This is the model for Source Sheet #1
One, using "pshat" and "midrash" that we have studied in class.
Use either the Bamidbar (The Scouts or Moses Strikes the Rock)
or Vayikra (Holiness Codes Texts)
One, using "pshat" and "midrash" that we have studied in class.
Use either the Bamidbar (The Scouts or Moses Strikes the Rock)
or Vayikra (Holiness Codes Texts)
(לב) וַיּוֹצִ֜יאוּ דִּבַּ֤ת הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֡רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ עָבַ֨רְנוּ בָ֜הּ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֗הּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֹכֶ֤לֶת יוֹשְׁבֶ֙יהָ֙ הִ֔וא וְכָל־הָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥ינוּ בְתוֹכָ֖הּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִדּֽוֹת׃ (לג) וְשָׁ֣ם רָאִ֗ינוּ אֶת־הַנְּפִילִ֛ים בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָ֖ק מִן־הַנְּפִלִ֑ים וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים וְכֵ֥ן הָיִ֖ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
(32) And they spread an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying: ‘The land, through which we have passed to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. (33) And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.’
This story comes from the book of Numbers or, Bamidbar, in the Torah. At this time the scouts who had been spying on the land come back with their reports. Two of them say the land is good and safe and the other ten say it is not. The ten who say it is not good to live in explain how they look like grasshoppers or weak compared to the people who live there. This text is important because it shows how the Israelites were scared because they thought that the ones living there would think they are weak. This shows us that the Israelites felt small or not as strong compared to others.
13:33 we were like grasshoppers in our eyes. Conveys the essence of the failure of the scouts. The problem was that the Israelites did not believe in themselves. They had know way of knowing what the inhabitants of the Land thought of them. Because the Israelites saw themselves as "grasshoppers," weak and ineffectual, they assumed that others saw them them same way. (Etz Hayim)
I believe this commentary is meaningful because it shows how the Israelites were worried and scared they were not good enough or powerful enough compared to the inhabitants of the land they saw. They looked "bigger" than them which frightened the Jewish people. The midrash adds how the Israelites saw themselves and just assumed without knowing how the people of the land actually felt about them. The important new meaning the midrash adds to the pshat is if one just assumes something about what they think someone is thinking they can lose power or confidence in themselves and end up feeling less.
I find this commentary very interesting because it shows how during this time the Jews felt helpless and smaller than the people they saw living in the land. This relates to our world today because many people will think they are not good enough and feel less than someone who looks bigger or better than them. This text relates to our society on a very high level. In our world many teens or even adults can become self-conscious and feel like they are not good enough. I find this topic is very similar to how the Israelites felt when they first encountered the people in the land while spying. This text shows us how the Israelites never heard the people in the land say anything about their size or strength but they just assumed since they were like grasshoppers next to them, that they were weak. This is like if a teen thinks they are not pretty enough or smart enough to do what they want. If someone feels like this they do not believe in themselves. In order to get where you want to go or do what you think is right there must be belief and trust in yourself. If the Israelites had had more faith in themselves they would have seen that even though they were smaller in appearance they were just as powerful as those in the land. If teens in our time believe in themselves and not worry about what others think then they will be able to follow their beliefs. I can relate to this because the Israelites had no way of knowing what the inhabitants thought of them, they just felt smaller and made an assumption. This text has shown and taught me that in some situations when you are trying to succeed you must ignore what you think others are thinking and follow your gut.