At the beginning of this weeks Parsha we are exposed to one of those anomalies which appears from time to time in the Torah – a double repeated Phrase. Hashem tells Moshe to send the spies “Ish Echad Ish Echad L'mateh Avosav – One Man One Man from the tribe of his father (Shelach 13:2). We can certainly understand why it may have been important to send one spy from every Shevet but why did Hashem choose to to repeat the words Ish Echad? Many of the Mepharshim describe how Moshe was concerned that Bnei Yisroel may not be ready to go into Eretz Yisroel and he was hesitant to send the spies at all. Some comment that Moshe was going to try and “stack the deck” and choose only those spies that he though were most likely to bring a positive report and even hold back the spies that he had reason to be concerned about.
Moshe decided to look back at the history of the Shevatim and see for whom he should have concerns. Moshe first identified Shevet Yoseph. After all, Yoseph according to some, told Lashon Hara on his brothers to their father. Similarly, when the brothers sold Yoseph, Yehuda was the one who told Yaakov that it appeared `Yoseph was devoured by a wild animal. In both of these instances Moshe saw that under certain circumstances, someone from Shevet Yoseph or Shevet Yehuda may be able to bring back an unflattering report. So the decision was made. Moshe would hold back the spy from Shevet Yehuda and Shevet Yoseph.
The spy from Yehuda was none other than Calev Ben Yefuneh and the spy from Shevet Yoseph through Ephraim was Hoshea Ben Nun. Those were the two whom Moshe had decided should be held back based on his survey of the history of the tribes. Since those two were the only spies who stood up to the others and said it is a good land and we can conquer it, Hashem had to tell Moshe “Ish Echad Ish Echad” – send one from every Shevet. Don't hold any back.
There is a powerful lesson here for all of us. Moshe Rabbeinu, with all his knowledge, with all his brilliance, with all his Nevuah was 180 degrees wrong about which spies to send . His thought process told him not to send Calev and Yehoshua. Hashem had to step in and emphasize the need to send one from every Shevet. Often when we daven or simply contemplate the world around us, we think we know what we want or need. The simple fact is that we don't have any idea what the larger picture is. While we certainly can request and understand that their is Hasgacha Protiyus, there is also Hasgacha Klaliyos of which we have no comprehension. We must be satisfied in the knowledge that Hashem loves us and knows what is best.
