Mission Possible?
I’ve always resonated with the expression that “…there are no atheists in foxholes.” It reflects both the classic human need to rely upon matters of faith in times of crisis, and that we are hard-wired for faith in unseen forces regardless of our protestations that it is otherwise.
This week’s portion, Sh’lach L’cha, illustrates a very Jewish and very human need for faith. Moses sends scouts to surveil the land of Israel in preparation for the Israelites’ entrance. Most return with a good news/bad news report: The land indeed flows with milk and honey, but it is occupied by giants in impenetrable citadels. The people’s characteristic cries of futility and gnashing of teeth ensue, briefly interrupted by the singularly inspiring reports of two of the scouts, Caleb and Joshua. They confirm the boons and the busts of the other scouts’ reports, but see the proverbial glass half full—not out of delusion or naivete, but from a deep faith in God and in themselves to overcome.
History documents countless examples of singular individuals who see what is and resist the urge to flee or flounce, rising to the challenge in ways that testify to the greatest qualities of the human spirit.
Rabbi Daniel Weiner