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    KALEV AND YEHOSHUA TRUSTED IN HASHEM

    The Torah lists

    the names of the

    twelve meraglim.

    The Ramban

    (13:4) seeks to

    understand the

    order that they

    are listed. He writes, “They are not listed

    according to their flags… and not in the

    order they were born. I think the Torah

    lists them according to their levels,

    because they were nesi’im, and each was

    at a different rank and level. Some were

    greater than others in wisdom or honor,

    and the Torah lists them according to

    their level.” Kalev is listed third, and

    Yehoshua is listed fifth. This means that,

    initially, they weren’t the greatest among

    the group. There were greater people

    than them. Yet only Kalev and

    Yehoshua passed the test. The Imrei

    Emes zt’l explains that Kalev and

    Yehoshua passed the test because they

    were humble, and they didn’t think they

    can pass this test on their own.

    Therefore, they placed their trust in

    Hashem, and this saved them. As

    Targum Yonoson ,writes)

    16:13( – –

    ,When Moshe saw

    Yehoshua’s humility…” Also, Kalev

    was humble and was scared he will not

    be able to pass the test. As Chazal

    (Sotah 34:) tell us, Kalev went to

    , and he davened at the kivrei

    Avos to be saved from this sin. They

    trusted in Hashem to save them from

    sin, and they didn’t rely on their

    strength and greatness. Therefore,

    Kalev and Yehoshua passed this test.

    The other meraglim were also

    tzaddikim, initially, but they felt that

    they could conquer all temptations,

    yetzer haras, and tests on their own.

    They didn’t rely on Hashem to save

    them, and that was the root of their

    downfall. Siyata d’Shmaya for the

    Mitzvos -Shelach The Ponovitzer Rav

    zt’l traveled to the Chofetz Chaim zt’l in

    Radin. The Ponovitzer Rav intended it

    to be a short visit because he a train to

    catch. But the Chofetz Chaim spoke to

    him for a very long time, and he missed

    the train. Later, the Ponovitzer Rav

    heard that the train he hoped to catch

    had derailed, and many people died.

    The Ponovitzer Rav said, “It wasn’t that

    the Chofetz Chaim knew with ruach

    hakodesh that the train would derail.

    Rather Hashem places into the mouth

    of an ehrlicher Yid the words he should

    say, at the right time.” The holy

    Chofetz Chaim yearned with all his

    heart to serve Hashem and say the right

    things to help others. Therefore,

    Hashem always helped him say

    the right words. Because when a

    person truly desires to do

    Hashem’s will, Hashem directs

    him and helps him succeed with

    his ambitions. Once, the Chofetz

    Chaim asked the Ponovitzer Rav,

    “How many hours of Torah did

    you study today? Two hours?

    Perhaps three hours? I studied for

    hundreds of hours today. Because

    I have a yeshiva, where many

    bachurim study Torah! I have a

    portion in their Torah study, so it

    is as if I studied for hundreds of

    hours!” At that time, the

    Ponovitzer Rav was considering

    closing his yeshiva due to

    financial hardships. This

    conversation encouraged him to

    keep the yeshiva open, despite

    the difficulties entailed.

    Don’t Get Sidetracked

    Time is precious. Every moment,

    we can earn so much. We just

    have to be cautious not to get

    sidetracked from all the things

    happening around us and to focus

    on the purpose – Torah and

    mitzvos. The Chofetz Chaim zt’l

    told the following mashal: A

    simple farmer saved the king’s

    life. To reward him, the king

    granted the farmer permission to

    enter his treasury for one hour

    and take whatever he desires. As

    the day of the reward got closer,

    the king began worrying that the

    farmer will grab

    too much. The

    king made some

    inquiries and

    found out which

    foods the farmer

    liked and the

    type of music he

    enjoyed listening

    to. The king set

    up a food stand

    near the treasury entrance, with a

    beautiful and lavish display of the

    farmer’s favorite foods. A band was

    also there, playing the farmer’s favorite

    music. The farmer couldn’t resist

    partaking in the food, and he also spent

    some time watching the band play his

    favorite music. By the time he was

    ready to enter the treasury, he shouted

    in agony, “Only a few minutes left!”

    The hour almost passed, and he hadn’t

    yet started collecting his reward. The

    nimshal is that people become

    occupied in their pursuit of material

    pleasures, and they forget to take

    advantage of Torah and mitzvos, which

    will grant them endless reward.

    Someone was waiting for a train in a

    Swiss train station. The train arrived,

    but he didn’t board it. His friend asked

    him, “Why don’t you board the train?”

    The man replied, “This train isn’t very

    comfortable, but the next train is

    luxurious. Every passenger gets his

    own table to eat on and a bed to sleep

    in… I’m waiting for that train.” “But

    that train won’t be here for many

    hours.” He replied, “That’s okay. That

    train is so comfortable; it’s worth the

    wait.” The train finally arrived, and he

    boarded it joyously. He enjoyed a good

    meal at his table. And then, exhausted

    (from waiting in the sun for hours for

    the train to arrive), he lay down and

    slept for several hours. When he

    awoke, he realized he boarded the

    wrong train, and he traveled in the

    wrong direction! It was almost

    Shabbos, so it was too late to seek a

    train to bring him home. He didn’t even

    have Shabbos clothes to wear, never

    mind a place to stay! This happened

    because he focused on attaining

    physical pleasures that he forgot to

    focus on the most essential detail; the

    direction the train was headed.

    Similarly, in life, we must focus on the

    destination, and Torah and mitzvos,

    which are the means that will bring us

    there. We shouldn’t allow the pleasures

    of this world to distract us from our

    ultimate goal.