26Vayelkhu vayavo'u el Moshe ve'el Aharon ve'el kol adat bnei Yisra'el el midbar Paran kadeshah vayashivu otam davar ve'et kol ha'edah vayar'um et pri ha'aretz
7Vayomru el kol adat bnei Yisra'el lemor ha'aretz asher avarnu vah latur otah tovah ha'aretz me'od me'od
The spies set out on a reconnaissance mission from the wilderness to Lebo Chamat. They reach Chevron, where the children of the Anak live: Achiman, Sheshai, and Talmai. On their return they bring back a cluster of grapes so heavy that two men must carry it on a pole, along with pomegranates and figs.
They return after forty days and deliver their report: the land is indeed “zavat chalav udvash” (flowing with milk and honey), but “efes ki az ha’am” (however, the people are strong), the cities are fortified, and the children of Anak are there. They close with a bleak picture:
“Vanehi ve’eineinu kachagavim vekhen hayinu be’eineihem” (And we were in our own eyes like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes)
(Bamidbar 13:33)
The people weep, rebel, and claim it would have been better to die in Egypt. They propose to return there. Only Calev and Yehoshua tear their clothes and plead:
“Tovah ha’aretz me’od me’od” (The land is very, very good)
(Bamidbar 14:7)
From “Efes” to “Aloh na’aleh”
There are moments when reality really does look hard. The spies did not lie. The land was strong, the people were great, the cities were fortified. But their sin was not in the report, but in the interpretation. They inserted that one word, “efes” (however), that cancels everything.
It was not what they saw, but how they saw.
Instead of saying “there are challenges, but we will overcome”, they said “it is impossible”. Instead of saying “we can”, they said “we are grasshoppers”.
Calev, against them, stands and declares:
“Aloh na’aleh veyarashnu otah ki yakhol nukhal lah” (Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it)
(Bamidbar 13:30)
These words are a spiritual wall of defense for every generation.
Facing Today’s Threats
In these days too, when great threats stand before us from Iran, from Gaza, from the north, and from within, we must beware of an inner “committee of spies” that brings hard reports but attaches to them the word “efes”.
The real test is not to see a rosy reality, but to know that even in the face of a real threat, it is in our power to prevail.
Not because we are stronger, but because we are right, because this land is ours, and because when we believe in the path, even grasshoppers can become giants.
Calev’s verse, “yakhol nukhal lah” (we are well able to overcome it), is an eternal answer to every fear.
More Questions on the Parsha
More questions on this parsha are on the way. In the meantime, explore our daily Torah learning.