Parashat Shelach, also known as Parashat Shelach Lecha, is a weekly Torah portion in the Hebrew Bible. It is the 37th portion in the book of Numbers (Bamidbar) and spans from Numbers 13:1 to Numbers 15:41. The name “Shelach Lecha” means “send for yourself” or “send on your behalf.”
In Parashat Shelach, the Israelites are encamped in the wilderness of Paran, near the border of the Promised Land. Moses sends twelve spies, one from each tribe, to explore the land of Canaan and bring back a report about its inhabitants, resources, and overall conditions.
The twelve spies spend forty days exploring the land and return with a cluster of grapes, pomegranates, and figs as evidence of the land’s fertility. However, when they present their report, ten of the spies give a negative and fearful assessment, describing the Canaanites as powerful and their cities as fortified. Only two spies, Joshua and Caleb, express faith in God’s promise and believe that the Israelites can conquer the land.
The negative report of the ten spies spreads fear and discontent among the Israelites. They grumble against Moses and express a desire to return to Egypt, even considering appointing a new leader to lead them back. This lack of faith and rebellion angers God, and He threatens to disinherit the Israelites and start a new nation through Moses.
Moses intercedes on behalf of the people, pleading with God to forgive them and spare them. God relents but pronounces that the generation of Israelites who doubted Him would not enter the Promised Land. Instead, they would wander in the wilderness for forty years until they perish, with only Joshua and Caleb and those who were under the age of twenty at the time being allowed to enter Canaan.
The remainder of Parashat Shelach discusses various laws and commandments related to offerings, tassels, and the observance of Shabbat. It includes instructions for making fringes (tzitzit) on the corners of garments as a reminder of God’s commandments, as well as regulations for the use of tassels.
Here are the highlights of Parashat Shelach:
- Twelve spies sent to explore the land of Canaan
- Reports of a bountiful land with powerful inhabitants
- Ten spies deliver a negative report, spreading fear and doubt
- Joshua and Caleb express faith in God’s promise
- Israelites rebel against Moses and desire to return to Egypt
- God threatens to disinherit the doubting generation
- Moses intercedes for forgiveness
- God pardons but condemns wandering in the wilderness
- Only Joshua, Caleb, and those under twenty enter the Promised Land
- Laws and commandments regarding offerings, tassels, and Shabbat
Parashat Shelach serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of lacking faith and succumbing to fear. It teaches the importance of trust in God’s promises and the significance of staying committed to His guidance and commandments.
שלח
שני
שלישי
רביעי
חמישי
שישי
שביעי
Shelach
Numbers 13:1-15:41
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
Seventh
יהושע
ב׳:א׳-כ״ד
Joshua 2:1-24
She sent them on their way, and they left; and she tied the crimson cord to the window.
Parashat Aharei Mot Weekday reading Moroccan te’amim