1)

To whom does "Vayesapru lo" refer?

1.

Or ha'Chayim: It refers to Moshe. 1


1

See Or ha'Chayim.

2)

Why did the spies add the (otherwise superfluous) words "el ha'Aretz asher Shelachtanu"?

1.

Oznayim la'Torah: It was a slight against Eretz Yisrael - 'the land to which Moshe sent them', intimating that neither they nor K'lal Yisrael had any personal connection to it. 1


1

See Oznayim la'Torah.

3)

What are the implications of "Eretz Zavas Chalav u'Devash"?

1.

Rashi (13:5): It implies that milk flowed freely from the goats and honey from the dates and the figs.

2.

Seforno: The spies conceded that the land was not only a good land, but that it gave its produce without effort ? including grazing-ground for the cattle and juicy fruits fit for a king. 1


1

Refer to 13:18:1:1

4)

Since the spies intentions were to give a bad report of the land, why did they begin with "ve'Gam Zavas Chalav u'Devash hi"?

1.

Rashi #1: Because a lie that does not begin 1 with a little truth will not be accepted. 2

2.

Rashi #2 (in Pasuk 23): What they meant to say was 'Just as its fruit is different (exceptionally large), so too are its inhabitants.

3.

Rashi #3 (in Devarim, 1:25 and Yerushalmi, 9:6: It was Yehoshua who declared 've'Gam Zavas Chalav u'Devash hi!", and the other spies who said '"Efes ki Az ha'Am!"

4.

Ramban #1: They said it in reply to what Moshe had said to them "ha'Shemeinah hi Im Razah", and they added "ve'Zeh Piryah", to what he said "ha'Yesh bah Eitz Im Ayin." 3

5.

Ramban #2 and Moshav Zekenim: Refer to 14:3:2:1.


1

See Torah Temimah, note 17.

2

Perhaps they added the word "ve'Gam" to hint that it was only secondary to what they really wanted to say.

3

Ramban: As were the other answers they gave - in reply to "he'Chazak hu ha'Rafeh" and "ha'be'Machanim Im b'Mivtzarim."

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