Table of Contents

Anatomy of a Rebellion

The discussion on the names of the spies provides us with a unique challenge. On the one hand, the Torah[i] identifies them as כלם אנשים ראשי בני ישראל המה – they were all Men, they were the heads (Leaders) of the Jewish people. And yet, there was something inherently corrupt about them for which Moshe specifically prayed that Yehoshua would not become influenced, as stated in the Gemara[ii] Moshe called him Yehoshua with the intent of י-ה יושיעך מעצת מרגלים – may G-d save you from the counsel of [the] spies.

Furthermore, the choice for the Torah to identify them by their tribal affiliation presumably provides us with a lesson that their personalities, both the good quality that led them to be leaders, and the bad which caused them to speak evil of the land of Israel, were affiliated with their particular tribe.

Indeed, the Gemara states something similar explicitly:

Rabbi Yitzĉok stated, ‘this tradition was handed to us from our forefathers; “the spies are identified in accordance with their actions”. But we only retained [the tradition regarding one of the names, namely] סתור בן מיכאל – who covered (סתר means to cover or erase) the actions of G-d. And [thereby] he made G-d appear weak (מך means weak).’

Rabbi Yoĉanan said, ‘we may also state [the meaning of the following name] נחבי בן ופסי – who hid (להחביא means to hide) the words of G-d. And he stepped on (פסע means tread) G-d’s attributes.

Based on the verse[iii] זכר ימות עולם בינו שנות דור ודור the Midrash Tanĉuma states, ‘one should always research names to call his children, that are appropriate for him to be righteous. Because, sometimes, the name causes (exerts influence of) good or evil as we find by the spies.’

Accordingly, Moshe’s choice of the spies, as reflected in their names, their status, their tribal affiliation, and their order are all presented in the Torah to teach us what Moshe’s plan was, and how the spies converted that plan into evil – leaning into the meaning of their names to pervert their mission.

Moshe’s Intent: The Architecture of Conquest

When Moshe selected the twelve leaders, his choice of personnel and the specific order of their presentation was deliberate. The Jewish people were transitioning from a miraculously sustained existence in the wilderness to a reality governed by the laws of nature in the Land of Israel. They had deep concerns about how to ‘naturally’ conquer the land, and on a deeper level, how to spiritually conquer their own evil inclinations within a physical world.

Moshe assembled a perfectly balanced psychological profile for the mission. The order of the tribes – deviating from the standard birth or encampment orders – and the individuals chosen was meant to serve as a progressive, twelve-stage ladder for national resilience in the face of these challenges:

