה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֑ל וַֽיְרַגְּל֖וּ אֹתָֽהּ׃ (כה) וַיִּקְח֤וּ בְיָדָם֙ מִפְּרִ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיּוֹרִ֖דוּ אֵלֵ֑ינוּ וַיָּשִׁ֨בוּ אֹתָ֤נוּ דָבָר֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ טוֹבָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֱלֹקֵ֖ינוּ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽנוּ׃ (כו) וְלֹ֥א אֲבִיתֶ֖ם לַעֲלֹ֑ת וַתַּמְר֕וּ אֶת־פִּ֥י ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶֽם׃ (כז) וַתֵּרָגְנ֤וּ בְאׇהֳלֵיכֶם֙ וַתֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בְּשִׂנְאַ֤ת ה' אֹתָ֔נוּ הוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֥ת אֹתָ֛נוּ בְּיַ֥ד הָאֱמֹרִ֖י לְהַשְׁמִידֵֽנוּ׃ (כח) אָנָ֣ה ׀ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ עֹלִ֗ים אַחֵ֩ינוּ֩ הֵמַ֨סּוּ אֶת־לְבָבֵ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר עַ֣ם גָּד֤וֹל וָרָם֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ עָרִ֛ים גְּדֹלֹ֥ת וּבְצוּרֹ֖ת בַּשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְגַם־בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָקִ֖ים רָאִ֥ינוּ שָֽׁם׃ (כט) וָאֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵכֶ֑ם לֹֽא־תַעַרְצ֥וּן וְֽלֹא־תִירְא֖וּן מֵהֶֽם׃ (ל) ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם ה֖וּא יִלָּחֵ֣ם לָכֶ֑ם כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֧ה אִתְּכֶ֛ם בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם לְעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ (לא) וּבַמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֔יתָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נְשָׂאֲךָ֙ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשָּׂא־אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־בְּנ֑וֹ בְּכׇל־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֲלַכְתֶּ֔ם עַד־בֹּאֲכֶ֖ם עַד־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (לב) וּבַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה אֵֽינְכֶם֙ מַאֲמִינִ֔ם בַּה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶֽם׃ (לג) הַהֹלֵ֨ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶ֜ם בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ לָת֥וּר לָכֶ֛ם מָק֖וֹם לַחֲנֹֽתְכֶ֑ם בָּאֵ֣שׁ ׀ לַ֗יְלָה לַרְאֹֽתְכֶם֙ בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָ֔הּ וּבֶעָנָ֖ן יוֹמָֽם׃ (לד) וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע ה' אֶת־ק֣וֹל דִּבְרֵיכֶ֑ם וַיִּקְצֹ֖ף וַיִּשָּׁבַ֥ע לֵאמֹֽר׃ (לה) אִם־יִרְאֶ֥ה אִישׁ֙ בָּאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה הַדּ֥וֹר הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֚ת הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֔עְתִּי לָתֵ֖ת לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (לו) זֽוּלָתִ֞י כָּלֵ֤ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה֙ ה֣וּא יִרְאֶ֔נָּה וְלֽוֹ־אֶתֵּ֧ן אֶת־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דָּֽרַךְ־בָּ֖הּ וּלְבָנָ֑יו יַ֕עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִלֵּ֖א אַחֲרֵ֥י ה'׃ (לז) גַּם־בִּי֙ הִתְאַנַּ֣ף ה' בִּגְלַלְכֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר גַּם־אַתָּ֖ה לֹא־תָבֹ֥א שָֽׁם׃ (לח) יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ הָעֹמֵ֣ד לְפָנֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יָ֣בֹא שָׁ֑מָּה אֹת֣וֹ חַזֵּ֔ק כִּי־ה֖וּא יַנְחִלֶ֥נָּה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (לט) וְטַפְּכֶם֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֜ם לָבַ֣ז יִהְיֶ֗ה וּ֠בְנֵיכֶ֠ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־יָדְע֤וּ הַיּוֹם֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע הֵ֖מָּה יָבֹ֣אוּ שָׁ֑מָּה וְלָהֶ֣ם אֶתְּנֶ֔נָּה וְהֵ֖ם יִירָשֽׁוּהָ׃ (מ) וְאַתֶּ֖ם פְּנ֣וּ לָכֶ֑ם וּסְע֥וּ הַמִּדְבָּ֖רָה דֶּ֥רֶךְ יַם־סֽוּף׃ (מא) וַֽתַּעֲנ֣וּ ׀ וַתֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלַ֗י חָטָ֘אנוּ֮ לַה' אֲנַ֤חְנוּ נַעֲלֶה֙ וְנִלְחַ֔מְנוּ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖נוּ ה' אֱלֹקֵ֑ינוּ וַֽתַּחְגְּר֗וּ אִ֚ישׁ אֶת־כְּלֵ֣י מִלְחַמְתּ֔וֹ וַתָּהִ֖ינוּ לַעֲלֹ֥ת הָהָֽרָה׃ (מב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֵלַ֗י אֱמֹ֤ר לָהֶם֙ לֹ֤א תַֽעֲלוּ֙ וְלֹא־תִלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ כִּ֥י אֵינֶ֖נִּי בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְלֹא֙ תִּנָּ֣גְפ֔וּ לִפְנֵ֖י אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃ (מג) וָאֲדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם וַתַּמְרוּ֙ אֶת־פִּ֣י ה' וַתָּזִ֖דוּ וַתַּעֲל֥וּ הָהָֽרָה׃ (מד) וַיֵּצֵ֨א הָאֱמֹרִ֜י הַיֹּשֵׁ֨ב בָּהָ֤ר הַהוּא֙ לִקְרַאתְכֶ֔ם וַיִּרְדְּפ֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ינָה הַדְּבֹרִ֑ים וַֽיַּכְּת֥וּ אֶתְכֶ֛ם בְּשֵׂעִ֖יר עַד־חׇרְמָֽה׃ (מה) וַתָּשֻׁ֥בוּ וַתִּבְכּ֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י ה' וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֤ע ה' בְּקֹ֣לְכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א הֶאֱזִ֖ין אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ (מו) וַתֵּשְׁב֥וּ בְקָדֵ֖שׁ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים כַּיָּמִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשַׁבְתֶּֽם׃

(19) We set out from Horeb and traveled the great and terrible wilderness that you saw, along the road to the hill country of the Amorites, as our God ה' had commanded us. When we reached Kadesh-barnea, (20) I said to you, “You have come to the hill country of the Amorites which our God ה' is giving to us. (21) See, your God ה' has placed the land at your disposal. Go up, take possession, as ה', the God of your fathers, promised you. Fear not and be not dismayed.” (22) Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send agents ahead to reconnoiter the land for us and bring back word on the route we shall follow and the cities we shall come to.” (23) I approved of the plan, and so I selected from among you twelve participants, one representative from each tribe. (24) They made for the hill country, came to the wadi Eshcol, and spied it out. (25) They took some of the fruit of the land with them and brought it down to us. And they gave us this report: “It is a good land that our God ה' is giving to us.” (26) Yet you refused to go up, and flouted the command of your God ה'. (27) You sulked in your tents and said, “It is out of hatred for us that ה' brought us out of the land of Egypt, to hand us over to the Amorites to wipe us out. (28) What kind of place are we going to? Our brothers have taken the heart out of us, saying, ‘We saw there a people stronger and taller than we, large cities with walls sky-high, and even Anakites.’” (29) I said to you, “Have no dread or fear of them. (30) None other than your God ה', who goes before you, will fight for you, just as [God] did for you in Egypt before your very eyes, (31) and in the wilderness, where you saw how your God ה' carried you, as a householder carries his son, all the way that you traveled until you came to this place. (32) Yet for all that, you have no faith in your God ה', (33) who goes before you on your journeys—to scout the place where you are to encamp—in fire by night and in cloud by day, in order to guide you on the route you are to follow.” (34) ה' heard your loud complaint and, becoming angry, vowed: (35) Not one of those involved, this evil generation, shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers— (36) none except Caleb son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his descendants will I give the land on which he set foot, because he remained loyal to ה'.— (37) Because of you ה' was incensed with me too, saying: You shall not enter it either. (38) Joshua son of Nun, who attends you, he shall enter it. Imbue him with strength, for he shall allot it to Israel.— (39) Moreover, your little ones who you said would be carried off, your children who do not yet know good from bad, they shall enter it; to them will I give it and they shall possess it. (40) As for y'all, turn about and march into the wilderness by the way of the Sea of Reeds. (41) Y'all replied to me, saying, “We stand guilty before ה'. We will go up now and fight, just as our God ה' commanded us.” And [the men among] you each girded yourselves with war gear and recklessly started for the hill country. (42) But ה' said to me, “Warn them: Do not go up and do not fight, since I am not in your midst; else you will be routed by your enemies.” (43) I spoke to you, but you would not listen; you flouted Ad-nai’s command and willfully marched into the hill country. (44) Then the Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you like so many bees and chased you, and they crushed you at Hormah in Seir. (45) Again you wept before ה'; but ה' would not heed your cry or give ear to you. (46) Thus, after you had remained at Kadesh all that long time,

~ Compare and contrast the two narratives. What are the most glaring differences?

Similarities - Both stories narrate, in the same order:

A trip to the hill country

Num 13:17 // Deut 1:24

The Eshkol stream as an end-point

Num 13:23 // Deut 1:24

Taking some of the land’s fruit

Num 13:23 // Deut 1:25

Return to the camp

Num 13:26 // Deut 1:25

Report of the wealth of the land

Num 13:27 // Deut 1:25

The strength of its inhabitants

Num 13:28 // Deut 1:28

Its fortified cities

Num 13:28 // Deut 1:28

Its Anakites

Num 13:28 // Deut 1:28

The conclusion not to go up to the land

Num 13:31 // Deut 1:26

Punishment of the entire generation not to see the land that was promised to the patriarchs

Num 14:23 // Deut 1:25

The exclusion of Caleb and his offspring from this punishment

Num 14:24 // Deut 1:36

The confession of the sin and an attempt to conquer the land

Num 14:40 // Deut 1:41

Moses’ warning not to go up as the Lord is not amongst them

Num 14:42 // Deut 1:42

The people’s attempt to enter the land anyway and their subsequent destruction

Num 14:44–45 // Deut 1:43–45

Silences and inconsistencies:

Who decides to send the spies?

God, Moshe or the people?

List of spies’ names

Only Numbers

List of questions by Moshe Only in Numbers

Death of the spies themselves

Only in Numbers

What are the actions of Caleb?

Only in Numbers

What are the words of the spies?

