The Real World
Family Edition

The Summary

● This summary is adapted from the essay written by Rabbi Sacks in 2012, available here

The episode of the spies has always puzzled commentators. After such a miraculous journey from Egypt to Har Sinai, how could they have they reported: “We can’t fight those people; they are stronger than we are… We saw the giants there… We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we seemed in theirs.”

They were terrified, and their report made Bnai Yisrael equally afraid. But in truth, the situation was the reverse of what the spies reported. The Canaanites feared the Israelites more than the Israelites feared them. God had saved Bnai Yisrael from Egypt with many signs and wonders, and all the nations had heard the news. As they themselves had sung after crossing the miraculously split Red Sea, “The people of Canaan will melt away; terror and dread will fall on them.” 

We heard this again in the story of Bilaam: “Moav was terrified… filled with dread because of the Israelites.” And Rahav of Jericho tells Joshua’s spies a generation later: “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us… everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”

How did the spies get it so wrong? Did they misinterpret what they saw? Did they lack faith in God, or more likely, in themselves? Rambam suggests their fear was understandable given their background. They had lived most of their lives as slaves and had only recently gained their freedom. They were not yet ready to fight prolonged battles or become a self-governing people. That would require a new generation - born in freedom, not slavery. Human beings change, but not overnight.

Many commentators conclude that the spies lacked faith, or courage. But what if, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, suggests, they were afraid of success? Perhaps their concerns were spiritual, not strategic. They didn’t want to leave the wilderness - not because they feared the land, but because they feared what it represented. In the desert, they experienced God’s presence daily, with manna from heaven, water from the rock, Clouds of Glory by day and Fire by night. God was close, constant, and unmistakable, and they had no need to farm, defend a country, or run an economy. They were free from the burdens and distractions of ordinary life. It was an existence of spiritual purity, untouched by the complexities of civilisation.

This interpretation is not the plain meaning of the text, but it offers a powerful psychological reading. The spies, perhaps unconsciously, feared adulthood. They did not want to leave the innocence and security of spiritual childhood and face the responsibilities of freedom. Just as children must grow up, so must nations. Ultimately, the spies feared freedom and what it demanded of them.

But Torah is not a retreat from the world. It is a call to engage with it. Judaism is a religion of society, not seclusion - a blueprint for justice, compassion, and responsibility in the real world. God chose Israel to make His presence visible in the world and that means that Israel must live in the world. The spies feared contaminating Judaism’s holiness by bringing it into the real world. But our calling as Jews is to build a society in the land of Israel, honouring human dignity and freedom. Rather than hiding away, we should be role-models. The Jewish task is not to fear the real world but to enter and transform it. That is what the spies did not understand. Do we – Jews of faith – understand it even now?

Around the Shabbat Table

Questions to Ponder

1. Why do you think the spies were so afraid, even after seeing the land’s beauty and bounty?
2.  The people preferred staying in the desert, and even considered returning to Egypt. Can you think of a time when staying comfortable felt safer than growing?
3. What does engagement with the world look like to you?

On the Parsha

Written by Sara Lamm

Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

The Parsha in a Nutshell

Moshe is told to send 12 men to scout the land of Canaan. They return after 40 days with impressive produce - grapes, a pomegranate, and a fig - but 10 spies spread fear, describing powerful giants who dwell there. Only Yehoshua and Calev express faith that, with God’s help, the land can be conquered. Bnai Yisrael panic and cry to return to Egypt. As a result, God decrees that they will wander the desert for 40 years until the current generation passes. Laws are given, including the mitzva to separate challah when baking. A man is punished for gathering sticks on Shabbat, and the mitzva of wearing tzitzit is introduced.

Philosophy of Rabbi Sacks

Delving Deeper

The story of the spies reveals a deeper, more human struggle, not just fear of failure, but fear of success and the responsibilities that come with growing up.

While most commentators see the spies’ actions as a lack of faith or courage, some suggest they feared leaving the spiritual intimacy of the wilderness for the messy realities of building a society. In the desert, life was simple, sacred, and miraculous.

Prophets like Hoshea and Yirmiyahu likened the wilderness years to a honeymoon between Hashem and the people. Hoshea records God saying: “I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.” Yirmiyahu recalls: “I remember… how as a bride you loved Me and followed Me through the wilderness.” The desert was a place of first love, of spiritual intimacy. And perhaps, like many newlyweds enjoying their idyllic honeymoon, that is what the spies did not want to leave behind.

But Judaism isn’t meant to remain as a sanctuary of isolation; it calls for engaging with the real world, planting, governing, and creating justice. The spies longed for eternal childhood under God’s guardianship, but Torah demands adulthood: shaping a holy nation in a real, physical land. Their sin wasn’t cowardice. It was a refusal to grow up. This was their failing. For true holiness isn’t retreat; it’s bringing God’s presence into everyday life.

• When have you felt the pull to remain a “child” when obligation calls you to “grow up”?

Parsha Activity

Fight, Flight, or Freeze?

Everyone stands in a row. One person calls out various scenarios: “You have to live outside for a month” or “You’re asked to eat cabbage on stage!” Players respond by moving: two steps forward (yes, I’d do it!), one step back (nope!), or freeze (not sure). After each round, discuss why people moved the way they did.

Now try examples that show courage, growth, or leadership, “You’re scared, but need to lead a group somewhere new.”

