Where the Spies Went Wrong

 To be perfectly honest, I always thought that the "sin of the spies" was clear cut, and required little further research or investigation.

The spies had badmouthed the land, when they were supposed to come back with an uplifting, dramatic report of imminent victory, coupled with the land's greatness.

It seems though – as the Ramban writes himself – that the matter is not as pat and clear as would meet the eye. Having been commanded to appraise the land, the 10 naysayers did just that; they sized up the situation, weighing the costs and benefits, and advised Moshe and Aharon and Sanhedrin to reconsider their impending attack.

Why then, the Ramban asks were they punished so severely. The Ramban's answer is lengthy, with many stages and presumptions that seem difficult to accept according to the simple meaning of the text. For example, the Ramban writes that the spies were commanded to respond as to whether the land was good – and bring back fruit – so as to show off the splendor of the land! At the same time, one being sent to scope out the land would have felt that he was dutifully doing his job were he to say that the size of the fruit were indicative, and reflective, of the physical stature, and size of the people dwelling there.

I myself have heard many answers given; they were commanded latur – or see the positive attributes of the land, whereas they saw themselves as spies, meraglim from the language of le'ragel. The spies themselves attest, though to the fact that they had done the former, and our weekly reading says the same. Others posit they were afraid for their own political stature, whereas others still say they were afraid of the lower spiritual level in the land.

It seems to me that where they went wrong was by trying to circumvent the formal chain of command; almost, like a coup d'état. Having failed to persuade the Sanhedrin, the elders, they went to the commonfolk, to try to spark an uprising, casting aspersion on the very heart of Jewish leadership; in this case, it happened to be those who were hand-picked by God.

Perhaps another reading is that they failed to realize the primacy and indispensability of the Land of Israel, painting it as volitional, something the people could do without, which piqued God's ire. I think both of these are true, but for certain, any desire to kowtow to the masses is one that seems to be bound for failure, one Hashem wanted to imprint in the fabric of our people, our very national DNA.