Legacy of Faith
Parashat Sh’lach lecha
In the year 1242, a wayward messenger on a quest to reach Genghis Khan’s formidable army inadvertently altered the course of history by redirecting the Mongol forces, thereby preventing a significant invasion of Western Europe. In 1777, British soldiers were about to uncover George Washington’s army at Valley Forge, they decided to take a tea break. This unexpected pause granted the American forces the precious time they needed to reposition, playing a pivotal role in their quest for independence. The Cuban Missile Crisis also serves as a pivotal moment in history, where Soviet Naval officer Vasily Arkipov made the monumental decision not to initiate a nuclear strike. This courageous choice not only averted a potential nuclear catastrophe but also underscored the profound impact a single decision can have on the fate of the world.
In this week’s Parashah, we read of the mission of the meraglim/spies to reconnoiter the land. In the process of their 40 day journey, one of the spies made an important decision that ultimately had an impact and affected the course of Jewish history.
So when they return they give a brief account of what they had witnessed in their Journey. And so we will begin here. So as we begin, I want to investigate what exactly was one of the deciding factors and pivotal moment for Kalev in joining Yehoshua in the good report. What is the impact of one of the places that they scout, and why it is important for believers in Yeshua. And ultimately, what is one of the major components to approaching the final redemption.
וַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ בָּאנוּ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר שְׁלַחְתָּנוּ וְגַם זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ הִוא וְזֶה־פִּרְיָהּ׃ אֶפֶס כִּי־עַז הָעָם הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּאָרֶץ וְהֶעָרִים בְּצֻרוֹת גְּדֹלֹת מְאֹד וְגַם־יְלִדֵי הָעֲנָק רָאִינוּ שָׁם׃ עֲמָלֵק יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב וְהַחִתִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי וְהָאֱמֹרִי יוֹשֵׁב בָּהָר וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב עַל־הַיָּם וְעַל יַד הַיַּרְדֵּן׃
And they told him, and said, We came to the land where thou didst send us, and indeed it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. But the people are strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are fortified, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of ῾Anaq there. ῾Amaleq dwells in the land of the Negev: and the Ḥitti, and the Yevusi, and the Emori dwell in the mountain: and the Kena῾ani dwell by the sea and by the side of the Yarden.
Bnei Anak. These were the children/sons of Anak. Why were they so afraid of them? Many of the mefarshim/commentators see a clue in the name “Anak”.
יְלִידֵי הָעֲנָק, שֶׁרָאוּהוּ שֶׁהָיָה עוֹנֵק אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ.
“The children of the Anak (Anak)”: (He was called that] because he wore (onek) the sun around his neck.
When the spies saw them they were afraid. Immediately they went and said (in vs. 31), “for they are stronger than we (which can also be read as, than He).” Resh Laqish said, “They compared them to the Above. Because of this transgression harsh decrees were issued against them.”
-Bamidbar Rabbah 16:11
Rashi makes this notation.
“…moreover, they emphasize that their enemy Amalek dwelt in the Negev. And at the mere mention of Amalek, the people trembled.”
-Rashi
So in their report the Meraglim/ spies seem to conveniently hide a particular point. So, where did they go? Lets check a few verses back. So what did they not recount? There a textual anomaly in the Hebrew.
וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב וַיָּבֹא עַד־חֶבְרוֹן וְשָׁם אֲחִימַן שֵׁשַׁי וְתַלְמַי יְלִידֵי הָעֲנָק וְחֶבְרוֹן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים נִבְנְתָה לִפְנֵי צֹעַן מִצְרָיִם׃
They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron, where lived Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites.—Now Hebron was founded seven years before Zoan of Egypt. —
-Numbers 13:22
The pasuk begins in the plural – וַיַּעֲלוּ Vaya’alu, “and they went up” – but concludes in the singular – וַיָּבֹא עַד־חֶבְרוֹן Vayavo ad-Chevron “and he came to Chevron”. If it was the group that went to Chevron, the Hebrew should say וַיָּבֹאוּ Vayavo’u “and they came”. First, before we ask who went to Chevron, we should ask, “What’s at Chevron?”.
