Summary:
In our portion this week Moses sends twelve spies to the Land of Israel to report on the inhabitants and the country. Despite the positive report of Joshua and Caleb, the people are frightened. God threatens to wipe out the Children of Israel but relents when Moses intercedes on their behalf. To punish the people, God announces that all those who left Egypt would not enter the Land of Israel except for Joshua and Caleb. Moses also instructs the Israelites regarding setting aside challah, the observance of the Sabbath, how to treat strangers, and the laws of tzitzit.
Lessons from our Haftarah - Joshua 2:1-24
There is a strong connection between the Torah and haftarah portions. In both of them spies are sent into the land to report on the conditions the people of Israel will face upon entering the Promised Land. In the Torah 2 spies give a favorable report (Joshua and Caleb) and 10 spies give a negative, fearful report. As a result of the negative report, the people refuse to go forward into the land. As punishment the entire generation must die and only a new generation will be able to enter the land.
In our haftarah portion it is Joshua, one of two spies to give a positive report in the Torah, who follows Moses’ example and again sends out spies – this time only two of them. The two spies enter Jericho and meet Rahab, a fascinating character.
People often surprise us. Sometimes well-polished, impressive people let us down while rough and tumble, unremarkable people unexpectedly teach us important lessons. This is the case of Rahab, the star of our haftarah portion. We learn upon meeting her that Rahab has spent the early part of her life serving in a disreputable profession – as a prostitute. However, it is precisely this uninspiring woman who ends up ensuring that our people can enter into the Promised land.
Rahab is the epitome of the outsider. She is a woman, a prostitute, a foreigner. She lives in the city wall – on the boundary of what is inside and what is out.
The Talmudic rabbis are so taken with Rahab’s actions, that they create an entire mythology around her. Because she took the two spies into her house and rescued them, the rabbis write that she is rewarded by God. They teach that she converts to Judaism and as a reward none other than Joshua himself becomes her husband! The Christian Scriptures honor Rahab as well. Matthew writes that Rahab is an ancestor of Jesus because she lived by her faith.
Rahab is an example for us all. First, she teaches us that even the most simple and marginal people in our society can act with faith and bring about great change in the world. She also teaches us that teshuva/repentance is possible. She takes control of her life and in so doing, changes history. Her life story is a model of us. When we open our eyes and our hearts to all human beings, we allow them to bring the fullness of their gifts into the world.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Don Goor