במדבר רבה 16

הֲלָכָה מַהוּ לִפְרשׁ לַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל קֹדֶם לַשַּׁבָּת שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים, שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ספרי שופטים רג): אֵין מַפְלִיגִין בִּסְּפִינָה בַּיָּם הַגָּדוֹל שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים קֹדֶם לַשַּׁבָּת בִּזְּמַן שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ לְמָקוֹם רָחוֹק, אֲבָל אִם מְבַקֵּשׁ לִפְרשׁ כְּמוֹ מִצּוֹר לְצִידוֹן, מֻתָּר לוֹ לִפְרשׁ אֲפִלּוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַדָּבָר יָדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם, בִּשְׁלִיחַ הָרְשׁוּת, וְאִם הָיָה שְׁלִיחַ מִצְוָה, מֻתָּר לוֹ לִפְרשׁ בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁיִּרְצֶה, לָמָּה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא שְׁלִיחַ מִצְוָה וּשְׁלִיחַ מִצְוָה דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, וְכֵן אַתְּ מוֹצֵא בְּסֻכָּה שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ שֶׁשְּׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה פְּטוּרִין מִן הַסֻּכָּה, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ חָבִיב לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּשָׁלִיחַ שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה וְנוֹתֵן נַפְשׁוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּצְלַח בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ, וְאֵין לְךָ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּלְּחוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה וְנוֹתְנִין נַפְשָׁם לְהַצְלִיחַ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָן כְּאוֹתָם שְׁנַיִם שֶׁשָּׁלַח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ב, א): וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן מִן הַשִּׁטִּים שְׁנַיִם, מִי הָיוּ, שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אֵלּוּ פִּינְחָס וְכָלֵב, וְהָלְכוּ וְנָתְנוּ נַפְשָׁם וְהִצְלִיחוּ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָן. מַהוּ (יהושע ב, א): חֶרֶשׁ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַצְמָן קַדָּרִין וְהָיוּ צוֹוְחִין הֲרֵי קְדֵרוֹת, מִי שֶׁיִּרְצֶה יָבוֹא וְיִקְנֶה, כָּל כָּךְ לָמָּה, שֶׁלֹא יַרְגִּישׁ בָּהֶן אָדָם, קְרֵי בֵּיהּ חֶרֶשׂ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יֹאמְרוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהֵן מְרַגְּלִים. (יהושע ב, א): וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ בֵּית אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה וּשְׁמָהּ רָחָב וַיִּשְׁכְּבוּ שָׁמָּה, עָמְדָה וְקִבְּלָן, וְהִרְגִּישׁ בָּהֶן מֶלֶךְ יְרִיחוֹ וְשָׁמַע שֶׁבָּאוּ לַחְפֹּר אֶת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ב, ב): וַיֵּאָמַר לְמֶלֶךְ יְרִיחוֹ לֵאמֹר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָלְכוּ לְבַקְּשָׁם, מֶה עָשְׂתָה רָחָב, נָטְלָה אוֹתָם לְהַטְמִינָם, אָמַר לָהּ פִּינְחָס אֲנִי כֹהֵן וְהַכֹּהֲנִים נִמְשְׁלוּ לְמַלְאָכִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ב, ז): כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַעַת וְתוֹרָה יְבַקְּשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ כִּי מַלְאַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת הוּא, וְהַמַּלְאָךְ מְבַקֵּשׁ נִרְאֶה מְבַקֵּשׁ אֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ הַנְּבִיאִים כְּמַלְאָכִים, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּמשֶׁה (במדבר כ, טז): וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָךְ וַיֹּצִאֵנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם, וַהֲלוֹא משֶׁה הָיָה, אֶלָּא מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ הַנְּבִיאִים כְּמַלְאָכִים. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שופטים ב, א): וַיַּעַל מַלְאַךְ ה' מִן הַגִּלְגָּל אֶל הַבֹּכִים וַיֹּאמֶר אַעֲלֶה אֶתְכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם, וַהֲלוֹא פִּינְחָס הָיָה, אֶלָּא מִיכָּן שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ הַנְּבִיאִים מַלְאָכִים, לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר לָהּ פִּינְחָס אֲנִי כֹהֵן וְאֵינִי צָרִיךְ לְהַטְמִין, הַטְמִינִי לְכָלֵב חֲבֵרִי וַאֲנִי עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵיהֶן וְאֵינָן רוֹאִין אוֹתִי, וְכֵן עָשְׂתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ב, ד): וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה אֶת שְׁנֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וַתִּצְפְּנֵם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא (יהושע ב, ד): וַתִּצְפְּנוֹ, הֲרֵי שֶׁלֹא הִטְמִינָה לְפִינְחָס אֶלָּא לְכָלֵב, לְלַמֶּדְךָ כַּמָּה נָתְנוּ שְׁנֵי צַדִּיקִים אֵלּוּ נַפְשָׁם לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁלִיחוּתָם. אֲבָל שְׁלוּחִים שֶׁשָּׁלַח משֶׁה הָיוּ רְשָׁעִים, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן (במדבר יג, ב): שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים.

“Send you men that they may scout the land of Canaan that I am giving to the children of Israel; you shall send one man each for the tribe of his fathers, every one a prince among them” (Numbers 13:2)
Halakha – What is the ruling: May one set out on the Mediterranean Sea three days prior to Shabbat? Our Rabbis taught: One may not set out on a ship in the Mediterranean Sea three days prior to Shabbat when he is going to a distant place; however, if he seeks to set out from Tyre to Sidon, it is permitted for him to set out even on Friday, because it is known to all that he will be able to go there while it is still day. This is regarding one who sets out for an optional matter. However, one who sets out for a matter of mitzva, it is permitted for him to set out any day that he wishes. Why? It is because he set out for a matter of mitzva; one who sets out for a matter of mitzva overrides Shabbat.¹ Sifrei Shofetim 203.
Likewise you find regarding sukka that we learned that those who set out for a matter of mitzva are exempt from the sukka, as you have nothing as dear before the Holy One blessed be He as one who is dispatched to set out for a matter of mitzva, and devotes himself in order to succeed on his mission. You have no people who were dispatched to perform a mitzva and devoted themselves to succeed on their mission like those two whom Joshua dispatched, as it is stated: “Joshua son of Nun dispatched from Shitim two [men]…” (Joshua 2:1). Who were they? Our Rabbis taught: They were Pinḥas and Caleb, and they went and endangered their lives, and succeeded on their mission. What is “covertly [heresh]” (Joshua 2:1). It teaches that they presented themselves as potters, and were shouting: ‘Here are pots; anyone who wishes, come and purchase.’ Why to that extent? So no person will be aware of their presence. [We should] read heres [clay] [instead of heresh [covertly]] in the verse, so that the people [of Jericho] will not say that they are spies. “They went and they came to the house of a harlot whose name was Raḥav, and they lodged there” (Joshua 2:1). She stood and received them, but the king of Jericho became aware of their presence and heard that they had come to spy on the land, as it is stated: “It was said to the king of Jericho, saying: [Behold, men came here tonight from the children of Israel to spy the land]” (Joshua 2:2). When he went to seek them, what did Raḥav do? She took them to hide them. Pinḥas said to her: ‘I am a priest’ and priests were likened to angels [malakhim], as it is stated: “For the lips of the priest will safeguard knowledge, and they will seek Torah from his mouth, as he is a messenger [malakh] of the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 2:7). When an angel wishes, he is seen, and when he wishes, he is not seen. From where is it derived that prophets were likened to angels, as it says in Moses’s regard: “He sent a messenger [malakh] and took us out of Egypt” (Numbers 20:16). Was it not Moses? Rather, from here, prophets are likened to angels. Likewise it says: “The messenger [malakh] of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokhim. He said: I took you up from Egypt” (Judges 2:1). Was it not Pinḥas? Rather, from here, prophets are called angels. Therefore, Pinḥas said to her: ‘I am a priest, and there is no need to hide me. Hide my counterpart, Caleb, but I will stand before them and they will not see me.’ So she did, as it is stated: “The woman took the two men, and hid him” (Joshua 2:4). “And hid them” is not written here, but rather, “and hid him”; she did not hide Pinḥas, but only Caleb. It is to teach you to what extent these two righteous men devoted themselves to perform their mission. However, the emissaries that Moses sent were wicked men. From where is it deived? It is from what we read regarding: “Send you men.”

זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים עו, ו): אֶשְׁתּוֹלְלוּ אַבִּירֵי לֵב נָמוּ שְׁנָתָם. אֶשְׁתּוֹלְלוּ, אֵלּוּ משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ הַמְּרַגְּלִים וּבָאוּ וְאָמְרוּ לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת, אֶלָּא אַף משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נִתְרַשְׁלוּ אֶת יָדָם, מִיָּד עָמַד כָּלֵב וְשִׁתֵּק כָּל אוֹתָן אֻכְלוּסִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יג, ל): וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב אֶת הָעָם, עָמַד לוֹ עַל הַסַּפְסָל וְהָיָה מְשַׁתְּקָן וְאוֹמֵר הַס, וְהֵם שׁוֹתְקִין לִשְׁמֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמַר לָהֶם (במדבר יד, ז): טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ מְאֹד מְאֹד, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה טוֹבָה גְדוֹלָה אֲנִי מַחֲזִיק לוֹ, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר (דברים א, לו): זוּלָתִי כָּלֵב בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה, מַהוּ זוּלָתִי, לָזֶה אִתִּי יוֹתֵר מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא מִכֶּם, אַתֶּם לֹא מְצָאתֶם יְדֵיכֶם אֶלָּא כְּשַׁלְתֶּם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: אֶשְׁתּוֹלְלוּ אַבִּירֵי לֵב, כָּל כָּךְ לָמָּה עַל שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁלוּחִין טִפְּשִׁין, אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה (משלי כו, ו): מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד כְּסִיל.

That which the verse said: “The stout-hearted were bewildered. They fell into a stupor” (Psalms 76:6). “Were bewildered” – these were Moses and Aaron, who dispatched the spies. When they returned and said an evil report regarding the Land, they did not know what to do; rather, even Moses and Aaron were bewildered by them. Immediately, Caleb stood and silenced the entire population, as it is stated: “Caleb silenced the people” (Numbers 13:30). He stood on the bench and he was silencing them, and saying: ‘Hush,’ and they grew silent to hear him. He said to them: “The Land is exceedingly good” (Numbers 14:7). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I am extremely grateful to him,’ as it is stated: “Except [zulati] Caleb son of Yefuneh” (Deuteronomy 1:36). What is zulati? ‘This one is for Me [lazeh iti] greater that six hundred thousand of you. You did not find any recourse, but rather you reeled.’ That is why it is stated: “The stout-hearted were bewildered.” Why to that extent? It is because these emissaries were fools. Solomon said: “One who sends things by the hand of a fool cuts off his feet and drinks rancor” (Proverbs 26:6).

שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים, רַבִּי אַחָא הַגָּדוֹל פָּתַח (ישעיה מ, ח): יָבֵשׁ חָצִיר נָבֵל צִיץ וּדְבַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ יָקוּם לְעוֹלָם, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ אוֹהֵב וְהִתְנָה עִמּוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ לֵךְ עִמִּי וַאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ מַתָּנָה, הָלַךְ עִמּוֹ וָמֵת, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לִבְנוֹ שֶׁל אוֹהֲבוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּת אָבִיךָ אֵינִי חוֹזֵר בִּי בַּמַּתָּנָה שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ, בּוֹא וְטֹל אַתָּה. כָּךְ הַדָּבָר, הַמֶּלֶךְ, מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְהָאוֹהֵב, זֶה אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מא, ח): זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אֹהֲבִי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בּוֹא לֵךְ עִמִּי (בראשית יב, א): לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, הִתְנָה עִמּוֹ שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ מַתָּנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יג, יז): קוּם הִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית יג, טו): כִּי אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה רֹאֶה לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִתְנֵתִי עִם הָאָבוֹת לִתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת הָאָרֶץ וּמֵתוּ, אֵינִי חוֹזֵר בִּי אֶלָּא (ישעיה מ, ח): וּדְבַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ יָקוּם לְעוֹלָם.

