Tag: dissapointment

The Faithless and the Faithful

My friend lost her faith in Moshiach. She was a fervent advocate of the “Moshiach Now” mentality, so prominent within Chabad chasidism. Now, because of an expectation that he would arrive before her cat died, she has done a 180 in her fervent desire to wait for him. It’s a moot issue for her, as if the world has changed, and will no longer require a great transformation that will be initiated at the time of Moshiach.

I think that her unrealistic expectation is a sign of extreme egocentricity. To think that the world revolves around oneself to the degree that one can dictate when Moshiach will arrive? Yet, isn’t this akin to the same expectations of religioso throughout history? Whether Jewish or Christian expectations, the story is similar – failed expectations lead to bewilderment.

In the case of the Millerites, when Messiah did not meet their expectations in 1844, half the movement disbanded. The other half was reformed by Hiram Edson, under the banner of what became known as the Seventh Day Adventists. They reshaped their calculations, admitting there was a flaw in their understanding, without seeing the original prophecy as entirely wrong.

Now that I think about it, another friend of mine recently abandoned his pursuit of things spiritual. He is essentially agnostic; although, he still brings in the Shabbat on Friday evening with a few prayers of his own design. I wonder whether this is a pattern that others may be woven into, forming a tapestry as the Geulah (Redemption) approaches.

I envision those whose faith is diminished as being on the side of the tapestry with the loose threads, while those who maintain their faith on the side that clearly depicts the Messianic Era, as the time approaches. “For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it declareth of the end, and doth not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3, JPS 1917 Tanach).

parasha Shelach 5783

weekly Torah reading: parasha Shelach 5783

“‘We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.’”

– Numbers 13:27, JPS 1917 Tanach

“H’Shem spoke unto Moshe, saying: ‘Send thou men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan’” (Numbers 13:1-2, JPS). Yet, this does not give the complete details, as later revealed in Torah. In Deuteronomy, it is written, “Behold, the L-RD thy G-d hath set the land before thee; go up, take possession, as the L-RD, the G-d of thy fathers, hath spoken unto thee; fear not, neither be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 1:21, JPS).


These are words of encouragement; however, the people responded with caution, requesting of Moshe, “Let us send men before us, that they may search the land” (Deuteronomy 1:22, JPS). This is the prior conversation between Moshe and the people, before the opening words of the parasha, where H’Shem literally says, “if you would like to send men, send men for yourself.”

In other words, H’Shem left the decision to Moshe, whether to grant the request of the people to send out spies into the land of Canaan. Previously, B’nei Yisrael had been told that they “would inherit their land, a land that flows with milk and honey” (Leviticus 20:24). When the ten spies spoke of the fruit of the land, including a cluster of grapes, carried by four men, on two sets of poles, and also a giant pomegranate, they concurred that the land was “truly, a land of milk and honey.”

Yet, the rest of their report was disparaging. As a result, the morale of the people declined. Only Joshua and Caleb tried to compel them to see another perspective – the land was good, and they could enter, and defeat the local inhabitants. Because the people were already convinced by the other ten spies that they could not conquer the land, they opposed Joshua and Caleb and declined to enter. This indicated a lack of trust that brought the decree from H’Shem for them to wander for forty years in the wilderness.

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