(Devarim 1:23) "And the thing was good in my eyes": but not in the eyes of the Holy One Blessed be He. But if it was good in his eyes, why is it included in his rebuke? An analogy: A man says to his neighbor: Will you sell me this ass? The other: Yes. The man: Will you let me try it out? The other: Yes, come and I will show you how much it can carry on the mountain and how much it can carry in the valley. When the man saw that the other impeded him in no way, he said: Take your money. This is the intent of "the thing was good in my eyes" (i.e., to "try out," etc. [but it was not good that they asked]).
"one man to a tribe": (If so) why need it be stated "and I took of you twelve men"? To indicate that the tribe of Levi was not among them, (for if it were, there would be thirteen.)
(דברים א כג) וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינַי הַדָּבָר, בְּעֵינַי הָיָה טוֹב, וְלֹא בְּעֵינֵי מָקוֹם. אִם בְּעֵינָיו הָיָה טוֹב, לָמָּה נִכְתַּב עִם דִּבְרֵי תוֹכָחוֹת? מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד שֶׁאָמַר לַחֲבֵרוֹ: מְכוֹר אַתָּה לִי חֲמוֹרְךָ זֶה? אָמַר לוֹ הֵן; נוֹתֵן אַתָּה לִי לְנִסָּיוֹן? אָמַר לוֹ הֵן, בֹּא אַתָּה וַאֲנִי אַרְאֶךָ כַּמָּה נוֹשֵׂא בָּהָר, כַּמָּה נוֹשֵׂא בַּבִּקְעָה! כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁאֵין מְעַכְּבוֹ כְּלוּם אָמַר: אוֹי לִי, דּוֹמֶה זֶה שֶׁאֵין מְעַכֵּב עָלַי אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל לָשֵׂאת אֶת מָעוֹתַי! לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינַי הַדָּבָר.
(Devarim 1:23) "And the thing was good in my eyes": but not in the eyes of the Holy One Blessed be He. But if it was good in his eyes, why is it included in his rebuke? An analogy: A man says to his neighbor: Will you sell me this ass? The other: Yes. The man: Will you let me try it out? The other: Yes, come and I will show you how much it can carry on the mountain and how much it can carry in the valley. When the man saw that the other impeded him in no way, he said: Take your money. This is the intent of "the thing was good in my eyes" (i.e., to "try out," etc. [but it was not good that they asked]).
וָאֶקַּח מִכֶּם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲנָשִׁים, מִן הַבְּרוּרִים שֶׁבָּכֶם, מִן הַמְסֻלָּתִים שֶׁבָּכֶם.
"and I took of you twelve men": of the most select among you; of the finest among you.
אִישׁ אֶחָד לַשָּׁבֶט, מָה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר וָאֶקַּח מִכֶּם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲנָשִׁים! מַגִּיד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי עִמָּהֶם.
"one man to a tribe": (If so) why need it be stated "and I took of you twelve men"? To indicate that the tribe of Levi was not among them, (for if it were, there would be thirteen.)