018 —וישלח יהושע מן השיטים

Vayishlach Yehoshua Min HaShittim Shnayim Anashim Meraglim Cheresh Leimor Lechu U'Re'u Es HaAretz Ve'es Yericho V'Gomer.

Behold, Yehoshua certainly did not act on his own initiative, but rather because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded him. Regarding the spies Moshe sent, it is written: "Shelach lecha" (send for yourself), and our Sages said: according to your understanding, I am not commanding you.

To understand this matter: throughout all of Eretz Yisrael, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not command to send spies, only regarding Yericho, which was the lock of Eretz Yisrael, as it is written: "And Yericho was shut up, etc." All the nations dwelled there, as it is written: "the Chitti, the Emori, etc., all the inhabitants of Yericho, etc."—they were all included there, as Yericho was the generality of Eretz Yisrael.

To understand how this concept exists within every Jew: that in the aspect of his own Yericho, he needs spies, but in the rest of his Eretz Yisrael, he does not need spies.

It is written: "VeAvraham zaken ba bayamim, etc." (And Avraham was old, advanced in days). The Zohar explains that he was clothed in days, for days are garments given to the soul. Each person is given the years of his life according to the garments he needs, as it is written: "Yamim yutzaru" (days were formed). This is through Torah and mitzvos that a person occupies himself with during his days, and every day that he neglects Torah and mitzvos, the soul lacks a garment in proportion to that neglect.

To understand the concept of these garments: Why does the soul need garments so as not to be naked? And why is this matter written in the Torah to inform us?

The idea is as follows. We say every day: "Nekadeshcha" (we will sanctify You). It is wondrous to say this about the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is holy and sanctified in Himself—how can we say that we sanctify Him? Also, why do we say "Kadosh" (holy) three times, specifically this number?

The Torah was given to us in three aspects: thought, speech, and action. Some mitzvos depend solely on speech, some solely on thought, and some solely on action. One might mistakenly think that the revelation of G‑dliness manifest in action is not equal to that manifest in speech and thought, since action is more coarse and material, even involving inanimate objects, like silver and copper used in tzedakah.

But in truth, it is not so, for all is equal before Him, blessed be He, for "all before Him is as nothing," and there is no difference to Him between the higher and lower realms, since all is as nothing compared to Him, for He is infinite and there is no comparison to Him.

This is what we say: "VeHaKadosh baShamayim u'vaAretz" (the Holy One in heaven and on earth).^[1] That is, the aspect of heaven and the aspect of earth are equal before Him, for He is holy and separate from them, even though He gives life to all and brings all into being—the vitality is in a state of "ratzo v'shov" (ebb and flow), etc.

The drawing down of vitality from His holiness is accomplished through the Jewish people, as it is written: "U'mi k'amcha Yisrael goy echad ba'aretz" (And who is like Your people Israel, one nation on earth). This means that even on earth below, they draw down the aspect of Oneness.

Therefore, we say "Kadosh" three times to draw down His holiness into these three aspects: thought, speech, and action, which correspond to the three levels of the soul—Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah.^[2] In all of them, the aspect of holiness is drawn down, that is, through involvement in Torah and mitzvos in these three aspects, which are garments for the soul so it can delight in the radiance of the Shechinah, meaning to be included in Oneness.

But when the soul is naked, without garments, it cannot be included in Oneness, since it is a created being, and every created being comes into existence and ceases to exist, and is very distant from the aspect of Oneness.

Therefore, garments are needed—thoughts of Torah and mitzvos, which are garments that clothe the soul and surround it from head to toe, and they are drawn from the aspect of Oneness, so that through them souls can be included in Oneness.

This is: "VeHayta nefesh adoni tzerurah b'tzror hachayim es Hashem" (And the soul of my master shall be bound in the bundle of life with the L‑rd) (I Samuel 25:29), meaning, just as a person binds his money in a bundle, so should his soul be bound in the bundle of life, that is, it should be surrounded and clothed in a garment, and the bundle of life is to be included in Oneness with the L‑rd.

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2) This illumination and drawing down is the aspect of "reach" (fragrance), as it is written: "VehaRicho b'yirat Hashem" (And he will sense with the fear of the L‑rd). This is analogous to how fragrance is not the essence of the thing but a radiance and extension from it; so too, this radiance spreads from the Infinite Light, and this attribute is called "Arich Anpin" (Long Face), as it is written: "A'arich api u'tehilati echtom lach" (I will prolong My anger and seal My praise for you), as explained in the Idra of Naso^[4]: To the Master of the nose I pray, and to the Master of the nose I supplicate—the radiance is called the aspect of the nose, which is the aspect of fragrance. The Holy One, blessed be He, is called the Master of the nose, the essence and source of the radiance that spreads from Him. This radiance is longer than the measure of the earth and spreads from a very high place, that is, the Infinite One, blessed be He, Who is without limit, to the lowest place of limitation.

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Therefore, He is called "Arich Anpin"—the one who extends in the aspect of fragrance mentioned above, to clothe the soul in the aspects of thought, speech, and action of mitzvos and Torah.

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The aspect of garments is drawn down through the aspect of days, for there are 365 days, which are 365 extensions, just as there are 365 sinews through which the blood and vitality that comes from the heart to all the limbs is drawn via the sinews.^[7] These are aspects of gevurot (strengths), for a person must strengthen himself to subdue the sitra achra in these three aspects, so that all these aspects—his thought, speech, and action—are devoted solely to the service of the L‑rd.

