by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine* © 2026
May this Dvar Torah be a Zechus Refuah Shileima for Cholei Yisroel
The story of the Miraglim is a sad one. After Yetzias Mitzrayim, the Jewish people were ready to enter Eretz Yisroel and they sent spies to scout out the land. Most of the spies came back with a bad report. "It is a dangerous and fearsome place," they reported. Their report swayed the people to fear.
I realize that the Miraglim didn't have time to visit Mikomos HaKidoshim (the holy sites) the way a tourist of today would. They were men with a task, focused on bringing back a report about the land. Even Koleiv who did travel to Chevron only did so because he realized how vulnerable he was to the peer pressure of the other Miraglim. But what would have been if they had visited the places that a good tour guide would take you to?
True, the Kevorim of Rabban Shimon bar Yochoie in Meron and the Arizal in Tzfas didn't exist yet. But there were places that a good tour guide could have taken them to. For example, the place of the Akeida, which would become the Beis HaMikdash; Be'er Sheva, where Avraham and Sara established their Eishel of hospitality; Shichem, where the brothers of Dina rescued her and punished the people for their lack of a judicial system; the field overlooking Sedom, where Avraham davened earnestly for Sedom to be spared, asking Hashem to give them another chance for Teshuva.
What would have been if the Miraglim would have taken some time off from their task to be tourists and explore the land which is so rich with history and eternal values? What might have been if they had visited these places that represent Avodah, Chesed, Arvus, justice, and our steadfast belief in prayer and that people can do Teshuva? Is it possible that they had seen the land differently, perhaps even as we describe it in Birchas Hamazon as “a desirable, good, and spacious land?"
Perhaps they would all have joined Koleiv in a pilgrimage to Chevron to report to the Avos, “We are coming. Hashem redeemed us from Mitzrayim and brought us, your descendants, through the desert to the land that Hashem promised that he would give to us." Then they would excitedly add, "We are here! Hashem is about to fulfill His promise to you."
Yes, I think things would have been very different had they checked in with the pillars of the intended destination. But they didn't. Instead, they stayed busy with their task without recognizing its purpose To build a robust Jewish commonwealth on the land promised to their ancestors. As a result, they wept when they should have rejoiced, missing out on their destination.
Just as the Miraglim had both a task and a destination, so in our personal lives there are tasks and also a destination that we hope to reach by doing those tasks. It is beneficial for us to take time periodically from the tasks to taste the destination. This way we stay on track as we connect with the reason for the tasks.
For example, Hashem gave us the gift of Shabbos — a taste of the world to come - so that we take a break from the tasks of life and have a day to focus on our destination. We devote ourselves to Torah, Tefila, and our relationships, with Hashem and with our families and communities. In fact, we make space to savor the taste of the destination by striving to fulfill the directive, "To see all our work as if it is completed." Jobs, money, and logistics are not on our minds. One day each week we take time off from the tasks to taste the destination.
I once had the opportunity to attend the HASC pre-concert dinner. The presentations were precious. It was truly a memorable event recognizing the Tzelem Elokim of people with special needs. Following the dinner, we headed into the concert hall, joined by thousands who came to attend the concert. The flow of people was steady; the pre-concert excitement was palpable. Suddenly the flow into the concert hall halted. Surprised at how abruptly things had stopped, we tried to get a glimpse of what was up ahead holding things up. What we saw was a simple sight. A gentleman with special needs was being wheeled in a wheelchair, and everyone was politely holding back to give space. It was a simple moment, but an awesome one as well. This is what it was all about. The concert itself was a task to raise money. But the destination was to be more sensitive, more aware To stop our busyness, to pause and be extra courteous to the Tzelem Elokim that is within each of us. It was refreshing to take a few moments from focusing on the task of the concert and focus on the destination.
It is common for us, devoted as we are, to be engaged in the tasks of daily life. Periodically, Hashem thrusts upon us opportunities (aka disturbances) that enable us to connect for a few moments with the purpose, the destination, of everything that we do. It might be a child who needs attention or a Tzedaka collector who needs our time and money. Pausing from the task to help is greatness and it makes sure that we stay on track in all that we do.
On one level, the Miraglim were simply too focused on the task to remember the destination. Had they taken a moment to visit special places and see themselves walking the fields where the Avos had walked, things could have been very different.
We face the same challenge. The tasks we are engaged in are real and constant. But Hashem builds in moments — sometimes as gifts, like Shabbos, sometimes as interruptions — that pull us back to the destination. The key is to recognize them when they come and not be so busy with the task that we miss out on the destination.
For Family Discussion:
— The HASC moment was an interruption — an unplanned pause. Do you tend to experience those kinds of interruptions as annoying or as opportunities? What makes the difference?
— If the Miraglim had visited Chevron or stood at the place of the Akeida, do you think it would actually have changed their report? Why or why not?
With best wishes for a wonderful Shabbos!
* Rabbi Mordechai Rhine is a certified mediator and coach with Rabbinic experience of more than 20 years. Based in Maryland, he provides services internationally via Zoom. He is the Director of TEACH613: Building Torah Communities, One family at a Time, and the founder of CARE Mediation, focused on Marriage/ Shalom Bayis and personal coaching. To reach Rabbi Rhine, his websites are www.care-mediation.com and www.teach613.org; his email is [email protected]. For information or to join any Torah613 classes, or to help sponsor his Torah insights, contact Rabbi Rhine.
