Our study this week will focus on the section dealing with tzitzit. We will open with an exploration of the three dimensional space in which the passage takes place.
The haftara for Parashat Shelach is the story of the spies sent by Yehoshua, which at first glance appears to be similar. In fact, however, there are numerous differences between the two stories. Why, then, is this the universally accepted haftara for this parasha?
Parashat Shelach deals mostly with the episode of the Spies (Bamidbar 13-14). Chapter 15 presents a group of laws, and the commentators propose various explanations as to the significance of their location and context. Amidst this group of laws there is another brief narrative, concerning the stick-gatherer.
Parashat Shelach describes the sin of the spies. Why was this sin, in contrast to the other sins of the people in the desert, treated so harshly? In this shiur, we will study the background for the people's complaints in the desert in an attempt to understand what made the sin of the spies particularly egregious.
In this shiur, we examine the central story of our parasha - the sin of the "scouts." Why were these men sent, and how can we account for the discrepancies between this story and the one in Sefer Devarim? What is the message of this story for future generations?