ראובן (Introspection) – The first step on this process is deep self-reflection. Epitomized by Reuvain who spent כל ימיו בתשובה – all of his days in Teshuva.[iv] The leader of this tribe was שמוע בן זכור – listening son of remembrance. Self-Reflection requires paying attention to one’s past and using the lessons learned to guide one’s future.
שמעון (Passion) – this process of self-reflection cannot be a cold calculation. Instead, it must involve the emotions to galvanize the person by utilizing holy zeal for proper purposes. This passion was inherent to the tribe, though unfortunately history shows its misuse with the daughters of Midian and the rage against those who raped Dina. Even though Yaakov had cursed their rage, in the verse[v] ארור אפם כי עז, that was only the improper application of passion. Thus, Moshe hoped to teach the people to properly utilize their passion in the pursuit of holiness and transformation of the world. The leader of this tribe was שפט בן חורי. The word שפט comes from the root[vi] of פוטי to make fat, and חור is a hole. Thus, שפט בן חורי is one who fills up an emptiness with passion.
יהודה (Leadership) – these reflections and development of passion for converting the land of Cana’an into the land of Israel cannot be lone personal achievements. They need to inspire and involve the masses. Thus, the tribe of Yehuda was chosen next to provide that leadership. From among the leaders of Yehuda, Moshe chose כלב בן יפונה a person who was full of passion כלב = כולו לב who was willing to use that passion towards turning the people יפונה means to turn.
יששכר (Intelligence) – Leadership bereft of intelligence does not bring about desired results. Accordingly, every Jewish king is commanded to write his own Sefer Torah. And sovereignty is subject to the laws of the Sanhedrin[1]. The Chosen Leader of this tribe was יגאל בן יוסף – he will redeem son of he will add others. Intelligence redeems leadership and when used properly brings those who would otherwise have gone a different route in line with the proper guidelines.
אפרים (Purpose) – Un-Purposeful intelligence and leadership can result in improper goals. Intelligence is a tool that can be used for any purpose. Efraim, who was born[vii] כי הפרני אלקים בארץ עניי – the Almighty has caused me to multiply in the land of my affliction, in recognition that G-d had transformed the land of Yosef’s affliction to a land where he was able to flourish represents the purpose of the Jewish people.
בנימין (Humility) – this tribe is naturally gifted with the trait of humility. We see this in the Midrash discussing the placement of the Base Hamikdash, partially in the territory of the tribe of Binyamin on the shoulders of the mountain, and not at its summit. We see this in the king of Binyamin – Shaul, who hid from his own coronation. We see this from when the silver goblet planted in Binyamin’s sack was ‘discovered’. He humbly accepted his brothers’ castigation without defending himself – to ensure he did not interfere with Yosefs’ plans. Purposeful intelligent leadership can lead one to a feeling of superiority, accordingly, this tribe’s Leader, פלטי בן רפוא was chosen next. The word פלטי means I have been saved, and רפאים was a term for giants as in the verses[viii] which use the term ארץ רפאים – Land of Giants. In other words, this leader served to impart humility in the others to prevent them from puffing themselves up as giants.
זבולון (Practicality) – Zevulun is the practical tribe, the ones who sent out their sailors into the world to engage in commerce and connect with the other peoples of the world, and they are chosen next. All of this humble purposeful intelligent leadership built on passion and introspection is of no use if there is no real-world practical application. The Leader of this tribe was גדיאל בן סודי whose name literally means G-d is my luck son of my secret. The secret to practical success to the so-called ‘luck’ experienced in practically implementing the vision of the nation is G-d’s partnership with and incorporation into the person’s life. This of course is our secret.
מנשה בן יוסף (Yearning) – With a humble intelligent mandate to lead and inspire, one might be tempted to continue to focus downward. To sail ever farther. And to be content with that. Menashe, the tribe of yearning for the land of Israel, as evidenced by
- his naming by Yosef as[ix] כי נשני אלקים את כל עמלי ואת בית אבי, and
- by the daughters of Tzelaf’Ĉad fighting for an inheritance in the land[x], and
- their family members complaining that allowing them to inherit would reduce their own holdings[xi], and
- by their choice by Moshe to inherit partially outside initial borders of the land so that their yearning for the land would affect their neighbors, Reuvain and Gad[xii]

– the seductive pull of the business world, especially when one feels he is accomplishing good in the world can be entrapping. Moshe therefore paired this tribe with Zevulun to balance out the need for practicality and the sense of accomplishment with the yearning for holiness. Therefore, the Leader of this tribe was גדי בן סוסי – a deliberate contrast to גדיאל, this leader warns against feeling as if the luck is all his own, by dropping G-d’s name and feeling distant from G-d. Furthermore, instead of סודי – my secret, his name is בן סוסי, which as we will note from the Midrash, comes from the word סיסיא, making a fuss. The success in the business world, the amazement at the ‘luck’ in accomplishment, all that is negated as being nothing but a fuss – and cannot be allowed to distract the person from where his heart should be – seeking G-dliness and a connection to the land of Israel.

