Spies and Strangers
At Jewish Newport
June 20, 2020
By Aaron Ginsburg
Thank you to Rabbi Marc Mandel
Edited by Rebecca Beit-Aharon
Also at facebook.com/groups/jewishnewport
“When the spies gave their report to the nation, they related that there were giants in the land of Canaan, and they felt like grasshoppers next to them. How is it possible for members of a nation that stood at Sinai, that heard the voice of God, to view themselves as grasshoppers? In our generation we should be proud of our heritage, aware of the Divine spark in our souls and the gift of Torah that is our legacy.”
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God was so upset when the Israelites refused to proceed to the promised land, he threatened to kill them all. In Bereshit, Avraham pleaded with God to spare Sodom if there were a few righteous people there. Moses rose to the occasion, and asked that all of Israel be spared. He appealed to God’s vanity. “How would it look to the Egyptians if you destroyed your own people?” They would say, “מִבִּלְתִּ֞י יְכֹ֣לֶת יְהוָ֗ה לְהָבִיא֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣ע לָהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
It must be because the LORD was powerless to bring that people into the land He had promised them on oath that He slaughtered them in the wilderness.”
Moses then rubbed it even more, remind God that he had already promised to be patient (Numbers 14:18)
יְהוָ֗ה אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֖ן וָפָ֑שַׁע וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֞ד עֲוֺ֤ן אָבוֹת֙ עַל־בָּנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃
‘The LORD! slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression; yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and fourth generations.”
We recite this passage during the shalosh regalim, Sukkot, Pesach and Shavuat, and during the High Holidays.
Nowadays, we might take exception about punishments falling on succeeding generations, but when this passage was written, this did not raise an eyebrow.
The One Above backed down. He decreed that all the adults would die in the wilderness. Only the children, and two adults, Caleb and Joshua (who dissented from the other spies' warnings) would enter the promised land.
In Numbers 15:15 God commanded,
חֻקָּ֥ה אַחַ֛ת לָכֶ֖ם וְלַגֵּ֣ר הַגָּ֑ר חֻקַּ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם כָּכֶ֛ם כַּגֵּ֥ר יִהְיֶ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
“There shall be one law for you and for the resident stranger; it shall be a law for all time throughout the ages. You and the stranger shall be alike before the LORD.”
Although it was a command, in Leviticus 19:34 God gave a reason,
כְּאֶזְרָ֣ח מִכֶּם֩ יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם הַגֵּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֗ם וְאָהַבְתָּ֥ לוֹ֙ כָּמ֔וֹךָ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
“The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the LORD am your God.”
Whether you are a stranger or a citizen, may you be treated fairly!
Shabbat Shalom from Jewish Newport!
@tourosynagoguenewportri
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