Shelach שְׁלַח-לְךָ - Send For Yourself
Numbers 13:1-15:41
Reading #2 - Numbers 13:21–14:7
My Thoughts:
Caleb is a man of faith. When everyone else was being negative, Caleb remembered the faithfulness of Hashem. When every man (except Joshua) was scared and running, Caleb stood strong and wanted to carry out the charge to go forth. Have you ever gone “against the flow”? Have you ever had to stand up for something and found that you are pretty much alone in your beliefs? Or if you express your beliefs, others around you may be so angry or disagree that you may even lose a friendship? I spent many years working in a pro-life organization, defending the lives of preborn babies. I have encountered many people over the years who disagreed with my stance on “life”. And it has not been fun. People are strong on their feelings about certain issues and take stands. I would recommend we defend the Truth. Whatever that looks like to you. Just like Joshua and Caleb. Hashem will show you.
Challenge:
Last verse in this reading shows the dedication of Moses and Aaron. When people began grumbling strongly about advancing into the promised Land, Moses I’m sure, became worried. Not worried about what they were doing, but worried about what Hashem was going to do to them. This was so serious. After all, the purpose of the whole deliverance from Egypt was so that they could then move on and go to the Promised Land. And now they were ready to turn around and go back -- just because of the “bad report” of a few men. Moses and Aaron fall on their faces and interceded for the people, so that Hashem would not “extinguish” them. It makes me think of my life. We are going through a situation now -- selling our home. It is very stressful and I am trying so hard to put my faith in Hashem, that He has it all in control. I am trying not to worry and have doubts, and it is so hard. I want to be a strong woman of faith. And I am trying (and repenting). I want to be like Joshua and Caleb -- full of faith and confidence! And I challenge you to do the same. If you are going through a stressful time, try really hard to put your faith and trust in Hashem. He cares about you, even in the littlest things. Pray hard, like Moses and Aaron that Hashem will have mercy on you.
Reading #2 - Numbers 13:21–14:7
13:21 So they went up, and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, to the entrance of Hamath. 22 They went up by the South, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 They came to the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it on a staff between two. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the children of Israel cut down from there. 25 They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. 26 They went and came to Moses, to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word to them and to all the congregation. They showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They told him, and said, “We came to the land where you sent us. Surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the children of Anak there. 29 Amalek dwells in the land of the South. The Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite dwell in the hill country. The Canaanite dwells by the sea, and along the side of the Jordan.”
30 Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, “Let’s go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!”
31 But the men who went up with him said, “We aren’t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” 32 They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the children of Israel, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eats up its inhabitants; and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim. We were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
14:1 All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “We wish that we had died in the land of Egypt, or that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why does Hashem bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be captured or killed! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return into Egypt?” 4 They said to one another, “Let’s choose a leader, and let’s return into Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes. 7 They spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.
