Bs”d
Parshas Shlach (5777)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
In our parsha we fnd from the beginning a negativeness against Klal Yisroel for wanting and requesting the sending of the meraglim. This is difficult to understand for it is a conventional and acceptable effort to check out the military status in a country one is about to invade. Even more difficult, Yehoshua in his preparation did the same without any criticism. The greatest difficulty is the quotation of Rashi that Hashem agreed so that they would default and wouldn’t be zocheh to Eretz Yisroel.
What I wish to say and try to explain what Bnei Yisroel wanted to send wasn’t to investigate to determine the military status. It was to critically investigate and made an evaluation of Eretz Yisroel, the land and the people; whether it was worthy to enter to accept the gift of Hashem. This was the reason for Hashem’s great wrath. When the cloud of the Satan dissipated they immediately regretted. The great lesson and inspiration is how much we must always beware of this blindness and pray to Hashem for assistance of clarity and enlightenment.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.