This class was presented at Ohr Chaim Shul in Monsey, NY, on Sunday Parshas Shlach, 20 Sivan, 5775, June 7, 2015.

The Jews are poised to enter the ancient land of Canaan. Finally, the journey that began with the Exodus and stopped at Sinai is to reach its final destination. Moses will lead them and usher in a new dawn for civilization. Moses sends twelve spies, handpicked from the best and brightest men of the nation, to bring back a report on the land and strategic military information.

But then disaster strikes. Ten of the spies return with a terrifying report: The cities are fortified, the people are mighty. Even the produce is fearful. The people panic, and refuse to continue. They are ultimately punished to spend the next forty years in the desert, and only their children will enter Israel, under the leadership of Joshua.

Many interpretations are offered to explain the grave mistake of the spies -- how such great men could make such a terrible and costly mistake. The Talmud says they questioned G-d’s abilities. The Zohar says they were afraid of losing their status as leaders if they entered the Promised Land. Both explanations seem absurd. They have witnessed the greatest miracles of mankind; and would they really jeopardize the future of the entire nation because of their craving for power?!

The most remarkable of all the commentators on the episode of the spies was Rabbi Schnuer Zalman of Liadi. His insight turns the conventional understanding of the spies upside down. They were, in his view, not afraid of defeat. They were afraid of victory. What they said to the people was one thing, but what led them to say it was another entirely.

We come to discover why the day of their death, 17 Elul, is a day of mourning in Jewish law; why the concept of a Minyan is derived from the spies. We also gain an understanding of the mitzvos following the story of the spies, the mitzvah of wine libations, Chalah and Tzitzis.