It is said in the name of Rav Dovid of Kotzk that the Cheit (sin) of the Meraglim was the point of them saying, “And so we were in their eyes. For why did they take note how they are looked upon in the eyes of others.”
Sefer Siach Sarfei Kodesh
We can expound on this issue as follows. I was recently at a Simcha at which I met a Talmud of mine, who is quite tall. After speaking to him, I noted how he was approached by a fellow who was on the short side. I took note that neither of them seemed to feel uncomfortable with their stark contrast of difference. I repeated it at a Shiur and added as follows. If a person seems to have a seemingly abnormality, he can tell anyone who has a problem with it “Send a complaint to He - Hashem [G-D] who created me so.”
A teenage Bochur had a spike of growth in tallness, which made him feel out of place. His parents brought him to Rav Moshe Feinstein ZY”A who told him “We find by Shaul HaMelech that he was tall, being tall is a sign of Malchus [kingly].” It is interesting to note that Rav Moshe himself was not tall, even the Rebbetzin A”H was taller than him.
Parsha of Nesochim and the Meraglim
The Sefas Emes ZY”A of Ger was once “Bidichusa dateh” and he said “Biderech tzachas” to understand the closeness of the Parsha of Nesochim, to the Parsha of sending the Meraglim. He explained that Klall Yisroel was in great bitterness after the sending of the Meraglim therefore it says afterwards the Parsha of Nischei Yayin (pouring of the wine) to settle their Nefesh (soul).
Siach Sarfei Kodesh
We find that after Beis Din [Rabbinical Court] issued a P’ssak [decree] on a person they would drink wine and say L’chaim’ - from there is the Mikor [root] of the Minhog [custom] to wish L’chaim and drink wine or whisky on an occasion.
The Minhog in Amshinov, when an Avel [mourner] R”L gets up from Shiva, is to drink a L’chaim. This is to symbolize an acceptance of the Heavenly order of Hashem [G-D] and accept His will. No ifs, maybes, or possibilities, “Had this happened, had the ambulance come earlier, etc....”
Rav Avrohom Elimelech of Karlin ZY”A HY”D would quote his father the Yenukoh – Frankfurter ZY”A who would say “Az volt iz Apikorsos” [Had it, is heretic]
There was once a story with one of the Alter Karliner Chasidim in Yerusholayim, whose Dr. said that his foot needed to be amputated R”L. After the procedure the Dr. came to inspect him and they were in for a double surprise. Firstly, the procedure was unnecessary, secondly the wrong foot was amputated R”L. When his fellow Chassidim came to visit him, they were astounded to hear what happened to their fellow Chosid. And when the patient learned of this he exclaimed, “The Rebbe said az Volt iz Apikorsos.”