“Send you men” – Rabbi Aḥa the Great began: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8). To what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who had a beloved one and stipulated with him and said to him: ‘Go with me and I will give you a gift.’ He went with him and died. The king said to the son of his beloved one: ‘Even though your father died, I am not retracting the gift that I said to him. You come and take it.’ So is the matter: The king is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He. The beloved one, this is Abraham, as it is stated: “The offspring of Abraham My beloved” (Isaiah 41:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Come, go with Me, “go you from your land, and from your birthplace, and from your father’s house”’ (Genesis 12:1). He stipulated with him that he would give him a gift, as it is stated: “Arise, walk through the land…[as to you I will give it]” (Genesis 13:17), and likewise it says: “For all the land that you see, I will give to you” (Genesis 13:15). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Although I stipulated to give the Land to the patriarchs and they died, I am not retracting it’; rather, “but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי י, כו): כַּחֹמֶץ לַשִּׁנַּיִם וְכֶעָשָׁן לָעֵינָיִם כֵּן הֶעָצֵל לְשֹׁלְחָיו, נִכָּרִים הָיוּ הַמְּרַגְּלִים שֶׁהָיוּ מוֹצִיאִין לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ט, ב): וַיַּדְרְכוּ אֶת לְשׁוֹנָם קַשְׁתָּם שֶׁקֶר, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְעָשִׁיר שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ כֶּרֶם, כְּשֶׁהָיָה רוֹאֶה שֶׁהַיַּיִן יָפֶה הָיָה אוֹמֵר הַכְנִיסוּ אֶת הַיַּיִן בְּבֵיתִי, וּכְשֶׁהָיָה רוֹאֶה שֶׁהַיַּיִן חֹמֶץ, הָיָה אוֹמֵר הַכְנִיסוּ אֶת הַיַּיִן בְּבָתֵּיכֶם. אַף כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּשֶׁרָאָה שֶׁהַזְּקֵנִים מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כְּשֵׁרִים, קָרָא אוֹתָן לִשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יא, טז): אֶסְפָה לִּי שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ, וּכְשֶׁרָאָה אֶת הַמְרַגְּלִים שֶׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לַחְטֹא, קָרָא אוֹתָן לִשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים.

“Send you men” – this is what the verse said: “Like vinegar to the teeth, and like smoke to the eyes, so is the idle man to his senders” (Proverbs 10:26). It was obvious that the spies were disseminating slander about the Land, as it is stated: “They drew their tongue, their bow is falsehood” (Jeremiah 9:2). To what is the matter comparable? It is to a wealthy man who had a vineyard. When he would see that wine was of high quality, he would say: ‘Take the wine into my house.’ But when he would see that the wine is vinegar, he would say: ‘Take the wine into your houses.’ The same is true of the Holy One blessed be He. When He saw the elders, that their actions were upright, He attributed them to His name, as it is stated: “Gather to Me seventy men” (Numbers 11:16), but when He saw the spies, who were destined to sin, he attributed them to Moses’s name, “send you men.”

זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי כו, ו): מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שֹׁתֶה שֹׁלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד כְּסִיל, וְכִי כְּסִילִים הָיוּ מְרַגְּלִים וַהֲלוֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר: שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים, וּבְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי אָדָם צַדִּיקִים הֵם, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות יז, ט): וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמואל א יז, יב): וְהָאִישׁ בִּימֵי שָׁאוּל זָקֵן בָּא בַאֲנָשִׁים, (שמואל א א, יא): וְנָתַתָּה לַאֲמָתְךָ זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים, לְאֵלּוּ אַתְּ קוֹרֵא כְּסִילִים, אֵלּוּ לֹא נִקְרְאוּ כְּסִילִים אֶלָּא עַל שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ דִּבָּה עַל הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי י, יח): וּמוֹצִא דִבָּה הוּא כְסִיל, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן בְּנֵי אָדָם גְּדוֹלִים הָיוּ וְעָשׂוּ עַצְמָן כְּסִילִים, עֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר משֶׁה (דברים לב, כ): כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת הֵמָּה בָּנִים לֹא אֵמֻן בָּם, שֶׁנִּבְחֲרוּ מִכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּמִפִּי משֶׁה, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (דברים א, כג): וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינַי הַדָּבָר וָאֶקַּח מִכֶּם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲנָשִׁים, מִכָּאן שֶׁהָיוּ צַדִּיקִים בִּפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִפְנֵי משֶׁה, וְאַף משֶׁה לֹא רָצָה לְשַׁלְּחָם מִדַּעַת עַצְמוֹ עַד שֶׁנִּמְלַךְ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, פְּלוֹנִי מִשֵּׁבֶט פְּלוֹנִי, וְאָמַר לוֹ רְאוּיִים הֵם, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יג, ג): וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם משֶׁה מִמִּדְבַּר פָּארָן עַל פִּי ה', וְאַחַר כָּךְ לְסוֹף אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם נֶהֶפְכוּ וְעָשׂוּ כָּל הַצָּרָה וְגָרְמוּ לְאוֹתוֹ דּוֹר שֶׁיִּלְקֶה בְּאוֹתָהּ הַמַּכָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת הֵמָּה, שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְרוּ צַדִּיקִים וְנִתְהַפְּכוּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים (במדבר יג, טז): אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים.

That which the verse said: “One who sends things by the hand of a fool cuts off his feet and drinks rancor” (Proverbs 26:6). Were the spies fools? But was it not already stated: “Send you men [anashim],” and everywhere that anashim is stated, they are righteous, as it says: “Moses said to Joshua: Select anashim for us”? (Exodus 17:9). Likewise, it says: “The man in the days of Saul was elderly and would come among men [anashim]” (I Samuel 17:12); “You will give Your maidservant a male [anashim] offspring” (I Samuel 1:11).²The child born was the prophet Samuel. Do you call these fools? These were called fools only because they disseminated slander about the Land, as it is stated: “The disseminator of slander is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18). Nevertheless, they were great men, but rendered themselves fools. Moses said in their regard: “As they are a contrary generation; children in whom there is no loyalty” (Deuteronomy 32:20). They were chosen from all Israel by the pronouncement of the Holy One blessed be He and by the pronouncement of Moses, as it is written: “The matter was good in my eyes and I took from you twelve men” (Deuteronomy 1:23). From here [we derive] that they were righteous before Israel and before Moses. Moses, too, did not wish to send them at his own initiative until he consulted with the Holy One blessed be He regarding each and every one, so-and-so from tribe such-and-such, and He said to him that they were worthy. From where is it derived that the Holy One blessed be He said that they were worthy? It is as it is stated: “Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the directive of the Lord” (Numbers 13:3). Then, at the conclusion of forty days, they became contrary and caused that generation to be stricken with that blow, as it is stated: “As they are a contrary generation”; as they were evaluated as righteous and reversed: This is why it is stated: “Send you anashim”; “these are the names of the anashim” (Numbers 13:16).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים וְיָתֻרוּ, (במדבר יב, א): וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמשֶׁה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ שְׁלַח לְךָ, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה מד, יח): לֹא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא יָבִינוּ כִּי טַח מֵרְאוֹת עֵינֵיהֶם, מָה רָאָה לוֹמַר אַחַר מַעֲשֵׂה מִרְיָם שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה צָפוּי לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל הָאָרֶץ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ אוֹמְרִים לֹא הָיִינוּ יוֹדְעִין עֹנֶשׁ לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, לְפִיכָךְ סָמַךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָעִנְיָן זֶה לָזֶה, לְפִי שֶׁדִּבְּרָה מִרְיָם בְּאָחִיהָ וְלָקְתָה בְּצָרַעַת, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ הַכֹּל עָנְשׁוֹ שֶׁל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁאִם בִּקְּשׁוּ לוֹמַר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע יִהְיוּ מִסְתַּכְּלִין מַה נַּעֲשָׂה לְמִרְיָם, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא רָצוּ לִלְמֹד, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לֹא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא יָבִינוּ כִּי טַח מֵרְאוֹת עֵינֵיהֶם.

Another matter, “send you men, that they may scout.” “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses” (Numbers 12:1) and then: “Send you [men].” This is what the verse said: “They do not know and they do not understand, for their eyes are smeared and don’t see” (Isaiah 44:18). What did He see that led Him to say: “Send you men” after the incident involving Miriam? It is, rather, that it was anticipated before the Holy One blessed be He that they would speak slander about the Land. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘So they will not say: We did not know the punishment for slander.’ That is why the Holy One blessed be He juxtaposed one matter to the other; because Miriam spoke against her brother and was stricken with leprosy, so that all would know the punishment of slander, so that were they to seek to say slander, they would look upon what befell Miriam. Nevertheless, they did not wish to learn. That is why it is stated: “They do not know and they do not understand, for their eyes are smeared and don’t see.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁלַח לְךָ, לֹא הָיָה מִן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ, לָמָּה, שֶׁכְּבָר אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שִׁבְחָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (דברים ח, ז): כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְבִיאֲךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ וגו', וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים יא, י): כִּי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָא שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ וגו', וְעַד שֶׁהֵם בְּמִצְרַיִם אָמַר (שמות ג, ח): וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וּלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא אֶל אֶרֶץ וגו', הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (שמות יג, כא): וַה' הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן, וּמַהוּ שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים, אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵן בִּקְּשׁוּ הַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לִירַשׁ אֶת הַתְּחוּמִין, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (דברים א, כא): רְאֵה נָתַן ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִתְקָרְבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵצֶל משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים א, כב): וַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי כֻּלְּכֶם, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר עֶזְרָא (נחמיה ט, טו יז): וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶל מִצְוֹתֶיךָ וַיְמָאֲנוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ וְלֹא זָכְרוּ נִפְלְאֹתֶיךָ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר י, לג): לָתוּר לָהֶם מְנוּחָה. אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ (דברים א, כב): נִשְׁלְחָה אֲנָשִׁים לְפָנֵינוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ לָנוּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ. וְכֵן בְּדָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים עח, כב): כִּי לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ בֵּאלֹהִים, וּכְתִיב (תהלים עח, י): וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ מֵאֲנוּ לָלֶכֶת. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר לְמָה הָיוּ דּוֹמִין, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁזִּמֵּן לִבְנוֹ אִשָּׁה נָאָה וּבַת טוֹבִים וַעֲשִׁירָה, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ זִמַּנְתִּי לְךָ אִשָּׁה נָאָה וּבַת טוֹבִים וַעֲשִׁירָה. אָמַר לוֹ הַבֵּן אֵלֵךְ וְאֶרְאֶה אוֹתָהּ, שֶׁלֹא הָיָה מַאֲמִין לְאָבִיו, מִיָּד הֻקְשָׁה הַדָּבָר וְהֵרַע לְאָבִיו, אָמַר אָבִיו מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה אִם אוֹמַר לוֹ אֵינִי מַרְאֶה אוֹתָהּ לְךָ עַכְשָׁו הוּא אוֹמֵר כְּעוּרָה הָיְתָה לְפִיכָךְ לֹא רָצָה לְהַרְאוֹתָהּ, לְסוֹף אָמַר לוֹ רְאֵה אוֹתָהּ וְתֵדַע אִם כִּזַּבְתִּי לָךְ, וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹא הֶאֱמַנְתָּ בִּי קוֹנָם שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ בְּבֵיתְךָ, אֶלָּא לְבִנְךָ אֲנִי נוֹתְנָהּ. וְכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ, וְלֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ, אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ: נִשְׁלְחָה אֲנָשִׁים לְפָנֵינוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ לָנוּ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם מְעַכֵּב אֲנִי עֲלֵיהֶם הֵם אוֹמְרִים עַל שֶׁאֵינָהּ טוֹבָה לֹא הֶרְאָה אוֹתָהּ לָנוּ, אֶלָּא יִרְאוּ אוֹתָהּ וּבִשְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם נִכְנַס לְתוֹכָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יד, כג): אִם יִרְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָם וְכָל מְנַאֲצַי לֹא יִרְאוּהָ, אֶלָּא לִבְנֵיהֶם אֲנִי נוֹתְנָהּ.

