Parashat Shelach Lecha
„The foundation of the exile and lowliness that persists in the world comes only from the fact that... the sin of the spies, who slandered the Land, has not been repaired in equal measure - to declare and proclaim to the whole world her glory and splendor, her holiness and her honor.”From Iggeret 96
The repair for the sin of the spies, which appears in this week's portion, lies in understanding the value of the Land of Israel and the State of Israel: that she is not merely a refuge from an enemy, and not merely a place whose purpose is to serve as a guesthouse for her inhabitants, but a land and a state that are an essential part of our very being. The glory and splendor of our land and our state are not an external possession but an essential one. Not a place one can threaten to flee from if we do not receive some benefit or another, but a place that is our very self, flesh of our flesh. As the Rav says elsewhere, "the foundation of God's throne in the world."
From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.