• Home
  • Parashah
  • Ask the Rabbi
  • Festivals
  • Freemasonry
  • Articles
  • About
  • Books
  • Media
  •  

    Nothing & something – Sh’lach L’cha

    Moses is told to send to Canaan a fact-finding delegation representing all the tribes (Num. 13:2). Every delegate is to be a nasi, literally a prince.

    The Degel Machaneh Ephrayim notes that the letters of nasi unite the aleph-yod-nun of ayin, “nothing” and the yod-shin of yesh, “something”.

    He says that if a prince is puffed up and arrogant and thinks he is a great yesh, he will end up being thrown off his pedestal and becoming an ayin.

    But if he is humble and modest and knows that his status comes from God and the people, i.e. he sees himself as an ayin, he will go on to be a yesh and to warrant the support of God and man.

    Comments are closed.