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Shlach(Numbers 13-15)

Battle of the Spies

In Parshat Shlach, Moses sends 12 people to scout out the Land of Israel. They return with the conclusion that there's no way to win a battle against the indigenous Canaanites.

Commentators point out that Moses sent the spies only to answer the question of how to conquer the land - not to decide "whether it's possible." What went wrong?

To help us unravel this puzzle, let's ask which of the following two statements is more accurate:

"I can succeed."

Or:

"I can't succeed."

At first glance, the statement of "I can't" sounds more accurate. Because "I" can't do anything independently at all. It's only because of God that I'm even able to wake up in the morning and tie my shoes!

But on a deeper level, the statement of "I can" is more accurate. Because if we understand that everything is a gift from God, then we know there's no limit to what we can achieve. The Almighty is all-powerful - Almighty! - and with the understanding that He's behind us, there is no basis for "I can't."

The Talmud says: "You are not required to finish the job; you're just expected to do your best." It's that kind of effort that God wanted from the spies. The task seems impossible? You think you can't do it? That's because you're thinking small, thinking finite, thinking on the basis of your own independent power.

Before Moses sent the 12 spies away, he added the Hebrew letter Yud to Joshua's name. Yud is the first letter of God's Name. This was meant to be a reminder to the spies - every time they'd mention Joshua's name - that the Almighty is always with you.

Published: April 29, 2006

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Visitor Comments: 2

(2) joseph, June 20, 2009 4:12 PM

good

good widson i see my self in this truth.

(1) Scott Granowski, June 19, 2009 4:40 PM

Un-can-ny

Thank you for your commentary. As long as I am clearly following Divine Will for me, the "can" works. If not, I'm better off canting away!

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About the Author

Rabbi Shraga Simmons

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Rabbi Shraga Simmons spent his childhood trekking through snow in Buffalo, New York. He holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He is the senior editor of Aish.com and the director of JewishPathways.com.

An expert on media bias, he was the founding editor of HonestReporting.com, and is the author of David & Goliath: The Explosive Inside Story of Media Bias in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (2012). With drama and a biting edge, David & Goliath is a definitive treatment, fully resourced with over 2,000 footnotes. Readers are privy to secret negotiations with CNN executives, and how a grassroots campaign was cited by the New York Times as effecting sweeping changes in Mideast media coverage.

David & Goliath has been praised by politicians, professors and journalists: Former New York Mayor Ed Koch hails it as "Invaluable for anyone wanting the inside story," and James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal calls David & Goliath "of crucial importance for the future of the Middle East."

Rabbi Simmons lives with his wife and children in the Modi'in region of Israel.

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