Beit Midrash

  • Torah Portion and Tanach
  • Shlach Lecha
קטגוריה משנית
To dedicate this lesson
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What’s in a word? A lot, of course, and sometimes even "nothing" can be a whole lot of something.

The portion of the M’Raglim, the spies, or scouts in our Sedra, is a dramatic turning point in Jewish history. We were poised to enter the Land of Israel, to complete our transformation from slave people to preeminent nation.
We had been miraculously liberated from Egypt, had received the Torah at Har Sinai, we had built the magnificent Mishkan. All that remained to complete our metamorphosis was to take control of our G-d given homeland of Israel.

But, alas, it was not to be. We suddenly, tragically lost faith and declared that we were unable to conquer the land. As a result, we would wander in the desert for 40 years, and a whole generation of 600,000 souls would die out.

What happened? What fatal flaw brought us down?

The answer can be encapsulated in just one word: "Efes." In classic Freudian style, the spies throw in this word – which essentially means, "nothing" and actually has no meaning at all in the pasuk (13:28) – as a subconscious reflection of themselves. It is what they thought, deep down in their psyche, of their ability – or lack thereof - to invoke Hashem’s blessing and win the land.

In short, the spies primarily lost faith not so much in G-d, as they did in themselves. They saw the other nations as giants, while they saw themselves as tiny, insignificant grasshoppers. They revealed their faults in a simple sentence: "So we were in our own eyes, and thus we appeared in their sight." If you think of yourself as a nobody, a nothing, that is exactly how others will view you. It was this crippling self-doubt that weakened the spies' resolve and prevented them from going forward.

For years, the Arab enemies on our northern border looked down from the Golan Heights and shot at everything that moved, killing many of our people and forcing us to go about our lives in great danger, But we never capitulated, never ran away. When finally we captured the Golan – making it a permanent part of Israel – we found a record of what the Syrian commander there had said about us: "From this great height," he remarked ironically, with awe and grudging admiration, "the Israelis look 10 times bigger!"

The lack of self-confidence and self-esteem is the single greatest barrier to our walking tall and claiming our rightful destiny. A human being, and certainly a Jew, must know that he counts mightily in G-d’s eyes. In fact, if we do that which He expects from us, we are no less than Number One. And that is a world away from being an Efes, a zero.
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Lessons
  • Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
    Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
  • Rabbi Haggai Lundin
    Rabbi Haggai Lundin
  • Rabbi Chaim Drukman
    Rabbi Chaim Drukman
  • Rabbi David Dudkevitz
    Rabbi David Dudkevitz
  • Rabbi Shlomo Goren zt"l
    Rabbi Shlomo Goren zt"l
  • Rabbi Yaakov Ariel
    Rabbi Yaakov Ariel
  • Rabbi Elyakim Levanon
    Rabbi Elyakim Levanon
  • Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau
    Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau
  • Rabbi Yehuda Leib Gruner
    Rabbi Yehuda Leib Gruner
  • Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Shilt"a
    Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Shilt"a
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    Yitro

    Only Those Who Live In The Land Love G-d

    The Torah threatens punishment for idol-worshipers that is only 1/500th of the reward that the righteous will receive: "Concerning My enemies, I keep in mind the fathers' sins for their descendants, [only] to the 3rd and 4th generations. But for those who love Me and keep My commandments, I show love for [at least two] thousands of generations" (Sh'mot 20,5-6). The punishment is for four generations, and the reward for 2,000 generations. But the question we would like to address is: Why are the righteous termed both "those who love Me" and "those who keep My commandments?" Is not one enough?

    Rabbi Moshe Tzuriel | Shvat 19 5783
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    3 min
    Shlach Lecha

    For God's Sake Don't Go To Israel

    Israel National Torah

    Clarifying the spies' argument for not entering the Land of Israel...and then clarifying why it's so important to enter the Land anyway.

    Baruch Gordon | Sivan 19 5780
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    Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions

    Serving as Chazan on the Shabbat Before a Yahrtzeit

    How important is it for someone to be chazan on the Shabbat before a yahrtzeit? Is it is just for parents, or also grandparents/in laws? Some people in my [the rabbi] shul feel that people use it as an excuse to “grab the amud.”

    Rabbi Daniel Mann | Tevet 2 5777
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    Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions

    How Many Eggs Should be Boiled Together?

    When making hardboiled eggs, may one cook one or two eggs or must there be at least three? Also, does it make a difference if there is an even or odd number

    Rabbi Daniel Mann
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    P'ninat Mishpat

    Introduction and Biography of the Noda B’Yehuda

    After an extended period of presenting ideas of the Chatam Sofer on monetary disputes, we move on to a shorter series on the works of Rav Yechezkel Segal Landau, often called the Noda B’yehuda. (Although Rav Landau served as a dayan for many years, poskim do not usually publicize their rulings on cases in which they served as a dayan, but on questions asked by other rabbis. The Noda B’yehuda did not include many such cases in his reponsa.) Many view the Chatam Sofer and the Noda B’Yehuda as two of a kind. They were in the same basic time period (Rav Landau was around 50 years older), they were important rabbis of important communities at critical times, and the works of each are among the most respected and quoted by Acharonim.

    Various Rabbis | Tevet 8 5776
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    Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions

    Working in a Non-Kosher Establishment

    Rabbi Daniel Mann | Sivan 14 5775
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    Prayer

    Birkot HaShachar – The Morning Blessings

    Chapter nine-part one

    Chapter nine-part one

    Rabbi Eliezer Melamed | 5775
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    Jewish Holidays

    The Twentieth of Sivan

    "I noticed that the back of my siddur contains a large section devoted to selichos for the 20th of Sivan, yet I have never davened in a shul that observed this day. What does this date commemorate?"

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Sivan 17 5780
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    Additional Lessons

    The Laws of Tumas Meis

    When the Beis Hamikdash is rebuilt, bimheirah beyameinu, the laws of tumah will affect us all, since we will be required to be tahor in order to enter the Beis Hamikdash, to eat korbanos and maaser sheini, and in order to separate challah and terumah.

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5772
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    Basics of Financial Laws

    How Does a Heter Iska Work?

    What is the prohibition of "Ribbit"? who does it apply on? How does the "Heter Iska" bypass the prohibition? and more...

    Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5770
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    Marriage and Relationships

    Relationships during the Time of Engagement

    A young engaged man and his fiancée naturally have very strong feelings for each other. It goes without saying that these will be expressed after the wedding, but what expression, if any, is permitted in the meantime? And while we're on the subject, is the attraction of men and women to each other really a good thing to begin with?

    Rabbi Elyakim Levanon | 5770
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    Other Great Leaders

    That a Cohen May Not Marry a Divorcee

    A few days later, a royal emissary of the Empress Maria Teresa appeared at the rabbi’s home. The surprised rabbi realized that the wealthy Jew had broken the convention by which Jews did not involve non-Jews in their inner disputes. He had no choice.

    Rabbi Shmuel Holshtein | 5769
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