by Dovid Chechik

In June 1985, Dovid Chechik of AT&T Information Systems posted a weekly Dvar Torah to the net.religion.jewish newsgroup, adapted from the sefer "Kehilas Yitzchok." This installment treats Parashat Shelach (Numbers 13–15), focusing on one of the Torah's great puzzles: why did Moshe pray specifically for Yehoshua among the twelve spies? Chechik's answer threads together Rashi's reading of the spies' righteousness, the Zohar's analysis of their hidden motivation, the story of Eldad and Maydad, and Akavya ben Mehalallayl's Mishnaic teaching on the two kinds of sin — the sin that enslaves through righteousness being far more dangerous than the sin committed in full knowledge.

This week's sedrah deals mostly with the meraglim (spies) sent by Moshe to Eretz Canaan for reconnaissance. The meraglim return saying terrible things about the Land and about G-d's ability to give it to the Jewish nation. The Jewish people listen and are consequently punished: the entire generation dies while roaming the desert for forty years.

The parasha is difficult to understand for many reasons. We will focus on Moshe's actions in the sending of the meraglim.

The Righteous Men

Moshe chose twelve men, one from each tribe. Rashi tells us: kol anashim shebimikra lashon chashivus, v'oso sha'ah k'shayrim hayu — the word "anashim" in scripture (used to describe the twelve men) denotes importance, and at that time — when they were selected — they were righteous.

The Torah names the twelve men, and then says that Moshe called "Hoshaya bin Nun" by the name Yehoshua. Rashi comments (from the Gemara in Sotah): hispalel alav ka — hoshia'cha me'atsat meraglim — Moshe prayed for Yehoshua, saying: may G-d save you from the counsel of the spies.

A question arises: if, as the previous Rashi said, the men were honorable and righteous, why was Moshe praying that Yehoshua be saved from their counsel? Furthermore, if Moshe knew about the meraglim's plans, why did he send them? And yet another question: if he was praying for Yehoshua, why did he not also pray for the rest of the meraglim?

The Two Types of Sin

The first Mishnah of this week's "Perek" (Pirkei Avot, Chapter 3) begins: Akavya ben Mehalallayl omer: histakeyl bishelosha devarim ve'ayn ata va liyidei aveira — Observe three things and you will not enter the hands of sin.

The language is strange. What does "enter the hands of sin" mean?

There are two types of aveiros (transgressions). The first: those one knows are wrong, but because of personal weakness and the strength of desire, one finds difficult to avoid. The second: those which our evil inclination disguises as a mitzvah — sins we commit because we believe we are doing what is right.

The first type are easier to keep away from. Even should one be trapped, since one recognizes that what is being done is wrong, one can repent. The latter type are much more difficult to stay away from, because we are convinced that we are doing what is right. Even if it is difficult, we will use all our religious fervor to commit it.

In the former type, one is in control of the transgression — one can give it up if one chooses. In the latter, the sin "gets a hold" of the person. It will not be shaken off.

The Mishnah is telling us how to keep away from the latter type — to avoid being caught in the hand of sin.

The Zohar's Explanation

The same distinction applies to the meraglim. The Zohar tells us that the reason the meraglim sinned was that they felt that if the Jews entered the Land, they would lose their positions of leadership, and new leaders would be appointed in their stead. They were not acting from malice but from a deep conviction — corrupted by self-interest into what felt like righteous caution.

Yehoshua was another story. He knew that Moshe would not enter the Land, and that when the time came for the people to enter, Moshe would die. Moshe knew this from the story of Eldad and Maydad in the previous sedrah — two prophets who prophesied that Moshe would die and Yehoshua would bring the people into the Land. Yehoshua had objected strongly: "Stop them!"

Yehoshua therefore might have thought he would be doing a mitzvah by keeping the Jews out of the Land — to preserve Moshe's life. His sin would not be motivated by selfishness but by love, disguised as righteousness. He would be caught in the hand of sin.

Moshe's Prayer

As for the other meraglim: Moshe had no reason to suspect them. As the first Rashi said, they were righteous men. Moshe thought they would avoid such seemingly petty considerations and go about their mission honestly.

Yehoshua, on the other hand, might have thought that he was doing a mitzvah by keeping the Jews out of the Land so that Moshe could live. So Moshe prayed: if the meraglim should speak about slandering the Land to keep the Jews out, let them be able to recognize that their intentions are not proper. But Yehoshua might think it was a mitzvah — so protect him especially.

Adapted from the sefer "Kehilas Yitzchok."

Colophon

Written by Dovid Chechik (AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft, NJ), adapted from "Kehilas Yitzchok." Posted to the net.religion.jewish Usenet newsgroup, June 1985. Part of the weekly Dvar Torah series maintained by the early net.religion.jewish community. This installment covers Parashat Shelach (Numbers 13–15). Sources: Rashi on Numbers 13, Gemara Sotah, Pirkei Avot 3:1 (Akavya ben Mehalallayl), Zohar on Shelach.

Preserved from the Usenet archive for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Original Message-ID: [email protected].

🌲