Drash Cards for Shelach (5772)
by Marc Mangel
• The Torah is a guide for every generation in every circumstance.
• It should provide mottos such as “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try” (Yoda) or “We can. We Will” (US 9th Cavalry, the Buffalo Soldiers) or “Simple but not easy” (Dave Draper).
• In Ch13, v 27-20 the people rebel and Caleb steps forward (v 30) and says “We shall surely ascend and conquer it [the land], for we…”
• Note that Caleb does not say “Let’s pray for a miracle since God has done many of those”. Rather, he says that we must work for it.
• The Chazal teach that Joshua received inspiration from Moses but did not work for it. Caleb, on the other hand, sought inspiration on his own — when in Canaan, he prayed in Hebron
• Caleb’s reslilience was the product of his own efforts so his faith had a stronger impact on the people.
• What is the message for us? When we face a challenge we should not think “Maybe God can make some sort of miracle happen and I can overcome this challenge” . Rather think “God has given me the resilience and internal strength to overcome this challenge”