great illumination. He literally could feel a tremendous oneg Shabbos. He felt like he was experiencing much more kedusha in Kobrin than he ever had in Neshchiz.
The Kobriner Rebbe realized what this chasid was thinking. He looked at him and quoted the words of the pasuk, “Anshei middos... This refers to people who ‘measure’ (moded) tzadikim.”
He then quoted the words (Bamidbor 16:2), “Anshei shem” and said, “The word anshei indicates forgetting (as in Bereishis 41:51: ‘Nasheni’). This means that one who measures tzadikim to try to determine which one is greater than another will forget Hashem.”
Understandably, no one else at the tish comprehended the Rebbe’s words, but this chasid knew exactly what he meant.
וַיּ ֹאמְ רוּ וגו' הָ אָ רֶ ץ אֲ שֶׁ ר עָ בַ רְ נוּ בָ הּ לָתוּר אֹ תָ הּ טוֹבָ ה הָ אָ רֶ ץ מְ אֹ ד מְ אֹ ד (יד, ז)
The land that we passed through to scout it, the land is very, very good. (14:7)
Praising the One Who Was Shamed:
My grandfather, the Kretchnifer Rebbe zy”a (quoted in Gilyon Kol Emunah) said that we can learn from Yehoshua and Kalev’s words that one should praise a person who is shamed. After the meraglim shamed Eretz Yisroel, they stood up and praised it in order to defend its honor, and we should do the same.
The Reward for Supporting Eretz Yisroel:
Sefer Divrei Shmuel writes that we see that even though the meraglim were great men, once they insulted Eretz Yisroel, there was no way to save them. It is, therefore, certain that if one supports Eretz Yisroel, he will receive untold reward.
אַ ךְ בַּ ה' אַ ל תִּ מְ רֹ דוּ וְ אַ תֶּ ם אַ ל תִּ ירְ אוּ אֶ ת עַ ם הָ אָ רֶ ץ כִּ י לַחְ מֵ נוּ הֵ ם וגו' (יד, ט)
But you shall not rebel against Hashem and you will not fear the people of that land for they are our bread... (14:9)
In the Merit of Eretz Yisroel:
The Divrei Avrohom of Slonim zy”a learns from the words “they are our bread” that the entire world is sustained from the influence of Eretz Yisroel. Therefore, when one sends tzedakah money to the poor of Eretz Yisroel, he is providing parnassah for the entire world because the entire world is supported by the “runoff” of Eretz Yisroel (Taanis 10A).
