By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Bamidbar, Perek Yud Gimmel, posuk chof the posuk tells us that Moshe told the Meraglim to strengthen themselves and take from the fruits of Eretz Yisroel.
The Sefer Pri Haaretz explains the reason why the Man that came down in the Midbar stopped coming down as soon as they entered Eretz Yisroel. He says that as soon as the Yidden ate from the fruits of Eretz Yisroel, they did not need the Man anymore since the fruits had the same benefits that Man had. Both the Man and fruits of Eretz Yisroel came directly from Hashem and they both had the characteristic of tasting like whatever foods they wanted to taste.
This could be the reason Moshe requested that the Meraglim bring the fruit of Eretz Yisroel; so that the Yidden can see the kedusha in the fruits of Eretz Yisroel for themselves.
When discussing the fact that Moshe Rabbeinu very much wanted to go into Eretz Yisroel, the gemara in Sota, daf tuf daled questions, why? Do you think Moshe wanted to eat the fruits of Eretz Yisroel? The Gemara answers that Moshe knew that there are many mitzvos that can only be done in Eretz Yisroel and he wanted to be the shaliach that the Bnei Yisroel should do those mitzvos because of him.
The Bach in Orach Chaim, siman resh ches says that that the fruits of Eretz Yisroel have a special benefit as is evident from the bracha me’ein sheva where we say “unevarechecha aleha bikdusha u’vtahara.” This phrase does not come up anywhere else, not even in Birchas Hamazon. If so, then the gemara’s question of Moshe wanting to enter Eretz Yisroel to eat the fruits is very justified and that could be the reason he wanted to enter. Why does the gemara make it as if that can’t be the reason?
With the point we said before from the Sefer Pri Ha’aretz ,that the fruits of Eretz Yisroel had the same kedusha and taste as the Man, we could understand the gemara that Moshe derived this benefit in the Midbar, therefore the Gemara had to give another reason.
We can also explain why Moshe had to use the word strengthen to take the fruits of Eretz Yisroel despite it having kedusha just like the Man. The truth of the matter was that the Man was completely Kadosh and there was nothing physical about it, that is why the Bnei Yisroel called it “Man Hu,” we don’t know what it is. The fruits in Eretz Yisroel were made of a physical make-up despite their being on a high lofty level of Kedusha. The Meraglim were hesitant to bring it to the Midbar, so Moshe had to tell them, “Strengthen yourselves and bring it!” This teaches us that kedusha needs to be utilized in everything, even in the meta-physical.
We should all be zocheh to eat everything b’kedusha even the gashmiyus parts of our life.
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