FInding God's hiding places

Combatting the 10 spies of today – Podcast with Chaya Lester

Jun 13, 2026, 12:47 AM

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Guest therapist Chaya Lester analyzes the episode of the spies based on a Midrash which makes an interesting psychological distinction: When the spies saw giants in the land of Israel they said “in our own eyes we were like grasshoppers.” (Numbers 3:33). According to the Midrash, God forgave them for that lack of self confidence. However the spies went on to say “and so we were in their eyes” (ibid). For this God could not forgive them. The Midrash explains: Who would say that you were not like angels in their eyes? (Midrash Tanchuma Shelach: 6:1)

The Jews misjudged how the world viewed them. Chaya Lester explains how this is similar to Jews today who question – is this really our land?

This is part of an ongoing podcast by Rabbi Yoni Mozeson and guest therapists entitled: The Psychological backstory to the Bible. https://www.youtube.com/@ydmvideosydm

About the Author

(Almost 100 Midrash Video summaries can be found on my youtube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLynSVeS5_iNhHleKroA6r3br-bmaHQigk) After college and Semicha at Yeshiva University my first pulpit was Ogilvy where I wrote TV commercials for brands like American Express, Huggies and Duracell. My passion is Midrash Tanchuma. I am an Architect of Elegant Marketing Solutions at www.mindprintmarketing.com. We are living in (where else) the Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem.