In the pre internet world there was a die hard Jets fan who never missed watching a football game. He was leaving town one week and asked a friend to tape the game for him so he could watch it upon his return and did not read the sports section for a full week so as not to ruin the excitement of watching the recorded game.
When he retrieved the VHS a week later his benefactor said "What a game! They were down by 21 points at halftime and made such a sweet comeback in the last five minutes!"
"Why did you spoil it for me?!" the fan exclaimed exasperated.
Nevertheless, as a devoted fan he dutifully sat down to watch the game from beginning to end. Halfway through the game he commented “When I know the outcome of the game is a good one, even watching my beloved team play so poorly doesn’t agitate me that much at all!”
In this week’s parsha we learn of the dramatic story of the spies sent by Moshe to scout the Land of Israel. Ten of the twelve spies returned with a dreadful report of giant fortresses and powerful warriors lying in wait and that any attempt to conquer the land would fail.
Sadly, the Jews expressed the greatest lack of faith in G-d who had delivered them from Egyptian slavery and sustained them in the harsh wilderness and started a full on revolt.
This was a fatal blow and every member of that generation was barred from entering Israel and condemned to death. G-d’s wrath was so great that all Moshe could do to mitigate the calamity was to negotiate terms in which 600,000 men would not die immediately, rather in a prolonged manner over the course of forty years. Only the next generation would inherit the Promised Land.
In the long term, this episode lives on in infamy as the tragic day of Tisha B’Av - the anniversary of almost every major Jewish tragedy.
It is striking that immediately following the story of the spies in the Torah we read this (Numbers 15:2): “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you arrive in the Land of your dwelling place, which I am giving you…”
Immediately after recording the greatest communal failure in Jewish history, G-d reassures us that the future is bright and there are many happy days to come.
At times one can be confronted with a debilitating tragedy of his or her own making with staggering consequences. Remember that all is not lost and your personal “promised land” is just beyond the horizon. The same is true on the communal level as well.
I’m not suggesting we approach crisis lightly. But we must certainly cut away the angst and stress, because G-d spoiled the plot for us by sharing that as long as we follow the guidelines of the Torah, it will all turn out for the best, culminating in the realization of the greatest “Promised Land” - the era of Moshiach when peace and tranquility will reign for all.