Q. I once heard from a great man who said to a group of Jews who had come to tour Eretz Yisroel, that as they traverse the land looking to see if the Land is good for them, the Land is also examining them to see if they are good for it.
Does Rav Miller have any idea of the source for such an idea?
A. A fact often repeated in the Torah and in the words of our sages is that Eretz Yisroel will reject the people who refuse the mitzvos of Torah. As the posuk says; For the people of the land who preceded you, did all of these abominations, and the land became defiled. And let the land not vomit you out for having defiled it, as it vomited out the nation that preceded you. (Vayika 18: 27-28).
Peas Hashulchon and Shem Mishmuel (Shlach) coincide in explaining with the above, the words of the meraglim when they reported; The land we passed through to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants (Bamidbar 13: 32). In a sense they came to inspect and scrutinize the land and the land did the same to them.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a mentioned that the same principle is present during the Shalosh Regalim when one ascend to the Beis Hamikdash to see and to be seen by Hashem together with one’s korbonos (Shemos 23: 15.)
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
Important Numbers
