PARASHAT SH’LACH LECHA

Saturday 29th June            

23rd Sivan 5784                                                               

  PARASHAT SH’LACH LECHA

Numbers 13:1-15:41; Joshua 2:1-24; Matt 10:1-14

Did you know that in this week’s Torah reading we find the first use of the word “tour”? In this week’s portion, Moses sends out twelve “spies” to explore the land of Israel and bring back a reconnaissance report to the Jewish people. The Torah calls this exploration “לתור (pronounced L’tour) — to tour” the land; quite literally the same word in both languages. Thus, to tour really means to explore.

This week’s Torah reading recounts the tragic episode of the twelve spies who were sent by Moses and the Jewish people to reconnoiter the Land of Israel and to produce a report on the land and its inhabitants. According to Jewish tradition, ten of the twelve spies conspired as a group to slander the Land of Israel.

According to some opinions, they were motivated to do so by the fear that they would lose their positions of leadership when the nation entered the land. Only Joshua, son of Nun, and Caleb, son of Yefuneh, refused to participate. The twelve spies spent forty days investigating the Land of Israel and upon their return the ten conspirators twisted much of what they observed into a very negative narrative about the land.

Facts can be interpreted in a number of ways. Invariably, when one has an agenda to promote, one way or another the facts will support whatever position one is trying to establish. Unfortunately, we all know this to be true from even a casual observation of the different news media outlets. Liberal and conservative media outlets rarely agree as to what is truly newsworthy, however, on the rare occasion that they do, somehow the same event manages to support their own narrative of liberal or conservative fiction. Honest and impartial reporting of the news hasn’t been a reality in a very long time.

So, it should come as no surprise that 3,300 years ago the ten spies used the same device to promote their agenda. Here is what the Torah recounts:

“And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them; ‘Explore the land, what it is, and observe the people who live in it, whether they are strong or weak, few or many. Examine the land that they live in, whether it is good or bad; and the cities in which they live, whether in open encampments, or in fortresses. And what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is wood in it, or not. Have courage and bring back some of the fruits of the land’” (Numbers 13:17-20).

According to Jewish tradition, much of what they observed they turned into a negative narrative. In their report to the Jewish people, they started off positively enough by talking about a land flowing with milk and honey and they showed off the very impressive fruits that they brought back. But then, there was a “however”.

But, they cautioned, the inhabitants of the land are very strong and are living in fortified cities. In order to frighten the nation, they highlighted that enemy nations lived nearby; including one, the Amalekites, who had viciously attacked them the previous year. They recounted seeing scary giants and they claimed that the land devours its inhabitants. (According to our sages they had observed many funerals and concluded that the land kills her inhabitants. In truth, God wanted them to be able to travel unhindered and without being observed so He set about distracting the inhabitants.)

Many of the facts were woven together to create a narrative that entering the Land of Israel was a suicide mission. As much as Joshua and Caleb tried to dissuade the people from buying into the negative portrayal of the land, they were unable to do so. The Jewish people reacted with horror and desperation and started wailing loudly – and quite astonishingly – concluded that they were better off appointing a new leader and returning to Egypt!

Unsurprisingly, God was very displeased and decreed that the entirety of the nation would wander in the desert for forty years (one year for every day that the spies spent in the land) until the entire generation died out. This happened on the 9th of Av, and according to tradition God declared, “You cried on this night for no reason. I will give you a reason to cry forevermore on this day.”

Thus, the 9th of Av, the day when the ten tribes uttered their complaint, became the anniversary of some of the most horrible things that have happened in Jewish history including the destruction of BOTH Temples. Countless other tragic events also occurred on that day, such as on the 9th of Av in 1492 when all the Jews of Spain were designated to leave the country. There are many other aspects to the 9th of Av, and we will discuss them further in a few weeks, as the date draws nearer.

But here is a fact that is generally unknown and will probably come as a surprise to most readers: The number ten that is the minimum number needed to create a quorum for a “minyan” – i.e. the minimum number of men that comprises a “prayer congregation” – is actually derived from the story of the spies. Of course one may, and is in fact encouraged, to pray at any time – even while alone. But there are certain aspects of the prayer service, such as reading from the Torah, that can only be done in a congregational setting of a valid minyan.

The Babylonian Talmud (Megillah 23b), using the laws of exegesis passed down from Moses, extrapolates the minimum requirement for a congregation. We find in Leviticus, “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel” (22:32). The same word also appears in the verse: “Separate yourselves from the midst of the congregation” (Numbers 16:21).

This word, “eidah – congregation” is found as the description of the group of ten spies who rendered a negative report on the land of Israel: “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmur against me?” (Numbers 14:27). Hence, the Talmud derives from here that to sanctify God in a congregation – the congregation must consist of at least ten men.