Another matter, “Send you men”; although the Holy One blessed be He said: “Send you,” it was not from the Holy One blessed be He that they should go. Why? It is because the Holy One blessed be He had already said the praise of the Land of Israel to them: “For the Lord your God is bringing you to [a good] land” (Deuteronomy 8:7).³Therefore there was no need to send anybody to check the quality of the land. Likewise it says: “For the land that you are coming there to take possession of it…[it drinks water from the rain]” (Deuteronomy 11:10–11). And while they were still in Egypt, He said: “I have descended to deliver them from the hand of the Egypt and to bring them up from that land [to a good and expansive land, to a land flowing with milk and honey]” (Exodus 3:8). The verse says: “The Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud” (Exodus 13:21).⁴Therefore there was no military need to check out the land. What is “send you men”? Rather, it was Israel that requested these matters, as when they arrived to take possession at the borders, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: “See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you, [go up and conquer]” (Deuteronomy 1:21); at that moment, Israel approached Moses, as it is stated: “All of you approached me” (Deuteronomy 1:22). That is what Ezra said: “…They did not heed your commandments. They refused to heed and did not remember Your wonders” (Nehemiah 9:16–17).
Likewise, it says: “[and the Ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them…] to scout a resting place for them” (Numbers 10:33). Nevertheless, they said: “Let us send men before us, and they will spy [the land] for us”? (Deuteronomy 1:22). It is, rather, that they did not believe. Likewise, David says: “Because they did not believe in God” (Psalms 78:22); and it is written: “They refused to follow His Torah” (Psalms 78:10).
Rabbi Yehoshua said: To what were they comparable? It is to a king who arranged for his son, a fine-looking, wellborn, and wealthy woman. The king said to him: 'I arranged for you a fine-looking, wellborn, and wealthy woman.' The son said to him: 'I will go and see her,’ because he did not believe his father. Immediately, the matter was difficult for and troubled his father. His father said: ‘What shall I do? If I say to him: I will not show her to you, now he will say: She was ugly; that is why he does not want to show her.’ Ultimately he said to him: 'See her and ascertain whether I lied to you. But because you did not believe in me, I vow that you will not see her in your home, but rather, I will give her to your son.’ Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: “The Land is good,” but they did not believe, but rather, they said: “Let us send men before us, and they will spy [the land] for us.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I prevent them, they will say: It is because it is not good that He did not show it to us. Rather, let them see it; but by My oath, not one of them will enter into it, as it is stated: “They will not see the land regarding which I took an oath to their fathers, and all those who scorned Me will not see it” (Numbers 14:23); but I will give it to their children.

כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְמשֶׁה נִשְׁלְחָה אֲנָשִׁים לְפָנֵינוּ, הִתְחִיל משֶׁה עוֹמֵד וְתוֹהֶא אָמַר אֶפְשָׁר לִי לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר עַד שֶׁאֶמָּלֵךְ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הָלַךְ וְנִמְלַךְ, אָמַר לוֹ כָּךְ וְכָךְ בָּנֶיךָ מְבַקְּשִׁים, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵין זֶה תְּחִלָּה לָהֶם, עַד שֶׁהֵם בְּמִצְרַיִם הִלְעִיגוּ לִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ז, טז): זוֹ לַעְגָּם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, לְמוּדִים הֵם לְכָךְ, אֵינִי צָרִיךְ לְנַסּוֹתָם, שֶׁכָּתוּב (דניאל ב, כב): יָדַע מָה בַחֲשׁוֹכָא וּנְהוֹרָא עִמֵּהּ שְׁרֵא, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא משֶׁה יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי מָה הֵם, אֶלָּא אִם בִּקַּשְׁתָּ שְׁלַח לְךָ לְעַצְמְךָ, מִנַיִן, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (במדבר יג, טז): אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח משֶׁה לָתוּר.

When they said to Moses: “Let us send men before us,” Moses began standing and pondering, he said: ‘Is it possible for me to do anything until I consult with the Holy One blessed be He?’ He went and consulted. He said to Him: ‘Your children are requesting such and such.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘This is not a first for them. While they were still in Egypt, they derided Me,’ as it is stated: “This was their derision in the land of Egypt” (Hosea 7:16). ‘They are accustomed to this. I need not test them,’ as it is written: “He knows what is in the darkness, and the light rests with Him” (Daniel 2:22). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I know what they are. However, if you asked, send them yourself.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is written: “These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to scout the land” (Numbers 13:16).

וַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (במדבר יג, טז), מָה רָאָה משֶׁה לְהוֹסִיף עַל שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יוּ"ד, אֶלָּא כָּלֵב נָטַל שְׂכָרוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע יד, ט): אִם לֹא הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר דָּרְכָה רַגְלְךָ בָּהּ לְךָ תִהְיֶה לְנַחֲלָה וּלְבָנֶיךָ עַד עוֹלָם, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ נָטַל שְׂכַר עֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁל מְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁנִּתּוֹסַף בּוֹ יוּ"ד יַתִּיר, יו"ד עֲשָׂרָה, (במדבר יג, טז): וַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה משֶׁה אוֹתָן שֶׁהָיוּ רְשָׁעִים אָמַר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ יָהּ יוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מִן הַדּוֹר הַזֶּה.

“Moses called Hoshea son of Nun, Joshua [Yehoshua]” (Numbers 13:16). What did Moses see that led him to add a yod to Joshua’s name? It is, rather, that Caleb took his reward from the Land, as it is stated: “Surely, the land on which your foot trod will be an inheritance for you and for your children forever” (Joshua 14:9), and Joshua took the reward of the ten men who constituted the spies, as an extra yod was added to him; yod equals ten. “Moses called Hoshea son of Nun, Joshua.” Alternatively, when Moses saw them, that they were wicked, he said to Joshua [Yehoshua]: “May the Lord deliver you [ya yoshiakha] from this generation.

אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים (במדבר יג, טז), מָה הָיוּ שְׁמוֹתָן (במדבר יג, יג טו): סְתוּר בֶּן מִיכָאֵל, נַחְבִּי בֶּן וָפְסִי, גְּאוּאֵל בֶּן מָכִי, יֵשׁ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁשְּׁמוֹתָם נָאִים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כְּעוּרִים, שְׁמוֹתָם כְּעוּרִים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם נָאִים, שֶׁשְּׁמוֹתֵיהֶם נָאִים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם נָאִים, שְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כְּעוּרִים. שְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם נָאִים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כְּעוּרִים, זֶה יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְעֵשָׂו, יִשְׁמָעֵאל, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֵל, עֵשָׂו, עוֹשֶׂה רְצוֹן עוֹשָׂיו, וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם רָעִים. שְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם כְּעוּרִים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם נָאִים, אֵלּוּ עוֹלֵי גוֹלָה (עזרא ב, נג): בְּנֵי בַרְקוֹס בְּנֵי סִיסְרָא בְּנֵי תָמַח. שְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם כְּעוּרִים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כְּעוּרִים, אֵלּוּ הַמְּרַגְּלִים, מַה כְּתִיב בָּהֶן, סְתוּר, שֶׁסְּתָרוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם.

“These were the names of the men” (Numbers 13:16). What were their names? They were “Setur son of Mikhael…Naḥbi son of Vofsi…Geuel son of Makhi” (Numbers 13:13–15). There are people whose names are pleasant but their actions are repulsive; their names are repulsive but their actions are pleasant; their names are pleasant and their actions are pleasant; their names and their actions are repulsive. Whose names are pleasant but their actions are repulsive: This is Ishmael and Esau. Ishmael – God listens [shome’a el]; Esau – he performs [oseh] the will of his Maker [osehu]. Their names are repulsive but their actions are pleasant: These are those who ascended from the exile: “The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamaḥ” (Ezra 2:53).⁵These are names which have no reference to anything positive, and appear to be names which were originally not used by Jews. For example, Sisera was the name of an officer who headed an army which subjugated Israel (Judges 4:2). Their names are repulsive and their actions are repulsive, these are the spies: What is written in their regard? “Setur” – He eliminated him [shesetaro] from the world.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם עֲלוּ זֶה בַּנֶּגֶב (במדבר יג, יז), עִם שֶׁהֵם עוֹלִים אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה הַכֹּהֵן בְּרַבִּי מָצְאוּ שְׁלשָׁה בְּנֵי עֲנָקִים (במדבר יג, כב): וְשָׁם אֲחִימִָן שֵׁשַׁי וְתַלְמַי, לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אֲחִימָן, שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר אַחַי מַן יָבוֹא עָלַי. שֵׁשַׁי, שֶׁהָיָה בָּרִיא כְּשַׁיִּשׁ. תַּלְמַי, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה תְּלָמִים בָּאָרֶץ (, כב): יְלִידֵי הָעֲנָק, שֶׁרָאוּהוּ שֶׁהָיָה עוֹנֵק אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. כְּשֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתָן מְרַגְּלִים, נִתְיָרְאוּ, לְפִיכָךְ אָמְרוּ (במדבר יג, לא): כִּי חָזָק הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ הֵטִיחוּ דְבָרִים כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה, וּבְאוֹתוֹ עָוֹן נִגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם גְּזֵרוֹת קָשׁוֹת, מָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לְיִרְמְיָה לֵךְ אֱמֹר לָהֶן אֵין אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִים מָה הוֹצֵאתֶם מִפִּיכֶם, (ירמיה יא, טז): לְקוֹל הֲמוּלָּה גְדֹלָה, שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם מַה גְּרַמְתֶּם לְעַצְמְכֶם הִצִּיתֶם אֵשׁ עֲלֵיכֶם, (במדבר יד, לד): יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת עֲוֹנֹתֵיכֶם. אָמְרוּ (במדבר יג, לג): וַנְהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וִתַּרְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא (במדבר יג, לג): וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם. יוֹדְעִים הֱיִיתֶם מֶה עָשִׂיתִי אֶתְכֶם לְעֵינֵיהֶם, מִי יֹאמַר שֶׁלֹא הֱיִיתֶם בְּעֵינֵיהֶם כְּמַלְאָכִים. מַה גְּרַמְתֶּם לְעַצְמְכֶם (במדבר יד, לד): בְּמִסְפַּר הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר תַּרְתֶּם אֶת הָאָרֶץ, לֹא דַיָּם כָּךְ אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹא נִכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁלוּחֵי בָּשָׂר וָדָם נִגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹא יִכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ, אֲבָל לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אֲנִי מְשַׁלֵּחַ לָכֶם מַלְאָכִי פִּתְאוֹם וִיפַנֶּה אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג, א): הִנְנִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָכִי וּפִנָּה דֶרֶךְ לְפָנָי וּפִתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֶל הֵיכָלוֹ.

“Moses sent them to scout the land of Canaan, he said to them: Ascend there in the South, and ascend the highland” (Numbers 13:17).
“He said to them: Ascend there in the South.” As they were ascending, Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen ben Rabbi said: They encountered three children of the giants, as it is stated: “And there, Aḥiman, Sheshai, and Talmai” (Numbers 13:22). Why was his name Aḥiman? It is because he would say: My brethren [aḥai], who [man] will come against us? Sheshai – because he was as hard as marble [shayish]. Talmai – because he would make furrows [telamim] in the ground. When the spies saw them, they were afraid. That is why they said: “For they are stronger than we [mimenu]”⁶Mimenu can be first person plural or third person singular. If it is the latter, they were saying: “For they are stronger than Him.” (Numbers 13:31). Reish Lakish said: They hurled invective toward on High.
Due to that iniquity harsh decrees were decreed against them. What did the Holy One blessed be He say to Jeremiah? ‘Go and say to them: You do not know what you expressed from your mouths. “To the sound of great commotion” (Jeremiah 11:16) that you said, what did you cause yourselves? You ignited a fire upon yourselves.’ “A day for each year, a day for each year you shall bear your iniquities” (Numbers 14:34).
They said: “We were as grasshoppers in our eyes” (Numbers 13:33). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I forgive them for this.’ “And likewise we were in their eyes” (Numbers 13:33). ‘Do you know what I rendered you in their eyes? Who is to say that you were not as angels in their eyes? What have you caused yourselves?’ “In accordance with the number of the days that you scouted the land” (Numbers 14:34). That is not sufficient for them, but they also did not enter the Land.
The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘In this world, because they were flesh and blood messengers, it was decreed in their regard that they would not enter the Land. However, in the World to Come, I will send you My messenger and he will clear the path,’ as it is stated: “Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to His Sanctuary” (Malachi 3:1).

וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם משֶׁה לָתוּר אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם עֲלוּ זֶה בַּנֶּגֶב וַעֲלִיתֶם אֶת הָהָר (במדבר יג, יז), שֶׁכֵּן הַתַּגָרִין מַרְאִין אֶת הַפְּסֹלֶת תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַרְאִין אֶת הַשֶּׁבַח, (במדבר יג, יח): וּרְאִיתֶם אֶת הָאָרֶץ, שָׁלשׁ פְּעָמִים אָמַר לָהֶם וּמָה הָאָרֶץ, לָמָּה בָּרִאשׁוֹן וּרְאִיתֶם וגו', אָמַר לָהֶם הֱיוּ מִסְתַּכְּלִין בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, יֵשׁ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמְגַדֶּלֶת גִּבּוֹרִים, וְיֵשׁ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמְגַדֶּלֶת חַלָּשִׁים, וְיֵשׁ שֶׁמְגַדֶּלֶת אֻכְלוּסִין וְיֵשׁ מְמַעֶטֶת אֻכְלוּסִין, כָּךְ פְּקָדָן (במדבר יג, יח): וְאֶת הָעָם הַיּשֵׁב עָלֶיהָ הֶחָזָק הוּא הֲרָפֶה הַמְעַט הוּא אִם רָב, (במדבר יג, יט): וּמָה הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הוּא ישֵׁב בָּהּ, מִנַּיִן אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִין כֹּחָם, אִם בְּמַחֲנִים הֵם שְׁרוּיִין הֵם גִּבּוֹרִים, בּוֹטְחִין עַל כֹּחָם, אִם בְּמִבְצָרִים, חַלָּשִׁים הֵם וְלִבָּם רַךְ, (במדבר יג, כ): וּמָה הָאָרֶץ הַשְּׁמֵנָה הִוא, אִם פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ קַלִּים אִם שְׁמֵנִים, אָמַר לָהֶם הִסְתַּכְּלוּ בָּאֲבָנִים וּבַצְּרוֹרוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ, אִם שֶׁל צוֹנָמָא הֵם שְׁמֵנִים הֵם, אִם שֶׁל חֲרָסִים הֵם רָזִים הֵם. (במדבר יג, כ): וְהַיָּמִים יְמֵי בִּכּוּרֵי עֲנָבִים, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ אֵין תְּקוּפַת תַּמּוּז בְּלֹא תְאֵנִים וַעֲנָבִים.

“Moses sent them to scout the land of Canaan, he said to them: Ascend there in the South, and ascend the highland,” as merchants show the inferior merchandise first⁷The southern part of Israel is less fertile than the northern part. and then show the superior merchandise.
“And you shall see the Land” (Numbers 13:18). Three times he said to them: “What is the Land?” (Numbers 13:18–20). Why in the first, is it: “You shall see”? He said to them: ‘Look at the Land of Israel; there is a land that grows mighty men and there is a land that grows weak men. There is one that maximizes population, and one that minimizes population.’ Likewise he commanded them: “And the people that live in it, are they strong or are they weak, are they few or many?” (Numbers 13:18). “And what is the land in which they live?” (Numbers 13:19). From where do you know their strength? If they dwell in open areas, they are mighty, reliant on their strength; if within fortifications, they are weak and soft-hearted.
“And what is the land, is it fat?” (Numbers 13:20). Are its fruits lean or fat? He said to them: ‘Look at their rocks and their earth; if they are of hard rock,⁸They do not crumble easily. they will be fat, if they are of earthenware,⁹They crumble easily. they will be lean.’
“The days were the days of the first grapes” (Numbers 13:20). From here they said: ‘There is no season of Tamuz without figs and grapes.’

וַיַּעֲלוּ וַיָּתֻרוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ (במדבר יג, כא), כֵּיצַד, הָיוּ נִכְנָסִים לְעִיר הַדֶּבֶר נוֹגֵף אֶת הַגְּדוֹלִים וּמִתְעַסְּקִים בְּנֵי הָעִיר בִּקְבוּרָתָן וּבְרִיָּה לֹא הָיְתָה רוֹאָה אוֹתָם, לְכָךְ אָמְרוּ (במדבר יג, לב): הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ וגו', בַּנִּסִּים שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בּוֹ הוֹצִיאוּ דִּבָּה. (במדבר יג, כב): וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב וַיָּבֹא עַד חֶבְרוֹן וְשָׁם אֲחִימָן, שֶׁהָיוּ עַד מְאֹד גִּבּוֹרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ט, ב): אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ וְאַתָּה שָׁמַעְתָּ מִי יִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי עֲנָק. (במדבר יג, כב): וְחֶבְרוֹן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים נִבְנְתָה, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שִׁבְחָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהַפְּסֹלֶת שֶׁלָּהּ מְשֻׁבָּח הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִן הַמְשֻׁבָּח שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּצְאוּ וְנָחֲלוּ בְּנֵי נֹחַ אֶת הָעוֹלָם אַחַר הַמַּבּוּל, הֵם בָּנוּ עֲיָרוֹת תְּחִלָּה, וְלֹא בִּמְקוֹם הַשֶּׁבַח אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹם הַפְּסֹלֶת שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְצֹעַן מִצְרַיִם הִיא הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, וְזוֹ קָדְמָה לָהּ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים. וְאִם תֹּאמַר לֹא מִי שֶׁבָּנָה זוֹ לֹא בָּנָה זוֹ, הוּא הַדּוֹר הִיא הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה (בראשית י, ו): וּבְנֵי חָם כּוּשׁ וּמִצְרַיִם וּפוּט וּכְנָעַן, וְעָמְדוּ וּבָנוּ זוֹ לִפְנֵי זוֹ. וְחֶבְרוֹן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים נִבְנְתָה לִפְנֵי צֹעַן מִצְרָיִם.

“They ascended and scouted the land from the wilderness of Tzin to Rehov, at the approach to Hamat” (Numbers 13:21).
“They ascended and scouted the land.” How? They would enter a city and a plague would afflict the prominent among them. The residents of the city would engage in their burial, and no person would see them. That is why they said: “The land, through which we passed [to scout, it is a land that devours its inhabitants]” (Numbers 13:32). Through the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He would perform for them, they would disseminate slander.
“They ascended in the South, and they came until Hebron, and Aḥiman…were there” (Numbers 13:22), as they were exceedingly mighty, as it is stated: “That you knew and you heard: Who can stand before the children of giants?” (Deuteronomy 9:2).
“Hebron was built seven years [before Tzoan of Egypt]” (Numbers 13:22), to inform you of the praise of the Land of Israel, that its inferior area¹⁰Hebron is in the south of Israel. is exceedingly superior to the superior area of Egypt. When the sons of Noah went out and inherited the world after the Flood, they built cities first, not in the superior place, but in the inferior place of the Land of Israel. Tzoan of Egypt is the best in the land of Egypt,¹¹See Ketubot 112a. and this preceded it by seven years. If you say: The one who built this did not build that; it is the same generation and the same family. “The sons of Ḥam: Kush, and Mitzrayim, and Put, and Canaan” (Genesis 10:6), and they went and built this one before that one. “Hebron was built seven years before Tzoan of Egypt.”

וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד נַחַל אֶשְׁכֹּל (במדבר יג, כג), לֹא רָצוּ לִטֹּל מִפֵּרוֹת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִלּוּלֵי כָּלֵב שֶׁשָּׁלַף אֶת הַזַּיִן וַיָּרָץ לִפְנֵיהֶם וְאָמַר לָהֶם אִם אֵין אַתֶּם נוֹטְלִים אוֹ אַתֶּם הוֹרְגִים אוֹתִי אוֹ אֲנִי הוֹרֵג אֶתְכֶם לֹא הָיוּ נוֹטְלִים, לְפִיכָךְ (יהושע יד, ט): אִם לֹא הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר דָּרְכָה רַגְלְךָ בָּהּ לְךָ תִהְיֶה. (במדבר יג, כג): וַיִּשָֹּׂאֻהוּ בַמּוֹט בִּשְׁנָיִם, אֵין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁנֵי מוֹטוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין אוֹמֵר בַּמּוֹט שְׁנַיִם, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁנָיִם. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שְׁלשָׁה, בַמּוֹט אֶחָד, בִּשְׁנָיִם הֲרֵי שְׁלשָׁה. וְכַמָּה הָיָה מַשֹּׂוֹי שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, נֶאֱמַר בָּאֲבָנִים שֶׁנָּטְלוּ מִן הַיַּרְדֵּן (יהושע ד, כ): וְאֶת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה הָאֲבָנִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ מִן הַיַּרְדֵּן הֵקִים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּגִּלְגָל, כַּמָּה שִׁעוּרָהּ שֶׁל כָּל אַחַת וְאַחַת, מַשְֹּׂאוֹי אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה, מִכָּאן אַתָּה מְחַשֵּׁב לְאוֹתוֹ אֶשְׁכֹּל, אָדָם נוֹשֵׂא מַשְֹּׂאוֹי לְעַצְמוֹ מַגְבִּיהַּ סְאָה, מַגְבִּיהַּ עָלָיו חֲבֵרוֹ נוֹשֵׂא סְאָתַיִם, וְאִם מַגְבִּיהַּ סָאתַיִם נוֹשֵׂא עִם חֲבֵרוֹ נוֹשֵׂא שָׁלשׁ, הֱוֵי מִכָּאן מְחַשֵּׁב.

“They came to the Eshkol ravine, and cut from there a vine with one cluster of grapes, and bore it upon a pole with two, and from the pomegranates, and from the figs” (Numbers 13:23).
“They came to the Eshkol ravine” – they did not wish to take from the fruits of the Land of Israel. Had it not been for Caleb, who drew the sword, ran before them, and said to them: ‘If you do not take, either you will kill me or I will kill you,’ they would not have taken. Therefore, “[Moses took an oath on that day, saying:] The land on which your foot trod will be [an inheritance] for you” (Joshua 14:9).
“And bore it upon a pole with two” – there were no fewer than two poles, as it does not say “two on a pole,” but rather, “with two.” Some say three; “upon a pole” is one, “with two,” that is three. How much was the weight of each and every one of them? It is stated regarding the stones that they took from the Jordan: “Joshua erected those twelve stones that they took from the Jordan in Gilgal” (Joshua 4:20). What was the measure of each and every one? It was the weight of forty se’a. From here, you calculate regarding that cluster; if a person can carry a burden of one se’a by himself, if another lifts it for him, he carries two se’a. If he can lift two se’a, with another, he carries three. Go and calculate from here.¹²See Sota 34a, where the gemara states that a person who carries something by himself can carry one third of the weight that he can carry with somebody else. Based on that, the Etz Yosef says that if a person lifts up a burden onto his own shoulder he can lift one half of what he can lift if somebody else lifts up the burden and places it on his shoulder, and one third of what he can lift if he and somebody else lift up the burden together. Thus, the cluster weighed 120 se'a.

וַיָּשֻׁבוּ מִתּוּר הָאָרֶץ מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם (במדבר יג, כה), וַהֲלוֹא אַתְּ מוֹצֵא שֶׁהָלְכוּ מִן הַדָּרוֹם לַצָּפוֹן אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, וְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם הָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין אֶת כֻּלָּהּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁגָּלוּי הָיָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהֵן בָּאִין וְאוֹמְרִים לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְנִגְזַר עַל אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר שָׁנִים שֶׁל צָרָה, יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה, וְקִפֵּץ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִפְנֵיהֶם אֶת הַדָּרֶךְ.

“They returned from scouting the land at the conclusion of forty days” (Numbers 13:25). You find that they went from the south to the north in forty days, but in forty days they traversed it in its entirety?¹³The land is too large to traverse by foot in forty days. Rather, it was revealed before the Holy One blessed be He that they would come and speak slander about the Land, and years of travail would be decreed upon them, one year for each day. The Holy One blessed be He miraculously shortened the path before them.

לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא קָרָא נַחַל אֶשְׁכּוֹל (במדבר יג, כד), זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה מו, י): מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית, שֶׁהַכֹּל צָפוּי הָיָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֶשְׁכּוֹל אוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם הָיָה, וְנִקְרָא אֶשְׁכּוֹל (במדבר יג, כד): עַל אֹדוֹת הָאֶשְׁכּוֹל שֶׁעֲתִידִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לִכְרוֹת מִמְּקוֹמוֹ.

“That place he called the Eshkol ravine, because of the cluster [eshkol] that the children of Israel cut from there” (Numbers 13:24).
“That place he called the Eshkol ravine” – that is what the verse said: “Telling the outcome from the outset” (Isaiah 46:10), as everything was foreseen before the Holy One blessed be He. Eshkol was Abraham’s friend,¹⁴Genesis 14:13, 24. and he was called Eshkol because of the eshkol that the children of Israel were destined to cut from there.

וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל משֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן, וַיְסַפְּרוּ לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ בָּאנוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וגו' אֶפֶס כִּי עַז הָעָם (במדבר יג, כו כח), כָּךְ דַרְכָּן שֶׁל מְסַפְּרֵי לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, פּוֹתְחִין בְּטוֹבָה וּמַשְׁלִימִין בְּרָעָה.

