The Tikkun (Rectification/Healing) of the Sin of the Spies

The Arizal revealed that the souls of the Jewish people at the end of history will be the same souls of the Jewish people from the beginning of our history. One main reason for this will be tikkun, that is rectification of the sin that they committed.

We already saw how four fifths of the Jewish population in Egypt died in the Plague of Darkness for not wanting to leave Egypt. However millions died over the course of 39 years for not wanting to go into Eretz Yisrael, and it is those souls that return at the end of history to make amends for that tragic sin.

(Rabbi Pinchas Winston Geulah Brachamim p 31-32), emphasis added

You must understand that the people of Israel did not deserve to enter the Land because they tested the Holy One Blessed be He many times. However through his abundant mercy and kindness, G-d placed in their hearts the desire to send men to spy out the land. Had they performed the mission properly, Hashem would have brought them into the land (because of this merit) and afterward, slowly but surely would have taken retribution for their previous sins. ...

Hashem commanded them to send their princes, meaning their greatest sages... Moshe was hinting that they should praise Eretz Yisrael so that the Jews would yearn to enter the Land. Then they would merit to enter therein.

...This teaches that simply yearning for and desiring the Land makes Israel worthy of inheriting it...

The holy Zohar and the Shelah explain that selfish motives caused the spies to do this. They feared that they were meant to be princes only in the desert, but once they entered the Land new princes would be appointed.

Let this be an instructive lesson. Even the greatest gadol in Torah and righteousness should not trust himself when he opposes the movement to build the land. He should not feel that his intentions are fully for the sake of heaven, for he is certainly no greater in Torah and righteousness than the princes whom Moshe sent. Consider and study this well and you will see that it is truth.

In any event, we see that Hashem motivated the Jews to send men to Eretz Yisrael for Israel's benefit. He wanted to awaken within them a yearning and desire for the good Land, so that they would be worthy to enter the Land.

There is no doubt that the Holy One Blessed be He, Who always has our best interest in mind placed this desire for the Land of our forefathers into the hearts of our Jewish brethren (who have learned the ways of the nations during this long and bitter exile), so that none of us will be banished.

( Eim Habanim Semeicha 258-259), emphasis added

Through the Merit of Jerusalem I am splitting the sea (Mechilta BeShalach3)

© Boris Ganzelevich, http://www.jerusalemshots.com/i/misc3/Jerusalem-of-Gold.jpg

In parshat BeChukotai it is written And I will remember my covenant with Yaakov and also my covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Ya'akov, and I will remember the Land (Vayikra 26:42). Rashi comments:

Why were the Patriarchs listed in reverse order? it is to tell us: Ya'akov, the youngest is worthy of this (to bring about redemption); and if he is not sufficiently worthy, behold Yitzhak is with him; and if he is not sufficiently worthy, behold Avraham is with him

We can now take this one step further. Even if all of them are not worthy (in the eventuality that the merit of the patriarchs has run out), still I will remember the Land. That is that the merit of Eretz Yisrael will deliver us from distress (a concept that the Baal Ha Tanya spoke of). thus we have a pure source that the merit of Eretz Yisrael stands above all other merits. It is even greater than the merit of our forefathers...

The Mechilta comments of the verse Why are you crying out to me? Speak to the Children of Israel that they should travel (Shemot 14:150) "R. Yishmael says , "Through the merit of Jerusalem I am splitting the sea" (Mechilta BeShalach 3) This seems incomprehensible! What is the connection between Jerusalem and the splitting of the sea? The mreit of Eretz Yisrael is always by our side in times of need to deliver us from distress. Chazal tell us that Eretz Yisrael is occasionally referred to as Jerusalem, since Jerusalem is its center (Esther Rabbah 1:9). The Zohar similarly points out that all of Eretz Yisrael is included in Jerusalem (1:114a)

Source Eim Habanim Semeichah Harav Yisachar Shlomo Teichtal p 34-35

Lag B Omer- Hod of Hod, Humility in Humility, Ahavat Yisrael

The holy Zohar states that even the sinners of Israel hold on to the right side and are rooted in holiness. It is, therefore forbidden to degrade or curse them. On the contrary, it is a mitzvah to love them and bring them near.


