Dear Friends,
A dozen spies were sent into Israel to investigate the Land and to return with a description for Moses: Was it hospitable? Were the people strong or weak? Was the land good or bad? How strong are the cities? Such was the task, our Torah portion recounts, of the spies.
Torah reports that ten of the spies returned a wrongful report, misrepresenting the wonders of the Land, making it appear uninhabitable and dangerous. Only two spies, Joshua and Caleb, returned truthful, favorable reports, and they are remembered for good.
The Torah teaches that honest and truthful reporting about the Land – our Land – is vital and necessary for our people’s continued relationship with Eretz Yisrael. This place is not like any other place. It cannot be described with mere technical reporting. A midrash teaches that when God created the world, God made for it ten measures of beauty to be distributed all about – from Yosemite to Acadia, Kyoto to Tierra del Fuego. Yet, when the bird carrying the sack of beauty flew over Jerusalem, it was so amazed at Jerusalem’s splendor, that, looking down, the sack opened and nine of the ten measures of beauty fell to Jerusalem, leaving but one measure for all the rest of the world, combined. Reporting about the Land of Israel is an age-old and cherished art; I am pleased to continue that tradition.
Israel is wonderful, and the Land is just as rich, if not richer, than it was when Joshua and Caleb first reconnoitered its beautiful terrain. Trees and forests surround her cities, many of them planted with our nickels and dimes. Tall buildings grace her coastline, and the walls of Jerusalem glisten with golden stone; the cities are strong, yet welcoming. And the people… they are strong and hopeful and beautiful, for they are OUR people, stewarding OUR land, and maintaining our celebrated and eternal history.
The tragedy was that in biblical days, due to the fear and contention following the false report of the spies, our people were condemned to 38 additional years of desert wandering. That was their misfortune; our good luck is that we need not wait, and we need not fear. Israel is safe. Now is the time to be back there. Wouldn’t it be nice to go visit Israel, again!?
If only the ancient spies could see what we see, today!
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
A dozen spies were sent into Israel to investigate the Land and to return with a description for Moses: Was it hospitable? Were the people strong or weak? Was the land good or bad? How strong are the cities? Such was the task, our Torah portion recounts, of the spies.
Torah reports that ten of the spies returned a wrongful report, misrepresenting the wonders of the Land, making it appear uninhabitable and dangerous. Only two spies, Joshua and Caleb, returned truthful, favorable reports, and they are remembered for good.
The Torah teaches that honest and truthful reporting about the Land – our Land – is vital and necessary for our people’s continued relationship with Eretz Yisrael. This place is not like any other place. It cannot be described with mere technical reporting. A midrash teaches that when God created the world, God made for it ten measures of beauty to be distributed all about – from Yosemite to Acadia, Kyoto to Tierra del Fuego. Yet, when the bird carrying the sack of beauty flew over Jerusalem, it was so amazed at Jerusalem’s splendor, that, looking down, the sack opened and nine of the ten measures of beauty fell to Jerusalem, leaving but one measure for all the rest of the world, combined. Reporting about the Land of Israel is an age-old and cherished art; I am pleased to continue that tradition.
Israel is wonderful, and the Land is just as rich, if not richer, than it was when Joshua and Caleb first reconnoitered its beautiful terrain. Trees and forests surround her cities, many of them planted with our nickels and dimes. Tall buildings grace her coastline, and the walls of Jerusalem glisten with golden stone; the cities are strong, yet welcoming. And the people… they are strong and hopeful and beautiful, for they are OUR people, stewarding OUR land, and maintaining our celebrated and eternal history.
The tragedy was that in biblical days, due to the fear and contention following the false report of the spies, our people were condemned to 38 additional years of desert wandering. That was their misfortune; our good luck is that we need not wait, and we need not fear. Israel is safe. Now is the time to be back there. Wouldn’t it be nice to go visit Israel, again!?
If only the ancient spies could see what we see, today!
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