דן (The Commoner’s Strength) – Until now, we were focused on the leadership of the nation. Ensuring the proper intelligent leadership, in humble purpose, carried out practically based on introspection and passion, without forgetting where one’s true yearning lies. However, these traits cannot be limited to the upper echelon. The entire nation must have the same outlook and mandate. Accordingly, Moshe chose a leader from the tribe of Dan, the ‘commoner’ amongst the tribes[xiii]. As representative of this ideal, the Leader עמיאל בן גמלי was chosen, whose name means my nation of G-d
אשר (Moral Clarity) – Expanding leadership to the common people requires a moral clarity that is represented by the tribe of Asher. The Midrash notes the similarities between the name אשר and Moshe’s praise of the Jewish people in the verse[xiv] אין כא-ל ישורון – there is none like the G-d of the “straight people” [the Jews].’ Additionally, the tribe of Asher represents the women of the Jewish people, as Asher’s blessing by Yaakov[xv] והוא יתן מעדני מלך refers to the princesses and queens of the Jewish people[xvi], those whose moral clarity have not wavered no matter the national challenge being faced. Women serve as the conscience of the men ensuring that their actions and choices are always in line with the goal of creating a dwelling place for G-d in this world. To represent this tribe the Leader סתור בן מיכאל was chosen, with the name סתור meaning hidden representing the modesty of Jewish women about whom the verse[xvii] states כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה.[2]
נפתלי (Prayer) – With the purpose laid out, and the mandate established for the entire nation, men women and children, Moshe ends his choices with the idea that prior to action one must always turn to G-d to pray for success. The name of the tribe means prayer, as in the verse recited by our matriarch Raĉel[xviii] נפתולי אלקים נפתלתי – the request to change the natural order of things, and the stubbornness not to accept the status quo.[xix] The Leader of this tribe, chosen to represent this ideal, is נחבי בן ופסי. His name, נחבי means נח בי – Noaĉ is within me. Noaĉ refers to the prayer of[xx] זה ינחמנו ממעשנו ומעצבון ידינו – that we be comforted from our actions and the toil of our hands. And ופסי means my lot as in a lottery. Thus, we are comforted by G-d in our actions and the toil of our hands – the lot appointed to us. Of course, we would like to sit and learn all day, but that is not our lot. And with the aspect of prayer, which connects one to G-d in a way that is especially poignant when related to issues dealing with the mundane world, serves as our comfort on this path.
גד (Victory) – And we need not be concerned about failure, the tribe of victory is what serves as the capstone of Moshe’s message with the tribe known and recognized by the results of their actions on the battlefield. This tribe was led by גאואל בן מכי, whose name means pride of G-d son of מכי. The word מכי is found only one other time in Tanaĉ in the verse[xxi] בחוריהם מכי חרב במלחמה. Taken together, his name means the soldiers who are the pride of G-d, who strike.

The Inherent Risk in Human Endeavors

Moshe recognized that this conquest would be the result of human endeavor, albeit guided by G-d who would be with the people. But the cloud of glory would no longer be visible going before them, and the nation would face the physical challenges of our history. Accordingly, there was an inherent danger in entrusting the mission completely into human hands. Even in hands as illustrious as these. Accordingly, he changes the name of his disciple and future leader ensuring the protection of the next generation and the transmission of Torah no matter what the outcome of the spies’ mission was. This action by Moshe is stated in the Gemara as a prayer ‘י-ה יושיעך מעצת המרגלים’ May G-d save you from the advice of the spies. Note that in his prayer, the Gemara states that Moshe refers to them as spies, unlike his previous description of them as אנשים ראשי בני ישראל – men, the heads of the Jewish people. Moshe was aware of the potential for subversion in the nature of the people he sent, and guarded Yehoshua with his prayers against their influence.

The Geographic Deviation: The Wilderness of Tzin and the Gamma Path

The subversion of Moshe’s mandate began immediately, triggered even before they entered the land.

Moshe’s explicit mandate was a path of physical and spiritual elevation, as it says in the verse[xxii] ויאמר אליהם עלו זה בנגב ועליתם את ההר – go up in the Negev and ascend into the mountain(s). The spies in fact did go up through the south as stated in the verse[xxiii] ויעלו בנגב – and they went up in the Negev, but first the verse[xxiv] tells us they chose a different path ויעלו ויתרו את הארץ, ממדבר צן עד רחב לבא חמת – and they went up and toured the land, from the wilderness until the wide way to arrive at Ĉamas.

Why does the Torah repeat the statement, that they went up, and why did the Torah identify the place of the spies’ entrance to the land as the wilderness of Tzin as opposed to the Negev – especially when the very next verse the Torah states that they indeed ‘went up from the Negev’.

