TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 14
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1The whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night.
va-ti-SA kol HA-ay-DAH va-yi-t'-NU et ko-LAM va-yiv-KU ha-AM ba-LAI-lah ha-HU
אוַתִּשָּׂא כָּל־הָעֵדָה וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־קוֹלָם וַיִּבְכּוּ הָעָם בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא׃
14:1 And the people wept that night
Mourning the desctuction of the Beit Hamikdash on the 9th of Av
The Sages explain that Hashem intentionally selected the ninth day of the month of Av as the day upon which both the first and second Temples would be destroyed. According to Jewish tradition, this is because it was on this day that the twelve spies returned from their mission to scout out Eretz Yisrael. As reported in the coming verses, following their pessimistic and libelous report, the people cried out to God in fear: “If only we had died in the land of Egypt… or if only we might die in this wilderness! Why is Hashem taking us to that land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be carried off! It would be better for us to go back to Egypt!” (Numbers 14:2-3). The Talmud (Taanit 29a) records that Hashem reprimanded the people for their lack of faith and said: “As you cried on the ninth of Av for no reason, this day will become a day of crying for all future generations.” The events surrounding the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash are linked back to the biblical account of the twelve spies, to illustrate that all of Jewish history is inexorably interwoven, and is the unfolding of Hashem’s plan. We must never forget that one of the keys to the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash and the heralding in of the Messianic Era is our unquestioning trust in God, and appreciation of Eretz Yisrael.
2All the Israelites railed against Moshe and Aharon. “If only we had died in the land of Egypt,” the whole community shouted at them, “or if only we might die in this wilderness!
בוַיִּלֹּנוּ עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַל־אַהֲרֹן כֹּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם כָּל־הָעֵדָה לוּ־מַתְנוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לוּ־מָתְנוּ׃
3Why is Hashem taking us to that land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be carried off! It would be better for us to go back to Egypt!”
גוְלָמָה יְהֹוָה מֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לִנְפֹּל בַּחֶרֶב נָשֵׁינוּ וְטַפֵּנוּ יִהְיוּ לָבַז הֲלוֹא טוֹב לָנוּ שׁוּב מִצְרָיְמָה׃
4And they said to one another, “Let us head back for Egypt.”
דוַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה׃
5Then Moshe and Aharon fell on their faces before all the assembled congregation of the Israelites.
הוַיִּפֹּל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם לִפְנֵי כָּל־קְהַל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
6And Yehoshua son of Nun and Kalev son of Jephunneh, of those who had scouted the land, rent their clothes
ווִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן וְכָלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה מִן־הַתָּרִים אֶת־הָאָרֶץ קָרְעוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם׃
7and exhorted the whole Israelite community: “The land that we traversed and scouted is an exceedingly good land.
va-YO-m'-RU el kol a-DAT b'-nay yis-ra-AYL lay-MOR ha-A-retz a-SHER a-VAR-nu VAH la-TUR o-TAH to-VAH ha-A-retz m'-OD m'-OD
זוַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ לָתוּר אֹתָהּ טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ מְאֹד מְאֹד׃
14:7-8 If Hashem is pleased with us
After the negative report of ten of the twelve spies, Kalev responds by saying that if Hashem desires that the People of Israel live in Eretz Yisrael, He will make sure that they will inherit it, despite the many obstacles. Hashem desired to give the land to His chosen nation then, and He desires for them to have it now. There are certainly deterrents from living in, and loving, the land of Israel. For example, it is surrounded by hostile neighbors and there are constant security threats. Nevertheless, God has returned the land to the Children of Israel. Let us not repeat the mistake of the ten spies by minimizing God’s great gift to our generation.
8If Hashem is pleased with us, He will bring us into that land, a land that flows with milk and honey, and give it to us;
im kha-FAYTZ BA-nu a-do-NAI v'-hay-VEE o-TA-nu el ha-A-retz ha-ZOT u-n'-ta-NAH LA-nu E-retz a-sher HEE za-VAT kha-LAV u-d'-VASH
חאִם־חָפֵץ בָּנוּ יְהֹוָה וְהֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וּנְתָנָהּ לָנוּ אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִוא זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ׃
9only you must not rebel against Hashem. Have no fear then of the people of the country, for they are our prey: their protection has departed from them, but Hashem is with us. Have no fear of them!”
טאַךְ בַּיהֹוָה אַל־תִּמְרֹדוּ וְאַתֶּם אַל־תִּירְאוּ אֶת־עַם הָאָרֶץ כִּי לַחְמֵנוּ הֵם סָר צִלָּם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַיהֹוָה אִתָּנוּ אַל־תִּירָאֻם׃
10As the whole community threatened to pelt them with stones, the Presence of Hashem appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites.
יוַיֹּאמְרוּ כָּל־הָעֵדָה לִרְגּוֹם אֹתָם בָּאֲבָנִים וּכְבוֹד יְהֹוָה נִרְאָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֶל־כָּל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
11And Hashem said to Moshe, “How long will this people spurn Me, and how long will they have no faith in Me despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst?
יאוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה עַד־אָנָה יְנַאֲצֻנִי הָעָם הַזֶּה וְעַד־אָנָה לֹא־יַאֲמִינוּ בִי בְּכֹל הָאֹתוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי בְּקִרְבּוֹ׃
12I will strike them with pestilence and disown them, and I will make of you a nation far more numerous than they!”
יבאַכֶּנּוּ בַדֶּבֶר וְאוֹרִשֶׁנּוּ וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אֹתְךָ לְגוֹי־גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ׃
13But Moshe said to Hashem, “When the Egyptians, from whose midst You brought up this people in Your might, hear the news,
יגוַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־יְהֹוָה וְשָׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם כִּי־הֶעֱלִיתָ בְכֹחֲךָ אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה מִקִּרְבּוֹ׃
14they will tell it to the inhabitants of that land. Now they have heard that You, Hashem, are in the midst of this people; that You, Hashem, appear in plain sight when Your cloud rests over them and when You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
ידוְאָמְרוּ אֶל־יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת שָׁמְעוּ כִּי־אַתָּה יְהֹוָה בְּקֶרֶב הָעָם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר־עַיִן בְּעַיִן נִרְאָה אַתָּה יְהֹוָה וַעֲנָנְךָ עֹמֵד עֲלֵהֶם וּבְעַמֻּד עָנָן אַתָּה הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם וּבְעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לָיְלָה׃
15If then You slay this people to a man, the nations who have heard Your fame will say,
טווְהֵמַתָּה אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד וְאָמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְעוּ אֶת־שִׁמְעֲךָ לֵאמֹר׃
16‘It must be because Hashem was powerless to bring that people into the land He had promised them on oath that He slaughtered them in the wilderness.'
טזמִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת יְהֹוָה לְהָבִיא אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּע לָהֶם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם בַּמִּדְבָּר׃
17Therefore, I pray, let my Lord's forbearance be great, as You have declared, saying,
יזוְעַתָּה יִגְדַּל־נָא כֹּחַ אֲדֹנָי כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לֵאמֹר׃
18‘Hashem! slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression; yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and fourth generations.'
יחיְהֹוָה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד נֹשֵׂא עָוׂן וָפָשַׁע וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה פֹּקֵד עֲוׂן אָבוֹת עַל־בָּנִים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִים׃
19Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to Your great kindness, as You have forgiven this people ever since Egypt.”
יטסְלַח־נָא לַעֲוׂן הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּגֹדֶל חַסְדֶּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד־הֵנָּה׃
20And Hashem said, “I pardon, as you have asked.
כוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ׃
21Nevertheless, as I live and as Hashem's Presence fills the whole world,
כאוְאוּלָם חַי־אָנִי וְיִמָּלֵא כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָה אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ׃
22none of the men who have seen My Presence and the signs that I have performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and who have tried Me these many times and have disobeyed Me,
כבכִּי כָל־הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרֹאִים אֶת־כְּבֹדִי וְאֶת־אֹתֹתַי אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי בְמִצְרַיִם וּבַמִּדְבָּר וַיְנַסּוּ אֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי׃
23shall see the land that I promised on oath to their fathers; none of those who spurn Me shall see it.
כגאִם־יִרְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָם וְכָל־מְנַאֲצַי לֹא יִרְאוּהָ׃
24But My servant Kalev, because he was imbued with a different spirit and remained loyal to Me—him will I bring into the land that he entered, and his offspring shall hold it as a possession.
כדוְעַבְדִּי כָלֵב עֵקֶב הָיְתָה רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת עִמּוֹ וַיְמַלֵּא אַחֲרָי וַהֲבִיאֹתִיו אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־בָּא שָׁמָּה וְזַרְעוֹ יוֹרִשֶׁנָּה׃
25Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites occupy the valleys. Start out, then, tomorrow and march into the wilderness by way of the Sea of Reeds.”
כהוְהָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב בָּעֵמֶק מָחָר פְּנוּ וּסְעוּ לָכֶם הַמִּדְבָּר דֶּרֶךְ יַם־סוּף׃
26Hashem spoke further to Moshe and Aharon,
כווַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר׃
27“How much longer shall that wicked community keep muttering against Me? Very well, I have heeded the incessant muttering of the Israelites against Me.
כזעַד־מָתַי לָעֵדָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה מַלִּינִים עָלָי אֶת־תְּלֻנּוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה מַלִּינִים עָלַי שָׁמָעְתִּי׃
28Say to them: ‘As I live,' says Hashem, ‘I will do to you just as you have urged Me.