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In summary, a person should direct his thought to contemplate that through his holy thoughts he draws down upon himself from above a garment for his soul. His intention should not be for reward, but so that through this he can be included in Oneness, as explained above. This should always be his desire—not to be separated from His unity.

He should also contemplate the opposite: that evil thoughts are impure garments for the soul. Not like the error of fools who consider it insignificant to think extraneous thoughts, since they do not lead to action. Our Sages said: "An evil thought is not joined by the Holy One, blessed be He, to action." All the more so, evil imaginings^[9] are not even considered evil thoughts.

But in truth, the thought itself is a garment of impurity, which clothes and surrounds the soul from head to toe, and it cannot be included in His unity.

Therefore, one should regard an extraneous thought as actual idolatry—the most severe—since through it one is separated from His unity. One should be among those who make a reckoning, thinking each and every day how many thoughts passed through him that day, for thoughts are garments, as explained above.

This is: "Yamim yutzaru v'lo echad bahem" (Days were formed, and not one among them) (Tehillim 139:16)—Adam HaRishon said this after eating from the Tree of Knowledge: "Galmi ra'u einecha" (Your eyes saw my unformed substance), meaning, I saw myself naked, without a garment, like a formless mass, as it is written: "for I am naked."

He said: "Yamim yutzaru"—You gave me days, which are garments, to clothe the soul, to draw through them the aspect of Oneness. But "v'lo echad bahem"—I am the one who did not draw down the aspect of Oneness through them.

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This is the aspect of the spies that Yehoshua sent to spy out Yericho, that is, the aspect of fragrance mentioned above—to spy out and discern the garments that come from the aspect of fragrance, as explained above.^[11]

The spies that Moshe sent to explore the land of Canaan were to discern the essence of love and awe (ahavah and yirah).

This is only possible in the aspect of Moshe, which is like the sun, for he is from chochmah (wisdom), as our Sages said: "The face of Moshe is like the face of the sun," and this is not equal for every soul. Therefore, there was no command for everyone in this regard, as our Sages said: "I am not commanding you."^[12]

But the aspect of the spies that Yehoshua sent applies to every person—to spy out and contemplate, so that his soul should not be naked, without garments, which are thoughts of Torah and mitzvos, as explained above.

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It is mentioned in the Midrash regarding "Vayishlach Yehoshua" at the beginning of Parshas Shelach, and in Ruth, beginning of chapter 2: "HaYotzrim"—these are the spies, as it is written: "Vayishlach Yehoshua, etc." Also in Zohar II, end of Terumah, and in Acharei.^[14] See also Shelah, Parshas Beshalach, s.v. "Omnam yesh ma shepirash" regarding the above Zohar.

It is possible to explain the Midrash's interpretation of "haYotzrim" based on what was said above: they are spies for the aspect of "yamim yutzaru" (days were formed). Also for the aspect of "Vayitzer Hashem Elokim es haAdam" (And the L‑rd G‑d formed man), where "vayitzer" is written with two yuds. The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah, beginning of chapter 14) explains: two inclinations, the good inclination and the evil inclination. The evil inclination must be subjugated and nullified to the good inclination. Therefore, one of the yuds is dotted and pronounced, while the other is hidden, hinting that the desire of the L‑rd is that the evil inclination be included and subjugated to the good inclination. So writes the Ramaz in Parshas Tazria.^[15]

This subjugation is achieved through guarding thought, speech, and action, as explained in Tanya regarding beinonim (intermediate people). This is what is meant by "haYotzrim"—they are the spies and emissaries to discern the garments of thought, speech, and action.

According to the simple meaning of the Midrash, "haYotzrim" means potters, as it is written "meraglim cheresh" (spies, secretly). This can be explained based on Maaseh Avraham, letter Peh, section 50: the small jars that Yaakov returned for were sparks that fell in the shattering of the vessels from the world of Tohu, and it is known that through mitzvos, these fallen sparks are elevated to their source. Therefore, "haYotzrim" are the vessels mentioned above.

Also, as it is written: "We are the clay and You are our Potter." See this in the Midrash on Ki Sisa, chapter 46, and in Bereishis Rabbah, chapter 14, on "k'kli yotzer" (like a potter's vessel).

This is "haYotzrim, etc." However, there it says: "k'kli cheres" (like an earthenware vessel) is not written, but rather "k'kli yotzer" (like a potter's vessel), so it cannot be explained as spies in secret.

But "cheresh" (secret) means thought, as in: "Al tacharosh al re'echa" (Do not plot against your fellow).

That is, one must be among those who make a reckoning, contemplating thoughts, to be careful with the soul's garments of thought, speech, and action, so that they will be a pleasing fragrance to the L‑rd, as explained above.

See also the discourse on "Al kein yomru haMoshelim bo'u cheshbon, etc."

Also, "cheresh" means silence, as Rashi explains on the Midrash in Parshas Vayeshev, chapter 4, on "me'alemim alumim" (binding sheaves): "the silence of the mother stood." Similarly, in the Midrash on Esther: "Ein Esther magedes" (Esther did not reveal), "yesh peh, yesh feh v'shotek" (there is a mouth, there is a mouth and it is silent), etc.

See also Rambam's commentary on the Mishnah, end of Pirkei Avos, on the Mishnah: "I have not found anything better for the body than silence."

Summary

This maamar teaches that the soul's spiritual garments—thought, speech, and action of Torah and mitzvos—are essential for uniting with G‑dliness. Just as Yehoshua sent spies to Yericho, each person must examine and refine these garments, ensuring they are pure and devoted to the service of the L‑rd.