Only in Numbers, Deuteronomy presents a short retelling

Public gathering of spies and people

Only in Numbers

Exhortation to not listen to the spies

Joshua and Caleb in Numbers, Moshe in Deuteronomy

People’s immediate reaction to…

A negative report in Numbers, an apparently positive report in Deuteronomy

Moshe included in the punishment

Only Deuteronomy

Joshua as the next leader

Only in Deuteronomy

Moshe convincing God not to destroy all the people

Only in Numbers

Warning against marching onto the land

Moshe in Numbers, God in Deuteronomy

(ה) כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה ה' אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיַּחְלְק֖וּ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {פ}
(ו) וַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּ בְנֵי־יְהוּדָ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו כָּלֵ֥ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֖ה הַקְּנִזִּ֑י אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֡עְתָּ אֶֽת־הַדָּבָר֩ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹקִ֗ים עַ֧ל אֹדוֹתַ֛י וְעַ֥ל אֹדוֹתֶ֖יךָ בְּקָדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵֽעַ׃ (ז) בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה אָנֹכִ֗י בִּ֠שְׁלֹ֠חַ מֹשֶׁ֨ה עֶבֶד־ה' אֹתִ֛י מִקָּדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵ֖עַ לְרַגֵּ֣ל אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וָאָשֵׁ֤ב אֹתוֹ֙ דָּבָ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר עִם־לְֽבָבִֽי׃ (ח) וְאַחַי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָל֣וּ עִמִּ֔י הִמְסִ֖יו אֶת־לֵ֣ב הָעָ֑ם וְאָנֹכִ֣י מִלֵּ֔אתִי אַחֲרֵ֖י ה' אֱלֹקָֽי׃ (ט) וַיִּשָּׁבַ֣ע מֹשֶׁ֗ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִם־לֹ֗א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דָּרְכָ֤ה רַגְלְךָ֙ בָּ֔הּ לְךָ֨ תִהְיֶ֧ה לְנַחֲלָ֛ה וּלְבָנֶ֖יךָ עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם כִּ֣י מִלֵּ֔אתָ אַחֲרֵ֖י ה' אֱלֹקָֽי׃ (י) וְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּה֩ הֶחֱיָ֨ה ה' ׀ אוֹתִי֮ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֵּר֒ זֶה֩ אַרְבָּעִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֜שׁ שָׁנָ֗ה מֵ֠אָ֠ז דִּבֶּ֨ר ה' אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֥ךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְעַתָּה֙ הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם בֶּן־חָמֵ֥שׁ וּשְׁמֹנִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה׃ (יא) עוֹדֶ֨נִּי הַיּ֜וֹם חָזָ֗ק כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ בְּי֨וֹם שְׁלֹ֤חַ אוֹתִי֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה כְּכֹ֥חִי אָ֖ז וּכְכֹ֣חִי עָ֑תָּה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וְלָצֵ֥את וְלָבֽוֹא׃ (יב) וְעַתָּ֗ה תְּנָה־לִּי֙ אֶת־הָהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר ה' בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא כִּ֣י אַתָּֽה־שָׁמַ֩עְתָּ֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא כִּֽי־עֲנָקִ֣ים שָׁ֗ם וְעָרִים֙ גְּדֹל֣וֹת בְּצֻר֔וֹת אוּלַ֨י ה' אוֹתִי֙ וְה֣וֹרַשְׁתִּ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה'׃ (יג) וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ וַיִּתֵּ֧ן אֶת־חֶבְר֛וֹן לְכָלֵ֥ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֖ה לְנַחֲלָֽה׃ (יד) עַל־כֵּ֣ן הָיְתָֽה־חֶ֠בְר֠וֹן לְכָלֵ֨ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֤ה הַקְּנִזִּי֙ לְֽנַחֲלָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה יַ֚עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר מִלֵּ֔א אַחֲרֵ֕י ה' אֱלֹקֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (טו) וְשֵׁ֨ם חֶבְר֤וֹן לְפָנִים֙ קִרְיַ֣ת אַרְבַּ֔ע הָאָדָ֧ם הַגָּד֛וֹל בָּעֲנָקִ֖ים ה֑וּא וְהָאָ֥רֶץ שָֽׁקְטָ֖ה מִמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ {פ}
(5) Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did when they apportioned the land. (6) The Judites approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know what instructions the LORD gave at Kadesh-barnea to Moses, the man of God, concerning you and me. (7) I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I gave him a forthright report. (8) While my companions who went up with me took the heart out of the people, I was loyal to the LORD my God. (9) On that day, Moses promised on oath, ‘The land on which your foot trod shall be a portion for you and your descendants forever, because you were loyal to the LORD my God.’ (10) Now the LORD has preserved me, as He promised. It is forty-five years since the LORD made this promise to Moses, when Israel was journeying through the wilderness; and here I am today, eighty-five years old. (11) I am still as strong today as on the day that Moses sent me; my strength is the same now as it was then, for battle and for activity. (12) So assign to me this hill country as the LORD promised on that day. Though you too heard on that day that Anakites are there and great fortified cities, if only the LORD is with me, I will dispossess them, as the LORD promised.” (13) So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned Hebron to him as his portion. (14) Thus Hebron became the portion of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, as it still is, because he was loyal to the LORD, the God of Israel.— (15) The name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba: [Arba] was the great man among the Anakites.
And the land had rest from war.

~ Why is Caleb talking to Joshua as if he wasn't there?

First question: whose idea was this?
שְׁלַח לָךְ אֲנָשִׁים אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ שְׁלַח לְךָ מִדַּעְתֶּךָ וְכִי אָדָם זֶה בּוֹרֵר חֵלֶק רַע לְעַצְמוֹ וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינַי הַדָּבָר אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בְּעֵינַי וְלֹא בְּעֵינָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם

§ Since the Gemara mentioned the cluster of grapes that the spies brought back from Eretz Yisrael, it continues discussing the story of the spies. It is stated in the Torah that God told Moses: “Send you men” (Numbers 13:2). Reish Lakish says: “Send you” means that you should send them at your own discretion and not as a divine command. Does a person choose a bad portion for himself? And this is the meaning of that which is written in the passage where Moses retold the story of the spies: “And it was good in my eyes” (Deuteronomy 1:23), and Reish Lakish says: The implication of these words is that it seemed good “in my eyes,” but not in the eyes of the Place.

~ How does Resh Lakish resolve the most glaring question? What does the story line looks like now?

  1. The people requested to send scouts, as Moses says they did in Deuteronomy.
  2. Moses likes the idea, as recorded in Deuteronomy.
  3. Moses then asks God for permission. This is not recorded anywhere but assumed.
  4. God agrees to send scouts, albeit reluctantly. This is the beginning of Numbers narrative.

Meaning - Numbers only records the final part of a process. The beginning parts are recorded only in the preamble to Deuteronomy.

The Academic Answer

In academic studies, the most common approach is that the different versions of the story come from different sources or documents.

In the version of the story recorded in Deuteronomy (D) the idea to send scouts comes from the people and Moses approves; God is not consulted. The scouts bring back a positive report, “It is a good land that Ad-nai our God is giving to us.” Nevertheless, the people panic and refuse to go.

In Numbers 13:1-3 (P), on the other hand, God rather than Moses suggests sending spies. The scouts bring back a bad report, causing panic in the camp.

The issue of whose idea it was to send the scouts is only the first of many differences between the Deuteronomy and Numbers accounts of the scouts. Academics propose different ways to separate the two texts, posit two original narratives (peaceful infiltration and military conquest), plus one or more editors. You can search TheTorah.com for many articles on Shelach.

