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Lehavas David · Parshas Shelach · Maamar ד

Serving Hashem Through the Physical in the King's Palace

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 13:16
אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לָתוּר אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן־נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ
These are the names of the men whom Moshe sent to scout the land; and Moshe called Hoshea son of Nun ‘Yehoshua.’
1“And Moshe called Hoshea son of Nun ‘Yehoshua.’”1 The Targum Yonasan says: “When Moshe saw his humility, Moshe called Hoshea son of Nun ‘Yehoshua.’”2 But what was this humility, and what does it have to do with the sin of the spies?
וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (יג, טז). אִיתָא בְּתַרְגּוּם יוֹנָתָן ׳וְכַד חֲמָא מֹשֶׁה עִנְוְותָנוּתֵיהּ קָרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בַּר נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ׳, וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַהוּ עִנְוְותָנוּתֵיהּ, וּמָה עִנְיָנוֹ לְחֵטְא הַמְרַגְּלִים.
  1. Bamidbar 13:16. ↩
  2. Targum Yonasan there. ↩
In shortTargum Yonasan ties Yehoshua's new name to his humility; what was that humility, and how does it bear on the spies' sin?
2In the Toldos Adam of my holy ancestor, zt"l, we find that the holy Rebbe R' Yitzchak of Vorka, zt"l, often used to say that all the spies meant it for the sake of Heaven.3 My holy father and teacher, zt"l, explained that the holiness of Eretz Yisrael is so great that it works both ways, “one opposite the other.”4 Just as a person can rise through it to great levels of holiness, so, Heaven forbid, if he falls there, it is hard for him to return and rise back to where he first stood. This is what the spies feared when they said, “We cannot go up”:5 if they fell, it would be hard to rise again. But Yehoshua and Kalev answered, “We shall surely go up”:6 on the contrary, the holiness of Eretz Yisrael helps us rise. Those are his holy words.
וְהִנֵּה אִיתָא בְּתוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם מִזִּקְנֵי זצללה״ה (ד״ה אלה) שֶׁהָיָה מַרְגְּלָא בְּפִי הרה״ק רַבִּי יִצְחָק מוורקא זצללה״ה שֶׁהַמְּרַגְּלִים נִתְכַּוְּונוּ כּוּלָּם לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם. וּבֵיאֵר כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה, דְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִצַּד גּוֹדֶל קְדוּשָּׁתָהּ, אֲזַי זֶה לְעוּמַּת זֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְהִתְעַלּוֹת עַל יָדָהּ לְמַדְרֵגוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת בִּקְדוּשָּׁה, כְּמוֹ כֵן ח״ו בְּאִם נוֹפְלִים אֲזַי קָשֶׁה לַחֲזוֹר וְלַעֲלוֹת לִמְקוֹרוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּמִזֶּה נִתְיָירְאוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים וְאָמְרוּ ״לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת״ (יג, לא), הַיְינוּ שֶׁבְּאִם יִפְּלוּ יִהְיֶה קָשֶׁה לַעֲלוֹת. אֲבָל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב הֵשִׁיבוּ ״עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה״ (יג, ל), שֶׁאַדְּרַבָּה קְדוּשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹזֵר וּמְסַיֵּיעַ שֶׁנּוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת, עכד״ק.
  1. Toldos Adam, s.v. Eileh. R' Yehoshua of Ostrova, author of Toldos Adam, father-in-law of the first Biala Rebbe. ↩
  2. Koheles 7:14. ↩
  3. Bamidbar 13:31. ↩
  4. Bamidbar 13:30, where Kalev says it. ↩
In shortThe spies meant well but feared a fall in the Holy Land could hardly be repaired; Yehoshua and Kalev saw its holiness as help.
3aLet us explain his holy words more fully, building on a foundation laid in the holy sefarim. We know that a person must serve Hashem in two ways. The first is by engaging in Torah and mitzvos. The second is that even when he is busy with physical things, such as eating and drinking, he should serve Hashem through them too. Serving Hashem through physical things, however, is an extremely difficult avodah. Moreover, one who sins against a king outside his palace cannot be compared to one who sins against him in the king's own palace, where every small thing is checked with exacting care, so that all is fit for a king's palace. And Eretz Yisrael is a kind of palace of the King, the King of the world, as the verse says, “The eyes of Hashem your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”7 So there every slight blemish counts as a great sin.