The Talmud states that Beit Shammai was strict while Beit Hillel loved peace, pursued peace, and brought people closer to the Torah (Shabbat 31a). This does not mean that Beit Shammai was unjustly strict (G-d forbid). rather Beit Shammai would distance those who legitimately deserved such treatment. Beit Hillel on the otherhand was extraordinarily humble, and he brought people close even when the law did not call for it. that is to say that he befriended those who by law would have been distanced. And the halacha follows Beit Hillel (Chatam Sofer's words)



When the Moshiach arrives the Jews will repent. In the meantime it is of utmost importance that the Jews love one another. One must love even the lowliest of Jew as himself. One must engender unity and keep far away from anything that causes disunity. The salvation of Israel during times of trouble depends on this. (Rebbe of Belz)



The Kabbalist R Issac of Komarno discussing the Jews of Germany reminds us that the klipa strengthens during bitter times. He states surely we should embrace anyone who bears the name Israel and invoke merit and love upon him....I swear by the Eternal G-d that the wicked Jews, especially those in Germany are like infants kidnapped by Gentiles. They act under duress and speak out of ignorance. In an instant they would all be willing to spill their blood like water with love, happiness, and joyful dancing-for the sanctification of G-ds great name.

*Quotes taken from Rabbi Teichtal's brilliant work Eim Habanim Semeichah p104-106

We have to learn from our past in order to rectify our future. We are reminded with the death of Rabbi Akiva's students the lesson of Ahavat Yisrael which seems to be very integral to our future redemption. As our temple is not rebuilt yet, we need to investigate and act deeply to rectify the reason why the second temple was destroyed (hatred among Jews) which we are still in the wake of. Just today I saw a non religious looking teenager (no kipa, tzitzit,) kissing a mezuzah on entering a store. Only Hashem knows what is truly in our hearts. Lets have humility with one another. We are Am Yisrael, and we need Each other.

Anyone who lives in Eretz Yisrael is considered a Tzaddik

In honor of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut I wanted to include some words honoring all Am Yisrael who have fought hard for the ability for me and my children to be here in Eretz Hakodesh. The excerpts are taken from the amazing work Eim Habanim Semeichah, 1943 authored by Rabbi Yisachar Shlomo Teichtal an Orthodox Rabbi writing while in hiding during the Holocaust

Anyone who lives in Eretz Yisrael is considered a tzaddik (righteous individual) even though it does not seem that way. For if he was not a tzaddik, the Land would vomit him out as it says, And the Land vomits out its inhabitants (VaYikra 18:25) Since the Land does not vomit him out he must be considered a tzaddik, even though he is presumed to be wicked 114

114 Chesed LeAvraham, Ma'ayan 3, Nahar 12 * It seems to me that there is a Talmudic source for the words of this divine Kabbalist whose every utterance was said with Ruach HaKodesh. It can be found in Avodah Zarah (26a) in the statement," Come and see the difference betwee the theives of Babylonia and the highway robbers of Eretz Yisrael..."

Nachal LeYisrael written by a great Torah scholar for Eretz Yisrael cites this Chesed Le Avraham and adds the following

Thus, it is cleast that we do not properly understand the true nature of the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael with our physical eyesight. For man sees what his eyes behold while Hashem sees the heart. Therefore we cannot judge or degrade specific individuals and certainly not the entire community even those who do not find favor in out eyes and do not act in a manner befitting our nation

The author adds that we see from Chazal that the omnipresent is pleased by the acts of today's builders (reffering to the Chalutzim as he demonstrates in length in chapter 3 of his book), then it is certainly forbidden to slander them. Hence he who is not careful to guard his tongue about this, does not guard his soul from troubles. He will be included in the decree all who provoke me shall not see it (Be Midbar 14:23). May Hashem protect us from them and their associates. (Eim Habanim Semeicha page 27, 28)