The spies, their names and ending
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹתָם לְמַטֵּה רְאוּבֵן שַׁמּוּעַ בֶּן זַכּוּר אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק דָּבָר זֶה מָסוֹרֶת בְּיָדֵינוּ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ מְרַגְּלִים עַל שֵׁם מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם נִקְרְאוּ וְאָנוּ לֹא עָלְתָה בְּיָדֵינוּ אֶלָּא אֶחָד סְתוּר בֶּן מִיכָאֵל סְתוּר שֶׁסָּתַר מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִיכָאֵל שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ מָךְ אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אַף אָנוּ נֹאמַר נַחְבִּי בֶּן וׇפְסִי נַחְבִּי שֶׁהֶחְבִּיא דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וׇפְסִי שֶׁפִּיסַּע עַל מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא
The Torah states with regard to the spies: “And these were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur” (Numbers 13:4). Rabbi Yitzḥak says: This statement that follows is a tradition of ours that was passed down to us from our ancestors: The spies were named after their actions, but we have obtained the interpretation of only one name, the name of “Sethur the son of Michael” (Numbers 13:13). He is called Sethur, as he hid [satar] the actions of the Holy One, Blessed be He. In other words, he ignored the miracles that God performed for the Jewish people in Egypt and in the wilderness. He is called Michael, as he made Him, God, appear weak [makh] by saying that there was not enough food in the land for everyone. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: We can also say an interpretation of the name: “Nahbi the son of Vophsi” (Numbers 13:14): He is called Nahbi, as he concealed [heḥbi] the statement of the Holy One, Blessed be He, that the land is good, by delivering a distorted description of it. He is called Vophsi, as he stomped [pisse’a] on the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed be He, i.e., he did not believe in His promise to give Eretz Yisrael to the Jewish people.

~ How do the spies' names indicate already what they will do?

וַיָּמֻתוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים מוֹצִאֵי דִבַּת הָאָרֶץ רָעָה בַּמַּגֵּפָה אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ שֶׁמֵּתוּ מִיתָה מְשׁוּנָּה אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא דָּרֵשׁ רַבִּי שֵׁילָא אִישׁ כְּפַר תְּמַרְתָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּרְבֵּב לְשׁוֹנָם וְנָפַל עַל טִיבּוּרָם וְהָיוּ תּוֹלָעִים יוֹצְאוֹת מִלְּשׁוֹנָם וְנִכְנָסוֹת בְּטִיבּוּרָם וּמִטִּיבּוּרָם וְנִכְנָסוֹת בִּלְשׁוֹנָם וְרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר בְּאַסְכָּרָה מֵתוּ
The verse states: “And those men who brought out an evil report of the land, died by the plague before the Lord” (Numbers 14:37). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: This means that they died an unusual death. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says that Rabbi Sheila Ish Kefar Temarta taught: This teaches that their tongues were stretched out from their mouths and fell upon their navels, and worms were crawling out of their tongues and entering their navels, and worms were likewise coming out of their navels and entering their tongues. This is the painful death that they suffered. And Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: They died of diphtheria, which causes one to choke to death.

~ Why do the rabbis depict such a terrifying death for the spies?

Caleb and Joshua, truth and slander
וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב וַיָּבֹא עַד חֶבְרוֹן וַיָּבֹאוּ מִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ אָמַר רָבָא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁפֵּירַשׁ כָּלֵב מֵעֲצַת מְרַגְּלִים וְהָלַךְ וְנִשְׁתַּטַּח עַל קִבְרֵי אָבוֹת אָמַר לָהֶן אֲבוֹתַי בִּקְּשׁוּ עָלַי רַחֲמִים שֶׁאֶנָּצֵל מֵעֲצַת מְרַגְּלִים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כְּבָר בִּקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה עָלָיו רַחֲמִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יָהּ יוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מֵעֲצַת מְרַגְּלִים וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב וְעַבְדִּי כָלֵב עֵקֶב הָיְתָה רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת עִמּוֹ וְגוֹ׳
It is also stated with regard to the spies: “And they went up into the south, and he came to Hebron” (Numbers 13:22). Why is the phrase “and he came” written in the singular form? The verse should have said: And they came. Rava says: This teaches that Caleb separated himself from the counsel of the other spies and went and prostrated himself on the graves of the forefathers in Hebron. He said to them: My forefathers, pray for mercy for me so that I will be saved from the counsel of the spies. The Gemara explains: Joshua did not go to the graves of the forefathers because Moses had already prayed for mercy for him, as it is stated: “And Moses called Hoshea son of Nun Joshua [Yehoshua]” (Numbers 13:16), meaning: God will save you [Ya yoshiakha] from the counsel of the spies. And this is the meaning of that which is written: “But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went” (Numbers 14:24), which implies that Caleb changed his mind over time. Joshua, however, was opposed to the intentions of the other spies from the outset.

~ How do the rabbis depict Caleb? What is important about him?

~ What is the basic difference between Caleb and Joshua?

וַיְסַפְּרוּ לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ בָּאנוּ וְגוֹ׳ וּכְתִיב אֶפֶס כִּי עַז הָעָם אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן (סִימָן אֱמֶת לְבַדּוֹ לְוִיָּה) מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר כָּל לָשׁוֹן הָרַע שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ דְּבַר אֱמֶת בִּתְחִילָּתוֹ אֵין מִתְקַיֵּים בְּסוֹפוֹ וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב אֶת הָעָם אֶל מֹשֶׁה אָמַר רַבָּה שֶׁהִסִּיתָן בִּדְבָרִים פָּתַח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּקָא מִשְׁתַּעֵי אָמְרִי לֵיהּ דֵּין רֵאשׁ קְטִיעָה יְמַלֵּל אָמַר אִי מִשְׁתַּעֵינָא אָמְרִי בִּי מִילְּתָא וְחָסְמִין לִי אָמַר לָהֶן וְכִי זוֹ בִּלְבַד עָשָׂה לָנוּ בֶּן עַמְרָם סָבְרִי בִּגְנוּתֵיהּ קָא מִשְׁתַּעֵי אִישְׁתִּיקוּ אֲמַר לְהוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְקָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם וְהֶאֱכִילָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן אִם יֹאמַר עֲשׂוּ סוּלָּמוֹת וַעֲלוּ לָרָקִיעַ לֹא נִשְׁמַע לוֹ עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה וְיָרַשְׁנוּ אַתָּה וְגוֹ׳
The Torah states: “And they told him, and said: We came to the land to which you sent us, and it also flows with milk and honey” (Numbers 13:27), and then it is written: “However the people that dwell in the land are fierce” (Numbers 13:28). Why did the spies praise the land and then slander it? Rabbi Yoḥanan says three statements in the name of Rabbi Meir, represented by the mnemonic device: Truth, alone, borrowing. The first statement answers this question: Any slander that does not begin with a truthful statement ultimately does not stand, i.e., it is not accepted by others. The verse states: “And Caleb stilled [vayyahas] the people toward Moses” (Numbers 13:30). Rabba says: This means that he persuaded them [hesitan] with his words. Vayyahas and hesitan share the same root in Hebrew. How did he do so? Joshua began to address the people, and as he was speaking they said to him: Should this person, who has a severed head, as he has no children, speak to the people about entering Eretz Yisrael? Caleb said to himself: If I speak they will also say something about me and stop me from speaking. He began to speak and said to them: And is this the only thing that the son of Amram, Moses, has done to us? They thought that he wanted to relate something to the discredit of Moses, and they were silent. He then said to them: He took us out of Egypt, and split the sea for us, and fed us the manna. If he says to us: Build ladders and climb to the heavens, should we not listen to him? “We should go up at once,” even to the heavens, “and possess it” (Numbers 13:30).