וּנְבָאֵר דְּבָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים בְּהַרְחָבָה, וִיסוֹד הַדְּבָרִים הוּא מֵהַסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. דְּהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ בִּשְׁתֵּי דְּרָכִים, הָאַחַת בְּעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹות, וְעוֹד זֹאת שֶׁגַּם בְּעֵת שֶׁעוֹסְקִים בַּגַּשְׁמִיּוּת כְּמוֹ בְּעִנְיְנֵי אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה גַּם בָּהֶם יַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳, וְאָמְנָם נוֹדַע דְּלַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ בְּעִנְיְנֵי הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת הִיא עֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה עַד לִמְאֹד. גַּם הִנֵּה מוּדַעַת זֹאת, כִּי אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה הַחוֹטֵא לַמֶּלֶךְ מִחוּץ לְהֵיכָלוֹ, לָזֶה אֲשֶׁר חוֹטֵא כְּנֶגְדּוֹ בְּפַלְטֵרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, אֲשֶׁר שָׁם מְדַקְדְּקִים וּמַקְפִּידִים עַל כָּל דָּבָר קָטָן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת בְּפַלְטֵרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ. וְהִנֵּה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא בִּבְחִינַת פַּלְטֵרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ מַלְכּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יא, יב) ״תָּמִיד עֵינֵי ה׳ אֱלוֹקֶיךָ בָּהּ מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה״, וְלָכֵן נֶחְשָׁב בָּהּ כָּל פְּגָם דַּק כְּחֵטְא גָּדוֹל.
  1. Devarim 11:12. ↩
3bThis was the spies' great fear. When Bnei Yisrael entered the Land, they would have to serve Hashem through physical things, which is an extremely difficult avodah. What is more, in the holy place, the King's palace, every slight blemish could bring them very low, Heaven forbid, like a grave sin. That is what Chazal said in a Midrash that the Tur quotes:8 “When Israel enters the Land, this one runs to his vineyard and that one to his field; and the Torah, what will become of it?” In other words, when we are busy with physical things, “each man under his vine and under his fig tree,”9 how can we serve Hashem and keep the Torah in the midst of it all, when in the King's palace every small thing is checked with exacting care? That is the meaning of “the Torah, what will become of it?”
וְזֶה הָיָה גּוֹדֶל חֲשָׁשָׁם שֶׁל הַמְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר יִכָּנְסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ יִצְטָרְכוּ לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ בְּעִנְיְנֵי גַּשְׁמִיּוּת שֶׁהִיא עֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה עַד לִמְאֹד כַּנִּזְכָּר, וּמָה גַּם בִּהְיוֹתָם בִּמְקוֹם הַקּוֹדֶשׁ בְּפַלְטֵרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ יוּכַל כָּל פְּגָם דַּק לְהוֹרִידָם ח״ו עַד מְאֹד כְּחֵטְא חָמוּר. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (מדרש הובא בטור סימן רצ) בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנָסִים לָאָרֶץ זֶה רָץ לְכַרְמוֹ וְזֶה לְשָׂדֵהוּ תּוֹרָה מַה תְּהֵא עָלֶיהָ, הַיְינוּ שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁנַּעֲסוֹק בַּגַּשְׁמִיּוּת בִּבְחִינַת ״אִישׁ תַּחַת גַּפְנוֹ וְתַחַת תְּאֵנָתוֹ״ (מלכים א ה, ה), אֵיךְ מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ נוּכַל לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ וּלְקַיֵּים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, וַהֲרֵי בְּפַלְטֵרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ מְדַקְדְּקִים עַל כָּל דָּבָר קָטָן, וְזֶהוּ ׳תּוֹרָה מַה תְּהֵא עָלֶיהָ׳.
  1. Tur, Orach Chaim 290. ↩
  2. Melachim I 5:5. ↩
In shortServing Hashem through the physical is hard, and in the King's palace every slight blemish is grave; so the spies feared for the Torah there.
