8996 —שליחות המרגלים, אתגרים בעבודת השם, והתמודדות עם מכשולים

B"H, Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Shelach, 5725.

Brooklyn, NY.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I hereby acknowledge receipt of your letter.

Regarding the topic of the day—the weekly Torah portion—its content is the matter of the spies. At that time they were righteous; therefore they were chosen and sent by Moshe, the shepherd of Israel. However, after "they went up and scouted," what happened is described at length in the parsha. According to the explanation of Rabbeinu HaZaken (in Likkutei Torah and elsewhere), it is understood that the spies' argument was: Why should Bnei Yisrael enter the Land where most of the service consists of practical mitzvos and involvement with worldly matters—plowing, sowing, gathering grain, wine, oil—where a person plows during plowing season and gathers during harvest—and what will become of Torah study? In the desert everyone received their bread and water from above and was free to study Torah exclusively from Moshe Rabbeinu who received it at Sinai and taught it to each individual.

Seemingly, since at that time they were righteous—which shows they wanted to fulfill G‑d's will to scout "the land of Canaan which I give to Bnei Yisrael," with intent to enter no matter what—what changed after they went up and scouted that caused them to retract and bring back a negative report? The explanation is based on our Sages' words: hearing is not like seeing. When they came into the Land and saw—as it says: "All the people we saw... there we saw giants... this is its fruit"—they said (to themselves and their senders): "We cannot go up against this people for they are stronger than us." It seemed impossible to withstand or ascend from level to level; on the contrary—the land consumes its inhabitants (even though their desire was to settle it and make it inhabited by engaging in plowing and sowing so that all actions are for Heaven's sake—even more so: "In all your ways know Him," up to fulfilling practical mitzvos).

The lesson for every person’s service: One should not lose heart when approaching practical service and encountering difficulties or concealments not anticipated beforehand—or whose magnitude was not imagined—or when facing something very challenging that must be conquered or refined. This has already happened before—as recounted in our parsha: both the trial itself and its solution are given together—the firm resolve: "Do not rebel against Hashem" (and then automatically—and again) "Do not fear... Hashem is with us..."

Even if sometimes the trial seems extremely great as do the concealments—it is all the more so: If even righteous men chosen by Moshe Rabbeinu from all Israel who went as his emissaries intending to fulfill their mission—even after previously hearing about the Land and having good intentions—were changed by what they saw so that fear seemed justified in their eyes; still—they erred because if you do not rebel against Hashem then fear disappears and there’s no reason to change your decision. How much more so in our generation—the footsteps of Mashiach—one should not lose spirit just because natural intellect sees obstacles as gigantic or insurmountable; on the contrary—the eternal promise of our Torah is: if you do not rebel against Hashem—then again you need not fear; "we shall surely ascend," "we can surely overcome," "we shall inherit."

Certainly every individual’s inner resolve is strong—that one will not rebel against Hashem—and by arousing this resolve and bringing it into revelation, then again—you need not fear; "we shall surely ascend," "we shall inherit."

With blessing,
M. Schneersohn

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that even when challenges seem overwhelming or unexpected in serving G‑d practically, one must strengthen inner resolve—not rebel against Hashem—and trust that with steadfastness comes success in overcoming obstacles.