~ How do the rabbis understand the question of slander?

וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר עָלוּ עִמּוֹ אָמְרוּ לֹא נוּכַל וְגוֹ׳ אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא דָּבָר גָּדוֹל דִּבְּרוּ מְרַגְּלִים בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה כִּי חָזָק הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ אַל תִּקְרֵי מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא מִמֶּנּוּ כִּבְיָכוֹל אֲפִילּוּ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהוֹצִיא כֵּלָיו מִשָּׁם אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ הִיא דָּרֵשׁ רָבָא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי חֲשַׁבְתִּיהָ לְטוֹבָה וְהֵם חָשְׁבוּ לְרָעָה אֲנִי חֲשַׁבְתִּיהָ לְטוֹבָה דְּכׇל הֵיכָא דִּמְטוֹ מִת חֲשִׁיבָא דִּידְהוּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּנִיטַּרְדוּ וְלָא לְשַׁאֲלוּ אַבָּתְרַיְיהוּ וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי אִיּוֹב נָח נַפְשֵׁיהּ וְאִטְּרִידוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא בְּהֶסְפֵּידָא הֵם חָשְׁבוּ לְרָעָה אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ הִיא וַנְּהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים וְכֵן הָיִינוּ וְגוֹ׳ אָמַר רַב מְשַׁרְשְׁיָא מְרַגְּלִים שַׁקָּרֵי הֲווֹ בִּשְׁלָמָא וַנְּהִי בְּעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים לְחַיֵּי אֶלָּא וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם מְנָא הֲווֹ יָדְעִי וְלָא הִיא כִּי הֲווֹ מַבְרִי אֲבֵילֵי תּוּתֵי אַרְזֵי הֲווֹ מַבְרִי וְכִי חֲזִינְהוּ סְלִקוּ יָתְבִי בְּאִילָנֵי שָׁמְעִי דְּקָאָמְרִי קָחָזֵינַן אִינָשֵׁי דְּדָמוּ לְקַמְצֵי בְּאִילָנֵי

The verses continue: “But the men that went up with him said: We are not able to go up against the people; as they are stronger than us” (Numbers 13:31). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa says: The spies said a serious statement at that moment. When they said: “They are stronger,” do not read the phrase as: Stronger than us [mimmennu], but rather read it as: Stronger than Him [mimmennu], meaning that even the Homeowner, God, is unable to remove His belongings from there, as it were. The spies were speaking heresy and claiming that the Canaanites were stronger than God Himself.

The spies said: “It is a land that consumes its inhabitants” (Numbers 13:32). Rava taught: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I intended the land to appear to consume its inhabitants for their own good, but they considered this proof that the land was bad. I intended it for their good by causing many people to die there so that anywhere that the spies arrived, the most important of them died, so that the Canaanites would be preoccupied with mourning and would not inquire about them. And there are those who say that God caused Job to die at that time, and everyone in Canaan was preoccupied with his eulogy, and did not pay attention to the spies. However, the spies considered this proof that the land was bad and said: “It is a land that consumes its inhabitants.” The spies said: “And we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so were we in their eyes” (Numbers 13:33). Rav Mesharshiyya says: The spies were liars. Granted, to say: “We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes,” is well, but to say: “And so were we in their eyes,” from where could they have known this? The Gemara responds: But that is not so, as when the Canaanites were having the mourners’ meal, they had the meal beneath cedar trees, and when the spies saw them they climbed up the trees and sat in them. From there they heard the Canaanites saying: We see people who look like grasshoppers in the trees.

~ What is the conception of God that the spies have?

~ What is the lesson regarding reality that Rava wants you to receive from the story?

~ The Toldot Yaakov Yosef is first Chassidic work ever published, containing the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov as recorded by his senior disciple, Jacob Joseph of Polonne, Ukraine (1780 CE). Yaakov Yosef was born on 1710 and died on 1784 CE. Born into a prominent rabbinical family, he was serving as rabbi in Sharograd, Western Ukraine, and was initially opposed to the fledgling Chasidic movement, but changed course after an inspirational meeting with the Baal Shem Tov. His embrace of Chasidism caused him to forfeit his position in Sharograd, whereupon he took up rabbinic posts in Rashkov (1748-1752), and then Nemirov (1752-1770), before finally settling in Polonne (1770-1782) He composed four books, all of which are considered to be a prime source of the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings.

(רח) ותחלה נבאר פסוקי פרשה (במדבר יג, ב-יח) שלח לך אנשים, ויתורו את ארץ כנען אשר אני נותן לבני ישראל וגו', ויאמר אליהם עלו זה בנגב ועליתם את ההר וראיתם וגו' (במדבר יג, יז). והספיקות רבו. וגם דהל"ל ועליתם על ההר.

(רט) ונ"ל, דכתב רבינו תם בספר הישר (ריש שער ט) דצריך אדם לבדוק את עצמו באיזה מדריגה הוא, כדי שידע בעצמו איך לנטות וכו', אם לבו נוטה לעשוק ולגזול וכהנה ידע שהוא נוטה לשמאל, והרבה צריך לנטות לימין. ואם לבו נטה לעשות צדקה וג"ח וכהנה, ידע שמצא חן בעיני ה' וכו', יעו"ש.