Me’arat HaMachpelah , the Cave of the Partriarchs.
Sifrei Devarim 357 reveals the account of when God showed Moses the whole land of Israel before he died,
“We are hereby taught that He showed him the southland settled in its tranquility, and then, its oppressors. Variantly: “and the southland”: We are hereby taught that He showed him the Machpelah cave, where the forefathers are buried, it being written here “and the southland,” and elsewhere (Bamidbar 13:22) “They ascended to the south and he arrived in Chevron” (the site of the Machpelah cave).
-Sifrei Devarim, 357:19-20
So now we ask Who arrived in chevron? We know the “they” is referring to the spies, but who is the “he” that arrived at Chevron by himself? Commentary Ein Ya’akov reveals who went.
And they ascended on the south side and he came unto Hebron. It should have been they came. Said Raba: “From this it may be inferred that Caleb separated himself from the plot of the spies and went, prostrated himself upon the graves of the Patriarchs, saying to them: ‘Patriarchs of the world, pray mercy for my sake so that I should be saved from falling in with the plot of the spies.’
-Ein Ya’akov, Sotah 7:6
Agency
There are those who may find this passage problematic. There is a tradition that prayers are heard on behalf of the tzaddikim or the Tzaddik. It is in their merit that Hashem answers prayers. Based on the passage in Job 22:28, this is what is considered.
You are a righteous person, and as such, your decrees will certainly be fulfilled, as it is stated with regard to the righteous: “You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you” (Job 22:28).
-Talmud Bavli, Sotah 12a
One Sage asked his colleague, “Is it true that Hashem nullifies His decree in deference to that of the tzaddik?” His colleague answered, yes. But Hashem does not nullify the decree of one tzaddik in deference to that of another tzaddik
-Talmud Bavli, Ta’anit 16b
Our Sages ask (ibid. 23a) what was the message that the Sanhedrin sent to Choni Hama’agal. They replied, “You would utter a decree and it would be done, and light would shine upon your ways” (Iyov 22:28). They implied, “You decreed below, and Hashem would make it happen Above.”
-Talmud Bavli, Ta’anit 23a
The reason for this favor is only because the tzaddik committed Bitul HaYesh, nullification of his desire for the sake of fulfilling the desire of Hashem. As it was said:
He used to say: do His will as though it were your will, so that He will do your will as though it were His. Set aside your will in the face of His will, so that he may set aside the will of others for the sake of your will.
-Pirkei Avot 2:4
This was exemplified by the Patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’akov. However, after their death, are they considered alive? Resurrected? Mashiach addresses this issue in response to a shelah/question by the Tzaddukim/Sadducees.
וְעַל־דְּבַר תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים הֲלֹא קְרָאתֶם אֶת־הַנֶּאֱמָר לָכֶם מִפִּי הָאֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר׃ אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם וֵאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וְהוּא אֵינֶנּוּ אֱלֹהֵי הַמֵּתִים כִּי אִם־אֱלֹהֵי הָחַיִּים׃
And as for whether the dead are resurrected, haven’t you read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz’chak and the God of Ya‘akov’? He is God not of the dead but of the living!”
-Mattityahu 22:31-32
God of the living…the righteous even in death are considered alive
וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וַיַּסְתֵּר מֹשֶׁה פָּנָיו כִּי יָרֵא מֵהַבִּיט אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים׃
He [God] then said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchok, and the God of Yaakov.” Moshe hid his face, for he was afraid to look at Elohim.
-Exodus 3:6
The meaning of the verse: “For the living know that they will die, and the dead know nothing and have no more reward, for their memory has been forgotten” (Ecclesiastes 9:5): For the living know that they will die, these are the righteous, who even in their death are called living.
-Talmud Bavli Berachot 18a
Therefore, this is not considered necromancy (Chas v’chalilah), but rather praying in the merit of a tzaddik. Kalev prayed for the peace that surpasses understanding to guard his heart and mind. He asked for Hashem to prosper his efforts in speaking truth and He gave him strength of heart, fulfilling his name’s sake, kol lev, all heart.
