Monday, June 14, 2004
Sparks From Israel
The Meraglim
Its amazing how some times Hashem brings the Parsha into the week. There is a poetry of life that is written each day if one looks for it. The events of the week are not merely coincidences but relate to the cycle of events and times that we revisit weekly, monthly, and annually. And so it was, as I reflected last week that my one year ‘aliyah’ anniversary is coming up, that something unusual happened to me.
I came to Israel first at Pesach time with the ‘yad chasaka’ of Hashem (topic of another essay), but then returned to prepare things and finally made ‘aliyah’ officially on Parsha Shelach. I remember telling my friends at my Shabbat speech that I was going in good company, with Yehoshua and Calev, to bring a good report of the land. And so I have been doing for the last year.
I was meditating on my anniversary, as I walked down a small path to a new beach I hadn’t been to. As I approached the walkway by the shore, walking towards me was a famous politician followed by an entourage of camera men snapping pictures as he sauntered down the boardwalk in his tailored suite. He noddedd to me with his official smile prepared for his adoring fans. As I continued, on my way, someone said to me frantically, ‘Was that him? Will he be coming back this way?’
This man and his wife were so excited at seeing a celebrity and it appeared that this politician also enjoyed the popularity of being one. Who was this politican? What was his name? For now he shall remain nameless. A simple man who lives in Gush Katif and has to struggle not only against an Arab enemy that attacks him, but a hostile world, and a hostile government that seeks to appease that hostile world at his expense, this to me is a man with a name.
The surreal sight of a man surrounded by an entourage of snapping cameras as he strolled along the beach and his gawking fans who have a tremendous respect for ‘fame’, made me think about the Parsha.
Here was one of the Meraglim, face to face. Here was one of the most important, affluent, and elucidate representatives of the Jewish Nation, but what was the basis of his leadership? He wasn’t a man of principle or faith. He had betrayed the people many times for his political advantage and instead of tending his flock, he grew fat from them and abandoned them to the wolves. He was not a leader, he was a shrewd follower of political tides.
The complaint of the Meraglim was that they ‘felt’ small, and in their eyes, the Cannanites appeared to be frightening giants. Some say that underneath this lack of faith and self-esteem, was also another agenda. They were afraid of losing their positions as leaders in this new land, and so they preferred that the Nation stayed as it was, in the dessert. Although this would compromise Hashem’s plan, it would ensure their status as leaders, or rather ‘politicians’.
The real leaders however, were Calev and Yehoshua, who were almost stoned to death for daring to go against the majority who had now been corrupted by these gifted speakers who knew how to play upon the peoples weakness. And of course the rest is history, the people cried for no reason, and so Hashem said, I will give you a reason to cry, for now you will not enter the land, but your children will. The very children that were used as the ‘pretext’ for their fear and worry, in the end, were not like their parents and they had no fear of these Cananites.
The signpost of selfishness and dissention already had come to light in last weeks Parasha when the people left their unified experience at Sinai and began to complain and doubt their leaders. Moshe appointed new judges that were needed for he could see the age of Meraglim that was coming. He appointed former Jewish taskmasters, who used to take beatings from the Egyptians, rather than inflict more suffering on their brothers.
These were the true leaders that were needed then, and are needed now. Leaders willing to suffer for the sake of their people, rather than let their people suffer for the sake of their political advantage. There will always be banquets and celebrations for Meraglim, and the true leaders will be banned and stoned by the rabble who like the Meraglim lack faith and prefer appeasement to the gentile world, rather than obedience to G-ds will.
The Meraglim looked at events surrounding them and they read them as ominous omens of destruction by giants who could crush them like ants, while the truly G-d fearing Yehoshua and Calev read the same events as proof that G-d was watching over them and protecting them. And so it is today. It’s hard to believe that the majority cannot see the obvious while the minority is persecuted for relating it.
If this tiny Nation of soldiers and artists and geniouses, exists and prospers and flourishes despite the animosity of the world, then why do we not conclude that there is a G-d watching over us and therefore, if we do His will and conquer our enemies He will continue to protect us? Why do we instead seek ways of expelling Jews from their homes when it is their neighbors the Cannanites, that should be expelled, and could be, quite easily.
They are not giants, and we are not grasshoppers, Yehoshua and Calev referred to them as bread to be eaten. The only strength they have is created by the Meraglim who made them into giants because of their fears. We gave them courage by our retreats and never ending humiliating appeasements. In the end, it will not be the Meraglim who inheirit the land but the Yehoshua’s and Calev’s.
The tikun of the 10 spies who brought an evil report is the 10 men of the Minyan, who gather to pray. Among every Minyan of Jews there are always miracles, and among every Jewish community there are more miracles, and a Jewish Nation? All we need to do, is to come home and to see for ourselves with a good eye that Hashem is our stronghold and those who retreat will only fall into the hands of Egypt with all of its punishments. But those who build the Nation even if they are few will be remembered, while the politicians who represent the apparent majority, will be forgotten. How many remember the names of the Meraglim? But who doesn’t know Yehoshua and Calev?
And so as my year draws to a close, I am reminded of the words I said when I left. I told my friends I was coming to Israel in good company with Yehoshua and Calev, and I will bring back a good report. And so, it has been a year now, and I continue to bring a good report about the Land of Israel and it’s people. (you can read all of my reports in Sparks from Israel http://sparksfromisrael.blogspot.com/).