(רי) אך כשאדם בודק את עצמו כדי שידע את עצמו, הוא על כל פנים במדריגה טובה, כי הרשע לבו בריא עליו כאולם, ואין ספק לו כלל, כי מחזיק את עצמו במדריגת צדיק, ואפילו אם יאמרו לו כל העולם ההיפך אינו שומע להם.

(ריא) וכדי שיוכל האדם לבוא על כל פנים למדריגה הנ"ל, שיבדוק את עצמו, עצה היעוצה לאדם הוא זה, כי האדם כלול מטוב ורע, הגוף נוטה אחר החומרי ותענוגי הגשמי, והנשמה נוטה אחר דברים רוחני', וכדי להכניע חומרו שינטה גם כן לדברים רוחניים, ושיהי' נעשה מן החומר צורה, צריך האדם לשבר תאוותו מכל תענוגי גשמיי', ולבחור בדרכה של תורה שהיא כך, פת במלח, ומים במשורה, ועל הארץ תישן, וחיי צער תחיה, אז אשריך וטוב לך אשריך בעולם הזה וטוב לעולם הבא (אבות פ"ו מ"ד). וכבר הקשו המפרשים בזה, מאי הוא הטוב בעולם הזה. ולדברינו נראה לי, כי אין לאדם צער יותר מצער המלחמה הגדולה התמידי שהוא עם היצר הרע אשר יומם ולילה לא ישבות, כמאמר החכם (חוה"ל ש' יחוד המעשה פ"ה) שבתם ממלחמה קטנה הכינו עצמיכם למלחמה גדולה וכו'. והנה אין היצר הרע מתעורר רק מתוך מאכל ומשתה ותענוגי הגשמיים, כמ"ש (דברים לב, טו) וישמן ישורן ויבעט, וכמ"ש (דברים ח, יד) ואכלת ושבעת ורם לבבך וגו', אבל כשנוהג בדרך התורה הנ"ל אין לו ליצר הרע מבוא לבוא אצלו להתגרות בו, ולכך יש לו מנוחה ממלחמה הגדולה והצער של היצר הרע, וטוב לו בעולם הזה גם כן, שהוא בהשקט ומנוחה ממלחמה הגדולה.

(ריב) ובזה יובן, כי פרשה זה נאמרה מיד ולדורות, בכל אדם שנקרא עולם קטן ויש בו מרגלים ומשה, כי הדעת נקרא משה, והוא היצר הטוב, כי אין לרשעים דעת, שנקראו שוטה שאין בו דעת כנודע, כי אין היצר הטוב שופט לרשעים רק היצר הרע שופטן (ברכות סא:), אבל היצר הטוב שהוא שופט לצדיקים ומייעצו שאל יאמין בעצמו, וישלח מרגלים לבדוק את הגוף הנקרא כנען, אשר בידו מאזני מרמה לעשוק אהב (הושע יב, ח). וז"ש שלח לך לדע"תך אנשים, ויתורו את ארץ כנען וגו', וכאמור שיבדוק את עצמו איך לבו נוטה, אם לחומרי או לרוחני וכו'.

(ריג) אך לבוא למדריגה זו גם כן אי אפשר כשהוא במתג ורסן היצר הרע, המחזיקו לאדם כשר וישר, לכך משה יעצו ויאמר עלו זה בנגב, ור"ל אחר שהאדם כלול מטוב ורע, הוא לפעמים עולה ולפעמים יורד כנודע, לכך אמר עלו זה בנגב, כי נגב הוא לשון יבש, ור"ל כי בתי הרשעים מלאים כל טוב, מה שאין כן לצדיקים שהוא רעב וצמא ויבש, והוא נוהג בדרכי התורה פת במלח ומים במשורה, ואז אין מבוא ליצר הרע.

(ריד) וז"ש עלו זה בנגב, ר"ל כשתתחיל לעלות בדרך זה שהוא בנגב. וגם משמעותו לשון ימין, כי באמת כך כי היצר הטוב לימין, ואז ועליתם את ההר, שתכבשו את ההר, שהוא היצר הרע הדומה להר במלחמותיו הגדולים. ואז אחר שיצאת מרשות היצר הרע, אז וראי"תם את הארץ, מה שאין כן קודם לזה לא הי' לו חוש הראות בדרך הישר, כי נק' עורים כנודע.

(ריה) ואמר וראיתם וגו' החזק הוא הרפה, והוא גם כן בחינה שיוכל האדם לבדוק את עצמו באיזה מדריגה הוא, דכבר כתבתי בפסוק שיר השירים (ח, א), מי יתנך כאח לי יונק שדי אמי אשקך גם לא יבוזו לי וגו', ובפסוק ויהיו ערומים ולא יתבוששו (בראשית ב, כה), כי הוא בדוק לאדם שידע בעצמו שהוא חזק ודבק בעבודת ה', וכשאין עולה על לבו חשש המלעיגים ומחשבה רעה וזרה, כי נתפשט מהגשמי שהוא קליפות ולבושים ונשאר דבק בה' ונקרא ערום, אז ולא יתבוששו. מה שאין כן כשעולה על לבו חשש מלעיגים, או שאר מונע, אז ידע כי נרפים הם נרפים בעבודת ה'. וז"ש החזק הוא הרפה, שידע מסימני הנ"ל בעצמו החזק הוא בעבודת ה' הרפה.

(ריו) ואמר המעט אם רב הוא, הוא גם כן בחינה שידע בעצמו, גם אם הוא עניו מכל מקום יש בזה אלי' וקוץ בה, כי יש ב' בחינות ענוה, כמפורש בפרק קמא דראש השנה (יז:), נושא עון לשארית נחלתו (מיכה ז, יח), למי שמשים עצמו כשיריים. ופי' הרי"ף כי מה שמעביר על מדותיו הוא בחשבו את עצמו כאין, לזה מעבירין. אבל באומר כי לרוב חשיבתו אינו ראוי להשיב, אין מעבירין, יעו"ש. וז"ש המעט, ר"ל אם ממעט את עצמו לרוב ענוה שמעביר על מדותיו ואינו משיב לחורפו דבר, מכל מקום יבדוק את עצמו שיש לפעמים מה שממעט את עצמו א"ם רב, ור"ל כמו א"ם כסף תלוה (שמות כב כד, עי' רש"י) שהוא לשון אשר, וה"נ שמעוטו הוא אשר מחזיק את עצמו לרב וחשוב ואינו כדאי להשיבו, ואין זה מדה טובה, רק שיהי' נחשב כאין.