“They went and came to Moses, and to Aaron…. They related to him, and said: We came to the land…[and indeed it is flowing with milk and honey and this is its fruit]. But the people that dwell in the Land are powerful” (Numbers 13:26–28). This is the way of those who relate slander; they begin with something positive and conclude with the negative.

עֲמָלֵק יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב (במדבר יג, כט), מָה רָאוּ לִפְתֹּחַ בַּעֲמָלֵק, מָשָׁל לְתִינוֹק שֶׁסָּרַח וְלָקָה בָּרְצוּעָה, וּכְשֶׁמְבַקְּשִׁין לְהַפְחִידוֹ מַזְכִּירִין לוֹ הָרְצוּעָה שֶׁלָּקָה בָהּ, כָּךְ הָיָה עֲמָלֵק רְצוּעָה רָעָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּמָה רָאָה לֵישֵׁב לוֹ עַל הַסְּפָר עַל דֶּרֶךְ כְּנִיסָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ, כָּךְ צִוָּהוּ עֵשָׂו זְקֵנוֹ לְקַדְּמָן לַדֶּרֶךְ, וְעָקַר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְיָשַׁב לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, (במדבר יד, מה): וַיֵּרֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי, וַיַּכּוּם וַיַּכְּתוּם עַד הַחָרְמָה.

“Amalek dwells in the region of the south” (Numbers 13:29) – what did they see that led them to open with Amalek? It is analogous to a child who misbehaved and was struck with a strap. When they seek to scare him, they remind him of the strap with which he was struck. So, Amalek was an injurious strap for Israel. What did he see that led him to settle in the border region on the route of Israel’s entry into the Land? This is what his grandfather, Esau, commanded him, to encounter them on the way, so he uprooted from his place and settled on the route. “The Amalekites and the Canaanites…descended and smote them and crushed them, until Horma” (Numbers 14:45).

וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב (במדבר יג, ל), שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה אָמַר לָהֶם אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם בָּעֵצָה, וּבְלִבּוֹ הָיָה לוֹמַר אֱמֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע יד, ז ח): וָאָשֵׁב אֹתוֹ דָּבָר כַּאֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבִי, וְאַחַי אֲשֶׁר עָלוּ עִמִּי הִמְסִיו אֶת לֵב הָעָם. וְכֵן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵעִיד עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יד, כד): וְעַבְדִּי כָלֵב עֵקֶב הָיְתָה רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת עִמּוֹ. כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים אָמְרוּ נֶאֱמָן עָלֵינוּ כָּלֵב, מִיָּד עָמַד עַל הַסַּפְסָל וְשִׁתֵּק אֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ מְצַוְּחִין עַל משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב, וְהֵם הָיוּ סְבוּרִין שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, לְפִיכָךְ שָׁתְקוּ, פָּתַח וְאָמַר (במדבר יג, ל): עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה וְיָרַשְׁנוּ אֹתָהּ כִּי יָכוֹל נוּכַל לָהּ. מִיָּד חָלְקוּ כְּנֶגְדוֹ וְאָמְרוּ (במדבר יג, לא): לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת אֶל הָעָם וגו'.

“Caleb silenced the people toward Moses, and said: We will ascend, and inherit it; for we can prevail over it” (Numbers 13:30).
“Caleb silenced” – as at first he said to them: ‘I am with you in counsel,’ but in his heart, he intended to speak the truth, as it is stated: “I returned word to him as it was in my heart. My brethren who went up with me dissolved the heart of the people” (Joshua 14:7–8). Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He attests in his regard: “But My servant Caleb, because another spirit was with him” (Numbers 14:24). When the spies came, they said: ‘Caleb is trustworthy for us,’ he immediately stood on the bench and silenced all of Israel, who were shouting at Moses, as it is stated: “Caleb silenced.” They believed that he was going to speak slander; that is why they were silent. He began and said: “We will ascend, and inherit it; for we can prevail over it.” Immediately, they disputed with him and said: “We will be unable to ascend against the people…” (Numbers 13:31).

וַתִּשָֹּׂא כָּל הָעֵדָה וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת קוֹלָם (במדבר יד, א), זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי יח, ח): דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי בָטֶן, דְּבָרִים שֶׁרָגְנוּ אַחַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, גָרְמוּ לָהֶם צָרָה גְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁאִלּוּ לֹא נִשְׁתַּוּוּ לַמְּרַגְּלִים לֹא הָיוּ לוֹקִין עִמָּהֶם, אֶלָּא הִשְׁלִימוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים א, כז): וַתֵּרָגְנוּ בְאָהֳלֵיכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ, מַהוּ וַתֵּרָגְנוּ, תַּרְתֶּם גְּנוּת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁקְּרָאָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה. וַתִּשָֹּׂא כָּל הָעֵדָה וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת קוֹלָם, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ירמיה יב, ח): נָתְנָה עָלַי בְּקוֹלָהּ עַל כֵּן שְׂנֵאתִיהָ, אוֹתוֹ קוֹל שֶׁבְּכִיתֶם, גָּרַם לָכֶם לִהְיוֹת שְׂנוּאִין, וְעַל אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר אָמַר יְשַׁעְיָה (ישעיה יז, יא): בְּיוֹם נִטְעֵךְ תְּשַׂגְשֵׂגִי וּבַבֹּקֶר זַרְעֵךְ תַּפְרִיחִי. בַּיּוֹם שֶׁאָמַר לִטַּע אֶתְכֶם בָּאָרֶץ נַעֲשֵׂיתֶם סִיגִים, וּבַבֹּקֶר זַרְעֵךְ תַּפְרִיחִי, עַד שֶׁלֹא בָּא הַשָּׁרָב פְּרַחְתֶּם, (ישעיה יז, יא): נֵד קָצִיר בְּיוֹם נַחֲלָה, בַּיּוֹם שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי לִתֵּן לָכֶם נַחֲלַת אֲבִיכֶם, נַעֲשֵׂיתֶם קָלוֹן בָּעוֹלָם, (ישעיה יז, יא): וּכְאֵב אָנוּשׁ, זֶה הַפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁשְּׁלַחְתֶּם יְרוּשָׁה לְדוֹרוֹת, שֶׁבָּכוּ בְּלֵיל תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב, וְאָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתֶּם בְּכִיתֶם בְּכִיָּה שֶׁל חִנָּם לְפָנַי, אֲנִי אֶקְבַּע לָכֶם בְּכִיָּה לְדוֹרוֹת, וּמִן אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִגְזְרָה עַל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁתִּתְחָרֵב, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּגְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבֵין הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים קו, כו כז): וַיִּשָֹּׂא יָדוֹ לָהֶם לְהַפִּיל אוֹתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר, וּלְהַפִּיל זַרְעָם בַּגּוֹיִם וּלְזָרוֹתָם בָּאֲרָצוֹת, נְשִׂיאוּת יַד כְּנֶגֶד נְשִׂיאוּת קוֹל.

“The entire congregation raised and sounded their voice and the people wept that night” (Numbers 14:1).
“The entire congregation raised and sounded their voice” – this is what is written: “The words of a grumbler are like blows, and they descend into the chambers of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8). The matters that they grumbled after the Holy One blessed be He caused them great trouble, as had they not concurred with the spies, they would not have been stricken with them, but they followed them, as it is stated: “You grumbled [vateragenu] in your tents and said” (Deuteronomy 1:27). What is vateragenu? You sought the denigration [tartem genut] of the Land of Israel, which the Holy One blessed be He called “a good land.”
“The entire congregation raised and sounded their voice” – this is what the verse said: “It has raised its voice against Me; therefore, I hated it” (Jeremiah 12:8). That voice that you cried caused you to be hated. Regarding that generation, Isaiah said: “On the day of your planting you will flourish [tesagsegi] and in the morning your seed will blossom” (Isaiah 17:11). On the day that He said to implant you in the ground, you became dross [sigim].¹⁵Instead of being planted in the land and flourishing, you became like dross. “And in the morning your seed will blossom” – before the heat of the day arrived, you blossomed.¹⁶When the plant blossoms early, the heat of the day withers it. Your faith withered even before you entered the heat of battle waged to conquer the Land. “The harvest will be lost on a day of affliction” (Isaiah 17:11) – on the day that I moved to give you the inheritance of your ancestors, you became a disgrace for the world. “And acute agony” (Isaiah 17:11) – this is the calamity that you sent as an inheritance for the generations, as they wept on the eve of the Ninth of Av. The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘You wept a gratuitous weeping before Me, I will set it for you as weeping for the generations.’ From that moment, it was decreed that the Temple would be destroyed, so that Israel would be exiled among the nations, just as it says: “He raised His hand in their regard, to cast them down in the wilderness, and to cast their offspring among the nations and to scatter them among the lands” (Psalms 106:26–27). Raising the hand is corresponding to raising the voice.

וַיִּנוּ עַל משֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם כָּל הָעֵדָה (במדבר יד, ב), אֵלּוּ סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת (במדבר יד, ב): לוּ מַתְנוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁעָלָה אֶחָד לַבִּימָה שֶׁלּוֹ לִדּוֹן, הוֹצִיא דָּבָר מִפִּיו בַּמֶּה שֶׁחִיֵּב אֶת עַצְמוֹ, הִנִּיחַ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת הָאִילוֹגִין שֶׁלּוֹ וְחִיְּבוֹ מִפִּיו, אָמַר לוֹ בַּדִּין שֶׁהוֹצֵאתָ מִפִּיךָ בּוֹ אֲנִי דָּנְךָ, יְהֵא לְךָ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ. אַף כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (במדבר יד, כט): בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִפְּלוּ פִגְרֵיכֶם (במדבר יד, כח): חַי אָנִי נְאֻם ה' אִם לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם בְּאָזְנָי כֵּן אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם. הִתְחִילוּ לוֹמַר (במדבר יד, ג ט): וְלָמָּה ה' מֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ, וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה, וַיִּפֹּל משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל פְּנֵיהֶם לִפְנֵי כָּל קְהַל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן וְכָלֵב בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה מִן הַתָּרִים אֶת הָאָרֶץ קָרְעוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אִם חָפֵץ בָּנוּ ה' וְהֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ, אַךְ בַּה' אַל תִּמְרֹדוּ וְאַתֶּם, אָמְרוּ לָהֶם אֵין אַתֶּם נֶאֱמָנִים עָלֵינוּ, אַחֵינוּ חוֹשְׁשִׁים בָּנוּ יוֹתֵר מִכֶּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים א, כח): אָנָה אֲנַחְנוּ עֹלִים אַחֵינוּ הֵמַסּוּ אֶת לְבָבֵנוּ לֵאמֹר, (במדבר יד, י): וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָּל הָעֵדָה לִרְגּוֹם אֹתָם בָּאֲבָנִים, וּמִי הֵם משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, (במדבר יד, י): וּכְבוֹד ה' נִרְאָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ זוֹרְקִין אֲבָנִים וְהֶעָנָן מְקַבֵּל.

