Do you ever doubt yourself? The impact you are making on others? Felt like your words "fell on deaf ears"? Thinking of your G-dly connection, did these words ever come up: “I have my spiritual cocoon, let me stay where I am without further working on my growth"?
This was the experience of most of the spies in this week's Torah portion. As they explored bringing the Jewish people into the land, they realized that they'd prefer a spiritual life in the desert, where G-d provided for all their needs, and not go into the land to settle the land.
When the Jewish people were in the desert, their very survival was miraculous. Every aspect of their existence was the result of a miracle. Manna came down from heaven, giving them food. A rock rolled alongside them, providing water. Their clothing was laundered by the surrounding Protective Clouds. They had no financial worries. The stock market didn't go up or down. Real estate prices were steady. Everybody had money in their pockets.
How did they spend their time? What did they do all day? They studied Torah and grew spiritually.
But the spies were wrong. G-d tells them, "Even in the land of Israel, you will have to work. You will have to launder your clothing, but you can live a spiritual life in the physical world." To quote Caleb, "We shall surely ascend and take possession of it, for we can surely do it!"
The difference between Caleb and the spies is that the spies were listening to their inner voice saying that it's impossible. It can't happen. Go home. These voices of negativity are not only inside us, they're also all around us!
Before Fraida and I moved to Harford County, ‘they’ said: The Jews in Harford County don't live in Baltimore by choice; they aren't interested in authentic, 3,000-year-old Judaism. Just stay in NY.' There were a few, like Caleb, who said, 'Come and we will build together, for we can surely do it!'
Caleb reminds us all that sometimes we need to channel our inner Little Engine That Could and repeat to ourselves, "I think I can. I think I can. I know I can." If we say it enough, we can actually do it!
There's a lot more to it than the power of positive thinking. We need to have faith. We need to believe in what we're doing. We need to put our trust in G‑d and take steps to make it a reality.
You may remember the Duran family, who lived here a while ago. The mom, Jill, ran a sip-and-paint for Chanukah. Their older daughter volunteered in the Hebrew school and the younger daughter Bella was part of the cTeen group. Seven years ago, they moved away, and we kept in touch. From a metrics standpoint they were involved when they were here, but who knew the long term impact? Just last week, the younger daughter sent me a text, "Hey, Rabbi, I'm going on Birthright." A few days later, she sent me a video of herself on Masada having her Bat Mitzvah, and in her speech, she said, "Harford Chabad gave me a community and my Jewish identity."
Are we making a difference in Harford County? Is it good that we moved? Would it have been easier spiritually to just stay in an "orthodox" Jewish community?
Learning from the spies' mistake, we move forward with "Yes, we can!" It may take time (seven years?), but we will "conquer the land" by making Judaism accessible, enjoyable, and ensuring we have a community and a proud Jewish identity.
You can stop here... but something else that is fascinating is that this is our collective mission! To say "Yes, we can!" when the world is saying "No, you can't." According to Kabbalah, the last generation of Galut (exile) are all reincarnations of the souls of that constantly doubting desert generation. The Rebbe, of blessed memory, said that this is our generation.
We're getting a second chance! Will we do it right this time? Yes, we will! G‑d wants us to succeed. He wants a home. We now have the opportunity to accomplish what we were unable to do the first time around. This time, we will heed Caleb's exhortation, and our positive mindset will carry the day.
"We shall surely ascend and take possession of it, for we can surely do it!"
We can, and we will.
Have a good Shabbos,
Rabbi Kushi Schusterman
P.S. Watch and Read Bella’s Speech here (it’s on this week’s Torah portion)