(ריז) ומה הארץ אשר יושב בה, הטובה היא אם רעה, כפשוטו, אם לבו חושק למצות ומעשים טובים, או לרעה, שחושק למד[ו]ת רעות, ובזה ידע איך להכריע את עצמו למדה שכנגדה עד שיבוא למדה ממוצעת, כמ"ש הרמב"ם בח' פרקים דאבות (פ"ג-פ"ד), יעו"ש.

(ריח) ומה הערים אשר הוא יושב בהנה אם במחנים או במבצרים, כי אדם השלם צריך לבחון את עצמו בטבעו, אם דבק בה' תמיד בין בבית בין בחוץ ואין מזיק לו חבורות בני אדם, אז אין צריך בבדידות רק ילך בקרב בני אדם, אולי יראה דבר מה שצריך תיקון, וגם שיכול לקרב בני אדם לעבודת ה' כמו שעשה אברהם, וכמו שכתבתי בפסוק (בראשית יח, כו) אם אמצא בסדום בת"וך העיר חמשים צדיקים וכו', יעו"ש. ואם יראה בעצמו כי מיד שנתרחק מפתח בית מדרשו מיד לפתח חטאת רובץ, אזי יבחור בבדידות. וז"ש הבמחנים, ופי' רש"י סימן מסר להם, אם בפרזים יושבים, חזקים הם שסומכין על גבורתם וכו'. ור"ל אם יודע שהוא דבוק בפרזים, אין צריך בדידות, ויושב במחנים. ואם לאו, במבצרים שהוא בבדידות יבחר.

(ריט) ומה הארץ השמנה היא אם רזה, והוא כי יש לאדם לבחון ולידע בעצמו בשביל דבר לימוד מה בא ונתגלגל בזה העולם, אם לתורה שבעל פה שהיא משנה שורש כל התורה שבעל פה, או בסודות התורה, ויראה איך חשקה נפשו ובזה ידע שבשביל זה בא בעולם. וז"ש ומה הארץ, השמנה שהוא אותיות משנה, או רזה, כי רז הוא סוד, ור"ל שהוא פנימי' התורה.

(רכ) היש בה עץ אם אין, דכ' בזוהר (ח"ג רב.:) לא תשחית את עצה (דברים כ, יט) הוא התלמיד חכם המייעץ העם לתשובה וכו'. אם כן ה"נ באדם עצמו, היצר הטוב נקרא עץ, שמייעץ האדם לתורה ותשובה, ויבחון האדם אם היצר הטוב שופטו ומיעצו מוטב, ואם אין אז והתחזקתם ולקחתם, ור"ל שצריך חיזוק לעשות דבר הפכי, שהוא מפרי הארץ, כי המעשים רעים הם קליפות וחיצונית הפרי, מה שאין כן המעשים טובים הם הפרי עצמו, וז"ש והתחזקתם ולקחתם מפרי הארץ.

(רכא) והימים ימי בכורי ענבים, ור"ל וכל זה צריך האדם לזרז ולעשות בימי הביכור, דהיינו בימי הבחרות שהם קודם לימי הזקנה, וכמ"ש בזוהר (ח"ג פז:, רכז:) מפני שיבה תקום, ואז טוב לו בזה ובב(ו)א, וק"ל.

(208) And we will begin by explaining the verses of the portion "Send to you men" (Numbers 13:2-18) ... and they will spy the land I am giving you ... and he said 'go up the Negev and up the mountain and see' ... and the doubts increased. And also why does it say 'go up the hill'?

(209) And it appears to me, as Rabeinu Tam wrote in his book Sefer HaYashar, that "a person needs to check inside themselves in what level they are, so as to know how to turn oneself etc if one's heart tends to oppression and stealing and so on, one then knows that one tends to the left, and then they should make a strong effort to tend to the right. And if one's heart tends to tzedakah and loving acts, one knows that they have received grace in the eyes of Hashem (Sefer HaYashar 9). See there.

(210) Yet, when a person checks inside to know themselves, this already shows a good level, since an evil person sees themselves fit as a fiddle, and they have no doubt whatsoever, thinking that they are in the level of a righteous person, and should even the entire world tell them the opposite, an evil person does not believe [those words] at all.

(211) And for a person to reach this level at all, of checking themselves, there is one advice. A person is a mixture of good and evil, the body tends to what is physical and to bodily pleasures, and the soul tends to spiritual things, and in order to subdue the physical so the physical will too tend to spiritual things, and so that the physical becomes a shape, a person needs to break their desires of all those physical pleasures, and choose the way of Torah, that is " you shall eat bread with salt, and rationed water shall you drink; you shall sleep on the ground, your life will be one of privation, and in Torah shall you labor. If you do this, “Happy shall you be and it shall be good for you” (Psalms 128:2): “Happy shall you be” in this world, “and it shall be good for you” in the world to come" (Pirkei Avot 6:4). And the commentators already wondered regarding what is happiness in this world? And it seems to me that there is no privation greater than the great and permanent war against the evil inclination, which never stops day or night, as the great sage said "you came from a small war, prepare yourselves for a great war etc" (Duties of the Heart, Fifth Treatise on Devotion 5:6). And behold, the yetzer hara does not arouse itself only in regards to food and drink and physical pleasures, as it says "and Jeshurun got fat and kicked" (Deuteronomy 32:15); and "and you ate, you were satisfied and your heart grew haughty" (Deuteronomy 8:14); however, when a person conducts themselves in the ways of the Torah, the yetzer hara has no entrance to seduce that person, and therefore the person has rest from the great war, and from the sensation of privation of the yetzer hara, and so it is good for that person also in this world, as one is quiet and rests from the great war.

(212) And so we can understand that this portion is about that immediate moment and also about the times of all generations. This is due to the fact that a human is called "a small world", and inside a person there is a Moshe, and there are also spies, since awareness is called Moshe, and this is the yetzer hatov, since evil people have no awareness, and they are called fools, since they have no awareness, as known. And the good inclination does not control them, only the evil inclination does, yet regarding the righteous the good inclination controls them (Brachot 61b) and gives them advice not to trust themselves, and [the good inclination] sends spies to check the body, that is called "Cnaan, a trader who uses false balances and loves to overreach" (Hosea 12:8). And this is the meaning of "send to your own awareness men, and they will spy the land of Cnaan, etc" - to check oneself to where one's heart tends, if towards physicality or spirituality.

