SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON
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Despair and Slander
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After the Spies had scouted out the Land, they became filled with despair. They told themselves, “Conquest of this land requires great and awesome merit. Our generation, which made the Golden Calf and committed other sins, surely lacks such merit.’’ They convinced
themselves that Hashem’s promise to grant them the Land was conditional on their being tzaddikim, righteous people, and they felt sure that such was not their status.
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The Torah relates: “Calev silenced the people toward Moshe saying, ‘We shall surely ascend and conquer it, for we can surely do it!’ ” (Bamidbar?13:30).
Our Sages explain that Calev at first posed as an ally of the Spies, so that they and the people would hear him out. He began, “Is that all that the son of Amram has done to us?’’ Expecting a condemnation of Moshe, the people grew silent. Calev then continued,
“He took us out of Egypt, split the sea, brought us the manna, and gathered together the quail” (Rashi from Sotah 35a). Calev’s intent was: Had Hashem led the Jews according to the strict measure of justice, they would never have been granted the miracles
which they had already witnessed and benefited from. Even as the sea split, some demonstrated a weakness of faith, as it is written, “They rebelled at the sea, the Sea of Reeds” (Tehillim 106:7). The people had complained before being granted the manna and
at other times as well. Calev assured the people that just as they had earned God’s compassion in the past, so too would they witness the fulfillment of His promise to bring them safely into Eretz Yisrael.
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The Spies, however, were not convinced. Lest the people be swayed by Calev’s words, the Spies resorted to slander, casting aspersions upon the precious, sacred Land that was to have been their eternal inheritance. |
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