Parshas Shlach (5760)

BS”D

Parshas Shlach (5760)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

“Baderech SheAdam Rotzeh Leileich Molichin Oso”. HaShem sets up, arranges, directs and leads according to the aspirations and goals of the individual. In the Heavenly Tribunal they go deep into our hearts and examine our thoughts and our intentions. Our lives are structured and guided accordingly. This can be very inspiring and motivating or depressing. This is one of the most important principles and bears awesome consequences in our lives and existence.

In this week’s parsha we are enlightened with an entirely new insight as to the depth and dimension of this principle. The parsha opens with explicit instructions for the operation of spying and sizing up the situation in Eretz Yisroel. It was important and crucial to get the vantage point from a military outlook. All this was in preparation and anticipation of the great war with the inhabitants of Canaan to capture their land (which was promised to us). The detailed instructions from HaShem, the military orders from Above, amounted to a Shulchan Aruch of ‘Hilchos Meraglim’:
–Where to send from—
–Who to send—
–Which route to start from in Eretz Yisroel
–What exactly to look for—
–Is the land good or bad—
–Are the cities fortified or not—
–If the land is fat or emaciated—
–See if there are trees–
–Bring back some fruit of the land—
–Cover the area of search from Midbar Tzin until Rechov Levoh Chamos.
Military orders from Above which amounted to a Shulchan Aruch.

All of these commandments with their details seem to add up to a serious statement, an insight to the Ratzon HaShem. In light of all of this, how shocking and surprising is the Chazal that Rashi quotes 13:2: Ani eini mitzaveh lach”—I am not commanding you to send the spies, it is all up to you. Explicit instructions, a Shulchan Aruch from Above, and Ani eini mitzaveh lach—I didn’t command you!! Listen to the words of the Medrash 16:7: Af al pi sheamar HaShem Shlach , lo haya min Hashem!

“Baderech SheAdam Rotzeh Leileich Molichin Oso”. According to his desires and goals man is led–good aspirations one way and wrong aspirations the opposite way. Look where man can be led with his crookedness. Things can look right and promising but he is being misguided and misled because of wrong goals. The implication of this is that he can get wrong advice from the right sources if his intent is wrong—very frightening indeed.

In our parsha we have this matter taken to a completely new dimension. HaShem confirmed for Klal Yisroel—“the land is good”. They didn’t except this and requested spies. Not only were they misled but also something completely new was created—a Shulchan Aruch composed by HaShem, which usually is the epitome of His Will. A SHULCHAN ARUCH WAS MADE BY HASHEM WHICH WAS AGAINST HIS WILL. How we must guard our inner will to keep it straight.

Especially in this generation we see the manifestation of this principle. Individuals so far spiritually and geographically wind up close to Torah and visa versa. The ones that were far have some deep inspiration to come close and Hashem guides them and unfortunately the opposite scenario for those that reject.

HaShem, we all want to do it right!