A Troubling Turning Point | Rabbi Shmuel Goldin

First of all, we're going we asked whether we would go to uh parad or whether we would continue with what we've been doing with thisan in the middle of midbar at this point and uh the vote was 50/50. So you left it up to me and uh what I've decided is something of a compromise and that is that we're going to do through the rest of this session and then be hashm I'm going to talk to to Rabbi Sam uh starting next year I'll go back to parad so we'll everyone will be hopefully pleased with the decisions. All right, we are now at a very very important point in Safar Midmar. And as an overview, just to review, take a look at the first section in your sheets. There is a structural overview to safer midbar that is very clear to see and that is there are two turning points. Two turning points very very different turning points. The first is our departure from Hari and everything up until that point everything up until the departure from Hari is preparations in bib or preparations for that departure. And as I've said to you before that departure is really the most important moment of revelation. It's the moment that determines what we're carrying with us. The Torah marks it with the upside down nuns we spoke about. And therefore, that turning point was supposed to be majestic. Was supposed to be a point where we're carrying the Torah with us from Hari. We're now fully a nation. And yet it turns into eventual disaster as one after another we have certain calamities which lead finally to the second turning point. The second turning point is what we're going to look at today and that is theim the sin of the spies which seals the fate of this particular generation and what what what occurs as a result of course is that this generation is doomed to die in the midbar and only their children will enter the land. So we're going to look at a number of a number of points concerning the and I think that uh although this sin is very familiar to us I think there's a lot to a lot that's new that we can we can under underscore. First of all let's look at the overall problem that emerges when we look at events like this and we've spoken about it before so I'll just do it briefly. What? How do we deal with Akadesh Baraku's plan A and plan B? You and I can have plan A and plan B, right? Because what we're trying to do is we're going to try to do plan A. If it doesn't work out, we're going to go to plan B. But who knows whether plan A is going to work from the start. And he can manipulate events to make it work. Why then do we have this unfolding drama in Babbar where one generation fails, another generation succeeds and it seems as if aeshu is changing changing course, changing his mind. Doesn't he know what's going to happen from the start? So these are very very puzzling questions. They they emerge over and over again in the in our studies and there are variety of different approaches. The approach that we're going to take is the following and that is of course aeshbu knows what's going to happen and of course he could have manipulated events so that plan A worked and that first generation went in but wants us to learn from our failures as well as from our successes and he has to allow Ben Israel to succeed or fail on their own giving them free will and then dealing with the ramific ifications of that success or failure. What we will see is that this generation just can't make the leap from slavery to freedom. That's really what it comes down to. This turning point dooms them because they are still the slaves that left Egypt. And we're going to see how that emerges from them. And therefore what wants us to learn is he wants us to learn from the failure of plan A and the success of plan B and and hopefully we will carry those messages with us. Yes. Um before they left we understand that they were on the 49th level of Tuma while they were going through the desert. Did that become less and less and less? All right. So again, did they keep going down to that 49th level or Okay, so the 49th level of tuma that emerges from medashic sources. In other words, it's not in the Torah. It doesn't say that they were on the 49th level of tuma. So but if we are going to look at the midashic sources, one would argue that as the Omar period unfolded, we were increasing in kaduca or the hope was that we would be increasing in kaduca. So this was meant to be a a time of growth. This was meant to be a time when when we were celebrating and and and moving towards hari and then after hari. Okay. Then when they did things that were not good, did they go down level? I would assume I would assume they did again. Again, in other words, I I mean I'm I'm not I would put that aside and not ask that question at this point. I would just simply say let's look at every event that happens. What does Akuresh Baraku want us to learn from that event? Do they succeed? Do they fail? And and why? All right. Okay. Now, let's go back. Let's go now to the sin of the spies. Bene Israel are standing at the border of Eritskan. Where are they geographically? They are at the Negev area. In other words, they're going to be coming in. Kesh Baraku is having them come in through from Egypt into directly into Erat Israel. Yahosua won't come in that way eventually. Eventually he'll come in across the Ardan. But this is where we are now. Spies are sent. First question that emerges even before we get to the sin. Whose idea was it to send the spies? You have two conflicting texts in the Torah. You have the text that unfolds while it's happening in that begins with turning to Moshe and saying and if you look at the bottom I have it in English send for yourselves. Send for yourself people send is commanding us to send the spies. If you go to Sepher Devarim and Sepher Devarim is in its entirety basically Moshe's farewell addresses to Ben Israel. There he says that you came all of you grav you all came near to me. You all ganged up on me in this sense and you said we need to send spies. We need to send people out. So which was it? Was it that a kadesh commanded it or that Ben Israel wanted it? The Torah really leaves that vague. Most mafarim will say that it that it's the text of that tells the full extent of the event and that is a result of because again you're you're requesting. It's not just and therefore they request which is a command right is a command but just like it's a commandment for your benefit. In other words, and and will say in this case, it's a commandment because you're asking for it as opposed to a commandment and the Torah rabbis will say this was in the [Music] recently where on the road that a person wants to go that the road that God will lead us on and and the the example that they give is Bilah Maharasha who is approached by the um nobles of Midan and Moav to to curse the Jews and Hashem tells him not to and he says I can't do it and then they come back again and he says I'll ask what Hashem says this time and Hashem said okay if you want to go go so that that's an example of you know God's not going to control our actions God is going to enable us to do what we decide to do and and and sometimes it's to our detriment I'm wondering if that translates nicely into the that um was clearly um repulsed by the Avaror of his local hometown and felt got to get out of here and one would well all the midrashians say so the Torah doesn't say so but one would assume one has to assume that a keshbar who's choosing him for a reason and very clearly perhaps because he's not finding the answers in the world around him and and Akadesh Baraku is going to reveal himself to to to to Av. So yes, one could argue that that's probably what occurred. All right. Now, let's go. One of the things it's this is bit of a this is a bit of a stretch but I I I often said to my community when we were talking about entry into Israel and involvement with with Israel that there are two points in the Torah where we're about to enter. The first one is the seven second is when you send other people to do it you're not going to succeed. It's when you do it that you succeed. So just a thought. That's a that's a little homalytic uh homalytic twist. Now let's go on. If this was if this was the idea of the Ben Israel, then there's an additional question. Was it a sin to even ask for this? All right. And again there is a debate among the Mafari. There will be those who will say this is a reasonable request. This is okay. There will be those that say no they should have trusted a kadesh bar and and again you have this debate among the mafarim how much do we trust right how much do and how much do we have to do how much do we have to initiate and it's a backwards and forwards tug particularly in this case now let's go to the next sheet all right so now let's take a look at the instructions that Moshe gives to the spies Right. Very very detailed. The Torah says Moshe is Moshe sends them to spy out to search out the land of Cananan vom. And he says aloo as I told you go up the negvahar. That's referring the rabbis say that's referring to in other words go up in that direction. And now look at what he says. Take a good look at the land and its nature and the nation that is living upon it. Are they strong? Are they weak? Are they many? Are they plentiful? Is there a whole lot of people? Or is it sparsely populated? Sheruva and and the land take a look at the land and see if it's good or bad. does are there trees etc etc and visak and you should bring back some fruit from the land now that this is this creates a problem doesn't it right because Mosher Rabenu seems to be saying to them you know take a good look at this land that God has promised to say to us and see if it's really good see if it's really okay and see yes what does his refer to his Ah uh that's a good question. Why does it say I'm not sure that when it says what it says strengthen yourself and take the fruit of the land? It could be well that's what that's the the flow. So perhaps I don't have a good answer but perhaps the answer is that you're taking a risk when you're going to you know it's a risk to to to even go spy out the land as we see in the case of Yeshua. But here you're not only going to spy the land, you're going to take something from the land out. Maybe that required a certain degree of of strength perhaps. Yes. May I just say I don't think I think I think you will become strengthened when you see the land. Oh, you will become strengthened and you bring back. Okay, that's a beautiful. Okay, that's a very beautiful interpretation. Certainly, right? It's to tour. It's to see. Right. Right. Very good. Very good. So, just for the uh the audience that's that's go I'm going to repeat it now. She said that that another way to understand and this is moving to Moshe's benefit is you will become strengthened by what you see and then you will take priorities and therefore he's sort of saying to them you know you're going to find what we expect to find. But nonetheless, this these instructions are problematic because he is saying, "Tell us if it's good. Tell us if it's bad. Tell us if they're strong. Tell us if they're weak." What? What? What? What's so he is asking them to bring back an honest report as to what it is that they see. Correct? Says the Ramban. If you take a look at the bottom, We're going to see the Morangi did some bad stuff. But but the Ramban starts off by asking, "Wait a minute. What did they do that was wrong?" And the last line, did Moshe send them to bring back a false report? They they're telling what they saw. So what did they do that was wrong? So this is where we have to take a look at the text very very carefully. And what we will see upon the return of the Moraglin is a threestage report with each stage increasing in its problem increasing in its danger. Negativity. Negativity. Thank you. Take a look at stage one. Come back. We we went to the land that you told us to do. We we we toured the land and we say it's it's it's indeed it's a wonderful place. It's a beautiful land. It's flowing with milk and honey. And here is its fruit. and they show the fruit that they brought back. However, the nation that lives in the land or that dwells in the land is very strong and the cities are terribly for greatly fortified. And we saw the children of giants Amale Yoshitv Amal Kusi and they give their a report for where where the various nations in the land are as per Mosha's instructions. What's what what are they doing wrong here? Why is this a problem? They're they're bringing back a detailed report responding to Moshe's instructions. Now, what's your name? I'm sorry. If you're right then then Moshe was hinting this be you will be strengthened and he was trying to lead them a certain way which is very beautiful interpretation but one way or the other just looking at this initial response. Why is this a problem? Well no it's a beautiful land. No, he said it was that. But what we saw, everything we saw, quote is already that's what they saw. But but they're responding to Mosha's request. Moshe said to them, "Tell us if the people are to strong. Tell us if they're plentiful. Tell us if the something good." All right. It was their interpretation. Was there a Okay. So for there are a number of things to look at here. Number of things to look at. First what? I don't understand why the people are powerful while the cities fortified. You usually fortify a city when you kill. Oh, why are the cities if the people are powerful why do you also have fortified cities? I think the the answer to that would be we have a strong army and they have a strong army and they also have strong cities. They also are well fortified and defended. That would be difficult for us to conquer. All right. Now let's let's take a look carefully at what's happening here because you'll see if you look at stage two just briefly vas mo right away after hearing stage one what's reaction oh no no no be be loyal to Moshe don't don't so he sees the problem with their response so we have to see the problem so First of all, what word do they use for however? What does fs mean? It's a nullification, right? It's but. So, number one, as you said, they're moving into totally negative territory. And that fs is the is the cue that tells us that that's what's happening. Number two, they change the direction of their job. What I mean by that is as follows. Moshe was basically saying to them, how do we do this? They return and they say whether or not we will do it. They change from spies who are looking for information to spies that are determining whether this is even a possibility. And it's like for example uh the rabbis say it's like someone who uh a certain nobleman who wants to send his servant to get grapes and the servant goes and he looks at the grapes and he says no they're too expensive. and he doesn't buy them. And he comes back and the nobleman says, "Where's where are the grapes?" He said, "I I figured I made the decision that they were too too too strong." He said, "I I would have paid that. I wanted you to get the grapes under all circumstances." So, what's happening here is they are they are moving away from their initial mission and moving into a territory that they were not asked to perform. All right? So, and that's why K reacts the way he does. Where's over here? What? Where's Excellent question. Excellent question. Why is it that Kh speaks first and Yahosua only joins him in? It's a very good question. Not a lot of commentary on it. It seems that they were different people and Yeshua is not as out there as KV would seem. And KV is the first one to say no no no to disagree and to go against the majority. I mean this is a this is a very hard thing to do. You went in there with all these people and you're going to be speaking against the majority. So Kh speaks stands up. Now someone sent said said something I don't know one of you said something which also is an issue and that is not only are they moving into a different mission changing the nature of their job but they are also making their suppositions fact. In other words, they are saying this is what we saw and they're they don't say therefore yet. They don't say therefore yet, but they are they're turning their their own responses or their own reactions into fact just like every other journalist. That's correct. All right. And and by the way and by the way this is I think thank the comment was just like every other journalist I'll go further than that just like every other person. All right in other words uh you know you think about it you think about it you know when when you decide your religious road. So everyone to the right of you is right everyone to the left of you is to the left. You're you're just right. You're in the You're in the You're in the center. Well, you are where you are. Well, hold on a minute. Somebody else is going to look at your center and see something entirely different than you're seeing. So, when you change your reactions into fact, you you can't argue with it anymore. Okay. Perspective. Perspective. Correct. Correct. It's perspective and it's it's supposition. It's not clearly fact. Now, let's go on. So that's stage number one. Stage number one is the injection of negativity and the reinterpretation of the task that they were sent to do. They overreach next. Could it be they was set up trap because they because it's a challenge in Could it be it was a trap because it's challenge in the answer is yes. Not but not set up as a trap. I would say they were challenged. This was a kadesh bar ch and we'll see how it develops that we're clearly they fail in the challenge that that aeshb but it builds as we go. All right. So right away and by the way the another difference between K and Yahushua is that when K stands up he speaks politically. When the two of them speak up, they speak religiously. What do I mean by that? What does KV do? He says, "No, trust Moshe." Well, should have said, "Trust Hashem." Right? So, that happens later. But, so you see there are different personalities and there are different reactions. Now, that was known to be the successor. So, he was on Mosha's side already. They wouldn't listen. That's a good point. Good point. Perhaps very good. But what was suggested is that that his that if Yoshua stood up for Moshe, his his position would be sus suspect. In other words, he he's that's his that's who his mentor is. So therefore, okay, now we can do this. We can we can absolutely do this. Let's let's go there. Don't be afraid. And they respond. All right. So now they've they've really stepped over the line. This is stage two. They're not just reporting back what they're strong. They're this. They're that. Now they're saying we can't do this. This can't be done. We we're not able to do it. So that's stage two. And stage two is the injection of the fact that that according to their beliefs, but they don't say according to their beliefs, this is an impossible task. It's Hashem has set them up and put them in a position that they're bound to fail. Stage one, they don't actually say we can't go up. No, they do not. And the begins by ask first they should have said we can't do it. Well, that's why I said so what you have to suggest, what you have to understand because of Khiv's reaction are the dangers that were in stage one. They were not as evident, but he the very fact that Kh reacts to stage one is an indication that stage one was problematic and we've explored some of the potential problems, but but he he knows where they're going. And yes, what now? They now they show their true colors. Right now they say, "No, we can't do it. Can't go in." That's stage two. Stage three. Oh, but actually stay with stage two for a minute. All right. Stage two. There's something else that I didn't bring up. And that is they say because it they are stronger than us. All right. According according points out that that is there's a double antandra in that word. That word could either mean than us or than him. All right? And therefore, what they're saying, Kazal say, is not only are they stronger than us, but they're more powerful than our God. That he even even if he's on our side, we can't do this. They use the word even though it's followed by the tree right maybe a way of saying you're going to feel a little weak right you should okay that's the other that correct that's another interpretation for his his for And that is not not that you will be strengthened but that you should be strengthened and right and be strong. And he's he's indicating that there's going to be a challenge. Right. Strengthen yourselves. Right. Correct. In other words, strengthen yourselves and rec and that could be a recognition of the shadow of challenge right off the bat. Okay. All right. Yes. It's amazing that they said this after correct. We'll get to that in a minute. We'll get to why that happens in a minute. It it but that's amazing. The corre question is this is the nation that saw all of those miracles, right? So, wouldn't they believe that aes would be able to allow them to defeat new enemies? They sent out the it says here that they've reported evil among the Israelites. When a general sends out spies, they come back to him to report. They don't go on CNN and tell everybody. Very good point. Very good point. The answer to that is they come back. And the Torah says they talk to Moshe in full view of the people. So you're say suggesting maybe the spies should simply just come back and speak to Moshe alone and then interpret the events. Here they're No, it's propaganda. Correct. It's public view. Excellent. Excellent. Okay, next stage three. And yes, just add one thing. They there's a hint to the problem in that they brought the grapes back that said Eshko and Eshko was one of the three advisers to told him don't get to say that's a nice med. All right. This