The Meraglim
Its amazing how some times Hashem brings the Parsha into the week. There is a poetry of life that is written each day if one looks for it. The events of the week are not merely coincidences but relate to the cycle of events and times that we revisit weekly, monthly, and annually. And so it was, as I reflected last week that my one year ‘aliyah’ anniversary is coming up, that something unusual happened to me.
I came to Israel first at Pesach time with the ‘yad chasaka’ of Hashem (topic of another essay), but then returned to prepare things and finally made ‘aliyah’ officially on Parsha Shelach. I remember telling my friends at my Shabbat speech that I was going in good company, with Yehoshua and Calev, to bring a good report of the land. And so I have been doing for the last year.
I was meditating on my anniversary, as I walked down a small path to a new beach I hadn’t been to. As I approached the walkway by the shore, walking towards me was a famous politician followed by an entourage of camera men snapping pictures as he sauntered down the boardwalk in his tailored suite. He noddedd to me with his official smile prepared for his adoring fans. As I continued, on my way, someone said to me frantically, ‘Was that him? Will he be coming back this way?’
This man and his wife were so excited at seeing a celebrity and it appeared that this politician also enjoyed the popularity of being one. Who was this politican? What was his name? For now he shall remain nameless. A simple man who lives in Gush Katif and has to struggle not only against an Arab enemy that attacks him, but a hostile world, and a hostile government that seeks to appease that hostile world at his expense, this to me is a man with a name.
The surreal sight of a man surrounded by an entourage of snapping cameras as he strolled along the beach and his gawking fans who have a tremendous respect for ‘fame’, made me think about the Parsha.
Here was one of the Meraglim, face to face. Here was one of the most important, affluent, and elucidate representatives of the Jewish Nation, but what was the basis of his leadership? He wasn’t a man of principle or faith. He had betrayed the people many times for his political advantage and instead of tending his flock, he grew fat from them and abandoned them to the wolves. He was not a leader, he was a shrewd follower of political tides.
The complaint of the Meraglim was that they ‘felt’ small, and in their eyes, the Cannanites appeared to be frightening giants. Some say that underneath this lack of faith and self-esteem, was also another agenda. They were afraid of losing their positions as leaders in this new land, and so they preferred that the Nation stayed as it was, in the dessert. Although this would compromise Hashem’s plan, it would ensure their status as leaders, or rather ‘politicians’.
The real leaders however, were Calev and Yehoshua, who were almost stoned to death for daring to go against the majority who had now been corrupted by these gifted speakers who knew how to play upon the peoples weakness. And of course the rest is history, the people cried for no reason, and so Hashem said, I will give you a reason to cry, for now you will not enter the land, but your children will. The very children that were used as the ‘pretext’ for their fear and worry, in the end, were not like their parents and they had no fear of these Cananites.
The signpost of selfishness and dissention already had come to light in last weeks Parasha when the people left their unified experience at Sinai and began to complain and doubt their leaders. Moshe appointed new judges that were needed for he could see the age of Meraglim that was coming. He appointed former Jewish taskmasters, who used to take beatings from the Egyptians, rather than inflict more suffering on their brothers.
These were the true leaders that were needed then, and are needed now. Leaders willing to suffer for the sake of their people, rather than let their people suffer for the sake of their political advantage. There will always be banquets and celebrations for Meraglim, and the true leaders will be banned and stoned by the rabble who like the Meraglim lack faith and prefer appeasement to the gentile world, rather than obedience to G-ds will.
The Meraglim looked at events surrounding them and they read them as ominous omens of destruction by giants who could crush them like ants, while the truly G-d fearing Yehoshua and Calev read the same events as proof that G-d was watching over them and protecting them. And so it is today. It’s hard to believe that the majority cannot see the obvious while the minority is persecuted for relating it.
If this tiny Nation of soldiers and artists and geniouses, exists and prospers and flourishes despite the animosity of the world, then why do we not conclude that there is a G-d watching over us and therefore, if we do His will and conquer our enemies He will continue to protect us? Why do we instead seek ways of expelling Jews from their homes when it is their neighbors the Cannanites, that should be expelled, and could be, quite easily.
They are not giants, and we are not grasshoppers, Yehoshua and Calev referred to them as bread to be eaten. The only strength they have is created by the Meraglim who made them into giants because of their fears. We gave them courage by our retreats and never ending humiliating appeasements. In the end, it will not be the Meraglim who inheirit the land but the Yehoshua’s and Calev’s.
The tikun of the 10 spies who brought an evil report is the 10 men of the Minyan, who gather to pray. Among every Minyan of Jews there are always miracles, and among every Jewish community there are more miracles, and a Jewish Nation? All we need to do, is to come home and to see for ourselves with a good eye that Hashem is our stronghold and those who retreat will only fall into the hands of Egypt with all of its punishments. But those who build the Nation even if they are few will be remembered, while the politicians who represent the apparent majority, will be forgotten. How many remember the names of the Meraglim? But who doesn’t know Yehoshua and Calev?
And so as my year draws to a close, I am reminded of the words I said when I left. I told my friends I was coming to Israel in good company with Yehoshua and Calev, and I will bring back a good report. And so, it has been a year now, and I continue to bring a good report about the Land of Israel and it’s people. (you can read all of my reports in Sparks from Israel http://sparksfromisrael.blogspot.com/).
