Don't Be an Ant

When Intelligence people (spies) are sent out to do reconnaissance their mission is to report what they observe. It is raw intel. Not analyzed by "analysts". I see nothing wrong with what they did. Were they supposed to report what their senders wanted to hear?! I think they were judged wrongly.

Yes they included in their reports subjective personal antidotes. But that too has value. These were soldiers. They were sent on a long range recon and reported to their superiors. If their is judgement it should be on the superior officers not the recon team. SK US Army Retired
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I totally get the point you are making.
As a child I spent much of my playtime, playing with bugs. I remember watching a line of ants, working tirelessly, as they went to and fro carrying "food" to their nest. It occurred to me that I could be like G-D and do whatever I wanted to them. I would pick one and smash it with my finger.; Now to explain, I was the only girl in the middle of 5 boys, I didn't have much power in reality. That moment of power I had pretending to be G-D was deeply satisfying. It may have slanted my concept of G-D, or maybe that's how I pictured Him from what I was taught, or understood. about the fear of G-d.
I know outwardly I may have an ant facade, but there is a lioness that looms large, which is held a bay, unless someone tries to destroy it. The "IT" is my right to be free as a human being. Free to grow and believe, within the parameters of my own world, without intruding on another's. It is a joyous thing to find another whose beliefs align with mine. Reply

The simile with the ants or grasshoppers is just that a simile. The point is we teach children to feel strong like Superman and if that is the attitude you might win your battle.. it is an attitude. Don't diminish yourself but don't aggrandize yourself either be realistic as to what can be accomplished with the help of H"/ After being slaves it is hard to see the might of free people, but to me the main argument would be that they did not trust Hashem when they spied the land. otherwise, they would all have been of one mindset. The intelligence of the ants is besides the point since they were referring to size only : ants or grasshopper's" size " was the smile versus giants.. Why takes things so literal since there is a lesson her. Yes? Reply

Rabbi Freeman,

Profound! How did I miss that truth!? Great teaching [I love it]!

Best regards, Reply

Feel like Moses and one will see a prophet? Reply

Ants are smart and they gather their food for every summer. Reply

Don't Doubt Spiritually, the 'spies' within our minds, produced thoughts of doubts for those that desired to shift their minds into new territory. To shift their attitude from the land of Egypt, where they served themselves, to the land of 'Canaan' in which we operate to satisfy others.

The ego within us works against this divine quality. It creates these adverse thoughts to prevent us revealing the nature of G_d. It makes us feel unworthy to effort the shift to reform our nature.

Beware of the 'spies', your malicious thoughts that want you to close your mind to others and remain separate so that you will not be able to form the holy structure of the soul to exist on a greater plane of life with His Light between us. Reply

I believe it says grasshoppers, not ants. Reply

Does the topic imply that you feel like win win for all and you will see a win win for all? Reply

Not ants,, but they felt like a grasshopper Reply

Maybe in line with a previous post, we should indeed be humble towards others. But we cannot be afraid of them. To follow them or bow to their will due to their physical superiority or greater number is to deny the Creator. Reply

although I accept that ten of the spies made an error. They came back without a battle plan. They weren't even supposed to go out in the first place.

But we are told over and over again to be humble, shelf the ego, keep a low profile, be like an ant/nothing, the lower you fall the higher up you will go, and so on.

This looks like one more of those context situations. If you go to war, be confident. If you are going to pray, be very very humble, like prostate.

No argument . Just keeping up on interpretations. Reply