Parashat Shelach: Each Challenge a Test

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

In this week's Parasha, Shelach, we read about the lack of emunah the Jewish people had in Hashem, which caused them to have to wander in the desert for 40 years before they could finally enter Eretz Yisrael. The Mefarshim tell us that the sins of the ז' עממין , the seven nations who occupied Israel at that time, did not yet reach the level that would warrant them to be expelled from the land. They still had 40 years left until that time would come. So it appears that the Jews would've had to wait 40 years either way to enter the land. Based on this, the Arugat Habosem asked why Hashem took them out of Mizraim at this specific time, knowing they wouldn't be able to enter the land anyway for 40 more years. The Rabbi answered, when it comes to reward and punishment, things can always change. There are numerous factors involved. Before Hashem revealed himself to the world with the ten makkot and kriyat Yam Suf, the sins of the seven nations were considered to be a smaller infraction because they weren't expected as much to follow Hashem's rules. Afterwards,however, He clearly showed them that He runs the world, and yet they still continued with their corrupt and immoral behavior. Then, their sins did reach the level that obligated them to be expelled from the land. However, everything in the world happens based on the way we act. If the Jewish people would've fully believed in Hashem's abilities to conquer the giants who occupied the land, they would've gone in immediately. But since they were afraid and they were not confident in Hashem's powers, the claim against the seven nations became smaller. After all, if the children of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov were not believing in Hashem, how could the seven nations be expected to believe in him? It was our lack of emunah that let the seven nations off the hook and gave them back the 40 years that they had lost. Rabbi Manasseh Reizman brought this lesson closer to home. We are also waiting for the time when the nations of the world who persecute us will deserve to be destroyed. They see the sun rise and set every single day, and they believe that happens on its own. If we want that to be held against them, then we ourselves have to believe that Hashem is actively involved in every single act of nature that takes place every minute of the day. We say in the Tefillah, גולל אור מפני חושך וחושך מפני אור . Hashem brings on the night, and then the day, and then once again the night. Nothing happens on its own. If our emunah would be the way it's supposed to be, then they would be held accountable for their lack of emunah. We have opportunities to show our emunah every day of our lives. When things happen that threaten to disturb our peace of mind, we can either lose ourselves and feel hopeless, or we can say, "Hashem is behind this. I know it happened for my best, and I know going forward Hashem can help me get out of it in an instant." If the Jewish people would've known what was at stake when they were tested with the Meraglim, they would've easily passed that test. We must remember, each challenge we have is also a test, and there is so much we could accomplish when we have emunah during those challenges. If we can strengthen our emunah, we are not only going to enjoy our lives better, and not only going to get closer to Hashem, and not only be earning eternity, we will also be helping the entire klal Yisrael. This is the zechut we need to attain our final ge'ula which we are yearning so much for. It will come when we collectively raise our level of emunah, and that will happen when each person takes it upon himself to improve in his own personal life in emunah. Shabbat Shalom.