What are risks that feel easy for you to take? What are risks that feel more difficult to do?

A Story for the Ages

The Talented Mr Thaabet

In the early 1960s, a well-dressed, charming businessman named Kamel Amin Thaabet appeared in the social circles of Damascus, Syria. He hosted elegant dinners, made powerful friends in the Syrian government, and seemed to be a rising star. But Kamel had a secret - he wasn’t Syrian at all. His real name was Eli Cohen, and he was an Israeli spy on a mission that would change history.

Eli lived in Damascus for years, gathering critical military information and secretly sending it back to Israel. His reports helped the IDF prepare to defend themselves against future attacks, including the miraculous victory of the Six-Day War.

One of Eli’s brilliant manoeuvres involved convincing the Syrian army to plant trees near their hidden bunkers in the Golan Heights - inadvertently setting up clues that later allowed Israel to locate and destroy those fortifications.

Eli didn’t just risk his life - he gave up everything: his name, his home, even his future. He lived a double-life to protect his people. Unlike the biblical spies who gave in to fear, Eli stayed faithful to his mission, even when it meant great personal danger.

Eventually, his identity was discovered. In 1965, Eli Cohen was captured and executed in Syria. Yet his memory lives on. There are roads all over Israel that are named for him. Eli Cohen remains one of Israel’s greatest heroes - a man whose courage and sacrifices continue to inspire generations.

On the Haftara

Written by Rabbi Barry Kleinberg

Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

The Haftara reading

in a Nutshell

Joshua 2:1-24

This week’s Haftara recounts how Joshua (Yehoshua) sends two spies to secretly scout the city of Jericho before the Israelites’ invasion. The king hears that spies have entered the land. Meanwhile the two men lodge at the house of Rahab, a local woman who hides them from the king’s soldiers.

When the authorities search for the spies, Rahab deceives them, saying the men have already left the city. She then reveals her faith in the God of Israel, recounting how the people of Jericho remember and fear God because of His mighty deeds.

Rahab asks the spies to spare her family when Israel attacks Jericho, and they agree, instructing her to tie a scarlet cord in her window as a sign, so they know which home to keep safe.

After hiding the spies on her roof, Rahab helps them escape through a window in the city wall. The spies return safely to Joshua and report that God has given them the land, as the people of Jericho are terrified of them.

• What is the significance of the scarlet cord hung in Rahab’s window? Does the choice of red remind you of anything?

Points to Ponder

Rahab is described as a prostitute.

1. Does this change how you feel about her?
2. What is the Tanach teaching us by giving us this piece of information?

Tanach Connections

Parsha & Haftara Links

The Parsha and the Haftara tell parallel stories about spies being sent to scout out the land - they are directed to the land of Canaan (in the Parsha) and the city of Jericho (in the Haftara). However, drilling down from this general similarity, there are many differences in the two narratives.

In the Parsha, Moshe sends twelve spies. In the Haftara, Joshua sends only two spies. The twelve spies are representatives of each of the tribes and great men who are named. In the Haftara, the two spies are anonymous (although they are named in the Midrash as Pinchas and Calev).

Most significantly, the majority of spies in the Parsha return with a very negative report of their findings. They do not believe that the Jewish people will be successful in their conquest of the land. In the Haftara, Pinchas and Calev return with a report that victory is certain as the people of Jericho are terrified of the Jewish people and their God.

The consequence for the negative report is a 40-year punishment for Bnei Yisrael. And, as you might expect, the downfall of Jericho is a resounding success for Bnei Yisrael, who draw strength from the second set of returning spies.

A lesson that may be drawn from these conflicting narratives is that success is more likely to be achieved when a mission is undertaken quietly rather than with publicity and fanfare.

Putting the Haftara into Context

On the Book of Joshua

Joshua, the successor of Moses, is first introduced in the Torah. He is one of the two men who stand up to the ten spies, and give a counter-report. His name is then changed from Hoshea to Yehoshua (Joshua). He is later chosen to lead the people into Israel, while Moses can only see the land from afar, before dying aged 120.

Joshua is portrayed in the Book of Joshua as a strong and faithful leader who guides the Israelites into the Promised Land. Appointed by God, he leads with courage and obedience, emphasising adherence to the Torah. Rabbi Sacks once examined the leadership of Joshua, and said that “A leader must have the courage to lead, the patience to consult, and the wisdom to know when the time is right for each.” Joshua embodies all this. He oversees the crossing of the Jordan River, the conquest of Jericho, and numerous military campaigns against Canaanite kings. Under his leadership, the Israelites experience significant victories attributed to Divine support, such as the miraculous fall of Jericho and the sun standing still during the battle at Gibeon.

Joshua also organises the division of the land among the twelve tribes, ensuring a fair and structured settlement. He renews the covenant with God, reminding the people to remain faithful and reject idolatry. His leadership is marked by humility, strength, and unwavering commitment to God’s commands. At the end of his life, Joshua calls Israel to choose whom they will serve, famously declaring, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Quote of the Week

“The story of the spies tells us that our fears are sometimes exaggerated. Judaism is strong enough to withstand any challenge. The question is now as it was then: do we have the confidence of our faith?”

Without Walls, Shelach Lecha, Covenant & Conversation

Further Ponderings

If you were sending someone to do a new and difficult job, how would you build up their confidence to achieve the task at hand?