(Numb. 14:1:) “Then the whole congregation raised their voice [and cried].” This text is related (to Prov. 18:8), “The words of a murmurer are like mighty blows,40English translations usually render this unusual word as “delicacies” or something similar, but the meaning is uncertain. The present translation is derived from the context of the midrash. and they go down into the chambers of the belly.” Those words which the spies murmured against the Holy One, blessed be He, brought them misfortune for generations.41Numb. R. 16:20. As if they had not listened to the spies, they would not have been punished with them. Instead they acquiesced to them, as stated (in Deut. 1:27), “You sulked (teragnu) in your tents.” What is the meaning of “teragnu?” You sought the disgrace (TARtem GENUt) of the Land of Israel, which the Holy One, blessed be He, called a good land. This is comparable to a person who was a friend of the king, and the king chooses a fine item to give to him. [If] someone stood up and said to the friend that it is bad, would he not be saying [to the king], “You have not honored your friend properly?”
וַתִּשָּׂא כָּל הָעֵדָה וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת קוֹלָם. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: דִּבְרֵי נִרְגָּן כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים, וְהֵם יָרְדוּ חַדְרֵי בָטֶן (משלי יח, ח). דְּבָרִים שֶׁרָגְנוּ הַמְּרַגְּלִים אַחַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, גָּרְמוּ לָהֶם צָרָה גְּדוֹלָה. שֶׁאִלּוּ לֹא שָׁמְעוּ לַמְּרַגְּלִים, לֹא הָיוּ לוֹקִין עִמָּהֶם, אֶלָּא שֶׁהִשְׁלִימוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתֵּרָגְנוּ בְאָהֳלֵיכֶם (דברים א, כז). מַהוּ וַתֵּרָגְנוּ. תַּרְתֶּם גְּנוּת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁקְּרָאָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה. מָשָׁל לְמִי שֶׁהָיָה אוֹהֵב לַמֶּלֶךְ, וְהַמֶּלֶךְ בּוֹרֵר מָנָה יָפָה לָתֵת לוֹ. וְעָמַד אֶחָד וְאָמַר לְאוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁהִיא רָעָה, אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, לֹא כִּבַּדְתָּ לְאוֹהַבְךָ יָפֶה.
(Numb. 14:1:) “Then the whole congregation raised their voice [and cried].” This text is related (to Prov. 18:8), “The words of a murmurer are like mighty blows,40English translations usually render this unusual word as “delicacies” or something similar, but the meaning is uncertain. The present translation is derived from the context of the midrash. and they go down into the chambers of the belly.” Those words which the spies murmured against the Holy One, blessed be He, brought them misfortune for generations.41Numb. R. 16:20. As if they had not listened to the spies, they would not have been punished with them. Instead they acquiesced to them, as stated (in Deut. 1:27), “You sulked (teragnu) in your tents.” What is the meaning of “teragnu?” You sought the disgrace (TARtem GENUt) of the Land of Israel, which the Holy One, blessed be He, called a good land. This is comparable to a person who was a friend of the king, and the king chooses a fine item to give to him. [If] someone stood up and said to the friend that it is bad, would he not be saying [to the king], “You have not honored your friend properly?”