Parshas Shelach 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Jun 19
- 2 min read
וישלח יהושע בן נון מן השטים שנים אנשים מרגלים חרש ... (יהושע ב-א)
Yehoshua Bin Nun sent two men to the Land of Cannan in order to spy out the land, and the city of Yericho in particular, due to its strength and fortifications. The two men - purportedly Pinchas Ben Elazar and Calev Ben Yefuna - were exceedingly righteous, unlike the other spies in the days of Moshe Rabbeinu, who were just evildoers. The two men went to the city of Yericho and appeared to be deaf and dumb. Chazal say that they pretended to be pot makers who had pots to sell. But why is this information important? And why specifically potters?
R’ Yaakov Ashkenazi zt”l (Tze’enah U’renah) answers that the spies pretended to be deaf potters so that the Canaanite women would come to buy pots from them. He explains that while men engaged in their work usually keep to themselves and do not talk too much, women tend to speak more freely while working or in the marketplace. Due to the fact that the Canaanite women required pots and pans for their various cooking and housework chores, Pinchas and Calev posed as pot makers to draw them in. To further allay their suspicions, the spies then pretended to be deaf so that the women would have no reservations to talk whatsoever. In halted speech due their “handicap,” the spies were able to ask the women if they were afraid of the Jews being so close to the city of Yericho. By gauging their reaction and alertness to their innocent questions, Pinchas and Calev were able to successfully evaluate the fortifications of the land.