Shelach: The IDF Today as the Tikkun (Repair) for the Sin of the Scouts

The Jewish concept of Tikkun HaChet (תיקון החטא)—the repair or rectification of sin—refers to the process by which one addresses and heals the damage caused by transgression. On a personal level, this might involve seeking forgiveness from someone we’ve wronged and actively working to restore their dignity—say, by publicly speaking well of someone about whom we had once spread lies. But Tikkun HaChet can also manifest on a national scale, where an entire people seeks to repair the moral or spiritual failings of its past.

In this week’s Torah portion, Shelach, we encounter one of the most tragic collective sins in our history: the sin of the scouts. Standing at the threshold of the Promised Land, God instructs Moses to send twelve men—one from each tribe—to scout the Land of Canaan. Their task is to assess the land’s quality and the strength of its inhabitants and cities (Numbers 13:17–19).

After spending 40 days surveying the land and its inhabitants, the scouts reported to the people that the Land is flowing with milk and honey, that the people who inhabit the country are powerful, and that the cities are fortified and very large. But they continued by describing the offspring of giants and the many nations that live there. In doing so, they engendered fear among the people. One of the spies–Caleb—wanted to suppress this fear and so he turned to the people, encouraged them to move forward and assured them that they will prevail.

Sensing that the people were heeding Caleb’s rallying cry, the scouts could no longer contain their own fear of what lies ahead. If, at first, they reported that the people inhabiting the Land are strong, they now claim “they are stronger than we” and if, initially, they reported that the Land is flowing with milk and honey, they now assert that it “devours its inhabitants”. And if, originally, they said that the offspring of giants live there, they now claim that “all the people that we saw in it are men of great size” and they conclude by insisting that, next to these giants, “we looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to them (Num. 13:32–33).

Upon hearing this report, the people began to panic, cry and declare their wish to have died in Egypt. Although Caleb, and another scout named Joshua, tried to rally the people again, the damage had already been done.

Thus, it appears that the sin of the scouts was threefold:

1. Lack of faith—that God would fulfill His promise despite all they had witnessed.
2. Spreading panic—using selective facts to induce fear and panic rather than provide a balanced, honest report.
3. Projecting weakness—viewing themselves as small and powerless and assuming their enemies saw them the same way.

As a result, God decreed that the entire generation will perish in the wilderness. Only their children—alongside Joshua and Caleb—will merit entry into the Land. The Rabbis went even further and taught that, “There is no generation that does not receive a portion of the punishment for the sin of the spies” (Midrash Tanchuma, Shelach 10).

Yet, I would like to suggest that the extraordinary acts of faith and courage demonstrated by the soldiers of the IDF since October 7, 2023 constitute a profound Tikkun—a national repair—for that ancient sin. Let me explain.

Unlike the scouts of Shelach, Israeli soldiers today—facing the modern giants of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran—have displayed remarkable faith in God. Across the battlefront, even among secular units, soldiers are seen praying together before missions, donning tzitzit (fringes) beneath their uniforms, and carrying Tehillim (Psalms) in their gear. They sing “Am Yisrael Chai” and “Mi Shema’amin Lo Mefached”—declaring through song that he who believes has no fear. Soldiers have insisted on observing Shabbat, keeping kosher, and putting on tefillin (phylacteries), even amidst the chaos of war.

Furthermore, they have left behind the comforts of home to confront an enemy that glorifies death and hides behind civilians. With hearts full of love for their people and unwavering dedication, they have shown what true courage looks like—not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it. Their bravery, in turn, restores our confidence and fortifies our hope in the future of the Jewish state.

Finally, despite the staggering challenges—the overwhelming number of our enemies, the so-called “Ring of Fire” encircling Israel and Iran’s quest for our nuclear destruction—our soldiers have shown that they are no “grasshoppers”. In their own eyes, and increasingly in the eyes of the world, they are “giants” of spirit, determination, and tactical brilliance.

Since October 7:

• Against Hamas, Israel has eliminated nearly all senior commanders, dismantled entire battalions, destroyed vast portions of the tunnel infrastructure, maintained a long-term presence in Gaza, and liberated most—but tragically not all—of the hostages.
• Against Hezbollah, Israel has shattered the myth of invincibility: crippling missile arsenals, establishing intelligence dominance, pushing forces north of the Litani River, and carrying out a covert operation of astounding ingenuity—detonating thousands of Hezbollah’s pagers and walkie-talkies, thus paralyzing communications, disabling around 1,500 fighters and sowing fear and chaos.
• Against Iran, a nation 75 times Israel’s size and 10 times its population, which devotes an estimated 30% of its military resources toward Israel’s destruction—Israel has, in mere days, achieved air superiority, neutralized key defense systems, assassinated top generals and nuclear scientists, and struck critical enrichment sites, sending many of Iran’s leaders fleeing in fear.

In light of this, I believe the IDF of our generation serves as the Tikkun HaChet. If the sin of the scouts was rooted in lack of faith in God and in themselves, and in fear of the enemy, and projecting weakness then the IDF soldiers today have responded with faith, courage and strength.

So just as the Sages taught that “there is no generation that does not receive a portion of the punishment for the sin of the spies” then let us declare that “there shall be no generation that does not receive a portion of the reward for the courage, faith and merit of the defenders of Israel today”.

Shabbat Shalom.

To watch an abridged video version of these parasha thoughts: https://youtu.be/rOgGZhm0KEk