Chumash Exam - Perek Yud Daled Mefarshim

Pasuk Aleph, Netziv

Netziv: It's impossible the whole nation was there and complaining, the leaders were there, and then they went home and word spread. By the nightime, everyone knew and they were crying about it.

Pasuk Daled: Rashi

Rashi: Let's appoint a new leader

Pasuk Daled: Netziv: Why did they want to return to Mitzrayim if it's a bad place?

Netziv: If they go back to Mitzrayim they will go back to a godless life. Appoint a leader can mean appointing a new god.

Pasuk Hey: They fell on their faces

1: It's a reaction of shock, falling down because you are in distress

2: This is a form of prayer

3: Shadal: They are signalling they want a chance to speak

Pasuk Vav: Or HaChayim:

Or HaChayim: Calev and Yehoshua weren't just 2 random people who disagree, they are 2 Meraglim that disagree with the rest of the Meraglim. They were there, they saw Eretz Yisrael, and they disagree with the report that was given.

Pasuk Zayin: Ramban: The land is very very good:

Ramban: They had to give their rebuttal and be extra enthusiastic to outweigh all the negative things the rest of the Meraglim said, and get their point across that Eretz Yisrael is good.

Pasuk Chet: Sforno: If Hashem wants us

Sforno: The produce of Eretz Yisrael is dependent on Bnei Yisrael’s behavior, if we do good in Hashem's eyes, the land will be plentiful. (Sforno quotes the Psukim in the second paragraph of Shema)

Pasuk Tet: Rashi: They are our bread

Rashi: We will eat them alive, we will destroy them.

Pasuk Tet: Rashi: Their shade has left them

Rashi: There was a Tzadik who lived there and protected them, but he died, so they have no protection anymore. This Tzadik was Iyov.

Pasuk Yud Aleph: Rashi

Rashi: After all these miracles Hashem did for Bnei Yisrael, and they still don't trust Him, and He has done everything, what can He possibly do? There are no options left except to destroy them.

Pasuk Yud Bet: Netziv

Netziv: Hashem won't kill everyone, the innocent will be spared, and Moshe and those spared will go into Eretz Yisrael.

Moshe’s 2 approaches to change Hashem’s decision: (Rashi and Sforno)

Moshe hears from Hashem that He's going to kill all the Jews and start over with him, so He convinces Hashem to reconsider by using 2 approaches:

Approach #1: He gives a speech saying what will happen if Hashem kills all the Jews, it will seem to the other nations that Hashem isn't strong/capable enough to bring the Jews to Eretz Yisrael, He was able to perform all these miracles, the Makkot and Kriat Yam Suf, and the Mann, but He wasn't able to bring Bnei Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael?

Approach #2: Moshe uses the יג מידות הרחמים, (13 Middot of Mercy) and begs for compassion, after this Hashem doesn't fully forgive Bnei Yisrael, but forgives them enough not to wipe them out in an instant.