In Ĉassidic thought, the South represents Ĉesed (kindness)[xxv]. To conquer one’s evil inclination, one starts with the first of the Midos, kindness, and then works up to the next level, gradually ascending ‘the mountain’. This spiritual effort was meant to be echoed in the path Moshe chose for them physically. They would start in the harsh desert in the south and gradually work their way up to the mountainous north, coming back through the fertile valleys.

Instead, the spies immediately corrupted this mandate. They didn’t enter through the Negev, but rather through [the same desert which was named] the wilderness of Tzin. Tzin translates to a thorn bush – a natural, barbed barrier. The spies viewed the physical desert only through its physical effects of deterring invasion – by forming a natural land barrier of unpassable desert. In other words, the transformation of their mindset is reflected in the naming of the desert. The spies only viewed this wilderness in what they believed was the mandate of their mission – to determine the military aspects of the land; whether the wilderness would serve as a barrier against attack by the Edomites and the Nation of Amalek that lived to the south of the Land. The Torah on the other hand consistently[xxvi] associates מדבר צין with the name קדש. Natural barriers are there to increase in sanctity, and not to deter would be physical attackers. When they realized that the desert would not serve as a barrier to those who lived there, they (other than Calev) immediately turned aside from their intended route and proceeded westward to the coast.

Attempting to physically bar the outside world without spiritual purpose inevitably leads to חמת – raw anger, frustration, and violence. The separateness of the Jewish people, if not used to render the wilderness holy, serves only to antagonize the world, and accordingly leads to violence.

The spies did not understand or chose to ignore that lesson, and instead they, they traveled the western seaboard to the north then proceeded east, as Rashi notes, mirroring the shape of the Greek capital letter Gamma[3] Γ. This was their answer to the concept of violence. Conceptzia and other philosophical ideals that ignore the messy reality. Attempting to combat the hotheadedness of חמת through the cold, human logic of Greek philosophy. By choosing the path of Gamma, they demonstrated their choice to factor G-d out of the equation entirely.

The Subversion Complete: The Algorithm of Rebellion

When the spies return to the Jewish people, their purpose is completely perverted. Instead of providing guidance on how to enact a physical conquest in support of their G-d mandated mission, they begin slandering the land claiming that they had no chance to conquer. Instead of being inspired to grow in their mission in life, they took their talents and used them to convince the people to rebel against G-d. Now the darker aspects of their names[xxvii] become apparent:

ראובן – The spies took the natural tendency to self-reflection and used it against the Jewish people to cause them to lose their confidence in themselves and in their leader [Moshe], whose leadership stems from our confidence and faith in G-d. He especially targeted the leaders, those who supposedly do not have anyone to go to for advice as they themselves are the ones who are supposed to have all the answers.

Accordingly, he was named שמוע בן זכור, in other words, he converted זכור – his memory into שמוע – a rumor. The Midrash states, [he was named thus because] ‘he did not listen to the words of G-d, as if he was questioning his memory. Similar to the verse כי חטאת קסם מרי – for rebellion is the sin of divination.’

This verse was stated in reference to King Shaul when he went to war with Amalek. Instead of completely wiping them out, Shaul listened to the voices of the doubters, casting self-doubt on the instructions given to him by Shmuel – whether in fact he should completely destroy Amalek. This sin of self-doubt is the beginning of every rebellion against G-d. At our core, every Jew feels the connection to G-d, and it is the Amalek within him that causes him to doubt, converting knowledge into rumor.

שמעון – After breaking the connection of the people’s leadership to the Moshe of their generation, the spies then cause them to second guess each one’s passion for the land of Israel and for G-d. Providing all kinds of logical counterarguments against doing what is required of you by G-d, and especially against leading the people down the right path.

The Midrash states, the Leader of this tribe was named שפט בן חורי because ‘he did not שפט – judge his nature and became חורי – an absence in the world.’ An appropriate name for the spy from the tribe of Shimon, known for his unrestrained passion and anger. Such passion and anger are only to be used when שפט – properly judged. And in doing so, he becomes truly חורי – a hole / conduit for that which is proper, as it is not about his personal feelings, but about doing what is right. Here, the spy for Shimon did the opposite of what he needed to do. In effect he buried his and caused others to bury their judgement in a hole in the ground and followed the masses instead of his proper passion.