״וְכָלֵב בֶּן חֶצְרוֹן הוֹלִיד אֶת עֲזוּבָה אִשָּׁה וְאֶת יְרִיעוֹת וְאֵלֶּה בָנֶיהָ יֵשֶׁר וְשׁוֹבָב וְאַרְדּוֹן״. בֶּן חֶצְרוֹן? בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה הוּא! בֵּן שֶׁפָּנָה מֵעֲצַת מְרַגְּלִים.
The Gemara discusses the family of Caleb: In Chronicles it says: “And Caleb, the son of Hezron, begot children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth, and these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon” (I Chronicles 2:18). The Gemara asks: Was Caleb actually the son of Hezron? Wasn’t he the son of Jephunneh, as the verse states in Numbers 13:6? The Gemara answers: He was the son of Hezron, but he is called “son of Jephunneh” as an appellation indicating that he was a son who turned away [sheppana] from the counsel of the spies.
-Talmud Bavli, Sotah 11b
So Why again is he called Kalev ben Yefuneh? Hezekiah ben Manoah, or Hezekiah bar Manoah, was a French rabbi and Bible commentator of the 13th century
“Caleb son of Yefuneh.” He is identical with Caleb son of Chetzron, and the reason he is here called the son of Yefuneh, is because he turned aside (פנה) from all but one of the other spies. [Chetzron had been a grandson of Yehudah, Genesis 46,12, compare also Chronicles I 2,18. Ed.]
– Chizkuni
So Kalev isn’t being referred to in I Chronicles 2:18 as the son of his natural father Chetzron who was a grandson of Yehudah (Genesis 46:12), but rather being referred to as “the son of the one who came out from among them.” Another translation could render the same phrase to say “the son of he who was prepared.”
Consider this. How long was the nation of Israel in Mitzrayim? How many generations? Did any of them make a visit to Machpelah before the redemption from Egypt?
So for the entire nation it might have been considered tradition. Yet for Kalev it was a defining moment. (how many of us have visited the grave or site of one of our great great grand parents? What about their stories? Something to consider)
Why did they stop in Chevron? For the meraglim, they tried to keep out of sight from the bnei Anak. But for Kalev, he needed support and protection from the other spies. Unlike Yehoshua who had the prayer from Moshe and a Yod added to his name (which provided great significance), Kalev needed assurance that his heart wouldn’t go with the spies.
When he was there, I believe that it wasn’t just his prayer that made the difference. I believe that it was his connection with the patriarchs. Hebrews states this:
בָּאֱמוּנָה מֵתוּ כָל־אֵלֶּה וְלֹא רָאוּ אֶת־הַהַבְטָחוֹת רַק מֵרָחוֹק צִפּוּ לָהֵן וַיִּבְטְחוּ וַיִּשְׂמְחוּ לִקְרָאתָן וַיּוֹדוּ כִּי־גֵרִים הֵם וְתוֹשָׁבִים בָּאָרֶץ׃
All these people kept on trusting until they died, without receiving what had been promised. They had only seen it and welcomed it from a distance, while acknowledging that they were aliens and temporary residents on the earth.
-Hebrews/Messianic Jews 11:13 CJB, Delitzch
Hashem promised that the descendants of Avraham would inherit the holy land. And at that moment Kalev was standing as the direct recipient of that promise! Remember what was stated by Hashem to Avraham?
וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי יָשׁוּבוּ הֵנָּה כִּי לֹא־שָׁלֵם עֲוֺן הָאֱמֹרִי עַד־הֵנָּה׃
But in the fourth generation they shall come back here, for the iniquity of the Emori is not yet full.
