Sotah - Daf 35
- Why the spies said, “ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא” and what Hashem had intended
Among the reports of the spies, they said: ארץ אוכלת יושביה היא – It is a land which consumes its inhabitants. Rava darshened that Hashem said: אני חשבתיה לטובה והם חשבו לרעה – I intended it for good, and they interpreted it for bad. Hashem arranged that wherever the spies went, an important Canaani died (some say that Iyov died), and the people were preoccupied with the burial and did not inquire after the spies. The spies interpreted it as an indication that “it is a land which consumes its inhabitants.” They also said: ונהי בעינינו כחגבים וכן היינו וגו' – “And we were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so we were in [the giants’] eyes.” Rav Mesharshiya said this demonstrates the spies were liars, for although they may have seen themselves as grasshoppers, how could they know that the giants viewed them as grasshoppers? The Gemara rejects this proof, and explains that when they saw the giants coming, they climbed up cedar trees, and overheard the giants saying: קחזינן אינשי דדמו לקמצי באילני – We see men like grasshoppers in the trees. The people accepted the spies report for the passuk states: “ותשא כל העדה ויתנו את קולם ויבכו” – And all the congregation raised and gave their voices, and the people wept on that night. Rabbah said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: The day on which the spies returned was erev Tisha b’Av. Hakadosh Boruch Hu said: הן בכו בכיה של חנם ואני אקבע להם בכיה לדורות – They wept a weeping without cause, and I will establish for them a weeping for generations.
- נשא ארון את נושאיו and Uzza’s mistake
The Gemara relates that when Klal Yisroel finished crossing the Yarden, the Kohanim bearing the Aron, who had been standing in the eastern side of the river, stepped back onto that east bank, across from Klal Yisroel. נשא ארון את נושאיו ועבר – The Aron then carried its bearers and crossed. Uzza was punished regarding this concept, when he reached out to take hold of the Aron when it shook during its transport to Yerushalayim. Hashem said: עוזא נושאיו נשא עצמו לא כל שכן – Uzza, it [the Aron] carried its bearers, how much more so itself! Hashem struck him and he died there. Still, the Gemara tells that he came to Olam Haba, because he is described as dying "עם ארון האלקים" – with the Aron of Hashem, indicating endurance. The Gemara adds that Dovid erred in transporting the Aron on a drawn wagon (instead of being carried by men), and this was a punishment for calling the Torah “songs,” as it says: זמירות היו לי חוקיך – Your laws were [as] songs to me. Hashem said to him: דברי תורה שכתוב בהן "התעיף עיניך בו ואיננו" – Words of Torah, about which it is written “Close your eyes to it and it is gone, אתה קורא אותן זמירות – you call them songs?!” I will cause you to stumble in something even schoolchildren know! Rashi explains that if one allows his Torah learning to lapse, what one has learned will be lost at once.
- Machlokes how the Torah was inscribed on the stones
The Gemara tells that there were three sets of stones in total; in addition to the two sets of Yehoshua described earlier, Moshe erected stones and inscribed the Torah thereon. Tannaim dispute the sequence of inscribing the Torah onto the stone at Har Eival. Rebbe Yehudah says: על גבי אבנים כתבוה – They inscribed it directly on the stones, as it says, "וכתבת על האבנים את כל דברי התורה הזאת" – And you shall inscribe on the stones all the words of this Torah. The Maharsha explains that the passuk implies the writing be done directly on the stones. ואחר כך סדו אותן בסיד – and afterwards they coated them with plaster on top of the writing. Rebbe Shimon asked: לדבריך היאך למדו אומות של אותו הזמן תורה – According to your words, how did the nations of that time learn Torah? It was written in seventy languages so the nations could understand it, but it was covered with plaster!? Rebbe Yehudah responded that Hashem granted them extra insight, and they sent scribes who peeled off the plaster and brought back copies of the writing. He added: ועל דבר זה נתחתם גזר דינם לבאר שחת – And about this matter their decree was sealed to condemn them to the pit of destruction (Gehinnom), שהיה להן ללמד ולא למדו – because they should have learned the Torah that was accessible to them, yet they did not learn. Rebbe Shimon himself held: על גבי סיד כתבוה – They inscribed it on top of the plaster, not under it.
