Text Box: Shalach is such a rich Parasha that I could find material in it to allow writing for a number of weeks. To capsulate the story—Spies are sent in to the promised land to gather specific information as directed by Moses. They come back with tales and examples of fabulous produce. They have information about the cities and the people of the land. That information is shared with the whole community in such a way as to discourage the people. They choose to not go in until they find out the curse brought upon them for refusing to go in. Then they change their minds after seeing what G-d's justice will bring to them. They are told it is too late, they made their choice and have to live with it, but they still try to use their wills over the will of G-d and in return get soundly routed and suffer great casualties fighting a battle G-d said not to fight. After this they get the commandment to wear Tzitzit on the corners of their garments as a visual reminder to follow all the commandments of G-d and not to seek after what their eyes might see and go astray. A man still disobeys the commandments of G-d by not keeping the Sabbath and the result is his being stoned. There are many subtleties in the story, so please take the time to read it in full yourself. Here in Israel the synagogues have many writings about the sin of the spies. We often think of the sin of the people in refusing to go when G-d said and then going when G-d said not to, but what really is the sin of the spies? They were told to go into the land and gather information. They were given specific items to spy out. They came back and gave a report, so what was so wrong as to be called a sin? If you followed the logic of the above paragraph without question you missed the subtleties of the Parasha. They not only reported upon what they were told to investigate, they gave interpretation and they gave it to the entire community. If they had gone to Moses and stated that the inhabitants include giants who are located at such and such a city and there are this many of them… there would have been no problem. Instead they gave an interpretation. “We were like grasshoppers compared to them and both we and they see us in this manner.” They had completely forgotten the miracles of G-d done to get them out of Egypt, and giving an interpretive report showed a lack of faith in G-d to continue to perform the miracles they are receiving every day. How could they be so blind and continue to do what they know is bad for them? But are we so much different? Let’s just take one minor thing in our society. Smoking tobacco has been researched many times and every time it is found that it causes health problems. Warnings are put in front of people daily. They have seen numerous people die from various cancers that have been directly attributed to the smoking done by the victims. But how many people still smoke? The warning signs are there. Yes, a few people do defy the odds and beat the statistics and live to an old age, but they are the exception. Now with this in mind, are we as people living in the 21st century so different as to think we are above this level of sin? The good news is that G-d gave His people a way to help not make such mistakes. He commanded us to wear tzitzit on the corner of our garments with a thread of blue. Blue was an expensive color. The blue dye used took the enzymes of hundreds of very small snails that had the material extracted from them, resulting in their death. The resultant blue dye was very costly due to the process to make it. G-d commanded us to use some of this highly costly dye to make tzitzit with a thread of blue to wear in such a way as to be visual reminders to follow His ways. That the thread was costly serves as a reminder of the high cost paid to redeem His people from Egypt. It is a reminder of the high cost that will be paid if His commandments are not followed. The Israelites ended up wandering in the desert for 40 years as a cost of not following in His ways. G-d knows us better than we know ourselves. He knew we had to have visual reminders around us to keep from following after that which our eyes would see. Do we follow this command to have the visual reminder in front of us constantly to remind us to not stray? Do you surround yourself with the things of G-d and items that keep you from going after worldly pursuits instead of walking in His statutes? Many of us think that we are above such things and that we don't need to have these reminders around us. People say they are filled with the spirit of G-d and that is all the reminder they need. I trust that G-d knows me better than I know myself. Face it, how many people die from smoking- related diseases every year due to not paying attention to a warning right on the package, trusting in their own knowledge, and the fact they have seen for themselves someone who beat the odds. Selah –

This week’s Parasha

Standing Strong

A Messianic Jewish Congregation with an outreach to Believers in Israel

June 08—Shalach/Send Yourself

Numbers 13:1-15:41

Joshua 2:1-24

With additional readings for Christians

Luke 9:1-6

Heb 3:7-4:1