-Genesis 15:16
Jacob went down to Egypt. Go and count up his generations: Judah, Perez, Hezron— and Caleb (whose father Jephuneh is identified with Hezron, see Sotah 11b) was amongst those who entered the land of Canaan. Commenting on Genesis 15:16, Rashi States this:
(for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full) “enough that he should be driven out of his land until that time, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not exact punishment from any nation until its measure is full, as it is said, (Isaiah 27:8) “In her full measure wilt thou contend with her when thou sendest her away””
-Rashi, on Genesis 15:16:2
Each nation based on the knowledge of Hashem, and their actions based on that knowledge has blessings and levels of kedusha. However, when a nation prospers there’s a cyclic tendency to become complacent and to feed into the yetzer hara (evil inclination). The satan, and the sitra achra feed or drain the kedusha from the people, unless they’re constantly going to the source of Kedusha (Hashem).
To the meraglim, they see death and destruction. They see a land that devours its inhabitants. But Kalev resists the urge to agree with the spies, and to change his heart. The Torah says:
לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא אַל־תָּשֶׁת יָדְךָ עִם־רָשָׁע לִהְיֹת עֵד חָמָס׃ לֹא־תִהְיֶה אַחֲרֵי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת וְלֹא־תַעֲנֶה עַל־רִב לִנְטֹת אַחֲרֵי רַבִּים לְהַטֹּת׃
You must not carry false rumors; you shall not join hands with the guilty to act as a malicious witness: You shall neither side with the mighty to do wrong—you shall not give perverse testimony in a dispute so as to pervert it in favor of the mighty—
-Exodus 23:1-2
The Ohr HaChayim (Chaim ibn Attar) comments,
If one decides to resist the urge to commit a sin it is accounted as if one had fulfilled one of G’d’s commandments (Kidushin 39).
-Ohr Hachayim on Numbers 14:24
As he returned, he decided to be cunning and make as if he was agreeing with the spies. But he declared in trust and in faith what was promised to the patriarchs was available to his generation. So it was with Kalev who had another spirit.
וְעַבְדִּי כָלֵב עֵקֶב הָיְתָה רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת עִמּוֹ וַיְמַלֵּא אַחֲרָי וַהֲבִיאֹתִיו אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־בָּא שָׁמָּה וְזַרְעוֹ יוֹרִשֶׁנָּה׃
but my servant Kalev, because he had another spirit with him, and followed me fully, him will I bring into the land into which he went; and his seed shall possess it,
-Numbers 14:24
He had another spirit…?
Although also Joshua did not spurn G’d, Caleb was possessed of a totally different spirit. He had not needed the prayer of Moses to enable him to resist the influence of the other ten spies. Caleb had at one time during the mission experienced the רוח אחרת, i.e. the evil spirit which filled the other spies. He had gone to the graves of the patriarchs in order to recharge his spiritual batteries before he would succumb to the wiles of the evil urge. וימלא אחרי, “He decided to follow Me.” ….
Genesis 17:1
עַל־כֵּן הָיְתָה־חֶבְרוֹן לְכָלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה הַקְּנִזִּי לְנַחֲלָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יַעַן אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּא אַחֲרֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
Ḥevron therefore became the inheritance of Kalev son of Yefunne the Qenizzi to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Yisra᾽el.
-Joshua 14:12
Caleb went there alone and prostrated himself on the graves of the forefathers, that he not be persuaded by his fellow spies to participate in their scheme. To this, the Ba’al Shem Tov makes this incredible comment relating to the concept of “Ruach Acheret”
When a person in a later generation studies and repeats the words of a Tanna or other early Sage, whose life and intellect are those very words, he puts his own life and intellect into theirs. This is called “the joining of spirit to spirit.” *Itdabkut Rucha b’Rucha. See Zohar 2:124b. For through this, he enlivens that Sage and his words. Thus it says: “His lips move in the grave.”
–Ba’al Shem Tov, Sh’lach 1:1
So what is your legacy?
Did the other ten spies consider Hashem’s promises to the nation, or even to the Avot/patriarchs? It seems that Yehoshua didn’t need a reminder, nor a visit. Yet Kalev did.
We are living in an Epic Epoch of time! So when we relate every Torah portion the statement by Rambam rings clear: Ma’aseh Avot Siman L’banim
