בס”ד
A THOUGHT ABOUT PARSHAT SHELACH 5785
In Numbers 13:33, we read the devastating report of the spies who scouted the Land of Canaan:
| 33 And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.’ | לג וְשָׁם רָאִינוּ, אֶת-הַנְּפִילִים בְּנֵי עֲנָק–מִן-הַנְּפִלִים; וַנְּהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים, וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם. |
The spies weren’t just describing physical giants. They were invoking deep spiritual imagery — referencing beings the people had already heard of: the Nephilim, literally “the fallen ones.” But who were these Nephilim, and why would their mention paralyze the nation with fear?
Fallen Angels or Fallen Ideals?
According to a powerful Midrash (Aggadat Bereishit), the Nephilim were not simply large men. They were once angels — celestial beings who had criticized humanity for its weakness. When G-d announced the impending destruction of mankind in the generation of the Flood, two angels, Uzza and Azael, objected:
“What is man, that You are mindful of him?” (Psalms 8:5)
Their message was clear: Why invest in such a flawed creature as man?
G-d responded by challenging them: “If you lived among them, you too would fall.”
The angels took the challenge. They descended to earth, confident in their ability to resist sin — and failed almost immediately. Ensnared by earthly desires and drawn to the beauty of human women, they became corrupted. According to tradition, they were never allowed to return to Heaven.
These were the Nephilim — not simply giants in stature, but giants who fell, both morally and spiritually.
The Spies’ Deeper Message
Why did the spies bring up the Nephilim? It wasn’t only to say, “We saw really big people.” It was a coded theological message: Even angels couldn’t survive down here. What chance do we have?
In their eyes, living a life of holiness in a physical world was impossible. If celestial beings — pure and unburdened by human drives — couldn’t withstand earthly temptations, how could human beings be expected to?
But this was their tragic mistake.
Caleb and Joshua: Faith in Human Potential
Caleb and Joshua disagreed:
“If G-d desires us, He will bring us to this land and give it to us.” (Numbers 14:8)
They understood something fundamental: G-d created the physical world specifically for us. Human souls are not inferior to angels. In fact, as the Tanya (ch. 2) teaches, our souls are “literally a part of G-d above.” We were built for this world — with the strength to elevate it.
While angels recoil at earthly struggle, the human soul transforms struggle into holiness. That’s our mission.
What This Means for Bnei Noach
For Bnei Noach — non-Jews who seek to serve G-d through the 7 Universal Laws — this message is critical.
Your task is not to imitate Jewish ritual or spiritual practices meant for another mission. Like the spies who refused to enter the land, there’s a temptation to think that spirituality only exists in “higher” religious expressions — to abandon the physical world in search of something seemingly more holy.
But holiness is found precisely here: in your relationships, in your work, in caring for animals, justice, and nature. The Bnei Noach calling is to sanctify the everyday, to make the physical world a dwelling place for G-d.
Conclusion: Don’t Fear the Giants
The spies failed not because they lied — but because they lacked faith in human potential. They forgot that G-d believes in us even when we doubt ourselves.
The Nephilim may have fallen, but we were meant to rise — not by escaping the world, but by elevating it.
As a Bnei Noach, your mission is not to reach for Heaven, but to bring Heaven down to Earth.
By Angelique Sijbolts
With thanks to Rabbi Tani Burton for the feedback
Source
Daily Wisdom of the Lubavitscher Rebbe Volume 3 p.299
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