(213) Yet to come to this level is impossible when one is in the clutches of the inclination to evil, which can seize a decent person, and therefore Moshe advised to "go up to the Negev", meaning, given that a person is a mix of good and evil sometimes rising above and sometimes going under as it is well known, therefore he said "go up to the Negev"because the Negev is an expression for dryness, that is, the houses of the evil people are filled with all that is good, which is not the case with the tzadikim who are hungry and thirsty and dry, and walks in the paths of Torah, bread with salt and water by measure, and so the evil inclination has no entry.

(214) And what he said "go up to the Negev" he meant when one begins to go up this way, which is called Negev. And also its meaning is that it is the right, and then "you will go up the hill", meaning, to conquer the hill, which is the evil inclination that looks like a hill in a great battle. And once you left the dominion of the evil inclination, then "you will see the land", which does not happen before this, there was no sense of seeing the right path, since one seized by the evil inclination is called "blind", as it is known.

(215) And he said "and you will see etc if it is strong or weak" (Numbers 13:17-18) - and this is also the aspect that a person is able to check themselves in whatever level they are, as I wrote before regarding the verse in Song of Songs (Songs 8:1-2) " if only it could be as with a brother,as if you had nursed at my mother’s breast: then I could kiss you when I met you etc" and also regarding the verse in Genesis "they were naked and were not ashamed of themselves" (Genesis 2:25), that a person when checking oneself they know whether they are strong and connected in the service of Hashem, and when it never occurs to the person a laughing thought and a bad and dispersive thought, it is because they were able to divest from the physical, which are the husks and the illusions, and they cling to God and are called "naked" and then they are not ashamed. That is not the case when one thinks of a laughing thought, or the other impediments [to prayer] then one knows that "they are lazy, lazy in the work" (Exodus 5:17) of Hashem. And this is what it means "are they strong or weak": one should know from those signs whether one is strong or weak in the service of Hashem.

(216) And he said: "many or few" - and this can also be explained through the aspect of knowing oneself, even if one is humble - this is "a fat tail with thorn" (Rosh Hashanah 17a) because there are two aspects of humility as explained in the first chapter of Rosh Hashanah: "'for the remnant of His inheritance,' (Micah 7:18) but not for all His inheritance, for one who regards oneself as a remainder" (Rosh Hashanah 17b). And the explanation of the Rif is that 'one who is lenient [with others] and thinks of oneself as nothing, to that person others are lenient. But regarding one who says that according to their thoughts it is not appropriate to answer, to that one others are not lenient, see there. And this is why the text says "are they small?", meaning, one who is small due to one's humility, one who is lenient and does not answer back to their denigrator, in any instance such a person should check themselves to see IF they actually think of themselves as great, similar to 'IF you lend money' (Exodus 22:24, and see Rashi there), which is an expression of THAT - in this case one's smallness comes from the fact that one actually sees oneself as great, and thinks that one should not answer [to the detractor] and this is not a good characteristic, rather, one should really think of oneself as nothing.

(217) "And what the land that they inhabit is like, is it good or bad" - as its simple meaning, if one's heart desires mitzvot and good deeds, or 'bad', that it desires bad characteristics, and through this one will know how to subdue oneself towards the characteristic that is its opposite, until one comes to the appropriate characteristic, as the Rambam explains in the Eight Chapters of Pirkei Avot (Eight Chapters 3-4), see there.

(218) "And how are the cities, are they open or fortified" (Number 17:19) - A complete person needs to test oneself regarding their nature, if they cling to God always, whether at home or outside, and if they are not hurt by their relationship with others, then they do not need solitude, they can just go about mixed with other human beings, maybe one will see something that needs a fixing, and one can also bring close others to the service of Hashem just as Avraham did. This is what I wrote regarding the verse "if in Sodom, among the city, are found fifty righteous" (Genesis 18:26), see there. And if one sees oneself that as soon as one leaves the door of the house of study, immediately "at the door sin crouches" (Genesis 4:7) then one should choose solitude. And this is "encampments", and the explanation of Rashi: "[Moses] gave over a sign to [the spies]: if they dwell scattered, they are strong since they rely on their strength. etc." Meaning, if one knows that one still clings [to Hashem] while scattered [among people], there is no need for solitude, one "lives in encampments". And if not, "in fortified cities" meaning, one should choose solitude.

(219) "And what the land is like, fat or lean" (Numbers 13:20) - this is that a person should test and know in their heart of hearts regarding what they learn why did they come to this world, and in how they can progress, if in Oral Torah, which is Mishnah, which is the root of all the Oral Torah, or in the hidden aspects of Torah, and one should see what their soul desires, and through this one will know why they came to this world. And this is "what is the land, is it fat" - the letters HaSHMeNaH are the same of MiSHNaH, or "is it lean" RaZaH, since RaZ is secret, which is the internal aspects of the Torah.

(220) "Does it have trees or not" (Numbers 13:20), as it is written in the Zohar "do not destroy its trees [etza] (Deut. 20:19) this is the student of the sages that advises [meyaetz] the people regarding teshuvah etc" (Zohar 3:202a and Zohar 3:202b). If so, in this case also, regarding an individual, the inclination to good is called tree, since it advises a person to Torah and teshuvah. And a person should test if the inclination to good rules them and advises them well, and if not, one should "exert yourselves and take", meaning that to do the opposite needs strength, and doing the opposite [of the yetzer hara] is "fruit of the land" since evil deeds are the husks and externals of the fruit, which does not happen regarding good deeds, which are the fruit themselves, and this is why is written "and exert yourselves and bring some of the fruit of the land".

(221) "now these days were the days of the first ripe-grapes" (Numbers 13:20) meaning, that all this a person needs to hurry, and do this in the days of first-fruits, that is, when one is young, which is before the old days, as the Zohar explains regarding "In the face of the gray-hair, you are to rise" (Leviticus 19:32), [meaning, rise yourself spiritually when you are young] and so it will be good when one comes [to the next world] (Zohar 3:87b:6), and do not overthink this.

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