4This was what the spies intended when they brought some of the fruit of the Land back to Bnei Yisrael, grapes, figs and pomegranates:10 to hint at the physical things the people would have to deal with in Eretz Yisrael. The spies imagined that Bnei Yisrael would not be able to raise up the physical.
וְזֶה הָיְתָה כַּוָּונָתָם בַּמֶּה שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ בְּיָדָם לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִפְּרִי הָאָרֶץ גֶּפֶן וּתְאֵנָה וְרִימּוֹן, לְרַמֵּז עַל הָעֵסֶק בְּעִנְיְנֵי גַּשְׁמִיּוּת שֶׁיִּצְטָרְכוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְדִימּוּ בְּדַעְתָּם שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ לְהַעֲלוֹת הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת.
  1. See Bamidbar 13:23. ↩
In shortThe fruit the spies brought back pointed to the physical life of the Land, which they thought Bnei Yisrael could not raise up.
5This is also what my holy great-grandfather, zt"l, meant in the holy sefer Divrei Binah, where he says that the initials of shelach lecha anashim, “Send men for yourself,” spell eshel.11 The whole sin of the spies concerned achilah, eating, shesiyah, drinking, and linah, lodging, and other physical things. This is what they feared for themselves when they said, “We cannot go up,” meaning: we will not be able to raise up these physical things in Eretz Yisrael, the King's palace, without causing a blemish through them.
וְזֶהוּ גַּם כַּוָּונַת זְקֵנִי זצללה״ה בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ דִּבְרֵי בִּינָה דִּ׳שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים׳ ר״ת אֵשֶׁל, דְּכָל עִנְיַן חֶטְאָם שֶׁל הַמְרַגְּלִים הָיָה אוֹדוֹת אֲכִילָה שְׁתִיָּה לִינָה וּדְבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, שֶׁבָּזֶה נִתְיָירְאוּ לְנַפְשָׁם וְאָמְרוּ ׳לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת׳, שֶׁלֹּא נוּכַל לְהַעֲלוֹת אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת הָאֵלֶּה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפַלְטֵרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ וּלְבַל לִפְגּוֹם בָּהֶם.
  1. Bamidbar 13:2. The first Biala Rebbe, author of Divrei Binah, the Rebbe's great-grandfather. ↩
In shortShelach lecha anashim spells eshel: the spies' fear concerned eating, drinking and lodging, which they thought could not be raised up in the King's palace.
6All this is what Moshe Rabbeinu feared, and that is the meaning of “when Moshe saw Yehoshua's humility.” It is like Chazal's saying that the humility of R' Zechariah ben Avkulas destroyed the Beis HaMikdash.12 Moshe Rabbeinu feared that Yehoshua might, Heaven forbid, be seized by too much fear of Heaven, where it does not belong, and might say what the spies said: that we cannot raise up physical things in the King's palace. So he prayed for him, “May Kah save you,”13 from this counsel and this way of thinking.
וּמִכָּל זֶה חָשַׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה, וְזֶהוּ ׳כַּד חֲמָא מֹשֶׁה עִנְוְותָנוּתֵיהּ דִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ׳, הַיְינוּ עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָמְרוּ דְּעִנְוְותָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי זְכַרְיָה בֶּן אַבְקוּלָס הֶחֱרִיבָה הַבַּיִת (גיטין נו, א), שֶׁחָשַׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ כִּי ח״ו יִהְיֶה נִתְפָּס יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּמוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי שֶׁלֹּא בַּמָּקוֹם הָרָצוּי, וְיֹאמַר כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נוּכַל לְהַעֲלוֹת דְּבָרִים גַּשְׁמִיִּים בְּפַלְטֵרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, לָכֵן עָלָיו הִתְפַּלֵּל קה יוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מֵעֵצָה וּמַחְשָׁבָה זוֹ.
  1. Gittin 56a. R' Zechariah ben Avkulas would neither allow a blemished animal to be offered nor allow the man who had blemished it to be put to death, and the Gemara says that this humility destroyed the Beis HaMikdash. ↩
  2. Rashi on Bamidbar 13:16; Sotah 34b. Kah (Yud-Hei) is a Divine Name; Moshe added a yud to Hoshea, so that Yehoshua begins with it. ↩
In shortMoshe saw in Yehoshua a humility like R' Zechariah ben Avkulas's, too much fear of Heaven, and prayed he be saved from the spies' thinking.
