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THEMES of Featured Contemporary Kabbalists Articles
The essential difference between the supervision and guidance by G-d in the desert and in the Land of Israel.
The majority of the spies preferred the heavenly control and guidance that existed in the desert so that they could continue studying Torah without material worries, not understanding that this existence was just a prelude to the ultimate service of elevating the material and physical through fulfilling the mitzvahs in the Land of Israel.
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Joshua's resilience was a gift, while Caleb's was self-made.
Both Joshua and Caleb equally declared that the Israelites could conquer the Land. Joshua received his inspiration from Moses, who had prayed for him before he left for Canaan.
Caleb, however, sought inspiration on his own by praying at the graves of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Caleb's faith had a stronger impact: he was able to silence all the people, even the spies themselves. |
Even though challah seems like a relatively minor ritual, the very foundation of our faith hinges upon its observance!
The requirement to give part (called challah) of every batch of dough to the priests, is followed by laws pertaining to idolatry for bread, the most basic staple of human sustenance, represents the reality of our physical world.
We have to work hard to satisfy our needs and it is easy to mistakenly feel that our material success is dependent solely on the brutal laws of nature, that G d is not involved. Nonetheless, this in actuality borders on idol worship. |
Beginner
G-d wants our active participation in our redemption.
The seven nations that inhabited the Land of Canaan signify and embodied the seven basic emotions. The more we meditate on the futility of materialism and the awesomeness of G-d, the more we develop ecstatic love for G-d and antipathy for anything that opposes divinity and to that extent we may inspect and conquer our seven emotions, as well.
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How could their spiritual elite fall so low as to question G-d's omnipotence?
The generation of the Exodus attained the highest level of Divine consciousness of any generation in history. But their heightened spiritual orientation led them astray. They wished to experience life and pursue G‑dliness unencumbered by the distractions of materiality.
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