Daf 158b (דַּף קנ״ח ע״ב)

“And Moshe sent them…” (וַיִשְׁלַח אוֹתָם מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳), “all of them men” (כֻּלָּם אֲנָשִׁים) (Numbers 13). All of them were righteous (כֻּלְּהוּ זַכָּאִין הֲווֹ), and they were leaders of Yisrael (וְרֵישֵׁי דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ). But they took counsel for themselves with an evil counsel (אֲבָל אִינּוּן דִּבְּרוּ לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ עֵיטָא בִּישָׁא). Why did they take this evil counsel? (אֲמַאי נַטְלֵי עֵיטָא דָּא).

Rather, they said (אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ): If Yisrael enter the land (אִי יֵיעֲלוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַרְעָא), we will be removed from being leaders (נִתְעֲבָר אֲנָן מִלְּמֶהֱוִי רֵישִׁין), and Moshe will appoint other leaders (וְיִמְנֵי מֹשֶׁה רֵישִׁין אַחֲרָנִין). For behold, we have merited in the wilderness to be leaders (דְּהָא אֲנָן זָכֵינָן בְּמַדְבְּרָא לְמֶהֱוִי רֵישִׁין), but in the land we will not merit (אֲבָל בְּאַרְעָא לָא נִזְכֵּי). And because they took this evil counsel for themselves (וְעַל דְּנַטְלֵי עֵיטָא בִּישָׁא לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ), they died (מִיתוּ אִינּוּן), and all those who received their words (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּנַטְלָן מִלַּיְיהוּ).

“These are the names of the men whom Moshe sent…” (אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 13). Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): Moshe looked and knew that they would not succeed in their mission (מֹשֶׁה אִסְתָּכַּל וְיָדַע דְּלָא יִצְלְחוּן בְּאָרְחַיְיהוּ). Then he prayed for Yehoshua (כְּדֵין צַלֵּי עָלֵיהּ דִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ). But Kalev was in distress (כְּדֵין כָּלֵב הֲוָה בְּדוֹחֲקָא).

He said (אָמַר): What shall I do? (מַה אַעְבִּיד). Behold, Yehoshua goes with the assistance above, from Moshe (הָא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אָזִיל בְּסִיַיעְתָּא עִלָּאָה דְּמֹשֶׁה), who shone upon him with the light of the moon (דְּשָׁדַר בֵּיהּ נְהִירוּ דְּסִיהֲרָא), and he illumined him with his prayer, for he is the sun (וְהוּא אַנְהִיר עָלֵיהּ בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שִׁמְשָׁא). What did Kalev do? (מָה עֲבַד כָּלֵב). He separated himself from them (אִשְׁתְּמִיט מִנַּיְיהוּ), and came to the graves of the Patriarchs (וְאָתֵי לְגַבֵּי קִבְרַיָּיא דַּאֲבָהָן), and prayed there his prayer (וְצַלֵּי תַּמָּן צְלוֹתֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): He took another path (אֹרַח אַחֲרָא נָטִיל), and bent the roads (וְעָקִים שְׁבִילִין), and reached the graves of the Patriarchs (וּמָטָא עַל קִבְרֵי דַּאֲבָהָן). He endangered himself (וְאִסְתָּכַּן בְּגַרְמֵיהּ), for behold it is written: “And there were Achiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of the Anak” (דְּהָא כְּתִיב: וְשָׁם אֲחִימָן שֵׁשַׁי וְתַלְמַי יְלִידֵי הָעֲנָק) (Numbers 13). But one who is in distress looks at nothing (אֲבָל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּדוֹחֲקָא, לָא אִסְתָּכַּל מִדִּי). So Kalev, because he was in distress, did not look at anything (כַּךְ כָּלֵב, בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה בְּדוֹחֲקָא, לָא אִסְתָּכַּל מִדִּי), and came to pray at the graves of the Patriarchs, to be saved from that counsel (וְאָתָא לְצַלָּאָה עַל קִבְרֵי אֲבָהָן, לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מֵעֵיטָא דָּא).

“And Moshe called Hoshea the son of Nun, Yehoshua” (וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) (Numbers 13). Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): And did the verse call him Hoshea? (וְכִי הוֹשֵׁעַ קְרָאֵיהּ קְרָא). But behold, it is written: “And Moshe said to Yehoshua” (וְהָא כְּתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) (Exodus 17). And: “And Yehoshua son of Nun, a youth” (וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר) (Exodus 33). And: “And Yehoshua weakened Amalek” (וַיַּחֲלוֹשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) (Exodus 17). Rather, Moshe said to him (אֶלָּא אָמַר לֵיהּ מֹשֶׁה): Yah will save you from their counsel (יָהּ יוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מִנַּיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): Since he sent him to go up there (כֵּיוָן דְּשַׁדְרֵיהּ לְמֵיעַל לְתַמָן), he needed to be complete (אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוִי שְׁלִים). And with what? With the Shekhinta (וּבְמָּה. בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). For until that time he was called a youth (דְּעַד הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא נַעַר אִקְרֵי), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). But at that time Moshe bound him with Her (וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא קָשִׁיר לֵיהּ מֹשֶׁה בַּהֲדָהּ). And even though we find Yehoshua earlier (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאַשְׁכְּחָן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), Scripture called him so on account of that which was destined to be called (קְרָא קַרְיֵיהּ הָכִי עַל הַהוּא דְּזַמִּין לְמִקְרְיֵיהּ). Moshe said (אָמַר מֹשֶׁה): Surely this one does not need to enter there except with the Shekhinta (וַדַּאי לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ דָּא לְמֵיעַל תַּמָּן, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), and thus it appeared so (וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי).