7This, indeed, was the heart of Moshe Rabbeinu's wish to enter the Land: to serve Hashem through the physical too, and to raise earthly things up to their root. It was in this connection that Chazal said in the Gemara, “Did he then need to eat of its fruit? …”14 Who would ever imagine that Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to enter the Land to eat fruit, Heaven forbid? Rather, the Gemara means this: Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to enter the Land to raise physical things up to Hashem; but for that, did he need to eat of its fruit in particular? Did he need the holiness of Eretz Yisrael to rectify and raise up fruit and physical things? Even outside the Land he had the power to do it! It is only we, small as we are, who lack these holy powers and need the holiness of Eretz Yisrael to be privileged to do this. Indeed, we know that tzaddikim in every generation have always longed to go up to the Holy Land, because it is easier to serve Hashem there.
וּבֶאֱמֶת זֶה הָיָה עִיקַּר הָעִנְיָן מַה שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ רָצָה לִיכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ, בִּכְדֵי לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ גַּם מִתּוֹךְ הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת, וּלְהַעֲלוֹת הָעִנְיָנִים הָאַרְצִיִּים לְשָׁרְשָׁם. וּכְלַפֵּי זֶה אָמְרוּ ז״ל בַּגְּמָרָא (סוטה יד, א) וְכִי לֶאֱכוֹל מִפִּרְיָהּ הוּא צָרִיךְ, שֶׁלִּכְאוֹרָה מִי זֶה יַעֲלֶה בְּדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה רָצָה לִיכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ בִּשְׁבִיל לֶאֱכוֹל פֵּירוֹת חָלִילָה, אֶלָּא כַּוָּונַת הַגְּמָרָא לוֹמַר שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרְצוֹן מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה לִיכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ הָיָה בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַעֲלוֹת אֶת הָעִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים לַה׳, אַךְ בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה וְכִי לֶאֱכוֹל מִפִּרְיָהּ דַּוְקָא הוּא צָרִיךְ, הַיְינוּ וְכִי צָרִיךְ הוּא לִקְדוּשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּכְדֵי לְתַקֵּן וּלְהַעֲלוֹת הַפֵּירוֹת וְהַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת, וַהֲרֵי אֲפִילּוּ בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ הָיָה בְּכוֹחוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת, וְרַק אָנוּ הַקְּטַנִּים אֵין לָנוּ אֵלּוּ הַכּוֹחוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, וְאָנוּ צְרִיכִים לִקְדוּשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁבִיל לִזְכּוֹת לָזֶה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיָּדוּעַ בֶּאֱמֶת שֶׁצַּדִּיקִים בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת רָצוּ תָּמִיד לַעֲלוֹת לְאֶרֶץ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נָקֵל יוֹתֵר לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳.
  1. Sotah 14a (the sefer has 34a). ↩
In shortMoshe could raise up the physical even outside the Land; it is we who need its holiness, which is why tzaddikim always longed for it.
8This was the point on which the spies disagreed with Yehoshua and Kalev: raising up physical things in the Holy Land. Yehoshua and Kalev answered, “We shall surely go up”:15 on the contrary, the great holiness of the Land helps us to raise up all physical and earthly things.
וְזֶה הָיָה הַמַּחֲלוֹקֶת בֵּין הַמְרַגְּלִים לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב בְּעִנְיַן הַעֲלָאַת הַדְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים בְּאֶרֶץ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב עָנוּ וְאָמְרוּ ״עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה״ (יג, ל), שֶׁאַדְּרַבָּה גּוֹדֶל קְדוּשַּׁת הָאָרֶץ מְסַיֵּיעַ שֶׁנּוּכַל לְהַעֲלוֹת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים וְהָאֲרָעִיִּים.
  1. Bamidbar 13:30. ↩
In shortYehoshua and Kalev answered that the Land's holiness is exactly what helps us raise up everything physical.
