Moshe called Hoshea bin Nun, Yehoshua (13:16).
Rashi explains that Yehoshua’s new name signified that Hashem (י'ה) yoshi’acha, should save you, from the plans of the meraglim.
The Zera Shimshon asks: Why was the name of י'ה chosen to serve as a protection for Yehoshua against the plans of the meraglim?
The Zera Shimshon explains that, according to the Zohar (3:158a), the meraglim decided to return with a negative report about Eretz Yisroel because at that point in time, they were leaders of the Jewish people. However, they reasoned that once they entered Eretz Yisroel, they would no longer keep their positions. Instead, Moshe Rabbeinu would appoint others in their stead. To keep their positions, they had to keep the Jewish people out of Eretz Yisroel. They returned with a derogatory report about the Land and threw the Jewish people into a panic, and they, in turn, rebelled and said that they did not want to enter Eretz Yisroel.
In other words, the basis of the meraglim’s sin was one of pride.
The Ari z”l writes (Shaar Ruach HaKodesh 7) that one who is conceited cannot have any connection with Hashem’s name of י'ה since this Name has the numerical value of fifteen, the same as that of the word גאוה.
Therefore, in order to save Yehoshua from the sin of the meraglim, which was rooted in arrogance, Moshe Rabbeinu added the letter י to הושע’s name, which now became ושעיה. Since this name now began with the letters י'ה, Moshe Rabbeinu intended that this should serve to save him from arrogance.
Based on this, Rashi’s words are now very well understood. י'ה, the name י'ה, should save you from the plan of the meraglim, since indeed it was with what this name signifies – humility – that Yehoshua would be saved from the pride of the meraglim.
As well, this explains a puzzling comment that the Targum Yonasan ben Uziel writes. He writes, “When Moshe saw Yehoshua’s humility, he changed his name from Hoshea bin Nun to Yehoshua.” The meforshim comment a great deal on this statement.
The Zera Shimshon explains that since Yehoshua was humble to begin with, he merited this extra protection of the name י'ה so that he should be saved from the plans of the meraglim. Since they didn’t have the same level of Yehoshua’s humility, they did not merit this added level of protection.
ZERA SHIMSHON