כחאֱמֹר אֲלֵהֶם חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה אִם־לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם בְּאָזְנָי כֵּן אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם׃
29In this very wilderness shall your carcasses drop. Of all of you who were recorded in your various lists from the age of twenty years up, you who have muttered against Me,
כטבַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִפְּלוּ פִגְרֵיכֶם וְכָל־פְּקֻדֵיכֶם לְכָל־מִסְפַּרְכֶם מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמָעְלָה אֲשֶׁר הֲלִינֹתֶם עָלָי׃
30not one shall enter the land in which I swore to settle you—save Kalev son of Jephunneh and Yehoshua son of Nun.
לאִם־אַתֶּם תָּבֹאוּ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתִי אֶת־יָדִי לְשַׁכֵּן אֶתְכֶם בָּהּ כִּי אִם־כָּלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן׃
31Your children who, you said, would be carried off—these will I allow to enter; they shall know the land that you have rejected.
לאוְטַפְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם לָבַז יִהְיֶה וְהֵבֵיאתִי אֹתָם וְיָדְעוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר מְאַסְתֶּם בָּהּ׃
32But your carcasses shall drop in this wilderness,
לבוּפִגְרֵיכֶם אַתֶּם יִפְּלוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה׃
33while your children roam the wilderness for forty years, suffering for your faithlessness, until the last of your carcasses is down in the wilderness.
לגוּבְנֵיכֶם יִהְיוּ רֹעִים בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וְנָשְׂאוּ אֶת־זְנוּתֵיכֶם עַד־תֹּם פִּגְרֵיכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר׃
34You shall bear your punishment for forty years, corresponding to the number of days—forty days—that you scouted the land: a year for each day. Thus you shall know what it means to thwart Me.
לדבְּמִסְפַּר הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר־תַּרְתֶּם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־עֲוׂנֹתֵיכֶם אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וִידַעְתֶּם אֶת־תְּנוּאָתִי׃
35I Hashem have spoken: Thus will I do to all that wicked band that has banded together against Me: in this very wilderness they shall die to the last man.'”
להאֲנִי יְהֹוָה דִּבַּרְתִּי אִם־לֹא זֹאת אֶעֱשֶׂה לְכָל־הָעֵדָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת הַנּוֹעָדִים עָלָי בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִתַּמּוּ וְשָׁם יָמֻתוּ׃
36As for the men whom Moshe sent to scout the land, those who came back and caused the whole community to mutter against him by spreading calumnies about the land—
לווְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה לָתוּר אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וילונו [וַיַּלִּינוּ] עָלָיו אֶת־כָּל־הָעֵדָה לְהוֹצִיא דִבָּה עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃
37those who spread such calumnies about the land died of plague, by the will of Hashem.
לזוַיָּמֻתוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים מוֹצִאֵי דִבַּת־הָאָרֶץ רָעָה בַּמַּגֵּפָה לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה׃
38Of those men who had gone to scout the land, only Yehoshua son of Nun and Kalev son of Jephunneh survived.
לחוִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן וְכָלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה חָיוּ מִן־הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם הַהֹלְכִים לָתוּר אֶת־הָאָרֶץ׃
39When Moshe repeated these words to all the Israelites, the people were overcome by grief.
לטוַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל־כָּל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתְאַבְּלוּ הָעָם מְאֹד׃
40Early next morning they set out toward the crest of the hill country, saying, “We are prepared to go up to the place that Hashem has spoken of, for we were wrong.”
מוַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶל־רֹאשׁ־הָהָר לֵאמֹר הִנֶּנּוּ וְעָלִינוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־אָמַר יְהֹוָה כִּי חָטָאנוּ׃
41But Moshe said, “Why do you transgress Hashem's command? This will not succeed.
מאוַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לָמָּה זֶּה אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת־פִּי יְהֹוָה וְהִוא לֹא תִצְלָח׃
42Do not go up, lest you be routed by your enemies, for Hashem is not in your midst.
מבאַל־תַּעֲלוּ כִּי אֵין יְהֹוָה בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְלֹא תִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיכֶם׃
43For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there to face you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned from following Hashem and Hashem will not be with you.”
מגכִּי הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי שָׁם לִפְנֵיכֶם וּנְפַלְתֶּם בֶּחָרֶב כִּי־עַל־כֵּן שַׁבְתֶּם מֵאַחֲרֵי יְהֹוָה וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה יְהֹוָה עִמָּכֶם׃
44Yet defiantly they marched toward the crest of the hill country, though neither Hashem's Aron HaBrit nor Moshe stirred from the camp.
מדוַיַּעְפִּלוּ לַעֲלוֹת אֶל־רֹאשׁ הָהָר וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָה וּמֹשֶׁה לֹא־מָשׁוּ מִקֶּרֶב הַמַּחֲנֶה׃
45And the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that hill country came down and dealt them a shattering blow at Hormah.
מהוַיֵּרֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּהָר הַהוּא וַיַּכּוּם וַיַּכְּתוּם עַד־הַחָרְמָה׃
