קרח

(In Sha’ar HaPesukim he explained the language at length; see there.)

However, the particular matter of Yehoshua and Kalev—what came from them—requires clarification. For, seemingly, the matter of the spies, and we shall explain the generality of its aspect, is a wondrous thing: what need was there to send spies after His, may He be blessed, promise to give them the land of Canaan? And in particular regarding what Chazal said on the verse, “Send for yourself men” (Numbers 13:2)—that this was in the manner of a mission [left] to you. And in particular, since it is not found that HaKadosh Barukh Hu agreed.

The matter is that the “foundation of Abba” is within Zeir Anpin, and all the illuminations of the generation of the wilderness—although Moshe Rabbeinu [was so], nevertheless it is written, “HaShem founded the earth with Chokhmah” (Proverbs 3:19), and the secret of this is the “foundation,” which is Moshe. Therefore it was his desire to rectify, for it is the nature of a father to love his daughter, and therefore “foundation of Abba” is to rectify also Rachel—Nukva of Z"A—even though she is the illuminations of “foundation of Imma,” for the reason that Rachel is the “land,” as mentioned.

And behold, therefore he sent those spies, who are sparks—“illuminations” of the “generation of the wilderness” that go out from Moshe—“foundation of Abba”—to illuminate in Rachel, as mentioned. And therefore they are called “spies,” to indicate that they are not from the land; rather, they entered from there into another land, which is the wife of Ya‘akov. For one who is from one land and enters from there to another land is called a “spy.”

Now, the manner of the sending of these spies was in this manner: for their root is from the lights of “foundation of Abba” that are within the surrounding lights and the encompassing that is enclothed in the revealed lights of “foundation of Imma.” Their illumination and increase causes his lights to burst forth and to go out to the outward side. And at the time of their going out with the power to be revealed, they encounter the פנִים-lights of “foundation of Imma,” and they intermix with them, and they bring out with them some of the outward sparks—lights of “foundation of Imma.” (There in the words of the Zohar, sparks of souls—lights of Imma.) It is thus found that also in the generation of the wilderness there is a certain aspect.

In this way as well: when Rachel is at the back of Z"A, made from the lights of the back of “foundation of Imma,” as mentioned above, then also lights of Imma from the side of the פְּנִים want to go out by way of the well, to illuminate the back in Rachel. Then, they encounter “foundation of Abba” enclothed within them, and it separates between the back-lights of Imma and the פְּנִים-lights of Imma. And when they are there, they have power to pierce it and to enter within it, being that they are from the side of the פְּנִים. And they go out from his side, to the back of the Tiferet of Z"A, until its back, and from there they go out to Rachel, and they illuminate in her.

And then they too—while passing within it—bring out with them some sparks—lights of Abba—and they enter into Rachel with them and illuminate in her. And these are sparks of lights of Abba, which are included within the “generation of the wilderness,” Moshe, who sent the spies. Rather, they go out by way of the back to Rachel; these are the matter of the sending of the spies to the land of Canaan, in the secret of “HaShem founded the earth with Chokhmah” (Proverbs 3:19), for Moshe is “foundation of Abba” who sends there to rectify Rachel, the “land” that He founded.

Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, thought to rectify also Rachel, that she should return face-to-face with Z"A in the time of the generation of the wilderness. And this is what HaKadosh Barukh Hu said to him, “Send for yourself men” (Numbers 13:2), meaning: send—from your own—these, for they are your sparks, as mentioned. And it did not succeed in his hand to rectify her as long as the generation of the wilderness existed. And when they died, then the illumination of Leah, the wife of Ya‘akov—as mentioned—was nullified, and then Rachel was rectified face-to-face with Z"A, and she returned to her place, in the secret of the well, as mentioned.

But Yehoshua and Kalev are revealed lights of Imma; they go out by way of the פְּנִים of Zeir and intermingle with the surroundings of the “heart” in the generation of the wilderness, for she is “the heart.” They go out to the side where the generation of the wilderness stands, and they do not go out to the back toward Rachel; rather, they go out from the chest and below by way of the פְּנִים of Zeir, like the generation of the wilderness. Therefore they are not considered from the generality of the generation of the wilderness.

And the spies, even though they are from the lights of Imma, in the manner that will be explained above with regard to the generation of the wilderness—that there were lights of Imma intermixed within them—therefore these two, who were by themselves, from the aspect of lights of Imma, entered into the land of Canaan; those men lived from the land and inherited it, as we mentioned. For above we explained that no one can enter into Rachel except one who is from the side of Imma, since from them.

And this is the intention of the verse in saying, “And Yehoshua son of Nun and Kalev son of Yefuneh lived of those men who went to scout the land” (Numbers 14:38), to hint that the other men are the spies themselves, who are from the foundation of Abba—those who went to scout the land. But Yehoshua and Kalev, who are lights of Imma, were going in their company; but they themselves were not truly spies, and therefore they lived and not the others.

Behold, it is thus explained well in the words of the Rav what Moshe Rabbeinu wanted truly to do—just as Hevel did—namely, to incline the lights of Abba to Rachel.

For Hevel wanted to interrupt the illuminations from Ya‘akov, and to incline the lights of Abba that go forward and to turn them to Rachel. And Moshe Rabbeinu likewise wanted to incline the lights of Abba—“the Partzuf of the generation of the wilderness,” which is also face-to-face with Z"A—and to turn them to Rachel, which stands at the back of Z"A.

Therefore, the sending of the spies is attributed to the name of Moshe. And this is what HaKadosh Barukh Hu said, “Send for yourself” (Numbers 13:2), meaning: he is their root and their source, that he should do with the lights of “foundation of Abba,” which are an aspect—that is, as he is.

We understand in his mind what Moshe Rabbeinu wanted: to draw them to the Partzuf of Rachel.