By: Yisrael Yitzchak Rosenfeld
The spies wanted Torah without the Land of Israel
–to remain in the wilderness,
in their peaceful bubble,
to study Torah without engaging in the physical world.
The “Ma’apilim” (those who tried to enter the Land against HaShem’s will), on the other hand, wanted the Land of Israel without the Torah
–to connect with the land, with growth and creation,
to experience HaShem,
without anyone telling them what they had to do.
(Does this sound familiar?
We still see both approaches today… )
Yet HaShem’s desire is
–both Torah and the world.
Balance. Integration.
Both the fruit and the tree that bears fruit.
Adam and Chava were not forbidden
to eat the fruit
–they were forbidden to eat from the tree.
Instead of waiting, they took only the fruit
– only the Torah –
without the tree,
without the effort, without balance.
It is up to us
to heal this split
–to reunite spirituality and physicality.
May we be granted a fulfilled life
– a life of true harmony and integration!
