Parshat Hashavua Rabbi Michael Laitner If you have comments please feel free to e-mail Rabbi Laitner at: michael@southhampstead.org

‘Speak to Bnei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) and say to them, ‘when you enter the land of your domicile which I give to you, you shall make an offering to G-d, either a burnt offering or a feast offering…’ (Bemidar 15:1-2)
 
These verses come immediately after the ‘sin of the spies’ (the ‘spin of the spies’ may more accurately describe part of their sin – hat tip to Michael Green).  The behaviour of the spies themselves and the language describing their mission suggests strongly that there were tourists rather than spies.  Compare these tourists to the spies of Jericho who appear in the Haftara.  
 
The result of the sin of the spies and the response of Bnei Yisrael was one of the most significant episodes in Jewish history.  Rather than proceeding directly to the Land of Israel, the people stay in the desert for another 38 years (making 40 years in total in the desert) until a new generation under the leadership of Yehoshua (Joshua) enter the Land.
 
Given the bad ending to the episode of the spies, why does the Torah juxtapose this episode to laws, particularly laws of sacrifices that specifically apply in the Land of Israel?  Such laws might appear to be placed more appropriately in the book of Vayikra (Leviticus) which focuses in part on sacrifices.  In addition, why would the Torah inform the people of laws relating to Israel immediately after that particular generation learn that they will not make it to Israel?
 
Rashi, the premier Torah commentator, notes briefly that the placement of these laws assures the people that eventually Bnei Yisrael will get to Israel.  Just because that generation remains in the desert does not mean that their descendents will not make it to Israel. 
 
Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra (‘Ibn Ezra’) applies this approach to all of the Mitzvot (commandments) which follow until the end of the Sidra (weekly Torah reading).  They are all to revive flagging spirits by assuring the people that these Mitzvot will really occur in the Land of Israel.  Ibn Ezra’s approach is intriguing because these Mitzvot include: the laws of taking Chala, public law provisions and the laws of Tzitzit. 
 
A very close reading of the text with associated commentaries reveals why Ibn Ezra comes to his conclusion but this is beyond our article.  Briefly, consider the link between the infinitive ‘la-tur’ which describes how the spies went ‘to tour’ the land and the phrase ‘velo ta-turu’ which occurs in the pesukim (verses) dealing with Tzitzit at the end of the Sidra.
 
The commentary of Chizkuni (Rabbi Chezkiah ben Manoach) suggests that the people immediately repented for the sin of the spies.  The Torah teaches these Mitzvot for the benefit of their children but also to allow parents and children to discuss these Mitzvot safe in the knowledge that the children will perform them.
 
Given that the Mitzvot in our pesukim are pertinent to the Land of Israel and provide inspiration to Bnei Yisrael after the sin of the spies, we can now better understand their placement.

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