“All the children of Israel complained against Moses and against Aaron, and the entire congregation said to them: If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or in this wilderness, if only we had died” (Numbers 14:2).
“All the children of Israel complained against Moses and against Aaron, and the entire congregation said to them” – these are the Sanhedrins. “If only we had died in the land of Egypt” – this is analogous to a king, that one ascended to his podium to be judged. He expressed a matter from his mouth with which he incurred liability. The king put down the bill of indictment and convicted him on the basis of what he said. He said: ‘Based on what you expressed from your mouth I am sentencing you; it will befall you just as you said.’ So, too, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: “Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness” (Numbers 14:29). “[Say to them:] As I live, the utterance of the Lord, surely as you spoke in My ears, so I shall do to you” (Numbers 14:28). They began saying: “Why does the Lord bring us…. They said, one to another: Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt. Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the entire assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. Joshua son of Nun, and Caleb son of Yefuneh, from those who scouted the land, rent their garments. They said to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, saying…If the Lord is favorably disposed to us, He will bring us…However, do not rebel against the Lord, and you…” (Numbers 14:3–9). They [the people] said to them [Moses and Aaron]: ‘You are not trustworthy for us; our brethren¹⁷The other spies. are more concerned about us than you are,’ as it is stated: “Where are we ascending? Our brethren have weakened our heart, saying” (Deuteronomy 1:28). “The entire congregation said to stone them with stones” (Numbers 14:10) – who were they? They were Moses and Aaron. “And the glory of the Lord appeared” (Numbers 14:10) – it teaches that they were casting stones and the cloud would receive them.¹⁸The pillar of cloud absorbed the stones and protected Moses and Aaron.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה עַד אָנָה יְנַאֲצֻנִי הָעָם הַזֶּה (במדבר יד, יא), אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁתֵּי צְוָחוֹת צָוַחְתִּי מִפְּנֵיכֶם, סוֹפְכֶם לִצְוֹחַ אַרְבַּע, בְּשִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכֻיּוֹת, (תהלים יג, ב ג): עַד אָנָה ה' תִּשְׁכָּחֵנִי נֶצַח עַד אָנָה תַּסְתִּיר אֶת פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי עַד אָנָה אָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשִׁי עַד אָנָה יָרוּם אֹיְבִי עָלָי. צָוַחְתִּי (במדבר יד, כז): עַד מָתַי לָעֵדָה הָרָעָה, סוֹפְכֶם לִצְוֹחַ (תהלים ו, ד): וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאֹד וְאַתָּה ה' עַד מָתָי. (במדבר יד, יב): אַכֶּנּוּ בַדֶּבֶר, אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַבֵּט לִבְרִית אֲבוֹתָם שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם שֶׁתַּעֲמִיד מֵהֶם מְלָכִים נְבִיאִים וְכֹהֲנִים. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאֵין אַתָּה מִבֵּינֵיהֶם (שמות לב, י): וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה משֶׁה כָּךְ עָמַד בְּמִדָּה אַחֶרֶת (במדבר יד, יג יד): וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אֶל ה' וְשָׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם, וְאָמְרוּ אֶל יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁלֹא הָיָה בּוֹ כֹּחַ לָזוּן אוֹתָם. אָמַר לוֹ וַהֲלוֹא רָאוּ נִסִּים וּגְבוּרוֹת שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי עַל הַיָּם, אוֹמְרִים בָּנוּ הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בִּשְׁלשִׁים וְאֶחָד אֵין יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד, רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים עֲשֵׂה בִּשְׁבִילְךָ (במדבר יד, יז): וְעַתָּה יִגְדַּל נָא כֹּחַ ה', וּתְנַצֵּחַ מִדַּת רַחֲמִים לְמִדַּת הַדִּין, (במדבר יד, יז): כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לֵאמֹר, אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ בְּאֵיזֶה מִדָּה אַתָּה דָן אֶת עוֹלָמְךָ (שמות לג, יג): הוֹדִיעֵנִי נָא אֶת דְּרָכֶיךָ, הֶעֱבַרְתָּ מִמֶּנִּי (שמות לד, ו): וַיַּעֲבֹר ה' עַל פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא, אוֹתָהּ הַמִּדָּה שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִי קַיֵּים (שמות לד, ו): ה' ה' אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן (במדבר יד, יט): סְלַח נָא. קִבֵּל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת דְּבָרָיו וְהוֹדָה לוֹ (במדבר יד, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ, שֶׁכֵּן עֲתִידִים הַמִּצְרִים לוֹמַר כִּדְבָרֶיךָ.

“The Lord said to Moses: Until when will this people provoke Me, and until when will they not believe in Me, with all the signs that I have performed in their midst?” (Numbers 14:11).
“The Lord said to Moses: Until when will this people provoke Me [and until when will they not believe in Me]” – the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I screamed two screams¹⁹The verse includes the words “until when” twice. because of you; ultimately, you will scream four in the subjugation to the kingdoms.’ “How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I devise plans…? For how long will my enemies tower over me?” (Psalms 13:2–3). I screamed: “Until when, for this evil congregation…” (Numbers 14:27), ultimately, you will scream: “For I am in great terror. And You, Lord, until when?” (Psalms 6:4).
I will smite them with the pestilence and eliminate them and make you a nation greater and mightier than them (Numbers 14:12).
“I will smite them with the pestilence” (Numbers 14:12) – Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, look to the covenant with their forefathers, to whom you took an oath that You would produce kings, prophets, and priests from them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Are you not of their descendants? “I will render you a great nation”’ (Exodus 32:10). When Moses saw this, he took a different tack. “Moses said to the Lord: Egypt will hear…and they will say regarding the inhabitants of this land” (Numbers 14:13–14) – ‘they will say that He did not have the strength to sustain them.’ He said to him: ‘But did they not see the miracles and the mighty acts that I performed at the sea?’ [Moses replied:] ‘They will say: He was able to prevail against us, but is unable to prevail against thirty-one kings. Master of the universe, do it for Your sake: “And now, please, let the might of my Lord be great” (Numbers 14:17), and let the attribute of mercy overcome the attribute of justice. “As You spoke, saying” (Numbers 14:17) – did I not say before You: With what attribute do You judge your world; “please inform me of Your ways”? (Exodus 33:13). You passed [he’evarta] it before me: “The Lord passed [vayaavor] before him and proclaimed” (Exodus 34:6). Fulfill that attribute that You said to me: “The Lord, the Lord, God merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6). “Please pardon”’ (Numbers 14:19). The Holy One blessed be He accepted his words and conceded to him: “The Lord said: I have pardoned in accordance with your word” (Numbers 14:20) – as the Egyptians would have been destined to say as you said.

וְאוּלָם חַי אָנִי (במדבר יד, כא), אִם יִרְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הָעֹלִים מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה (במדבר לב, יא), בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה בֵּין שֶׁהָיָה עִמָּהֶם בָּעֵצָה בֵּין שֶׁלֹא הָיָה עִמָּהֶם בָּעֵצָה. פָּחוֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְלֹא הֵבִיא שְׁתֵּי שַׂעֲרוֹת בֵּין שֶׁהָיָה עִמָּהֶם בָּעֵצָה בֵּין שֶׁלֹא הָיָה עִמָּהֶם בָּעֵצָה. וְאִם הֵבִיא שְׁתֵּי שַׂעֲרוֹת וְהוּא פָּחוֹת מֵעֶשְׂרִים, הָיָה עִמָּהֶן בָּעֵצָה לֹא הָיָה נִכְנַס, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא מֵת אֶחָד מֵהֶן פָּחוֹת מִשִּׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה. בּוֹא וּרְאֵה מַה (מלאכי ג, יח): בֵּין צַדִּיק לְרָשָׁע בֵּין עֹבֵד אֱלֹהִים לַאֲשֶׁר לֹא עֲבָדוֹ. מָשָׁל לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא שֶׁהָיְתָה לָהּ שִׁפְחָה כּוּשִׁית, וְהָלַךְ בַּעֲלָהּ לִמְדִינַת הַיָּם, כָּל הַלַּיְלָה אוֹמֶרֶת אוֹתָהּ שִׁפְחָה לְאוֹתָהּ מַטְרוֹנָה אֲנִי נָאָה מִמֵּךְ וְהַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹהֵב אוֹתִי יוֹתֵר מִמֵּךְ. אָמְרָה לָהּ אוֹתָהּ מַטְרוֹנָה יָבֹא הַבֹּקֶר וְנֵדַע מִי נָאָה וּמִי שֶׁאוֹהֵב אוֹתָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ. אַף כָּךְ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמְרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנַחְנוּ מַעֲשֵׂינוּ יָפִים וּבָנוּ חָפֵץ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לְכָךְ אָמַר יְשַׁעְיָה יָבוֹא הַבֹּקֶר וְאָנוּ יוֹדְעִין בְּמִי חָפֵץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כא, יב): אָמַר שֹׁמֵר אָתָא בֹקֶר וְגַם לָיְלָה, יָבוֹא הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁנִּקְרָא בֹּקֶר וְאָנוּ יוֹדְעִין בְּמִי חָפֵץ, (מלאכי ג, יח): וְשַׁבְתֶּם וּרְאִיתֶם בֵּין צַדִּיק לְרָשָׁע, כְּתִיב (תהלים סב, י): אַךְ הֶבֶל בְּנֵי אָדָם כָּזָב בְּנֵי אִישׁ, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי כָּל הֲבָלִים שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין כָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה, (תהלים סב, י): בְּמֹאזְנַיִם לַעֲלוֹת, מוֹחֵל לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַזָּל מֹאזְנַיִם בְּחֹדֶשׁ תִּשְׁרֵי, (ויקרא טז, ל): כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם.

“However, as I live, and the entire earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Numbers 14:21).
“However, as I live…” “[If] the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above [will see…]” (Numbers 32:11) – from twenty years old, whether he was with them in that counsel or whether he was not with them in that counsel. Less than twenty years old, and he has not grown two hairs,²⁰Since he is a minor. whether he was with them in that counsel or whether he was not with them in that counsel, [he would enter]. If he grew two hairs and is less than twenty, if he was with them in that counsel, he would not enter; nevertheless, not one of them died less than sixty years old.²¹Reaching maturity for men has two conditions; the age of thirteen and two hairs (Nidda 45b). Those who were punished despite having been under twenty, because they had two hairs and had been with them in that counsel, did not die young. They were not allowed to enter, but they didn’t die before surpassing the age at which one may have died because of the punishment of karet.
Come and see what is “between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him” (Malachi 3:18). This is analogous to a noblewoman who had a Kushite maidservant, and her husband [the king] went to a country overseas. All night, that maidservant was saying to that noblewoman: ‘I am fairer than you and the king loves me more than you.’ The noblewoman said to her: ‘Morning will come and we will know who is fair and who the king loves.’ So, likewise, the nations of the world would say to Israel: ‘Our actions are fine and the Holy One blessed be He wants us.’ That is why Isaiah said: Morning will come and we will know whom He wants, as it is stated: “The sentry said: The morning comes and also night” (Isaiah 21:12). The World to Come, which is called morning, will come, and we will know whom He wants. “You will return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked” (Malachi 3:18).
It is written: “Men are vanity; men are an illusion” (Psalms 62:10). Rabbi Ḥiyya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: All the vanities that Israel performs all the days of the year, “rise together on the scales [mozenayim]” (Psalms 62:10) – the Holy One blessed be He forgives them under the constellation of Libra [mozenayim] during the month of Tishrei; “For on this day he shall atone for you, to purify you” (Leviticus 16:30).

