וַיִֹּל֙נוּ֙ עַל־מ ֶֹ֣שׁה וְעַ ֽל־אַהֲר ֹ֔ ן ֖כֹּל בְֵּ֣ני יִשְׂ ָרֵ֑אל ַוֽיֹּאמְ ר֨ וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ ם ׇכּל־הָעֵדָ֗ ה לוּ־ מַ֙תְ נוּ֙ בְּ ֶ֣אֶרץ ִמ ְצַ֔ריִם ֛אוֹ בַּמִּדְ ָ֥בּר הֶַ֖זּה לוּ־ מָ ֽתְ נוּ׃
ְוָלָ֣מה ה׳ ֵמ֨ ִביא אָֹ֜תנוּ ֶאל־ ָהָ֤אֶרץ ַהזֹּאת֙ לִנְ ֣פֹּל בַּחֶ֔ רֶ ב נָ ֵ֥שׁינוּ וְטַ ֵ֖פּנוּ יִ ְה֣יוּ ָלַ֑בז ֲה֧לוֹא ֦טוֹב ָ֖לנוּ ֥שׁוּב ִמ ְצָ ֽריְ ָמה׃
“And all Bnei Yisrael complained against Moshe and against Aharon, and the entire congregation said to them: ‘If only we had died in the Land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why is Hashem bringing us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our children will become prey. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?’” (Bamidbar 14:2–3)
וַ֤יֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מ ֹשֶׁ֔ ה ַעד־ָ֥אנָה יְנֲַאֻ֖צנִי ָהָ֣עם ַהֶ֑זּה ְו ַעד־ ָ֙אנָ ֙ה ֹלא־יֲַא ִ֣מינוּ ֔ ִבי בְּכ ֹל֙ הָ ֽא ֹת֔ וֹת אֲ ֶ֥שׁר עָ ִ֖שׂיתִ י בְּקִ רְ בּֽ ו׃
“And Hashem said to Moshe: ‘How long will this people provoke Me, and how long will they refuse to believe in Me despite all the signs that I have performed among them?’” (ibid. 14:11)
We explained above that beyond the fact that Bnei Yisrael shared in the spies’ corruption of the heart and eyes by accepting and believing their words, which were spoken as a result of that corruption, the Bnei Yisrael added an additional sin by falling into a double faint-heartedness to the point that they not only feared entering the Land of Israel, but even resolved to return to Egypt. It seems to me that this is hinted to by the rare (only five in the Torah) cantillation mark “mercha kefulah”(“double mercha”) on the word “tov” (“better”) in the verse, “טוֹב֦ לוֹא֧הֲ , ָ֖לנוּ ֥שׁוּב ִמ ְצָ ֽריְ ָמה be not it Would ‘better for us to return to Egypt?’” Their double faint-heartedness caused them to become doubly ungrateful. Not only did they reject the goodness of the desirable Land, but they also denied the goodness of the Exodus of Egypt. Concerning this, Hashem says to Moshe: “How long will they refuse to believe in Me despite all the signs that I have performed among them?” This includes the miracles of the Exodus of Egypt, which should have been sufficient to instill within Bnei Yisrael the faith necessary to trust Hashem to bring them into the Land. Such a deficiency in faith requires complete teshuvah and an appropriate means of rectification.
The parashah of tzitzis, which is entirely devoted to strengthening faith, concludes with the mitzvah of remembering the Exodus of Egypt: “I am Hashem your G-d, Who brought you out of the Land of Egypt to be your G-d; I am Hashem your G-d.”
Through these words, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is commanding us: “Accept upon yourselves the yoke of Heaven because I redeemed you with all the signs, miracles, wonders, and acts of goodness that I performed for you.” These favors are enumerated in the piyut (poem) "Dayeinu" that we sing on the night of the Seder, beginning with the goodness of the miracles of the Exodus of Egypt and culminating with “and He brought us into the Land of Israel" as a direct continuation of the Exodus, and ultimately reaching “and He built for us the Beis Hamikdash," speedily in our days!