is a hint that they're not going to be on their could be. Could be. Okay. All right. Now, let's go back now and take a look at stage three. They brought back an evil evil um report, right? Slander. This is where the rabbis will say they're guilty of um they're guilty of of lash horror about the land. And there are all sorts of interpretations of what they're saying because the next line is very unclear. They say oh yoshi it's a land that eats its inhabitants. Now what does that mean? They they just said it was a beautiful land. They just said it was flowing with the milk and honey. How does it eat? So there are all sort the midrashic interpretation is that a kadeshbaraku was doing them a favor. What was he doing? He was causing the giants to die while they were there so that everybody would be busy with the funerals so that spies wouldn't be noted. And what did they interpret? That everybody's dying here because this land kills them. All right, that's that that's one interpret. Another interpretation may be just simply this is a very and and we know this to be true. This is a land where it's not a given that you're going to produce. It's not a given that you're going to succeed. This is a land the Torah will say the Torah will say that not only work hard but that Hashem has to be with you all the way through this year. We had no difficult rain right in America. It doesn't rain. It doesn't rain. No big deal here. If it doesn't rain, it's really a problem. It's really a problem. So therefore on a shot level could simply mean, you know, this is this is not an easy this is not an easy job. This is not an easy task. Even if we are successful in defeating our enemies, this land is going to challenge us. It's going to be a problem. And then they go on and they say all the people we saw were giants etc etc. And then finally and this is where I told you they're turning here they're really turning their feelings into facts here. Their their interpretation of what they saw they are reporting as fact just like I said you you said all reporters do and I said all people do. All right. Um, but but most devastating of all are the final words of their report. What's the final words of their report? We were in our own eyes as insects, grasshoppers, and that's how they perceived us. Now, there's a there's a Freudian slip centuries before Freud in that sentence, right? What's the slip? We were in our own eyes as insects. We lost confident. We saw ourselves as nothing and then they that's how they seen us. That's how they saw us. It is an indication of a total loss of confidence in our ability. We are once we lose, once we see ourselves as grasshoppers, that's it. Finished. And and not only that, but understand how this is a negation of everything that God has been saying to them to this point. Everything that Cartesboro has been doing has been to shape them, to mold them, to make them leave slavery and become free people, to become a powerful nation, etc. What are the spies saying? Spies are saying, "Hey guys, this is all a lie. It's everything we've been through. It's it's a it's a teas. It's a it's a show. You think you're not the slaves that left Egypt. That's exactly who you are. You are the slaves who left Egypt. That's where you are. that's who you are and don't don't think you're going to succeed. And the moment they say that, that dooms this generation because the moment this generation is told, you are still the spy slaves that left Egypt, you are not a nation, you're not a conquering people, that's when devastation occurs. And what happens? The rabbis, the Torah says that that the response to stage three is the nation began to cry during the night. That the nation despared and yes, why doesn't speak to question and Moshe when took took them out from it, right? He purposely took it and took them around the long way instead of going because correct. So they won't they won't fight with the police team and right so they they already he already knew what people okay very good very good when this this is the point that he's raising is that if you look at the Torah text when they left Egypt the Torah says that God took them the long way around because he was worried if they went through a particular country that that they would see war and they turn around and and cut cut you know just go back. Now the answer two answers to that. First of all, maybe God doesn't want them to defeat the pushim because they don't deserve that nation doesn't deserve to be defeated yet. But the probably the most pushup shot answer would be that's where they are as soon as they're leaving Egypt. We would hope by the time you get to this moment that that's not the same people. And what the spies are saying, and this really underscores what I'm saying to you, what the spies are saying is you are those people. You're not who you think you are. You are you are the slaves. All right? And that one sweet. Now, and what's fascinating, of course, is that what do the rabbis do? They they take a look at the calendar. They count days and they say that the night that we cried over was what? Tishab tishabove the ael was yipper tishabove is and what we're really being told is by that by that connection is that every time we lose faith in ourselves every time another year passes where we don't fulfill our destiny we're repeating the sin of the spies this is the sin of the spies is a seinal event that will cause damage over and over again if we commit the