The Secret of Nullifying the Intellect: Why Didn't the Spies Understand the Virtue of the Land of Israel?
Lesson No. 117 | Sunday, Parashas Vayeitzei, 1 Kislev 5758 - Awakening Gathering in Eilat
The Spies, who were lofty souls, did not understand the practical need for the Land of Israel because the Land of Israel requires...
Rabbi Nasan explains that the Spies did not understand why the Land of Israel was necessary. The Holy Ari zt"l says that their lack of understanding stemmed from their immense greatness. They were such lofty souls, representing the aspect of Leah, whereas the Land of Israel symbolizes humility and lowliness. The Generation of the Wilderness and the souls of the Spies were higher than the aspect of the Land of Israel, and therefore they did not understand the intention of Moshe Rabbeinu: What is the need for the Land of Israel at all?
To Literally Tread on the Earth
Even today, we see that there are tzaddikim who love the Land of Israel and are spiritually attached to it, yet they do not understand the practical aspect. They ask: What is the actual need to tread on the earth? After all, a person prays "Who builds Jerusalem," directing his prayers toward the Land of Israel, so what is the significance of physically treading on the ground?
But the truth is that there is tremendous significance in the simple action. We simply need to literally tread on the earth, to literally go to the Kosel, to literally travel to the tzaddik. By Rebbe Nachman, everything is with simplicity and earnestness—to pray word by word with simplicity, to be in the field with simplicity, to be at the Kosel and at the Tziyon (holy gravesite) with simplicity, and then perhaps we will begin to feel the light.
This is exactly the spiritual work of the Land of Israel. Rabbi Nasan explains that the entire essence of the Land of Israel is the complete nullification of the intellect (Siluk HaDa'as). The Spies needed to completely nullify their intellect there, because every time a person ascends to a new level, he must completely set aside his intellect and say, "I do not know."
If a person serves Hashem today with the intellect of yesterday—he has accomplished nothing. He needs a completely new intellect every single day. At Chatzos (midnight), the intellect changes, and it is forbidden to serve Hashem with the old intellect.
A New Intellect in Every Prayer
People do not understand the essence of prayer. We ask:
"You graciously endow man with wisdom and teach insight to a frail mortal; endow us graciously from Yourself with wisdom, insight, and knowledge."
Why do we ask for knowledge? After all, it is clear that everyone has knowledge; everyone has endless intellect. Rather, the intention is for a completely new intellect. Three times a day, the intellect changes. Every time we say "You graciously endow man with wisdom," we receive a new intellect. When the Minchah prayer arrives—we need a new intellect. When Maariv arrives—we need a new intellect. This is not a mere figure of speech, but a replacement of the entire system of the mind (Mochin), and this can only happen in the Land of Israel.
A person who lives outside the Land of Israel lives with the same intellect, with the mindset of the Diaspora. But in the Land of Israel, the mindset is something completely different. The Spies had the mindset of the Diaspora, the mindset of Leah. The Generation of the Wilderness was higher than the aspect of the Land of Israel, which is the aspect of Rachel. Leah is the "Alma D'Iskasya" (the Hidden World), about whom it is said:
"And Leah's eyes were tender, while Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance."
The Holy Ari zt"l explains that even Yaakov Avinu had no comprehension of Leah until he received the name "Yisrael." What is the aspect of Leah? "Her eyes were tender"—she cries and prays all day long. Rabbi Nasan explains that Rachel, who is "beautiful of appearance," symbolizes the Oral Torah, the study of Gemara, and the intellect. A person can understand novel insights in the Gemara, but in prayer, he understands nothing at all. Prayer requires the nullification of the intellect.
The Power of Unhurried Prayer
Therefore, prayer must be unhurried and filled with emotion. Every blessing in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer should take at least a minute. If a person prays the entire Amidah in less than twenty minutes, he misses the main point. If one says the words slowly, word by word, with a little emotion, it takes time. Tzaddikim would pray Shemoneh Esrei for an hour or two, and through this, they would draw down abundance and healing to the world.
When a person wants to draw down healing, he says: "God, King, faithful and compassionate Healer are You." Is a physical doctor faithful? Is he compassionate? He usually just wants his payment and for us to leave. But Hashem is the true compassionate and faithful One! So why say these words so quickly?
Losing Wisdom Through Speech
The Spies did not want to enter this aspect of emunah (faith) and the nullification of the intellect. They said, "We already understand, we are Torah scholars." But the truth is that true wisdom is revealed specifically through silence and self-nullification.
The Maharal of Prague asks regarding the verse:
"Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise."
If he is a fool, how does silence make him wise? The Maharal explains: Every person is born with wisdom. There is no person who comes into the world without wisdom. But the moment he begins to speak, to express opinions, and to get involved in disputes—he loses his wisdom.
Hashem gives everyone wisdom, but the moment you start expressing opinions on everything, you lose it. You have a Siddur (prayer book), you have a Chumash (Five Books of Moses), you have Gemara (Talmud), and Likutey Halachos (Breslov teachings)—engage with them. People are fighting? Let them fight until a hundred and twenty years. Do not get involved in things that do not concern you. Only through setting aside one's intellect, silence, and simple emunah (faith), does one merit to receive completely new daas (spiritual awareness) every single day.
Part 1 of 2 — Lesson No. 117
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