Selach-Lecha
Haftarah: Joshua 2.1-24.
This week's parashah is the story of the spies, their
report and the aftermath. We have two accounts of this
story: the first here in the Book of Numbers and the second
in the Book of Deuteronomy. They differ significantly.
In the Numbers version (13:1-2) the impetus comes
from God. An anonymous narrator tells the story. "The
Eternal spoke to Moses, saying, 'Send men to scout the land
of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelite people...'"
In the Deuteronomy version (1:22-23) Moses is the narrator,
the impetus for the action comes from the people and Moses
is the one who gives approval for the action.
These are two very different versions of the
beginning of this dramatic story. How can we understand the
variation? The traditional Jewish commentators have usually
written that first the people came to Moses, Moses brought
their request to God, and God approved the project. When
faced with a contradiction within the sacred sphere, the
tradition tried to harmonize and erase the contradiction.
Here is another way to look at it. Deuteronomy is set
about 39 years later than Numbers, at the very end of the
40 years in the desert. As Moses' life and leadership comes
near its end, in a series of speeches he reviews the
history and laws of the Israelites. This is just before
they are to cross the Jordan and begin the conquest of the
land. It might be that Moses' memory of those events 39
years ago had faded. It might be that, by the way he tells
the story, he wishes to remind the Israelites that they
alone bear fundamental responsibility for their fate.
In our parashah the people revolted when they heard
the majority report of the spies. In spite of that revolt
Moses pleaded their case before God. Moses will soon be
gone. Joshua will be the new leader. But Joshua is no
Moses. More and more as the Tanach goes on God's hand
gradually vanishes from the story. God comes to work
through human beings, and the responsibility to initiate
right action cannot wait for God's clear voice. Perhaps
Moses is beginning the process of accustoming the people to
the coming new reality. God helps those who help
themselves, and all the inhabitants of the world.