This is borrowed from Rabbi Rand of Hebrew Theological College of Skokie, IL. The website is Here.
Questions for Thought and Study
What reason did Bnei Yisrael use to convince Moshe that they should send spies to
Canaan? Was it a valid reason?
See Ohr HaChaim 13:2
Why does the Torah need to repeat in Pasuk 13:16 that these were “the names - zFnW§ ”
of the men who were chosen as spies?
See Ibn Ezra 13:16
If Canaan was filled with giants, as the spies reported, how could the spies claim that
the land was uninhabitable and its produce was unhealthy?
See Ramban 13:32
Did normal-sized people live in Canaan? If yes, why were the spies as “grasshoppers”
(13:33) in the eyes of the Canaanite giants?
See Ohr HaChaim 13:33
What was “m¨lv¦ - their protection” (literally “shade”) that Hashem said He would
remove from Canaan so that Bnei Yisrael would conquer them?
See Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban to 14:9
Answers:
Bnei Yisrael convinced Moshe that the Canaanites knew that Bnei Yisrael were going to conquer
them. In preparation, Canaan was burying all their valuables. Spies should therefore be sent to
uncover (see Devarim 1:22 - "ExR§ g§ i©e§") these hiding places. This was a valid reason, and it convinced
Moshe. However, they really lacked faith in Hashem, which is why the tragedy ofthe spies occurred.
These were their names, and they would not change, as Yehoshua’s name was changed.
The spies claimed that the air and the produce of Canaan were so abnormally heavy that
normal-sized people could not survive.
Even the normal-sized people in Canaan were larger than the average member of Bnei Yisrael.
The spies appeared small, even compared to the people of Canaan of average height.
Rashi says that the righteous individuals of Canaan had died, so the Canaanites were no longer
protected through their merit. Ibn Ezra says that "m¨lv¦ " is like battle gear, and the Canaanites feared
Bnei Yisrael as one who is at battle without any battle gear. Ramban says that someone who is
destined to not see his shadow ("m¨lv¦ ") from the moon on Hoshana Rabbah night is destined to die
that year.