Shelach: Kavod Shamayim

Rav Chanan Porat, zt’l, was a unique ish eshkolot or “Renaissance Man,” a talmid chacham and poet, paratrooper, and educator, in love with the nation, Torah, and the Land of Israel. A founder of Gush Emunim, he was also a pioneer, builder, and eventually a Member of Knesset. Rav Chanan was often sought out for his comments on current events. He spoke with passion and wit, and was never shy about sharing his opinions.

Rav Chanan’s daughter, Tirtza, described how one afternoon, he was sitting with a sefer open in front of him, pen in hand, writing his weekly Torah column and fielding non-stop calls on two different phone lines. At one point, the producer of a popular prime-time Israeli television show called to ask Rav Chanan if he would appear on his program.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, Rav Chanan paused for a moment, furrowed his brow in contemplation and calmly asked the producer, “Do you think that my participation will give nachat ruach to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, pleasure to the Holy One? Will it be marbeh kavod Shamayim, increasing the Divine honor?”

Taken aback, the producer was unable to answer definitively, and offered a hesitant “I’m not sure….”

“Well, if that’s the case, then I will have to pass. Thank you.”

Our parashah leads us on a saga of tragic, painful events coming on the heels of generations of suffering and exile.

According to Ramban, although the end of the story is disastrous, the Meraglim had holy intentions. Bnei Yisrael had been escorted and sustained by the Well of Miriam, led by a pillar of fire, and surrounded by clouds of glory. Their sojourn in the desert was one of constant miracles and Divine providence. They asked themselves: Why should we enter the Land of Israel, only to be forced to engage its inhabitants in battle, then build cities and deal with the complex material needs of a worldly society? Why should we enter into a situation in which we will have to push aside spiritual pursuits in order to work the land and cultivate fields, when we are enjoying a life of Dveykus and receiving nourishment in the form of manna that falls from Heaven?

The Meraglim intended to keep us in the ideal spiritual environment of the midbar, nestled in a womb-like experience where we wouldn’t be busied with lowly worldly affairs that could interfere with our connection to Hashem. What they failed to take into account was actually the most important factor: ratzon Hashem, the Divine will and desire. In following the report and influence of the Spies, we engaged in an embarrassing rebellion against Hashem’s will.

When we are so certain of our belief of the righteousness of our cause, we can become filled with kavod atzmi, self-importance. This is a subtle act of theft: kavod belongs to Hashem. When taking kavod for ourselves, Hashem’s kavod is diminished in the world, so-to-speak.

After Moshe’s plea for forgiveness, Hashem says, “Salachti k’dvarecha, I have forgiven them in accordance with your word. However, as surely as I live, v’yemalei kavod Hashem es kol ha-aretz, and the glory of G-d fills all of the earth… all the people haro’im es kavodi, who while seeing My glory, and the signs that I performed in Egypt and in the desert, have tested me these ten times and not listened to My voice… they will not see the Land that I swore to their fathers (14:20-23).”

In meting out the repercussions of the Nation’s lack of faith and following the Meraglim, HaKadoshBaruch Hu reminds us that His glory and presence, His kavod, fills the earth. There is no place devoid of Hashem. The ratzon Hashem is that we should reveal this omnipresent glory throughout “all the earth” by creating a dira b’tachtonim, a dwelling for Hashem in the lower, physical world. Our mundane, physical day-to-day acts are themselves a revelation of Hashem on earth.

While holy and well-intended, the mistake of the Meraglim teaches us how clear we must be regarding our higher purpose: to bring nachas ruach to Hashem and be marbeh kavod Shamayim. May we have the courage to “pass” on any offer that is not aligned with Hashem’s desire to dwell here, in our world and within ourselves. 

Excerpt from “Baderech: Along the Path of the Torah,” forthcoming (Mosaica Press, Elul 5786).

Rav Judah Mischel is executive director of Camp HASC, the Hebrew Academy for Special Children. He is the founder of Tzama Nafshi and the author of the “Baderech” series. Rav Judah lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife Ora and their family.