יהודה – After this second-guessing and fear mongering begins to take hold, the spies then rouse the leaderless mob, getting passionate and angry whenever these unjustified fears are countered with faith and attacking the one who looks to calm those fears rather than addressing the cause of those fears in and of themselves.

This explains why the spies let Calev speak. They assumed he was on their side, being כלב בן יפונה – that he would turn the people away from Moshe with his full heart. In fact, Calev attempted the opposite, using his nature to rile the crowd in favor of Moshe.

This created confusion with the people. Such confusion normally causes the mob to seek out a leader, and the spies had one prepared – the Leader of the tribe of Yissaĉar.

יששכר – With the confusion and self-doubt that form the core of a mob identity in place, the spies seek to counteract Calev’s passionate appeal by countering the common sense and a person’s innate intelligence – perverting it into seeking out logic reasons and justifications for their position.

Accordingly, the next leader in line is יגאל בן יוסף of the tribe of Yissaĉar. The Midrash notes he was named thus for having spoken maliciously about the land accordingly he was בן יוסף – gathered in (died) before his time[4]. It is at this point that the fancy double talk is used to push the mob further into abandoning its base line reason and accepting group think instead.

אפרים – Unlike the spy for Yehuda, the spies never sought to convert Yehoshua to their side. Instead, they sidelined him, getting the people to ignore him no matter what he said, as being a lacky of Moshe – as if that is a bad thing to be. Similarly, once the justification for fears starts, those who would otherwise have an influence over you are sidelined and their statements rendered irrelevant as they are obviously biased in their statements.
בנימין – Having sidelined those who are declared biased, the spies now turn their attention to the righteous who would otherwise not get involved in the conflict – the studious quiet ones. These otherwise influential people are convinced not to speak out. They justify their silence by hiding behind false humility. However, in refusing to choose a side, they are in effect choosing the opposite side. They are weak for failing to choose a side and stand up for their principles – and they will not be saved by remaining unengaged.

The Leader of this false humility is named פלטי בן רפוא. The Midrash explains that he was thus named because he פלט – saved himself from good deeds and his hands became רפו – weak, as he died. Attempting to save one’s personal sanctity by refusing to get involved and stand up for what is right only weakens the otherwise righteous person.

זבולון – Next the spies look to convince the businesspeople that they can’t trust anyone but themselves. It is only their own hard efforts who brought them everything they have – and nothing is G-d given. Instead, because G-d demands that you are required to work for your living, then how can he choose to support organization in place of his own G-d mandated workload. If G-d really wanted him to give charity, then he wouldn’t have made it so hard to make a living. How can you even think of supporting Torah and good deed organizations, isn’t there a requirement to support your own family first. Etc. The spies seek to erode the support for the institutions and organizations that have guided the people and might in time counter the narrative of the spies. They do so by eroding confidence in public institutions. The spies don’t say ‘don’t give charity at all’. Rather, don’t support institutions. Instead, find someone homeless to give your money to.

Similarly, when it comes to the conquering of the land of Israel, the spies convince people not to support institutions that help the people of Israel. After all, we have our own problems here. And they convince you that it is your money that you worked hard for. Shouldn’t you get to enjoy your own money? And maybe you deserve a little bit of luxury in your life, rather than spending your hard-earned money on people who go around collecting Tzedaka on commission.

Accordingly, this spy’s name was גדיאל בן סודי. The Midrash explains that his name represents the words he spoke which were as tough as sinews. Similarly, this spy was there to convince the people that it was their hard work which earned them their money. They conflated the sinews, representing the people’s work, with the muscles that make the sinews operate. It is not a person’s money to give or withhold.

מנשה בן יוסף – Having convinced the people to stop supporting organizations that seek to enter and conquer the land of Israel, the spies are not content with that but now begin disparaging the land itself. They state, ‘what is the big fuss about the land of Israel. There are plenty of Torah institutions here in the diaspora if you really must support Torah institutions.’ They claim that life is good in the diaspora, and there is no reason to get excited about the land of Israel.

