Rejection of the Land of Israel, Rejection of the Land of the Torah


This week’s Parshah gets its name from the event with the spies, leaders of the tribes, who were sent to scout out the land of Israel and provide information the Jews’ invasion. Ten of the spies, instead of following orders by simply providing facts about the land and its inhabitants, evaluated the situation and concluded that the Jews could not conquer the land. Despite attempts by Joshua and Caleb, the two remaining spies, to reassure the nation that victory was possible, the nation believed the other spies and almost revolted against Moses and Aaron. As a result of this lack of trust, G-d condemned the nation to wander for forty years in the desert until the current generation had died off. Then and only then would the Jews invade the Land of Israel.



Joshua and Caleb’s argument for entering the land was quite simple:



“If God is satisfied with us, He will bring us to this Land and give it to us, a Land that flows with milk and honey” (Numbers 14:8).



This would seem to be an unbeatable argument. Essentially, since G-d is all powerful, if He wills to give us the land of Israel, nothing will stand in His way.



The other spies must agree to this. Or do they? Perhaps this is the basis for our Sages comment that when the spies said: “They [the inhabitants of the land of Israel] are stronger then us” (Numbers 13:31) that “[the spies] said this in reference to the most High, as it were” [meaning the natives were stronger than G-d] (Rashi on Numbers 13:31 citing Sota 35a).



[[See Sifsei Chachamim on Rashi]]



As strange as it may seem, the other spies denied that G-d was all powerful. Still, such heresy happened frequently in the desert.
[[See my devar Torah on parshas Veyera]]


The Psalmist summarizes this whole event saying “And they despised the desirable land, they had no faith in His word” (Psalms 106:24).



G-d promised us the land and the spies and the nation had no faith in this promise.



But where in the Torah do we see G-d promising us the land?



Contextually, it is at the beginning of the whole event with the spies:



“God spoke to Moses, saying, Send out men for yourself to explore the Canaanite territory that I am about to give the Israelites…” (Numbers 13:1-2).



But we find it much earlier, at the dawn of our national history, at the burning bush:



[[See also Genesis 12:1 and 12:7 and Kli Yakar.]]



“God said, 'I have indeed seen the suffering of My people in Egypt. I have heard how they cry out because of what their slave-drivers [do], and I am aware of their pain. I have come down to rescue them from Egypt's power. I will bring them out of that land, to a good, spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, the territory of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Yebusites” (Exodus 3:7-8).



[[Compare to Genesis 12:1]]



My teacher R. Moshe Lichtman, in his book Eretz Yirael in the Parashah (pages 123-124), cites R. Moshe Tzuriel who notes that in the above quoted passage from the Burning Bush, we only find rescuing the Jews from Egypt and bringing them into the Land of Israel, there is no mention of giving the Torah. Why should this be the case? Is the Torah secondary to the Land of Israel?



Clearly, the Torah is of primary importance, even over the land of Israel. I remember seeing I think it was the Maharal, I don’t remember where, who said that the Torah was given outside of the Land of Israel to teach us that it is not dependant on the Land of Israel. As Rav Saadia Gaon stated, “Our nation is a nation only because of the Torah” (Emunos ViDeos 3) and, I do not like getting involved in the disputes of the greatest of Torah scholars but it would appear to me that claim to the land is ultimately contingent on Torah observance (Deuteronomy 11:16-17 and Maharsha on Sanhedrin 91a). However, we still must answer why the above passage does not mention the Torah.



[[See also Rav Soloveitchik somewhere in On Repentence, and Rav Schach in his letters somewhere. See also Tosafos on Kesubos 110b which seems to imply it is better to not follow Torah outside the land then not follow Torah living in the land but I know that this whole issue is discussed in A Question of Redemption, this requires further thought]]



R. Tzuriel answers that the Torah was not mentioned because the Torah is meant to be kept in the Land of Israel. The Ramban states explicitly:



“The main [fulfillment] of all the commandments is for those who live in the Land of Hashem” (Ramban on Leviticus 18:25).



[[See also Ramban on Genesis 26:5 and how he utilizes 2 Kings 17:26 and Rashi on Deuteronomy 11:18, and Rav Yaakov Weinberg Talks about Chinuch, page 73]]



Now we can better understand the severity of what the Psalmist meant when he said “they had no faith in His word” (Psalms 106:24). The Spies rejected not some pretty farmland but something which is at the heart of the Jewish-National-Religious existence.



We all grew up supporting Israel by giving money, buying Israeli products, lobbying, etc. In no way do I wish to diminish the importance of such benevolent actions. However, more then giving of our time and money, G-d wants us to live in Israel.



Have a good Shabbas,
Mordechai



Eretz Yisrael in the Parashah is available at http://www.devorapublishing.com/. (If you can ask me and I can probably get it for a small discount and signed)