Obviously, this needs an explanation. How is it possible or even appropriate, to learn from these self-serving conspirators that the minimum requirement for a congregation is ten men for a valid quorum?

I once heard my father give an illuminating explanation for this. The purpose of a congregation is to be unified as a whole. Just as a parent’s most fervent desire is to see his/her children getting along, so too we know that God wants to see us living in peace with one another. Our rabbis teach us that the reason God destroyed the world during the time of Noah was because the people of the generation were fighting with one another. By contrast, when the world gathered to wage war on God Himself in the generation of the Tower of Babel, God didn’t destroy the people of the time because they were united among themselves – He merely scattered them to the four corners of the earth.

So too here. Even though what the ten spies did was horrific and led to the death of the entire generation over the next forty years, they were working together in unison. We learn from them that the defining aspect of a congregation is to be unified.

That is the ultimate definition of what we are to expect from our congregations and – by extension – from our Jewish communities. In this way, we can bring a sense of pride to the Almighty that His children are all working together.

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Heal Her Now                                                by: Sara Lamm

Prayer is a fundamental part of many people’s lives, a way to connect with the Divine and express our deepest hopes, fears, and desires. Yet for all its importance, prayer can sometimes feel like a struggle, especially when we are flooded with anxiety about saying the right words or remembering everyone who we want to pray for.

On a very personal level, I have been praying for most of my life, and I know this struggle all too well. But recently, I had an experience that shifted my perspective on prayer in a profound way. I had the privilege of meeting Yair Levi, an up-and-coming Israeli musician who creates and sings beautiful and poetic worship music. While much of his music is written in Hebrew, his songs have a universal quality that touches people across languages and cultures.

In my conversation with Yair, I learned something that completely changed how I will approach prayer. Yair shared with me the inspiration behind one of his beautiful songs, Refa Na. The words “Refa-Na” come from the story of Miriam and Aaron from the Book of Numbers. Miriam and Aaron criticize their brother Moses for marrying a Cushite woman and claim that it’s not fair that Moses has a closer relationship with God. God rejects their criticism and chastises them, explaining that Moses’ prophecy is more intense and intimate than theirs. And as a consequence, Miriam finds herself afflicted with the skin disease tzara’at. A snowy white rash.

וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמֹשֶׁה עַל־אֹדוֹת הָאִשָּׁה הַכֻּשִׁית אֲשֶׁר לָקָח כִּי־אִשָּׁה כֻשִׁית לָקָח׃

Miriam and Aharon spoke against Moshe because of the Cushite woman he had married: “He married a Cushite woman!” Numbers 12:1

וְהֶעָנָן סָר מֵעַל הָאֹהֶל וְהִנֵּה מִרְיָם מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג וַיִּפֶן אַהֲרֹן אֶל־מִרְיָם וְהִנֵּה מְצֹרָעַת׃

As the cloud withdrew from the Tent, there was Miriam stricken with snow-white scales! When Aharon turned toward Miriam, he saw that she was stricken with scales. Numbers 12:10

In response, Aaron begs Moses to forgive their sin, and without hesitation, Moses offers a short but powerful prayer:

וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל־יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ׃

So Moshe cried out to Hashem, saying, “O Hashem, pray heal her!” Numbers 12:13

“God, please heal her now.” This prayer is unusual in its brevity and form, with just five words that center around the urgent request for healing. Yet despite its simplicity, or perhaps because of it, God listens to Moses’ prayer and heals Miriam.

This story has had a profound impact on my own prayer life, particularly when it comes to praying for the sick. What strikes me most about Moses’ prayer for Miriam is the sense of urgency that it infuses in such a short and clear way. It’s a direct call to God from the heart – no bells and whistles, just a direct line of communication. 

But there is another layer of meaning to Moses’ prayer that I find particularly inspiring. The prayer has eleven letters, which sages say points us toward the eleven-letter name of God that is revealed to Moses at the burning bush:

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם׃

And Hashem said to Moshe, “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh”. He continued, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘Ehyeh sent me to you’”.Exodus 3:14

“I will be who I will be.” When we use this short prayer to pray for healing, we implicitly call upon the ever-changing God who is continually becoming and continually evolving to heal and strengthen our loved ones who need transformation and change.

This understanding of prayer as a way to connect with the Divine in all its complexity and dynamism has been a source of great comfort to me. It reminds me that even when I struggle to find the right words, even when I feel anxious or inadequate in the words that I do find, the power of prayer lies not in the perfection of my prayer but in the sincerity of my heart. 

So to anyone who is in need of healing, or who is walking alongside someone who is, I offer this prayer: “אל נא רפא נא לה,” “El na, refa na lah” – “God, please heal them now.”

May you find comfort and strength in the power of prayer, and may you feel the presence of the Divine in all its ever-changing, continually becoming forms._____________________________________________