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' עַד אָנָה יְנַאֲצֻנִי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי א, כה): וַתִּפְרְעוּ כָל עֲצָתִי וְתוֹכַחְתִּי לֹא אֲבִיתֶם (משלי א, ל): נָאֲצוּ כָּל תּוֹכַחְתִּי. מַהוּ וַתִּפְרְעוּ, אֶלָּא כָּל טוֹבָה שֶׁיָּעַצְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם קִלְקַלְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ וּפְרַעְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתִּפְרְעוּ כָל עֲצָתִי. מִתְּחִלָּה (שמות ג, ח): וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם, וְאַתֶּם לֹא עֲשִׂיתֶם כֵּן, בָּאתֶם לַיָּם וּמִיָּד קִלְקַלְתֶּם אֶת הָעֵצָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו, ז): וַיַּמְרוּ עַל יָם בְּיַם סוּף. בְּאַלְפֵי אֲלָפִים וְרִבֵּי רְבָבוֹת שֶׁל מַלְאָכִים יָרַדְתִּי בִּשְׁבִילְכֶם, וְהָיִיתִי מוֹסֵר לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִכֶּם שְׁנֵי מַלְאָכִים, אֶחָד חוֹגְרוֹ זֵינוֹ וְאֶחָד נוֹתֵן עֲטָרָה בְּרֹאשׁוֹ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה דְּצִפֳּרִין אָמַר זוֹנִים אָסַר לָהֶם, וְרַבִּי סִימָאי אוֹמֵר פּוֹרְפִּירָא הִלְבִּישָׁן וְשֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ חָקוּק עָלָיו, וְכָל הַיָּמִים שֶׁהָיָה בְּיָדָם לֹא הָיָה דָּבָר רָע נוֹגֵעַ בָּהֶם, וְלֹא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, וְלֹא דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁחָטְאוּ אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה (שמות לג, ה): וְעַתָּה הוֹרֵד עֶדְיְךָ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה (שמות לג, ד): וַיִּשְׁמַע הָעָם אֶת הַדָּבָר הָרָע הַזֶּה, מַה כְּתִיב (שמות לג, ו): וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה הֵבִיא לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת אָמַר לוֹ הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בִּרְשׁוּתְךָ חוּץ מֵאֻמָּה זוֹ שֶׁבָּחַרְתִּי לִי. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אָמַר מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל חִנָּם נִבְרֵאתִי בָּעוֹלָם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרָאתִי אוֹתְךָ שֶׁתְּהֵא מְשַׁכֵּל בְּעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים חוּץ מֵאֻמָּה זוֹ שֶׁאֵין לְךָ רְשׁוּת עָלֶיהָ. רְאֵה עֵצָה שֶׁיָּעַץ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ חַיִּים וְקַיָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד, ד): וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים וגו', וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות לב, טז): וְהַמִּכְתָּב מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים הוּא חָרוּת, מַהוּ חָרוּת, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר חֵרוּת מִן הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת, וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר מִמַּלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, וְרַבִּי אוֹמֵר מִן הַיִּסּוּרִין. רְאוּ עֵצָה שֶׁיָּעַץ עֲלֵיהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִיָּד קִלְקְלוּ הָעֵצָה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וַתִּפְרְעוּ כָל עֲצָתִי, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם חוֹטְאִים וְתִהְיוּ חַיִּים וְקַיָּמִים כְּמוֹתִי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי חַי וְקַיָּם לְעוֹלָם וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים, (תהלים פב, ו): אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם וּבְנֵי עֶלְיוֹן כֻּלְּכֶם, כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שֶׁאֵין מֵתִים, וּבִקַּשְׁתֶּם אַחַר הַגְּדֻלָּה הַזֹּאת לָמוּת, (תהלים פב, ז): אָכֵן כְּאָדָם תְּמוּתוּן, כְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁצִּוִּיתִי אוֹתוֹ מִצְוָה אַחַת שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ וְיִהְיֶה חַי וְקַיָּם לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ג, כב): הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ, וְכֵן (בראשית א, כז): וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה חַי וְקַיָּם כְּמוֹתוֹ, וְהוּא חִבֵּל מַעֲשָׂיו וּבִטֵּל גְּזֵרָתִי וְאָכַל מִן הָאִילָן, וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ (בראשית ג, יט): כִּי עָפָר אַתָּה, אַף אַתֶּם אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם, חִבַּלְתֶּם עַצְמְכֶם כְּאָדָם, אָכֵן כְּאָדָם תְּמוּתוּן. וּמִי גָּרַם לָהֶם כָּךְ וַתִּפְרְעוּ כָל עֲצָתִי, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בַּטּוֹבָה שֶׁהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיכֶם בָּהּ אַתֶּם מַכְעִיסִין, בָּאוּ לַמִּדְבָּר וְהֶאֱכַלְתִּי לָהֶם מָן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, וְלֹא נִצְרַךְ אֶחָד מֵהֶם לִנְקָבָיו אוֹתָן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאָכְלוּ אֶת הַמָּן וְהוּא נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם בָּשָׂר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עח, כה): לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ, וּבוֹ הִכְעִיסוּ אוֹתוֹ, אוֹמֵר זֶה לָזֶה אֵין אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ כַּמָּה יָמִים שֶׁלֹא עָשִׂינוּ צְרָכֵינוּ, וְאָדָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה צָרְכּוֹ אַרְבָּעָה יָמִים אוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה יָמִים הוּא מֵת, (במדבר כא, ה): וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל, שֶׁהָיָה קַל בְּתוֹךְ מֵעֵיהֶם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּמֶּה שֶׁהֲטִיבוֹתִי לָהֶם בּוֹ הִכְעִיסוּנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ה, ד): מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת עוֹד לְכַרְמִי. הָלְכוּ הַמְּרַגְּלִים וְרָאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, וְאַתְּ מוֹצֵא בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל הוֹלֵךְ נִכָּר הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סא, ט): כָּל רֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם רוֹאִים לָהֶם הָאֱמוֹרִיִּים מַכִּירִים הֵם אוֹתָן שֶׁהֵן יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹרְגִים אוֹתָם, אֶלָּא מָה אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה, עַל כָּל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה שֶׁהָיוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים נִכְנָסִים הָיָה רֹאשׁ הַמְדִינָה נִגָּף אוֹ מַלְכָּהּ הָיָה נִגָּף, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִהְיוּ עוֹסְקִים לְהוֹצִיא מֵתֵיהֶם וְאֵין נוֹתְנִים דַּעְתָּם לַמְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁלֹא יַהַרְגוּ אוֹתָן, וְהֵן הִכְעִיסוּ בּוֹ, כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ אֵצֶל משֶׁה וְאֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמְרוּ מָה הָאָרֶץ, בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ מֵתִים הָיוּ רוֹאִים, וּמָה הֲנָיָה (במדבר יג, לב): אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי הָיִיתִי סָבוּר שֶׁאַתֶּם נַעֲשִׂין כָּאָבוֹת (הושע ט, י): כַּעֲנָבִים בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְלֹא הָיִיתִי סָבוּר שֶׁאַתֶּם נַעֲשִׂין כִּסְדוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לב, לב): כִּי מִגֶּפֶן סְדֹם גַּפְנָם, (ישעיה ה, ד): מַדּוּעַ קִוִּיתִי לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲנָבִים וַיַּעַשׂ בְּאֻשִׁים. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: עַד אָנָה יְנַאֲצֻנִי.

“Until when will this people provoke Me” – this is what is written: “You nullified [vatifre’u] all my counsel and are unwilling to receive my rebuke” (Proverbs 1:25). “They disdained all my rebuke” (Proverbs 1:30). What is vatifre’u? It is, rather, all the good that I counseled in your regard, you corrupted it and nullified [ufratem] it, as it is stated: “Vatifre’u all my counsel.” “I descended to deliver you from the hand of Egypt” (Exodus 3:8), but you did not do so.²²This is a reference to God's call that they should abandon the idols of Egypt, and the refusal of the nation to do so in Egypt. See Ezekiel 20:5–8. You came to the sea and immediately ruined the plan, as it is stated: “They were defiant at the sea, at the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). With thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads of angels I descended for your benefit, and I would give each and every one of you two angels, one would gird him with his weapon and one would place a crown on his head. Rabbi Yehuda of Tzippori said: They tied weapons upon them. Rabbi Simai says: They dressed them in royal purple garments with the ineffable name engraved on it. All the days that it was in their possession, no evil matter would affect them, neither the angel of death, nor another matter. When they sinned, Moses said to them: “Now remove your ornament” (Exodus 33:5). At that moment, “the people heard this evil tiding” (Exodus 33:4). What is written: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament” (Exodus 33:6). What did the Holy One blessed be He do at the giving of the Torah? He brought the angel of death, He said to him: 'The entire world is in your domain, except for this nation that I chose for Me.' Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili said: The angel of death said before the Holy One blessed be He: 'Was I created in the world for nothing?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: 'I created you so you can bereave idol worshippers, but you have no license over this nation.'
See the counsel that the Holy One blessed be He counseled in their regard, that they will be alive and enduring: “But you, who cleave [to the Lord your God, all of you live today]” (Deuteronomy 4:4). Likewise it says: “The writing was the writing of God, engraved [ḥarut] on the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). What is ḥarut? Rabbi Yehuda says: Freedom [ḥerut] from the kingdoms. Rabbi Neḥemya says: From the angel of death. Rabbi [Yehuda Hanasi] says: From suffering.
See the counsel that the Holy One blessed be He counseled in their regard, and they immediately corrupted that counsel within forty days. That is why it is stated: “You nullified all my counsel” (Proverbs 1:25). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I said that you will not sin, and you will live and endure like Me, just as I live and endure for all eternity. “I had said: You are divine, like beings on High, all of you,” (Psalms 82:6), like the ministering angels that do not die. But after all that greatness, you sought to die; “yet as men [adam] you will die” (Psalms 82:7), like Adam the first man, whom I commanded one mitzva for him to perform it, and he would live and endure forever,’ as it is stated: “Behold, the man has become as one of us” (Genesis 3:22), and likewise: “God created man in his image” (Genesis 1:27) – that he would live and endure like Him. ‘But he corrupted his actions, nullified My decree, and ate from the tree. I said to him: “For you are dust [and will return to dust]” (Genesis 3:19). You, too, I said: “I had said: You are divine,” but you corrupted yourselves like Adam. “Yet, as Adam you will die.” Who caused this for them? “You nullified all My counsel.”’
The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘With the benefit that I brought upon you, with that, you infuriate. They came to the wilderness and I fed them manna for forty years, and not one of them needed to relieve himself for those forty years. Rather, they ate the manna and it became flesh for them,’ as it is stated: “Men ate the bread of the mighty [abirim]” (Psalms 78:25).²³This is expounded as though it said eivarim, meaning limbs. With it they infuriated Him. One says to the other: ‘Do you not know that we have not relieved ourselves for several days, and a person who does not relieve himself for four days or five days, he dies.’ “And our soul loathes the insubstantial [hakelokel] bread” (Numbers 21:5), as it was light in their intestines. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘With what I benefitted them, they infuriated Me,’ as it is stated: “What more is there to do for my vineyard [that I did not do in it]?” (Isaiah 5:4).²⁴In this metaphor, the Holy One blessed be He is the owner of the vineyard and Israel is the vineyard.
The spies went and saw the land. You find that every place that Israel goes, it is recognized, as it is stated: “All who see them will recognize them” (Isaiah 61:9). The Holy One blessed be He said: If the Emorites see them, they will recognize that they are Israel and will kill them. Rather, what will I do? In each and every province that the spies would enter, the head of the province would be stricken, or its king would be stricken, so they would be occupied in taking their dead out and would not pay attention to the spies, so they would not kill them. But they infuriated with it; when they came to Moses, and to Israel, they said: ‘What is the land?’ Every place that they entered, they would see dead people, what benefit is there? “A land that consumes its inhabitants” (Numbers 13:32) – the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I believed that you would become like the patriarchs, “Like grapes in the wilderness” (Hosea 9:10), but I did not believe that you would become like Sodom, as it is stated: “For their vine is of the vine of Sodom”’ (Deuteronomy 32:32). “Why did I hope to produce grapes and it produced inferior ones?” (Isaiah 5:4). That is why it is stated: “Until when will this people provoke Me?”

אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה (במדבר יד, יד טו): שָׁמְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה ה' בְּקֶרֶב הָעָם הַזֶּה, וְהֵמַתָּה אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד, שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמְרִים אֱלֹהֵי כְּנַעַן קָשִׁים הֵם מֵאֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם, אֱלֹהֵיהֶן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם שֶׁקֶר הֵם אֲבָל שֶׁל כְּנַעַן שֶׁל בַּעַל הֵם, (במדבר יד, יד-טו): וְאָמְרוּ אֶל יוֹשֵׁב, מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה', מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹא הָיָה לוֹ יְכוֹלֶת לְהוֹסִיף לָהֶם מְזוֹנוֹת הוֹצִיאָם לַהֲמִיתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְאֵין לְשׁוֹן יְכֹלֶת אֶלָּא מְזוֹנוֹת, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (מלכים א ה, כה): עֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף כֹּר חִטִּים מַכֹּלֶת לְבֵיתוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם נוֹהֲגִין בְּךָ כְּאַכְזָרִי, לוֹמַר בָּא דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וְאִבְּדָן, בָּא דּוֹר הַפְלָגָה וּבָאוּ סְדוֹמִים וּבָאוּ מִצְרִים וְאִבְּדָן, אַף אֵלּוּ שֶׁקְּרָאָן (שמות ד, כב): בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי, הֲרֵי הוּא מְכַלֶּה אוֹתָן, כַּלִּילִית הַזּוֹ שֶׁאֵינָהּ מוֹצְאָה כְּלוּם וְהִיא הוֹפֶכֶת עַל בָּנֶיהָ, כָּךְ מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה'. אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים (במדבר יד, יד): [כי] אֲשֶׁר עַיִן בְּעַיִן נִרְאָה אַתָּה, מַהוּ [כי] אֲשֶׁר עַיִן בְּעַיִן, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ הֲרֵי מֹאזְנַיִם מְעֻיָּן, אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (במדבר יד, יב): אַכֶּנּוּ בַדֶּבֶר, וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר (במדבר יד, יט): סְלַח נָא, נִרְאֶה שֶׁל מִי עוֹמֵד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יד, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶיךָ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא בָּטְלָה גְּזֵרָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לְמשֶׁה (במדבר יד, יב): וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל, הֶעֱמִיד מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א כג, יז): וּבְנֵי רְחַבְיָה רָבוּ לְמָעְלָה. וְלֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְכַנְסָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מט, יב): הִנֵּה אֵלֶּה מֵרָחוֹק יָבֹאוּ וְהִנֵּה אֵלֶּה מִצָּפוֹן וּמִיָּם וְאֵלֶּה מֵאֶרֶץ סִינִים, וְהַגָּלֻיּוֹת בָּאִים עִמָּהֶם וְהַשְּׁבָטִים שֶׁהֵם נְתוּנִים לִפְנִים מִן סַמְבַּטְיוֹן וְשֶׁלִּפְנִים מִן הָרֵי חשֶׁךְ, הֵם מִתְכַּנְסִין וּבָאִין לִיְרוּשָׁלָיִם. אָמַר יְשַׁעְיָה (ישעיה מט, יב, ט): לֵאמֹר לַאֲסוּרִים צֵאוּ, אֵלּוּ שֶׁנְּתוּנִים לִפְנִים מִן סַמְבַּטְיוֹן, (ישעיה מט, ט): לַאֲשֶׁר בַּחשֶׁךְ הִגָּלוּ, אֵלּוּ שֶׁנְּתוּנִים לִפְנִים מִן עָנָן שֶׁל חשֶׁךְ, (ישעיה מט, ט): עַל דְּרָכִים יִרְעוּ וּבְכָל שְׁפָיִים מַרְעִיתָם, אֵלּוּ שֶׁנְּתוּנִים בְּדָפְנוֹ שֶׁל אַנְטוֹכְיָא, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הֵם נִגְאָלִים וּבָאוּ לְצִיּוֹן בְּשִׂמְחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נא, יא): וּפְדוּיֵי ה' יְשׁוּבוּן וגו'.