“As for the verse: ‘Is there a tree in it or not…’” (הֲיֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ אִם אַיִן וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 13). Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): Did Moshe not know that there were many different kinds of trees, each differing from the other? (וְכִי לָא הֲוָה יָדַע מֹשֶׁה דְּאִית בָּהּ כַּמָה אִילָנִין מְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא). Behold, he had praised the land to Yisrael many times (וְהָא הוּא שִׁבַּח לָהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַמָּה זִמְנִין), and yet he now doubted in this matter (וְהוּא אִסְתָּפַּק בְּדָא). And the Holy One, blessed be He, had already said to Moshe at the beginning that it is “a land flowing with milk and honey” (וְהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאָמַר לֵיהּ לְמֹשֶׁה בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דְּהִיא אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Behold, my friends have already been aroused, as it is written: “There was a man in the land of ‘Utz, his name was Job” (הָא אַתְּעֲרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, דִּכְתִּיב: אִישׁ הָיָה בְאֶרֶץ עוּץ אִיּוֹב שְׁמוֹ) (Job 1).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): He gave them a hint of wisdom, concerning that which they asked in the beginning (רָמַז לָהֶם רְמִיזָא דְּחָכְמְתָּא, עַל מַה דְּשָׁאִילוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא). As it is written: “Is Hashem among us or not?” (דִּכְתִּיב: הֲיֵשׁ יְיָ בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן) (Exodus 17). He said: There, you will see whether She is revealed to this side or to that side (אָמַר: תַּמָּן, תֶּחֱמוּן, אִי הִיא אִתְחַזְיָא לְהַאי, אוֹ לְהַאי). He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): If you see that the strength of the land is like the other lands of the world, then “is there a tree?”-the Tree of Life-and it is not from the supernal place beyond (אִי תֶּחֱמוּן דְּאִיבָא דְּאַרְעָא כִּשְׁאַר אַרְעֵי דְּעָלְמָא, יֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ, אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְלָא מֵאֲתָר עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר).

But if you see that the strength of the land is greater and different from all the lands of the world (וְאִי תֶּחֱמוּן דְּאִיבָא דְּאַרְעָא יַתִּיר וּמְשַׁנְיָיא מִכָּל אֲתָר דְּעָלְמָא), then you will know that from Atika Kadisha flows and is drawn that supernal difference, more than all the lands of the world (תִּנְדְּעוּן, דְּהָא מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא קָא נָגִיד וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ הַהוּא שִׁנוּיָיא עִלָּאָה, מִכָּל אַתְרֵי דְּעָלְמָא). And in this you will know whether there is a tree or not (וּבְדָא תִּנְדְּעוּן, הֲיֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ אִם אַיִן). And this is what you asked about at first (וְדָא בָּעִיתוּן בְּקַדְמִיתָא), to know this, as it is written: “Is Hashem among us” (דִּכְתִּיב: הֲיֵשׁ יְיָ בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ). “Among us”-precisely (בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ דַּיְיקָא), “or not” (אוֹ אִם אָיִן). And about this it is written: “And you shall strengthen yourselves and take from the fruit of the land”-to know its difference (וְעַל דָּא: וְהִתְחַזַּקְתֶּם וּלְקַחְתֶּם מִפְּרִי הָאָרֶץ, לְמִנְדַּע שִׁנּוּיָיא דִּילֵיהּ).

“And the days were the days of the first ripe grapes” (וְהַיָּמִים יְמֵי בִּכּוּרֵי עֲנָבִים) (Numbers 13). “And the days”-what does this come to teach? (וְהַיָּמִים, מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי). Behold, it should have sufficed to say “the first ripe grapes” (דְּהָא וְאָז בִּכּוּרֵי עֲנָבִים סַגִּי לֵיהּ). Rather, “and the days” refers to those that are known (אֶלָּא וְהַיָּמִים, אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן)-for all of them were joined at that time to that tree in which Adam haRishon sinned (כֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ מִתְחַבְּרָן בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּהַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחָטָא בֵּיהּ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן). As we have learned: they were grapes (כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן עֲנָבִים הָיוּ). And concerning this it is written: “And the days”-these are known, the days of the first ripe grapes precisely (וְעַל דָּא, וְהַיָּמִים: אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן, יְמֵי בִּכּוּרֵי עֲנָבִים דַּיְיקָא).

“And they went up by the Negev, and he came to Ḥevron” (וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב וַיָבֹא עַד חֶבְרוֹן) (Numbers 13). It should have said: “And they came” (וַיָבֹאוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ).

Rather, Rabbi Yose said (אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): It was Kalev who came to pray at the graves of the Patriarchs (כָּלֵב הוּא דְּאָתָא לְצַלָּאָה עַל קִבְרֵי אֲבָהָתָא). Kalev said (אָמַר כָּלֵב): Yehoshua-behold, Moshe blessed him with the supernal holy assistance (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הָא בָּרְכֵיה מֹשֶׁה בְּסִיוּעָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), and he is able to be saved from them (וְיָכִיל לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִנַּיְיהוּ). But what shall I do? (וַאֲנָא מַה אַעְבִּיד). I will go and seek mercy at the graves of the Patriarchs (אִימְלָךְ, לְמִבָּעֵי בָּעוּתָא עַל קִבְרֵי אֲבָהָתָא), so that I may be delivered from the evil counsel (some say: the evil plot) of the other explorers (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּזִיב מְרָזֵיהוֹן, (ס״א מֵעֵיטָא בִּישָׁא) דִּשְׁאַר מְאַלְלִין).