Why Only Yehoshua and Kalev? And What is the Secret of the Tzaddikim Who Never Die?

Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) sends spies according to the word of Hashem, yet they all fail except for two. Why? What is the difference between them? And what is the connection to the Tzaddikim of the aspect of Leah, who merit to pass through judgment on Rosh Hashanah and never die—compared to the Tzaddikim of the aspect of Rachel? At the root of the difference between the spies and Yehoshua and Kalev lies a fundamental secret in the service of Hashem, regarding the connection between heaven and earth, light and vessel, soul and body.

Sunday, 10th of Tammuz 5786 - The Daily Strengthening from the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

¹Moshe is the Yesod of Abba (the foundation of the fatherly aspect in Kabbalah) (Etz Chaim/ Discourse on Yaakov and Moshe from Yesod d'Abba) and the spies are also Yesod of Abba.

The spies were all from the Yesod of Abba, and therefore they did not enter the Land of Israel, because they needed ²to descend from the Yesod of Abba to the Yesod of Ima (the foundation of the motherly aspect), but ³they did not want to descend from the Yesod of Abba to the Yesod of Ima!

And also Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him—why did he send them at all? "According to the word of Hashem" (Numbers 13:1). You already know they will speak lashon hara (evil speech). Moshe already sensed [that the hearts of the spies were not whole, as hinted in the verses]: Sethur the son of Michael (of the tribe of Asher, of the tribe of Naphtali), Nahbi the son of Vophsi—they are all hiding, all in secret. [Hashem said to Moshe] "Send for yourself"—according to your own understanding; I am not commanding you.

And from them [who were saved and entered the Land], Yehoshua and Kalev—who were they anyway? Why [specifically out of all the spies] did they enter?

Because they were Yesod of Abba! The spies were Yesod of Ima.

For all those [of the Children of Israel] who entered the Land [eventually, ⁴after the night of Tisha B'Av of the 40th year of the Exodus from Egypt—when they ceased to die for the sin of the Golden Calf] were in the aspect of Rachel.

The aspect of Leah is revealed miracles; the true Tzaddikim are the aspect of Leah! It is written that on the first night of Rosh Hashanah, they pass [through judgment] the Tzaddikim who are of the aspect of Leah.

It is written in Sha'ar HaKavanos and in Etz Chaim that whenever we connect to the Tzaddikim who are of the aspect of Leah, [we] pass through [judgment] together with them—therefore, whoever comes to Rebbe Nachman passes through together with him, even one who wanted to travel and was prevented by circumstances beyond his control!

So, whoever reaches Rebbe Nachman—for Rebbe Nachman is the aspect of Leah [as it is written]: "'L'atur 'E's 'H'a'aretz (To spy out the Land)" (Numbers 13:17)—the first letters spell Leah. "'R'echov 'L'evo 'Ch'amath (The road to Hamath)" (ibid 13:21)—the first letters spell Rachel. So those who entered the Land are Rachel, "I said, you are angels, and all of you are sons of the Most High" (Psalms 82:6).

The Rav says: Here, they [the attendants] brought the Sha'ar HaKavanos. [It is written there] that on the first night of Rosh Hashanah, they pass through all the Tzaddikim who are of the aspect of Leah. Leah is the merit of the Resurrection of the Dead; they do not die at all—this is the Luz bone.

Luz is Leah. The Rebbe ⁵explains in Torah 85 (Likutey Moharan Tinyana) that the Luz bone [hints at the aspect of Leah, which is at the back of the neck, the first female aspect]. All the Tzaddikim who are of the aspect of Leah merit the Resurrection of the Dead; they do not die at all—Rebbe Nachman did not die; Rebbe Nachman is alive and enduring. We travel to Rebbe Nachman; Rebbe Nachman is alive and enduring.

So there are Tzaddikim who are of the aspect of Leah, and they pass through judgment on the first night of Rosh Hashanah.

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1. ...But the illumination that goes out from Yesod of Abba into the belly of Zeir Anpin internally—this is the secret of Moshe. And this is what is said: "Moshe from within [internally] and Yaakov from without [externally]" (Etz Chaim/Sha'ar HaKlallim/10 - Discourse on Yaakov and Moshe from Yesod d'Abba)
2. In the secret of "the descent is for the sake of the ascent," when one wants to go from the level of "Na'aseh V'Nishma" (we will do and we will hear) to a higher level of "Na'aseh V'Nishma," there must be a descent before the ascent (Likutey Moharan Part I, Torah 22 - Seal within a Seal)
3. For one who walks in physicality all his days, and afterwards becomes inspired and wants to walk in the ways of Hashem, then the Attribute of Judgment prosecutes him and does not allow him to walk in the ways of Hashem, and presents him with an obstacle, and hides itself, as it were, in that obstacle. And one who is a person of understanding looks at the obstacle and finds the Creator, blessed be He, there (Likutey Moharan Part I, Torah 115 - And the people stood afar off, and Moshe drew near to the thick darkness)
4. "When Israel entered the Land, Kalev ben Yefunneh was eighty-five years old... In that year, all the members of that generation upon whom death was decreed in the desert died, and their children entered and inherited the Land." (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 13)
5. Likutey Moharan Part II - Torah 85 - Nuts called Luzim. Nuts called Luzim hint at the aspect of Leah, which is at the back of the neck, the first female aspect. And afterwards, they enter the Holy Temple, which is the aspect of: "Yaakov called it Beis El" (the House of G-d). And this is what Rashi explained, that through the way of Luz, they enter Beis El.