Shlach L'cha - Numbers 13:1-15:41 - 6/20/25

Throughout their wandering in the desert, the Israelites never failed to complain, whine, and kvetch about their situation.  There were times when Moses got fed up and had to be persuaded to forgive the people. There were times when God also got fed up, and Moses had to persuade God to forgive. But in this week’s Torah portion, Shlach L’cha, God had finally had enough.

The portion begins as the Israelites near the land of Canaan. God instructs Moses to send a representative from each tribe to form a scouting party to check out the land before they enter it.  The scouts come back with false reports about the size and strength of the various peoples who already inhabit the land.  They tell the people ‘we cannot attack these people, for they are stronger than we are’ (Nu. 13:30). The people burst into tears and talk about returning to Egypt. Only Caleb and Joshua tell the truth that the land is good, and the Israelites will be able to settle there.

At first, God wants to wipe the people out for being so difficult. Moses persuades God  not to do this, but God exacts a different punishment. The generation that left slavery is not fit to inherit the land and so they are cursed to wander in the desert for the next 40 years. Only their children will be able to enter the land and settle it.

Modern commentators note that the scouts report was ‘we can’t do it’, meaning they were relying only on themselves and forgot that God would be in control. Therefore, they were cursed to wander in the desert because they had lost their faith in God’s power and God’s love.

-Rabbi Bonnie Margulis