Parshat Shelach begins with a story. Hashem tells Moshe he may send in the leaders of each of the tribes to investigate more about the land they are entering into. This is the Land that Hashem will bring them to – the one He had promised since the time of Avraham Avinu (our father). There really was no need to have them scout the land. Surely Hashem already knows what’s best! Nevertheless, God gives Moshe the opportunity to take the initiative if he so wishes and to have people from the nation of Israel see how wonderful it is themselves. With all this – the scouts – save for Kaleiv ben Yefuneh and Yehoshua bin Nun bring back a negative report, ultimately causing the entire nation to wander in the desert for forty years, and in fact die without meriting to enter the land!
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