same crime. It was a paradox quickly that in the not early 20th century there was a big story the secular Jews wanted to come back to Israel and they did lots lots of things to get here because the religious I don't which I am they what was exactly what happens here they they didn't believe in themselves they were and after all right two sentences is after World War II when five million Jews, you know what happened, right? Four years later, the United Nations accepted what the secular Jews were wanting to do to give us the land to come back. Interesting. All right. So, All right. So, you're saying that this repeated itself and we and what we're saying it repeated itself at that point, right? Look, it's it we're hoping that that's what's happened to us. It Yeah, it has. Thank God. Thank God for Israel because if we look at what's happening in the world again, it could happen all over again. That's the only way you would have gotten initially and you have one sentence 60% of the of the looking now. It's like 50 or 60% say you know that they this is our country and and we people we need to we need to defend it. Right. Okay. All right. So right right we are able to do so. Yes. All right. Now then that's this is the last comment I'll take now because we're not enough that I don't know who says this but that one of the reasons the spies did what they did was they didn't want to lose their positions. They were all right. These are various they didn't want to. So you could say the same thing applies today. People are afraid to lose their money and their big house. So they don't want to come. We're not going. Okay. That that is an interpretation. It's not the pushup shot. All right. It's an interpretation that the spies were were high up on the echelon and they wanted to they were basically saying we want to still live in the the desert. But pup shot they are simply coming back and saying you're nothing. That's it. You're nothing. And because you're nothing, you're not going to win. Now what we are nothing. Yeah. That's correct. Correct. These were these were nobles. These were important people 100%. They were they were putting themselves together with the nation saying we're nothing. Now next let's go fast because I I have a number of things to say. Yeah. Could be could be unshamed can be interpreted in a number of ways in that way they could have seen that they were to shame. Okay that's interesting. That's that's a bit of a stretch, but it's good. It's good. It's pretty anemid that they had good mid dot and they put Israel to shame. Interesting. Interesting. I unfortunately sometimes I say when I have intera interactions here initial that uh we should work on our meote a little bit. All right. Anyway, let's let's go on and yeah, I'm sorry. I I just don't want to be surprised or not. So why basically because because this is we're coming back to plan A and plan B. Hashem is challenging us. Hashem is challenging us and the answer is this generation is not up to the challenge and they have to learn that they have to see that. In other words, if let's say a kaju took him out of Egypt and said, "Hey guys, I just want you to know you're not up to the challenge. Your children are going to go into the land and you're going to die in the desert right as he takes them out." I that you're not giving them an opportunity. You're not giving them a chance. So what's happening here is they're being given an opportunity and unfortunately they're turning it on its head. Okay. Now take a look at Hashem's reaction here. And this is this is very very telling. Hashem says to Moshe, "I will forgive them according to your words." This bottom of page four and but my as I am God and my glory fills the world. All the people who've seen my my glory, all the people who saw those miracles and turned this around the way they have, they are going these people are not this generation's not going to enter the land. Now God says, if this is God's forgiveness, I I think I would turn in and say, "Please God, forgive someone else." Right? How how how does this what forgiveness doesn't mean no punishment but it's a forgiveness for what they how are they being forgiven in other words they can carry on that they can carry on well I think it's deeper than that this is the first point where intergenerational success becomes viewed as success within the Jewish experience in other words what they're being said is your children are going to go in and as they go in that will be your success as well. In other words, and and to prove that when we get to the the point in the Torah where the Torah talks about the division of the land and how it's divided up, the rabbis point out that what has to happen is the land has to be divided. Not simply according to the number of people that are going in and not simply according to how many people in a particular family at that moment but rather it has to reflect back. It becomes very complicated. We're not going to go through the details but it has to reflect back to the previous generation and then go back to them. So therefore what would happen in the in the computation in the actual computation. So what you're saying is I'm carrying that generation with me and that's really what we look has that not kept us alive through the centuries. The idea that intergenerational success is success that somehow we will succeed even though we won't be here to see it even we even though we may not experience it. Okay. But there's