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Beit Midrash
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In general we understand that the spies were mistaken in not appreciating the special sanctity of the Land. What was the root of this mistake? A midrash (ibid.:11) presents a parable of a king who first imported mates for his servants, until he realized that it would be wiser to take his male and female servants and mate them one with the other. This symbolizes the special relationship that Hashem has both with the chosen Land and the chosen nation, which makes it a perfect match to bring the two together.
The Sefat Emet (see Masei 646-8) says that when Bnei Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, a special aura fell upon Bnei Yisrael, similar to the "extra soul" that one receives on Shabbat. At the same time, a special aura of the "Heavenly Land" fell down to the physical Land. The problem had been that the spies had experienced the Land before the nation entered it, and, therefore, it was not yet the sacred Land that it was destined to become. This caused their tragic and destructive lack of appreciation.
We can learn from these ideas that the more connected we become to the Land, the holier it will become and the holier we will become. Hopefully, we will be spared of repeating the spies’ mistake.
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Various Events FOR WHOM NOT TO VOTE
Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook stressed that Israeli politics is G-dly, so I have no problem answering this common question on a Torani blog. Also, Free-Will is a G-d-given right and obligation, to "destine one's fate" (R. Soloveichik, Kol Dodi Dofek, 67), so I obviously don't tell others how to vote. But once not a few (especially young) have already asked, a couple of personal words from experience and thoughts from chazal & Rav Kook which may be of help to others, mainly for whom NOT to vote.
P'ninat Mishpat Fallout from Failure to Install Elevator – part II
based on ruling 85007 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
