Shelach 14:1 · unit 2 — occupied with challah and orlah

Parashas Shelach · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 1

The Complete Passuk

וַתִּשָּׂא֙ כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַֽיִּתְּנ֖וּ אֶת־קוֹלָ֑ם וַיִּבְכּ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַהֽוּא׃

The whole congregation raised their voice and the people wept that night.

Chabad.org — 14:1

Source Citation

Torah Temimah: when the spies returned they found Israel studying the laws of challah and orlah.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
כַּד אֲתוֹ מְרַגְּלֵי אַשְׁכְּחִינְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּעָסְקִי בְּהִלְכוֹת חַלָּה וְעָרְלָה, אָמְרוּ לָהֶם: לָאָרֶץ אִי אַתֶּם נִכְנָסִין וְאַתֶּם עֲסוּקִין בְּהִלְכוֹת חַלָּה וְעָרְלָה — מִיָּד וַתִּשָּׂא כׇּל הָעֵדָה.

English: When the spies came they found Israel occupied with the laws of challah and orlah. They said: You are not entering the land, and you are busy with the laws of challah and orlah — immediately the whole congregation raised their voice.

Type of Learning

Irony of studying land-laws while rejecting entry.

What Is Learned

The people were already learning land mitzvos; the spies’ report broke that hope and triggered the cry.