something else and this I think is very powerful and I remember when I noticed this. Take a look at Moshe's argument that leads to Hashem's response. Right? Going back a step, take a look on page five. Read to yourselves for a moment in Hebrew or in English how what Moshe says to Hashem when he's pleading on behalf of Ben Israel. And I'll ask you two questions. How many arguments is he bringing? And what are they or what is it? What are those arguments? And or if it's only one argument, what is the argument he's bringing? Okay. So anybody want to want to suggest that the Egyptians will say he is basically saying what will the think right isn't that isn't that that's the totality of his argument he and and yes but why does hashem care what good question excellent right right so God so Mosha is saying we want to we want to increase your glory in the world this is going to decrease your this is going to cause your name in the world. We look we part of our job or totality of our job is to be madame shim right to increase God's power and covet in the world. So he's saying it it's going to it's going to fall on its face and they're going to they're going to look and they're going to say you couldn't do this now. Okay. If you take a look at his argument at Kedel, he brings this argument, but he brings another one as well. After ael, Moshe Rabenu offers two arguments to Akureshar. One of them is what will the Goyam think? The other is remember your promise to this people and he's pleading on behalf of the nation. remember a mitzvah that is absent here. Why is it absent? Why does he ch why does he fail to plead on behalf of the nation as opposed to the case by the by ael what where he actually pleads on their behalf. So one has to assume that that's because he recognizes their nature that he realizes that this nation is failing that this generation doesn't deserve to go in and he therefore is arguing only on the basis of what it's going to look bad. He doesn't bring up any merit any any positive dimension any positive argument about the nation. Now take a look again. What does Hashem say? What's superfluous in that statement? Right? What do you mean? Hashem should have simply said, he's turning to Moshe and saying, I believe I'm going to forgive them according to your words. In other words, you're just saying what will the na the world think you you yourself have no argument to bring forward to their positive benefit. I will forgive them based on your argument and what's what will happen is the next generation will go in and the world will see my power. But this generation is student and he therefore is mirroring it would seem Moshe's own limitations in terms of arguing on behalf of an Israel at this point. Hashem himself in his response seems to hint at that by by saying right correct in other words I made the promise to them he's bringing in the positivity correct but Moshe doesn't Moshe doesn't all right yes could also be that love the land so you know the land correct correct they he can bring that because this the you know All right. Now, now I I want to I want to take everything we're saying and I want to plug it into the calendar for a moment. All right. Take a look at the calendar and and most of us don't recognize this with the strength that we should. Let's start with a question and that is the phrase. Where does that appear in our liturgy? on yum kipper and on the days before and after throughout the prayers throughout the prayers on yum kipper we say as well and that now wait a minute hold on a minute what said I'm sorry on right on correct but in particular it's repeated over and over again during the now wait a minute this phrase connects to the led to tishab. It doesn't connect to the phrase to the that led to um uh yum kipper. Why aren't we choosing a phrase from yum kipper? Why are we choosing a phrase from tishab? So the answer has to be that tishab is part of the journey towards the yamim. Right? What do we have? We have three sorrowful weeks and then we have the shiva that lead us to the yam nor the shiva leading us to the yam nor connects the yam to tishab and basically says that's where it started that's where even though the came first for you where it's going to start it's going to start with a tishabove type of failure you're going to fail to see your if you fail to see your value then it won't work. And in a sense what Hashem is saying to us by that phrase is I can only see for you as far as you see for yourselves. I'm forgiving you according to your vision. And the farther we see ourselves go and the higher we see ourselves go, the greater the forgiveness, the greater the opportunity. The limitations we place on ourselves will cause limitations in God's response to us as well. very powerful phrase and I believe it's not just rooted in the in the sin of the spies but it's rooted in our own experience says as far as you see yourselves go that's the limit of how far I can take you and really raise your sights raise and that's why it's mentioned over and again in the kipper prayers because he's saying I'm raise your sights so that I will forgive you with greater strength. Okay, so that that that hopefully brings us to the close of our analysis of the sin of the splines. I allowed for more questions and comments this time than I usually do. I hope you uh I hope I didn't uh get on anybody's nerves, but I you all had a lot to contribute, so uh I'm glad I did. All right. Uh yeah, question