ns according to your (Moshe’s) intention. G-d had not commanded Moshe to send spies to scout out the land. G-d promised that the Jewish people would posses it. It was only when the Jewish people approached Moshe with the request toIf G-d promised you a gift, would you hesitate? Would you even dare to criticize it and reject it? Yet, the meraglim, the spies that were sent to Eretz Yisroel, returned with a negative report, one which spoke poorly about the Land and declared disbelief that the Jewish people could inherit it. While there are many explanations for this puzzling and tragic episode that condemned us to 40 years of wandering in the desert and established future national calamities (Taanis 29a), there is a glaring lesson that we can apply in our own lives. That lesson is the art of constructive criticism. It is an art because it demands much skill, wisdom, and sensitivity.

As we see from the beginning of the parasha, it is even questionable as to whether one should offer criticism in the first place. Commenting on the seemingly superfluous language of “shlach lecha” (send for yourself), Rashi explains that “for yourself” means according to your (Moshe’s) intention. G-d had not commanded Moshe to send spies to scout out the land. G-d promised that the Jewish people would posses it. It was only when the Jewish people approached Moshe with the request to

and declared disbelief that the Jewish people could inherit it. While there are many explanations for this puzzling and tragic episode that condemned us to 40 years of wandering in the desert and established future national calamities (Taanis 29a), there is a glaring lesson that we can apply in our own lives. That lesson is the art of constructive criticism. It is an art because it demands much skill, wisdom, and sensitivity.

As we see from the beginning of the parasha, it is even questionable as to whether one should offer criticism in the first place. Commenting on the seemingly superfluous language of “shlach lecha” (send for yourself), Rashi explains that “for yourself” means according to your (Moshe’s) intention. G-d had not commanded Moshe to send spies to scout out the land. G-d promised that the Jewish people would posses it. It was only when the Jewish people approached Moshe with the request to

ties (Taanis 29a), there is a glaring lesson that we can apply in our own lives. That lesson is the art of constructive criticism. It is an art because it demands much skill, wisdom, and sensitivity.

As we see from the beginning of the parasha, it is even questionable as to whether one should offer criticism in the first place. Commenting on the seemingly superfluous language of “shlach lecha” (send for yourself), Rashi explains that “for yourself” means according to your (Moshe’s) intention. G-d had not commanded Moshe to send spies to scout out the land. G-d promised that the Jewish people would posses it. It was only when the Jewish people approached Moshe with the request to

ing of the parasha, it is even questionable as to whether one should offer criticism in the first place. Commenting on the seemingly superfluous language of “shlach lecha” (send for yourself), Rashi explains that “for yourself” means according to your (Moshe’s) intention. G-d had not commanded Moshe to send spies to scout out the land. G-d promised that the Jewish people would posses it. It was only when the Jewish people approached Moshe with the request tons according to your (Moshe’s) intention. G-d had not commanded Moshe to send spies to scout out the land. G-d promised that the Jewish people would posses it. It was only when the Jewish people approached Moshe with the request to scout out the land, that G-d acquiesced. Nevertheless, He made it clear that this was not His initiative. G-d did not ask for our feedback, yet we insisted on putting in our own “two cents”.

Although in general, we should not be quick to provide criticism, there may be situations that warrant it or when our feedback is actually solicited. In these cases, we must practice the art of constructive criticism, or what I prefer to call feedback. When the meraglim returned from spying out the land, they spoke poorly of Eretz Yisroel. They told of its supposed shortcomings and drew the conclusion that it would be impossible to conquer it and survive there as it is a “land that devours its inhabitants (13:32)”. Yet Calev, who along with Yehoshua was part of the mission, presented an entirely different approach, “we shall surely ascend and conquer it for we can surely do it (13:30).” Tova haaretz m’od m’od (14:7)”