Accordingly, the instigator of this idea is גדי בן סוסי. The Midrash states, [he was named thus because] ‘he plastered^[5] words heavenwards and made up סיסיא – a fuss. He was the one who stated^[6] ארץ אוכלת יושביה – a land that consumes its inhabitants.’ Instead of rejoicing שוש in his luck גדי, at being one of the first Jews to enter the land of Israel in two hundred plus years, he rejected his heritage. He changed שוש – rejoicing into סיסיא – a fuss. Asking, sarcastically, look at גדי – my luck; what is all the fuss about, it is a land which will consume us.

This is an example of the double-speak logic that such rabble-rousing evil employs. First they seek to discourage one from spending funds in support of Torah institutions – and then they complain that working to earn money by his own sweat and labor is consuming him.

דן – Having dimmed the excitement for the land and eroded support for the organizations and leadership, the spies now begin disparaging their own people, looking to dim their light and convince them that they do not have what it takes anyway. Their enemies are stronger than them and who are they to think they can overcome people stronger than them.

The spy who embodied this denigration was עמיאל בן גמלי. The Midrash states ‘העמה – he dimmed his strength, as he is the one who stated^[7] כי חזק הוא ממנו – as he [the people of the land] are stronger than them [G-d]. And he thereby גמל – caused that he himself would not enter the land of Israel.

אשר – With their plan in full motion, and the people blindly following them, institutions abandoned, and self-doubt having been made into self-debilitating deprecation, the spies now seek to erase and eradicate anything that goes counter to their proposed narrative. This ensures that even if their hold over the people begins to wane, there aren’t any alternative ideas and voices outside the spies’ own that could potentially undermine the spies’ work.

Accordingly, the spy who embodied this was סתור בן מיכאל. The Midrash states he was this because he sought לסתור – to erase that which is written מי הוא כא-ל. He sought to erase the Jewish people’s unique purpose – to proclaim to the world that there is no G-d like the benevolent creator who took them out of Egypt.

נפתלי – Next the spies seek to suppress hope for any viable alternative to the world they are fabricating. They do so by establishing that nothing is going to change and that the bleak future presented is the only one that will ever be.

The Midrash explains that his name was נחבי בן ופסי because החביא – he hid the truth, and פסה – faithfulness vanished from his mouth. Similar to the verse^[xxviii] פסו אמונים מבני אדם – faithfulness had vanished from humankind.’

גד – Finally, the spies actively engage in rebellion, mustering up forces and attacking anything and everyone that doesn’t fit their narrative.

Perhaps the Midrash didn’t discuss this particular spy because in the end, although the people came close to stoning Moshe, Aharon, Yehoshua and Calev – G-d’s presence appeared and prevented this. We might say that מכי is a homonym with the word מחי in that they sought to erase the ones who redeemed them by G-d’s might.

The Antidote: Anchoring to the Roots

The Gamma path of human logic and seeking the protection of the natural order doomed the ten spies. Only Calev and Yehoshua survived, and they did so through a shared methodology: an unbreakable connection to their roots.

Recognizing the crushing logical and physical pressure of the spies’ methodology, Calev did not attempt to combat Greek logic with more logic. Instead, he physically separated himself from the collective and detoured to Ĉevron. He converted the overwhelming pressures of the present into prayer at the graves of the Patriarchs. Similarly, later when called on to speak, Calev didn’t attempt to counter the arguments of the spies with logic but instead thought to emotionally connect the people with Moshe through reminding them of the miracles that had been done for them.

Similarly, Yehoshua was fortified by the letter Yud appended to his name—the very letter taken from the Matriarch Sarah when her name was changed,[xxix] connecting him directly to the first generation commanded to walk the land.

The survival of Calev and Yehoshua proves the ultimate lesson of the story of the spies: when facing the unsanctified barriers of Tzin and the cold logic of the Gamma, the only antidote is to anchor oneself entirely in the ancestral faith of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs and the leadership of Moshe.

[1] The sages noted that there is a difference in treatment between the kings of the Davidic line vs. the other Jewish kings of Shomron etc. Kings of the Davidic line may be summoned to appear in front of the Sanhedrin, while those of the other tribes were not subjected to this. Because kings from the other tribes did not incorporate intelligent guidance into their rule. The opposite held true of Dovid. Even after Shimi son of Gayra cursed Dovid, Dovid refrained from killing him and robing his leadership of intelligent advice – it was only Shlomo, the wisest of all men – who was able to go without Shimi’s advice and issue the death sentence against him for his part in the rebellion against Dovid.

