Shelach

The passuk states in the report of the meraglim (spies) ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא it is a land which consumes its residents. Onkelos translates אוכלת as “kills” its dwellers, explaining the intent of the words. The Me’at Tzuri adds that the word אוכלת is used to mean destroying, as when one eats he consumes the food.

What was the meraglims claim of ארץ אוכלת יושביה? And why were they incorrect?

The Ibn Ezra explains that the meraglim claimed that land has bad weather which is unhealthy to live in therefore people are dying. The Ramban explains that it had a harsh thick climate, and thick and heavy food and drink, which is not bearable for the standard person and he will therefore perish. Only giants can prosper and flourish in such nature. This is as the passuk continuesוכל העם אשר ראינו בתוכה אנשי מדות  “and the entire nation that we saw were people of measure.” The meraglim were claiming: only giants who are big and strong are able to survive in such a place, and not any of us. We saw those people dying, and so will we.

Rashi explains that wherever the meraglim went, they saw people were burying their dead. Hashem did this for their benefit to keep the Cana’anim busy so they would not pay attention to the meraglim and ask or check into their whereabouts. Had the meraglim been noticed, the people of Cana’an would certainly have killed them. However the meraglim used this as a proof against the good land saying it is a land which kills its inhabitants.

The Stiepler explains with the Chazal: whichever way a person chooses to go, his is brought. The meraglim came with bad interests which influenced them for the bad. Because of this, they perceived things which were intended for the good, as for the bad. These thoughts, that a land kills its residents, are in truth impossible for then there would be no inhabitants. Had the meraglim been zoche they would have seen an enormous kindness: Hashem was protecting them by making the enemies busy. They could have taken this exceptional message, and realize that Hashem would certainly assist them in conquering the land and then they could feel confident entering Eretz Yisrael.

May Hashem help us go in the proper direction and recognize the yad Hashem in every step!