The major part of this week’s Parshah deals with the story of the spies, who were sent by Moshe Rabbeinu to check out the Land of Israel. They returned with A) a glowing report of the Land and B) a derisive and damaging report of the Land. Anything bad they could think of was delivered before all. This turned the people away from HaShem and Moshe, and they refused to ascend to the Holy Land.
God agreed with them. Since they all accepted the slander against the Land, they were destined to spend the next forty years in the desert and never merited to enter the Land – all because they received and accepted the slander of the spies.
Who were these spies? Influential people chosen by Moshe, who “seemed” to be honest and forthright. But as Rashi explains, they were actually deceivers of the first class, who played their own game. As the Zohar explains, they were, at that time, leaders among the people AND their souls were far greater than the holiness of the Land! However, they also understood that because of their lofty positions, they could not continue to lead the people in the Land. They would have to forfeit their power and become like common people because they were too great!
Which brings us to today!
There are many influential people who have become “too great” for the truth, honesty and integrity that is absolutely necessary to lead people. Look at the media, and see how they use their influence to sway people to their thought processes and deny them the absolute truth. Furthermore, they intentionally mislead people with derogatory statements against whomever they have an issue with. The truth doesn’t matter. They demonstrate as much as they want to destroy whatever they don’t agree with.
Take the politicians, the so-called leaders of the people. Masters of their own policies, it doesn’t matter what happens to the people, even those who elected them.
The Parshah is teaching us that “spies” exist at all levels of society. The Psalmist states (85:12), “Truth shall sprout from the earth.” Eventually, the truth will out! Wise is the person who seeks the truth now and rejects all attempts at the deceit with which politicians and the media oppress us. History, not histrionics, will be the judge of the truth.