From Christina Mattison Ebert’s D’rash Designs series.

Parashat Sh’lach

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Torah Reading

Numbers 13:1-15:41

Haftarah

Joshua 2:1-24

In this Torah portion, Moses sends 12 spies to explore the Land of Israel. Ten of them convince the people that it will be too difficult to conquer the land. God responds to their lack of confidence by punishing them with 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. God commands the Israelites to put fringes on the ends of their clothing.

FULL SUMMARY
HAFTARAH SUMMARY

Featured Commentary

The Perils of Groupthink

The story of the spies offers an object lesson in the importance of diversity -- and the danger of homogeneity.

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More on this Torah Portion

Known Unknowns

Fearful of what lies ahead, the Israelites wonder if they’d be better off returning to Egypt.

The Sin of the Spies

What exactly did the spies do wrong?

Slowly Healing the World

Like Moses and Caleb, we make progress in fits and starts.

The Blue of the Ocean, the Sky and the Tzitzit

Our relationship with the Divine must also encompass a relationship with the world that surrounds us.

Fringe Story

A reminder to participate in, and not just observe, the world around us

The Eyes Have It

The commandment of tzitzit (fringes) reminds us to enhance our vision with faith and see new possibilities.

Fringed With Faith

The tzitzit (fringes) and tallit (prayer shawl) serve as physical reminders of our connections with previous generations and of the faith that sustained them and us.

The Power Of Perception

The survival and success of the Jewish people stems from our ability to mold reality to match our dreams and ideals.

Seeing Beneath The Surface

Unable to see beyond their own fears and insecurities, 10 of the 12 spies despaired of conquering Canaan.

Scouting For Self-Confidence

The role of the spies was to determine whether they and the Israelites had the confidence and certainty of God's love to enter the land of the covenant.

Very, Very Good

We need to develop greater understanding of our role on this planet.

A Focus on the Here and Now

The nostalgic memories we have of the past may seem appealing -- but they require closer inspection.

Reputation Is Everything

We can all heed Moses' reminder to God, to live up to God's reputation of being slow to anger.

How Do Activists Remain Active?

The tzitzit (fringes) on our clothes remind us not to be discouraged or lose hope for social change, based on the realities we see around us.

Parashat Sh’lach: Dreams and Disappointments

What is this generation of Israelites to do in the face of a collective terminal diagnosis?

Establishing Equality with the Stranger

Creating a just society requires courage and vision.

The Courage to Think Differently

It can be difficult when we find ourselves with a different point of view from that of the larger group.

Keeping Things in Perspective

Mishaps can happen, but we are responsible for our reactions.

Challah for Parashat Sh’lach

Tzitzit (Fringes).

Self-Confidence Makes Courage Possible

Sh'lach: A resource for families.

Rerouting Goals

Learning to overcome setbacks, just like the Israelites.

Parashat Sh’lach Quiz

Learn more about the weekly Torah portion.

Haftarah for Sh’lach

Two spies tour Jericho.

Parashat Sh’lach: Summary

Moses sends scouts to explore the Land of Israel; ten of them convince the people that it will be too difficult to conquer the land.

Sticks And Stoned

The person who gathered wood on Shabbat in Parashat Sh'lach violated the atmosphere of tranquility essential to the Sabbath.

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