What were Dasan and Aviram referring to when they said "Af Lo el Eretz Zavas Chalav u'Devash Havi'osanu"?
Rashi: They were referring to Moshe's (broken) promise "A'aleh eschem me'Ani Mitzrayim el Eretz Tovah ... ", instead of which he decreed that they should all die in the desert. 1
Rashi: See 14:29.
Having said "la'Hamiseinu ba'Midbar" in Pasuk 13, what was the point of continuing "Af Lo el Eretz Zavas Chalav u'Devash ... "?
Oznayim la'Torah: What they said in Pasuk 13 pertained to those who were destined to die in the desert, who would certainly not accept Moshe's jurisdiction, whereas the current Pasuk pertains to the under twenty twenties and the over sixties, who would not believe him either when he now promised to bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey and to give them an inheritance of fields and vineyards. 1
See Oznayim la'Torah DH 'Af Lo el Eretz ... ' #!.
What did Dasan and Aviram mean when they said "ha'Einei ha'Anashim ha'Heim Tenaker"?
Rashi and Targum Onkelos: They meant that even if Moshe sends to poke out their eyes should they refuse to come to him, they will not come.
Rashbam: 'Do you think that the people who are complaining are blind, that they cannot see how you took us out of Egypt, a good land, to die in the desert; how you did not keep your word ... !'
Seforno: 'Are you trying to blind our eyes, so that we should not see through your schemes?'
Targum Yonasan: 'Do you think that the Cana'anim are blind - that you will be able to conquer them?'
Midrash Agadah: 'You blinded those who left Egypt. You promised to take them to a good land, so they followed you, and you did not keep your promise ? and now you want to entice us?! Therefore, we will not go up and follow you again'.
Lev Aryeh: Before, your face radiated, and we could look at you only when you wore a mask. Now our eyes can see you without a mask!
Who is "ha'Anashim ha'Heim" refering to?
Rashi: It refers to themselves (Dasan and Aviram). 1
Targum Yonasan: It refers to the inhabitants of Cana'an. 2
Why did Dasan and Aviram repeat "Lo Na'aleh"?
Rashbam: It is a sort of 'Klal u'Perat u'Klal' (implying emphasis). First they made the statement "Lo Na'aleh", then they gave the reason and then they repeated adamantly "Lo Na'aleh".
Targum Yonasan: The first time they meant that they would not appear before Moshe, the second time, that they would not go up to Eretz Yisrael.
How could the Shali'ach repeat to Beis-Din what Dasan and Aviram said? Why was it not considered Lashon ha'Ra?
