בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
This painting depicts Maarat Hamachpela with a large horizon/sky – “air” section. This reminded me of the verse about Kaleb, who visited Hebron, which says that he had a different “air/wind” than the other spies. Instead of talking against the settling of the Holy Land like the other spies, Kaleb talked favorably for the settling the Holy Land, saying that it is a good Land and that Hashem will help Israel conquer it. Rashi explains that the “different wind” of Kaleb was that he was able to divide his “wind” into two “different” winds, a revealed wind in which he showed “as if” he was on the side of the other spies, and an internal wind where he was fully faithful to Hashem to conquer the Holy Land for Israel. This differentiation of winds, Rashi explains, allowed Kaleb to enter the hearts of those who listened to the spies and nullify the plot of the spies.
This Rashi about “two winds” reminds me of the Kabbalistic intent of the Arizal [whose yahrzeit falls this Friday] in regard to the last letters of Poteach et Yadecha, which spells the holy Name het, tav, kaf. This Name has the numerical value of “ruach”=214, doubled, equaling 428. These doubled “winds” correspond to a supernal “masculine wind” Above and a supernal “feminine wind,” that are divided through this intent in order to bring their greater unification. This idea may reflect a much deeper understanding of Kaleb’s strategy taken from the “double Cave” of the “doubled couples” of Hebron. In numerous Torah sources Israel are likened to a husband and the Land of Israel to their wife, which in the previous analogy may also be likened to “two winds.” In this sense, Kaleb sought to bring the unity between Israel and the Holy Land, negating the plot of the spies, by using the strategy of the “two winds.”
This parsha discusses, at length, the sin of the spies, which is also the source of the destruction of the Temple we mourn for during these days. Unfortunately, even today we can hear misconceptions among our People that resemble the conceptions of the spies. Let us rectify this matter by following in the footsteps of Kaleb, using the “two winds” method. This means that we should try to “breath in the wind” of the other, internalize what their other stance is, and try to work from their mindset towards the Torah perspective – “the other wind” – of the value of the Holy Land and Israel’s settlement within it. Caution should be taken that one can influence on this matter and not be influenced. May this attempt be an important part in the rectification of the sin of the spies and the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash.