In Parshat Shlach, we read the painful story of the meraglim — the twelve scouts sent by Moshe to get a better feel about life in the Land of Israel. Ten of them return with a terrifying report. They speak of mighty giants, fortified cities, and an impossible mission. “We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes,” they say, “and so we were in theirs” (Bamidbar 13:33).
Their fear spreads like wildfire. The people cry out in panic, begging to go back to Egypt. Hashem declares that this generation will not enter the Land, and the journey through the desert is extended for 40 years.
But what exactly went wrong?
The scouts didn’t lie. The land was challenging. It did have powerful nations. So why is their report called a dibat ha’aretz, a slander?
The answer lies not in the facts, but in the fear. The ten spies viewed the land through a lens of doubt and insecurity. They saw the challenges and assumed defeat. They believed that living in Eretz Yisrael — despite its holiness — was just too hard.
But two voices stood strong: Yehoshua and Kalev. They say:
“הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ לָתוּר אֹתָהּ טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ מְאֹד מְאֹד… וַה’ אִתָּנוּ, אַל תִּירְאוּ”
“The land we passed through is very, very good… Hashem is with us — do not be afraid!”
Bamidbar 14:7–9
They understood a crucial truth: Yes, life in Israel has challenges — but those challenges are part of a holy mission. Hashem doesn’t promise immediate or eternal comfort — He promises purpose. And if God is with us, then the obstacles are not to be feared — they are to be faced with courage and faith.
Today, many Jews around the world admire Eretz Yisrael, but some are afraid of what it takes to live there. The cost, the security situation, the cultural differences, the unknowns. These fears are real — but so is our calling.
Living in Israel isn’t always easy. Frankly, neither is living in Canada. Or anywhere else. But life in our indigenous homeland of Israel is deeply meaningful. It’s where our forefathers walked, where our prophets cried out, and where our future is built. The very land the spies feared is the land we look up to so often, in so many fields of success.
Parshat Shlach reminds us: Don’t be afraid of life in Israel. Be inspired by it.
Hashem wants us to be courageous — not because there’s nothing to fear, but because He walks with us. In the words of Kalev:
“עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה וְיָרַשְׁנוּ אֹתָהּ – כִּי יָכוֹל נוּכַל לָהּ”
“Let us go up and take the land, for we can surely do it.”
Bamidbar 13:30
This Shabbat, let us strengthen our connection to Eretz Yisrael — not just in words or prayers, but in our hearts, our choices, and our dreams. Let’s be the generation that sees not giants, but become them.
Elisha Guberman and the JET Team
