When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and this Shabbat is special indeed. This week we read from Parashat Shelach (שְׁלַח), the 37th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings We also celebrate Shabbat Mevarchim, the “Shabbat when we Bless“.
According to Wikipedia, Shelach (שְׁלַח), Numbers 13:1 to 15:41, contains 5,820 Hebrew letters, 1,540 words, 119 verses and makes up 198 lines of the Torah scroll. The parashah tells the tale of the twelve spies sent to assess the promised land, commandments about offerings, the story of the “Sabbath violator” and the commandment of the fringes (צִיצִת, tzitzit).
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Shelach for Shabbat, June 21, 2025 aka 25 Sivan 5785:
“G-d commands Moses to send spies in preparation for their approach to the Promised Land. What ensues is a catastrophic tale of negative reports as 10 of the 12 men sent to spy out and report back give an overwhelmingly negative report.
This entire narrative raises puzzling questions about the necessity of sending spies at all. If, the people were to accept, on faith, that G-d would defeat our enemies, why then the requirement that they first spy out the land? Second, what were G-d’s expectations of the those that were sent by Moses? Did G-d expect these individuals to ignore the strategic challenges that lay ahead and only focus on the positive aspects of the land?
The Torah is a historically accurate retelling of history as well as a Book of Laws. One could argue, that sending spies to prepare for the destiny of entering Eretz Yisroel was a practical preparation for the blessings to come, to give the people hope that G-d’s promises would be fulfilled. The spies are given free will to choose their report to the people. Unfortunately, they chose to focus on the negative rather than the positive.
How often in life are we faced with challenging hurdles to achieve success only to lose focus and forget that at the end of every successful challenge there is the sweet possibility of success and fulfillment. The lessons here are obvious. If we project negativity then this attitude has the potential to drag down those around us. If, however, we rise to each challenge with faith and positivity, then we encourage our family and colleagues to share in our positive attitude and the eventual happiness of accomplishments well deserved. May we all have the courage and faith in our lives to face each challenge brought to us in our lives”.
Questions to Consider:
- Why are Joshua and Caleb able to be so positive about Israel’s destiny?
- The spies refer to giants (Anakim). Who were these Anakim?
- How is the peoples’ response typical of public reaction in modern times to difficult news?
- If you had been one of the spies, what would you have said differently to encourage the people?
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his smicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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