Moses said to Him: “They heard that You, the Lord, are in the midst of this people…If You kill this people as one man [the nations who have heard your fame will say: Because of the inability of the Lord to bring this nation to the land which He swore to give them, he killed them in the desert]” (Numbers 14:14–16) – [Do not destroy them] so the nations of the world will not say that the gods of Canaan are stronger than the gods of Egypt. The gods of Egypt are false, but those of Canaan are substantial. “They will say regarding the inhabitants of the land” (Numbers 14:14).
“Due to the Lord’s lack of ability [yekholet]” (Numbers 14:16) – because He did not have the ability to continue providing them with food, He took them out to kill them in the wilderness. The expression yekholet means nothing other than food, just as it says: “Twenty thousand kor of wheat, provision [makolet] for his household” (I Kings 5:25).
Another matter, [do not destroy them] so the nations of the world will not relate to You as cruel, saying: ‘The generation of the Flood came and He eradicated them. The generation of the Dispersion came, the Sodomites came, the Egyptians came, and He eradicated them. These, too, whom He called: “My son, My firstborn” (Exodus 4:22), behold, He is eradicating them, like this Lilit,²⁵The queen of the demons. who does not find anything, and turns against her children.’ So, it is, “due to the Lord’s lack of yekholet.”²⁶This is expounded as though it says: The lack of victims to eradicate [lekhalot].
Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, “That with their very eyes [ayin be’ayin], You, [the Lord], were seen” (Numbers 14:14). What is “ayin be’ayin"? Reish Lakish said: That the scales are equal [me’uyan]. You say: “I will smite them with pestilence” (Numbers 14:12), and I say: “Please pardon” (Numbers 14:19). Let us see whose prevails, as it is stated: “I have pardoned in accordance with your word” (Numbers 14:20). Nevertheless, the decree of the Holy One blessed be He was not voided, as He said to Moses: “I will render you a nation greater [and mightier than they]” (Numbers 14:12), and He produced six hundred thousand from him, as it is stated: “But the sons of Rehavya were very numerous” (I Chronicles 23:17).²⁷Rehavya was Moses’ grandson. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will gather them, as it is stated: “Behold, these will come from afar, and behold, these from the North and from the West, and those from the land of Sinim” (Isaiah 49:12). The exiles will come with them; the tribes that are situated beyond the Sambatyon River and beyond the mountains of darkness, they will gather and come to Jerusalem. Isaiah said: “To say to prisoners: Emerge” (Isaiah 49:9), these are those situated beyond the Sambatyon River. “To those in darkness: Reveal yourselves” (Isaiah 49:9), these are those situated beyond the clouds of darkness. “They will graze along the ways and on all the bare hills will be their pasture” (Isaiah 49:9), these are those who are situated in Daphne of Antioch. At that moment they will be redeemed, and come to Zion in joy, as it is stated: “The redeemed of the Lord will return and will come to Zion in song” (Isaiah 51:11).

עַד מָתַי וגו' (במדבר יד, כז), הֲלָכָה תִּינוֹק שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ אֶבֶן בְּשַׁבָּת מַהוּ לְטַלְטְלוֹ, שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ נוֹטֵל אָדָם אֶת בְּנוֹ וְהָאֶבֶן בְּיָדוֹ, כַּלְכָּלָה וְאֶבֶן בְּתוֹכָהּ. מִדּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר אַתְּ לָמֵד, שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹשְׂאָם בַּמִּדְבָּר כִּבְיָכוֹל (דברים א, לא): כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָֹּׂא אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ, וְהָיְתָה עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים בְּיָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחמיה ט, יח): כִּי עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה. וְכֵן אַתְּ מוֹצֵא כְּשֶׁעָבְרוּ בַּיָּם צַלְמוֹ שֶׁל מִיכָה עָבַר עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה י, יא): וְעָבַר בַּיָּם צָרָה, וּבְכָל כָּךְ לֹא הִנִּיחָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאָמַר לְמשֶׁה קָרַעְתִּי לָהֶם אֶת הַיָּם וְהִכְעִיסוּנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עח, מ): כַּמָּה יַמְרוּהוּ, וְאַף כָּאן הוֹצִיאוּ עַל הָאָרֶץ שֵׁם רָע וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל, עַד מָתַי אֶהְיֶה סוֹבֵל לָהֶם, עַד מָתַי לָעֵדָה הָרָעָה.

“Until when, for this evil congregation that bring complaints against Me? I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel that they brought against Me” (Numbers 14:27).
“Until when…” – halakha: A baby who has a stone in his hand, is it permitted to move him on Shabbat? Our Rabbis taught: A person may take his son even though there is a stone in his hand, and a basket with a stone inside it. You learn it from the generation of the wilderness, as the Holy One blessed be He was, as it were, bearing them in the wilderness, “as a man would bear his son” (Deuteronomy 1:31), and there were idols in their possession, as it is stated: “They made themselves a cast figure of a calf” (Nehemiah 9:18). Likewise you find when they crossed in the sea, the image of Mikha crossed with them, as it is stated: “Trouble [tzara]²⁸The word tzara can also mean another wife. Thus it is used as a reference to idol worship, in which "another entity" is being brought into the relationship with God. will pass through the sea” (Zechariah 10:11). Nevertheless, the Holy One blessed be He did not abandon them. He said to Moses: ‘I split the sea for them and they infuriated Me,’ as it is stated: “How much did they defy Him?” (Psalms 78:40). ‘Here, too, they disseminated slander regarding the Land, and I am unable to tolerate it. Until when need I be tolerant of them? “Until when, for this evil congregation?”’ (Numbers 14:27).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, עַד מָתַי, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (מלאכי א, יא): כִּי מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ וְעַד מְבוֹאוֹ גָּדוֹל שְׁמִי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מְכַבְּדִין אוֹתִי, וְאַתֶּם כַּמָּה עָשִׂיתִי נִסִּים לָכֶם וּמַכְעִיסִין אַתֶּם אוֹתִי. רְצוֹנְךָ לֵידַע, עֶגְלוֹן מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב אָדָם עָרֵל הָיָה, וְנִכְנַס אֵהוּד בֶּן גֵּרָא אֶצְלוֹ כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר לוֹ שְׁמִי חָלַק לִי כָּבוֹד וְעָמַד לוֹ מִכִּסְאוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים ג, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר אֵהוּד דְּבַר אֱלֹהִים לִי אֵלֶיךָ, וַיָּקָם מֵעַל הַכִּסֵּא, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי מִמִּזְרַח וגו', עָלֶיךָ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מְכַבְּדִין אוֹתִי וְחוֹלְקִים לִי כָּבוֹד, וְאַתֶּם מַכְעִיסִין אוֹתִי וַאֲנִי טוֹעֵן אֶתְכֶם, עַד מָתַי אֲנִי סוֹבֵל, עַד מָתַי לָעֵדָה הָרָעָה. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל אָדָם קוֹנֶה לוֹ עֶבֶד שֶׁיְהֵא הָעֶבֶד נוֹטֵל הַפַּנָּס וּמֵאִיר לַקּוֹנֶה, וַאֲנִי לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כֵן, אֶלָּא אַתֶּם עֲבָדַי (ויקרא כה, נה): כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים, וַאֲנִי נוֹטֵל אֶת הַפַּנָּס וּמֵאִיר לָכֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם קוֹנֶה עֶבֶד שֶׁאִם יֵצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ יְהֵא עַבְדוֹ קוֹדֵם וּמְתַקֵּן לוֹ אֶטִימָסִיָּה, וַאֲנִי לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כֵן אֶלָּא אַתֶּם עֲבָדַי וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי מְתַקֵּן לָכֶם אֶטִימָסִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י, לג): וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה' וגו' לָתוּר לָהֶם מְנוּחָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם קוֹנֶה עֶבֶד שֶׁיְהֵא עַבְדוֹ אוֹפֶה לוֹ לֶחֶם, וַאֲנִי לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כֵן, אַתֶּם עֲבָדַי וַאֲנִי אוֹפֶה לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים עח, כה): לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ.

Another matter, “Until when…” – this is what the verse said: “For from the rising of the sun to its setting, My name is great [among the nations]” (Malachi 1:11). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The nations of the world respect Me, but you, how many miracles have I performed on your behalf, but you infuriate Me? Would you like to know? Eglon king of Moav was an uncircumcised heathen. Ehud son of Gera entered to him and when he mentioned My name, he accorded Me honor and rose from his throne,’ as it is stated: “Ehud said: I have the word of God for you. He rose from the throne” (Judges 3:20). This is to realize what is stated: “For from the rising…” In your regard, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The nations of the world respect Me and accord Me honor, but you infuriate Me and I bear you.’ Until when need I be tolerant of them? “Until when, for this evil congregation?”
The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘As it were, a person purchases a slave so the slave will take the lantern and illuminate for the purchaser. But, I did not do so, but rather, you are My slaves, “for the children of Israel are slaves to Me” (Leviticus 25:55), but I take the lantern and illuminate for you.
‘Another matter, the way of the world is that a person purchases a slave so that if he sets out on the way, his slave precedes him and prepares an encampment for him. But I did not do so, but rather, you are My slaves, and I would prepare an encampment for you, as it is stated: “The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord [was traveling before them]…to scout a resting place for them” (Numbers 10:33).
‘Another matter, the way of the world is that a person purchases a slave so that his slave would bake bread for him. But I did not do so; you are My slaves, but I baked bread from the heavens for you. As it says: “Men ate the bread of the mighty”’ (Psalms 78:25).

אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה אֲכַלֶּה אוֹתָם מִלְּפָנַי, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים אַתָּה מַאֲרִיךְ אַף, וְעֶבֶד אִם יִהְיוּ מַעֲשָׂיו טוֹבִים וִיהֵא שׁוֹמֵעַ לְרַבּוֹ וִיהֵא רַבּוֹ מִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת, אֵין מַחֲזִיקִין לְרַבּוֹ טוֹבָה, וְאֵימָתַי הֵם מַחֲזִיקִין, בִּזְּמַן שֶׁהָעֶבֶד שֶׁל תַּרְבּוּת רָעָה וְרַבּוֹ מִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת. כָּךְ אַתָּה אַל תַּבֵּט בִּקְשֵׁה עָרְפָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ט, כז): אַל תֵּפֶן אֶל קְשִׁי הָעָם הַזֶּה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּשְׁבִילְךָ אֶסְלַח לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יד, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ.

The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I will eradicate them from before Me.’ He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, you are slow to anger. A slave, if his deeds are good and he heeds his master, and his master looks upon him favorably, they do not give credit to his master. When do they give credit? It is when the slave is wayward, but his master looks upon him favorably. So, too, You, do not look upon their stubbornness, as it is stated: “Do not turn to the stubbornness of this people”’ (Deuteronomy 9:27). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘For your sake, I will pardon them,’ as it is stated: “I have pardoned in accordance with your word” (Numbers 14:20).