Of all our Sacred Jewish documents, the Torah is the one most fundamental to our religion. Given to us at Mount Sinai, the Torah is part of our weekly rituals in many ways. Not only has it provided the guidelines by which we construct our Jewish lives, but we also read publicly from the Torah every Monday, Thursday and Shabbat day. On Shabbat, an entire parsha, or portion, is read.

When it comes to the parsha of the week, one can read the text itself, ancient commentary, or a modern interpretation. Reading the weekly Torah portion provides us with historical knowledge and eternal guidelines for living as well as deeper insights into life, its mysteries, and everyday lessons.

This week, the Torah portion is Shlach (send). Having received the Torah at Mount Sinai, the Jews have been traveling in the desert and are getting closer to their destination. Though the promise of G-d is to deliver them into the Land where they will prevail, the Jewish people are nervous and doubtful. Moses heeds their anxious requests and sends twelve men (spies) ahead to scout the land.

Ten spies return saying that conquering this land and its inhabitants is futile (“And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers and so we were in their sight” Numbers 13:33). Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, insist that G-d’s promise of conquering the land will be realized.

If you try to put yourself in the shoes of G-d, you can understand the absurdity of the doubt displayed by the Jewish people. After all, G-d had just liberated us from Egypt, guided us and taken care of us through our wanderings in the desert.

Following this episode, G-d’s decree is that the ten spies and anyone else over twenty years old will not enter the Holy Land. The Jewish people were to wander for another forty years while that older generation died out. Joshua and Caleb, the two spies who did not lose their faith, were honored with leading the Jewish people into the Holy Land.

***

While this week’s parsha provides an account of history, our Jewish past – it also holds messages that pertain to our lives today. What was it that made the spies see themselves as “grasshoppers” so, in turn, they believed the people in this land would see them as “grasshoppers”? How often are our decisions based upon what we believe others will think, want or demand from us? How many people do you know who always do what they believe is right no matter what others think? How many people do you know whose faith is strong enough to lead them, comfort them and allow them to stand on their own two feet?

The lesson we can draw from Parsha Shlach is not only to believe in ourselves and stand true to who we are but, ultimately, to demonstrate our faith in G-d through our actions and decisions.