Shelach 13:27 · unit 1 — it flows with milk and honey

Parashas Shelach · Aliyah 1 · Passuk 27

The Complete Passuk

וַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בָּ֕אנוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְ֠גַ֠ם זָבַ֨ת חָלָ֥ב וּדְבַ֛שׁ הִ֖וא וְזֶה־פִּרְיָֽהּ׃

They told him and said: We came to the land to which you sent us, and also it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

Torah Temimah on the opening truth of their report: Sotah 35a — R’ Yochanan in the name of R’ Meir.

Core Text

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר: כָּל לָשׁוֹן הָרַע שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ דְּבַר אֱמֶת בִּתְחִילָּתוֹ — אֵין מִתְקַיֵּים בְּסוֹפוֹ.

English: R’ Yochanan said in the name of R’ Meir: Any evil speech that has no element of truth at its beginning will not endure at its end.

Principle of lashon hara drawn from the spies’ mixed report.

The spies began with a true praise of the land so the later libel would take hold.