[2] It is also an acronym of סוס ורכבו which the women sang at the splitting of the sea (represented by מיכאל as in the verse מי כמוך באילים ה’ – only the women were prepared to sing for their deliverance by the sea).

[3] We can say that the letter Gamma represent Geometry, a foundation mathematical understanding of the physical universe. Also, the physical shape of Γ is the exact opposite ג. The letter ג in Hebrew represents the act of giving to the letter ד the next in line. The Gamma though places a hard line blocking any influence from that which comes before (spirituality). Interestingly, in math, the capital letter Gamma is often used to represent the Gamma Function, the extension of the factorial function to complex and real numbers. Philosophically, that would represent the idea of being able to take concrete goals and abstract those to fit a wave form of possible applications, recognizing that not every scenario perfectly aligns with the goal. Human application of divine absolutes inherently produces a spectrum of results. The spies refused to accept that, and like their ancestor Avraham, who was commanded to walk the land, and thereby inherit it, the spies attempted to walk the land in the opposite manner. Imposing a perverted Gamma function onto the land.

[4] In addition to the meaning of his name (יוסף coming from the same source as ויאסף אל עמיו – a euphemism for dying), Yosef was also the first of the original brothers to do, related to a sin of speech; in that he allowed his brothers to speak of his father as if his father was his servant.

[5] It is interesting that the Midrash uses the term הטיח כלפי מעלה here, which is a very unusual term, and is seemingly unrelated to the first name of this spy. Perhaps this is a reference to the term used in the verse [Yeshayahu 44:18] לא ידעו ולא יבינו, כי טח מראות עיניהם מהשכיל לבתם – they do not know and they do not understand; their vision is plastered from comprehending their heart, on which the Midrash comments as to the purpose of juxtaposing the public punishment of Miriam for speaking Lashon Hara about Mosheto the story of the spies speaking Lashon Hara about the land of Israel. G-d arranged the Torah in this manner to ensure that the spies could not claim they did not know the punishment for Lashon Hara.

[6] Bamidbar 13:32

[7] Bamidbar 13:31

[i] Bamidbar 13:3

[ii] Gem. Sota 34b

[iii] Devarim 32:7

[iv] Sifrei Devarim 31:6 – Interestingly, the language of the Sifrei implies that כל ימיו – all his days – lasted until Moshe prayed for him at the end of the Jewish people’s sojourn in the wilderness – which was hundreds of years later.

[v] Beraishis 49:7

[vi] See Rashi Bamidbar 25:11 and Gem. Sanhedrin 82b as to why Pinĉas rose against the prince of Shimon.

[vii] Beraishis 41:52

[viii] Devarim 2:20, 3:13, Yehoshua 17:15, Yeshayahu 26:19

[ix] Beraishis 41:51

[x] Bamidbar 27:1

[xi] Bamidbar 36:6

[xii] Bamidbar 32:33

[xiii] See Rashi () who notes Dan was the מרודין of the tribes.

[xiv] Devarim 33:26

[xv] Beraishis 49:20

[xvi] See Midrash Rabba on the verse.

[xvii] Tehillim 45:14

[xviii] Beraishis 30:8

[xix] See Unkelos who translates the root of Naftali as connected to entreaty and prayer.

[xx] Beraishis 5:29

[xxi] Yirmiyahu 18:21

[xxii] Bamidbar 13:17

[xxiii] Bamidbar 13:21

[xxiv] Bamidbar 13:22

[xxv] See Ĉassidic commentaries on the verse [Beraishis 12:9] ויסע אברם הלוך ונסוע הנגבה – Avraham, who embodies the Sefira of Kindness, travels Southward.

[xxvi] Bamidbar 20:1, 27:14, 33:36

[xxvii] The translations of the names are primarily based on the Midrash Tanĉuma quoted above.

[xxviii] Tehillim 12:2

[xxix] See Beraishis Rabba 47:1

שלח לך אנשים