9This explains the words of the verse “Send men for yourself, and let them scout the land of Canaan which I am giving to Bnei Yisrael.” These words teach that since Eretz Yisrael is a gift from God, and “the eyes of Hashem your God are upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year,”16 Bnei Yisrael should understand that for this very reason it is, on the contrary, easier to serve Hashem there, as we saw with the tzaddikim who longed for the Holy Land. They should not be afraid of serving Hashem through the physical things of Eretz Yisrael.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה מְבוֹאָר מַה שֶּׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים וְיָתוּרוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן ׳אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳, לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא מַתְּנַת אֱלוֹקִים, וְ״עֵינֵי ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ בָּהּ מֵרֵאשִׁית שָׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה״ (דברים יא, יב), יֵשׁ לָהֶם לְהָבִין שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת כֵּן אַדְּרַבָּה יוֹתֵר קַל לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ כַּנִּזְכָּר, וּלְבַל יִתְיָירְאוּ מֵעִנְיַן עֲבוֹדַת ה׳ בִּדְבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
  1. Devarim 11:12. The sefer quotes it here without “always”; above, in full. ↩
In short“Which I am giving” teaches that the Land, a gift under Hashem's constant watch, makes serving Him through the physical easier, not harder.
10[Another explanation is also possible.17 The spies imagined that “we cannot go up”: we will not be able to rise in the levels of holiness by serving Hashem through rectifying physical things. But they were mistaken. Even if it is true that no single person can sanctify and rectify physical things on his own, we know how great the power of the many and of unity is. With the strength of the whole congregation together, it is certain that “we shall surely go up,” as we bind ourselves together as one on the path of ascent. That was how Yehoshua and Kalev answered the spies' claim and view.]
*[עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר, דְּהֵם דִּימּוּ בְּדַעְתָּם שֶׁ׳לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁלֹּא נוּכַל לְהִתְעַלּוֹת בְּמַעֲלוֹת הַקְּדוּשָּׁה עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת ה׳ בְּתִיקּוּן הָעִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים. אַךְ טָעוּתָם הָיְתָה, כִּי אַף אִם בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל אֶחָד לְחוּד אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְקַדֵּשׁ וּלְתַקֵּן עִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, אֲבָל כַּיָּדוּעַ מַעֲלַת וְגוֹדֶל כֹּחַ הָרַבִּים וְהָאַחְדוּת, וּבְכֹחַ כָּל הַצִּיבּוּר יַחְדָּיו בְּוַדַּאי ׳עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה׳, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּתְאַגֵּד וְנִתְאַחֵד יַחַד לִהְיוֹת בְּדֶרֶךְ עֲלִיָּה, וְזֶה הָיָה תְּשׁוּבַת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב נֶגֶד טַעֲנָתָם וְדַעְתָּם שֶׁל הַמְרַגְּלִים.
  1. The sefer's note: An addition from another place. ↩
In shortA single person may not be able to sanctify the physical, but the united congregation surely can; that was Yehoshua and Kalev's answer.
11[This lets us understand why Chazal learned from the spies, who are called an eidah, a congregation, that every davar shebikdushah, every holy matter such as Kaddish or Kedushah, may be said only with ten.18 This is astonishing. Why did the Torah teach this in the episode of the spies, of all places, when they spread an evil report about the Land and the verse calls them “the evil congregation”?19 But in line with what we saw about the power of unity, we may say that the Torah comes to show how great the power of the congregation is: through it one can reach a level of holiness that an individual cannot reach. That is why Chazal learned it from the episode of the spies. This was the spies' mistake: they did not grasp the vast difference between an individual and the power of the congregation, and so they thought it impossible to rise and become holy through physical things. But by the power of the congregation one can truly accomplish great and hidden things. As Chazal said on the verse “As for me, my prayer is to You, Hashem, at a time of favor”: “When is a time of favor? When the congregation is praying.”20]
וּבָזֶה נוּכַל לְהָבִין מַה שֶׁלָּמְדוּ חז״ל לְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדוּשָּׁה שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא אֶלָּא בַּעֲשָׂרָה מִן הַמְרַגְּלִים שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ עֵדָה (ברכות כא, ב. מגילה כג, ב. ועיין סנהדרין ב, א), וְהוּא פֶּלֶא לָמָּה הוֹרְתָה הַתּוֹרָה עִנְיָן זֶה דַּוְקָא בְּפָרָשַׁת הַמְרַגְּלִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ מוֹצִיאֵי דִּיבַּת הָאָרֶץ, וְהַכָּתוּב קוֹרְאָם (יד, כז) ׳עֵדָה הָרָעָה׳. אַךְ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר עַל פִּי הַנִּזְכָּר, דְּבָאָה הַתּוֹרָה לְהַרְאוֹת גּוֹדֶל כֹּחַ הַצִּיבּוּר, דִּבְכֹחַ הַצִּיבּוּר אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לְמַדְרֵגָה כָּזֹאת שֶׁל קְדוּשָּׁה מַה שֶׁאֵין הַיָּחִיד יָכוֹל לָבוֹא, וְעַל כֵּן לָמְדוּ זֹאת דַּוְקָא מִפָּרָשַׁת הַמְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁזּוֹ הָיְתָה טָעוּת הַמְרַגְּלִים שֶׁלֹּא הִשְׂכִּילוּ לְהָבִין עוֹצֶם הַהֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין יָחִיד לְכֹחַ הַצִּיבּוּר, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה סָבְרוּ שֶׁבִּלְתִּי אֶפְשָׁרִי לַעֲלוֹת וּלְהִתְקַדֵּשׁ בִּדְבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, אַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת מִכֹּחַ הַצִּיבּוּר אֶפְשָׁר לִפְעוֹל גְּדוֹלוֹת וּנְצוּרוֹת, וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ ז״ל (ברכות ח, א) ״וַאֲנִי תְפִילָּתִי לְךָ ה׳ עֵת רָצוֹן״ (תהלים סט, יד) אֵימָתַי עֵת רָצוֹן בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצִּיבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִים.
  1. Berachos 21b; Megillah 23b; see Sanhedrin 2a. ↩
  2. Bamidbar 14:27. ↩
  3. Berachos 8a; Tehillim 69:14. ↩
In shortChazal learned the minyan from the spies to show that a congregation reaches holiness no individual can, the very thing the spies failed to see.
12[The redemption too, which we await every day and which may Hashem in His kindness bring soon, will come in the merit and by the power of the many and of unity. As Chazal said, “Israel will be redeemed only when it forms one band.”21]
וְגַם בִּיאַת הַגְּאוּלָּה בְּקָרוֹב בְּחַסְדֵי ה׳ שֶׁאָנוּ מְחַכִּים בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁתָּבוֹא, תְּהֵא גַּם בִּזְכוּת וּבְכֹחַ הָרַבִּים וְהָאַחְדוּת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל (ילקוט שמעוני ויקרא תרנא) אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגְאָלִים אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהֵם בַּאֲגוּדָּה אַחַת].
  1. Yalkut Shimoni, Vayikra §651. ↩
In shortThe redemption, too, will come through the merit and the power of Israel's unity.
13May Hashem, blessed be He, help us to practice what we teach: to be privileged to serve Hashem through physical things as well, and through this to refine all that still needs refinement, and so bring near the coming of the Redeemer. Amen, may it be His will.
יַעֲזוֹר הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ שֶׁלֹּא נִהְיֶה רַק נָאֶה דּוֹרֵשׁ אֶלָּא גַּם נָאֶה מְקַיֵּים, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳ גַּם בִּדְבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, וּבָזֶה נִזְכֶּה לְבָרֵר כָּל דְּבָרִים הַטְּעוּנִים בֵּירוּר, וּלְקָרֵב עַל יְדֵי זֶה אֶת בִּיאַת הַגּוֹאֵל, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortMay we practice what we teach, serving Hashem through physical things and refining them, and so bring the Redeemer near.
Takeaway

The spies feared that ordinary life, eating, drinking and working the fields, could not be lived in holiness in the King's own palace, and that too much fear of Heaven is the humility Moshe prayed Yehoshua would be saved from. The holiness of the Land is not only a danger; it is the very help that lets us rise and raise up the physical. And where one person feels too small for this, a united congregation can do what no individual can, and bring the redemption near.

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English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.