Why was it 'good in Moshe's eyes'? What was his mistake?
Rashi: Refer to 1:23:1:1 & 2 and notes.
Seforno: Because he thought that they merely wanted to select their respective portions of land, 1 knowing that they were not destined to conquer it all quickly. 2 He did not realize that they had doubts about Hashem's promise that theyecause he thought that since, like Matan Torah, they came 'as one man with one heart', it was a good thing. But Hashem disillusioned him.
Ibn Ezra: Moshe thought that since, like Matan Torah, they came 'as one man with one heart', it was a good thing. But Hashem disillusioned him. 3
B'chor Shor: Because he thought that they merely wanted to know what to prepare to conquer the land, but Yisrael really intended to know if they should go [to the land] or not (or a report on the negative aspects of the land). 4
What are the implications of "va'Yitav be'Einai ha'Davar"?
Rashi: It implies that, although it was good in Moshe's eyes, it was not good in the Eyes of Hashem. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 32.
If sending spies was good in Moshe's eyes, why did he include it in the Tochachah?
Rashi: He did not really approve of it at all, 1 and he only approved because he thought that they would retract. 2
Because if it was bad in the Eyes of Hashem, it cannot genuinely have been good in the eyes of Moshe.
Rashi: It can be compared to Reuven who asked Shimon to sell him his donkey. When Shimon replied in the affirmative, Reuven asked him for permission to take it on trial ... in the hills and mountains. When he saw that Shimon agreed to all the conditions that he asked for, he concluded that the donkey is clearly without blemish, and purchased it on the spot.
Since the Torah writes "Ish Echad la'Shavet", why does it need to add "Sh'neim-Asar Anashim"?
Rashi: To teach us that the tribe of Levi was not included.
What are the implications of va'Ekach "Mikem ... "?
Rashi: It implies that Moshe picked the choicest and the best from among the people. 1
See also Targum Yonasan.
What are the connotations of the word "Anashim"?
Refer to Bamidbar, 13:2:6:1 & 2.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that Moshe picked from the best among the people - they were Nesi'im and leaders - Bamidbar 13:2 & 3. Then why did he drop their titles and refer to them only as 'Anashim'?
Ramban: Because since they subsequently sinned, one does not sing the praises of Resha'im.
Rashi writes that no spy was sent from the tribe of Levi. But we know this from the Pesukim in Sh'lach-L'cha Bamidbar, 13:4-15?
Riva: Rashi is teaching us that the decree that they would die in the desert did not pertain to Levi 1 since no-one from the tribe of Levi came to request spies and Levi did therefore not send a spy. 2
Refer to Bamidbar 14:29:1:1.
As is evident from the phrase "Va'ekach Mikem Sh'neim-Asar Ish, Ish Echad la'Shavet."
