• The Land of Canaan
• Forty Days
• Flowing with Milk and Honey
• Amalek
• Joshua Ben Nun
• Spies, the Quality of Spying
• The Generation of the Desert
• Plague
• Conquering the Land
• Grapes, Vine

The Land of Canaan

We are immersed in the desire. All we have is a desire that must be corrected from harming others into doing good to them. The land of Canaan is that desire when it is still uncorrected but is about to be corrected.

Forty Days

Forty is the degree of Bina. The gap between Malchut and Bina is called “forty.” It is the gap between the will to receive, the ego, and the degree of faith, Bina, the level of bestowal.

Flowing with Milk and Honey

Milk and honey represent the abundance we receive in the corrected desire.

Amalek

Amalek is the foundation of all evil, it is the intention to receive in order to receive, which exists within our nature.

Joshua Ben Nun

Nun is fifty. It is the fiftieth degree, fifty gates of Bina. Joshua, like Moses, pulls. Joshua saves the children of Israel, bringing them to the fiftieth degree, the gates of Bina. Moses completed the degree of forty because he passed away at the entrance to the land of Israel, and Joshua succeeded him.

Spies, the Quality of Spying

The quality of spying is our egoistic desires to receive that constantly seek to steal for ourselves instead of give, bestow, and rise above reception.

The Generation of the Desert

The generation of the desert is our own desires that must all die with their intention to receive. The intention to receive must die, and only the desires with intentions to bestow enter the land of Israel. This is why the whole generation of the desert had to die in the desert.

Plague

Plagues are the biggest, and best corrections that come upon us. All of a sudden we correct many desires and qualities at once, which are inverted into having the aim to bestow. By that we feel closer to the Creator. This is how we gradually approach Israel.

Conquering the Land

Conquering the land comes following this portion, when the spies went to spy. The word Eretz (land) comes from the word Ratzon (desire). We take the egoistic will to receive that we have corrected in the desert into having the intention to bestow, and now that desire has become bestowal. In other words, now one receives from others only because one wants to bestow, to give. In this way others enjoy and the person enjoys, too; we all enjoy giving to one another. Having this sort of relationship with the Creator means being in Dvekut (adhesion) with Him, in the world of Ein Sof (infinity). But even if it is the world of Ein Sof, we must all attain Him here in this world, while we are still alive.

Grapes, Vine

Wine and vine are the degree of Hochma. It is the same light, attainment, and sensation of the Creator that dress in the light of bestowal, the light of Hassadim.

From the Zohar: Flying Letters

When the letters fly, a person sees writing in the air, made of big letters, which are Bina, for the time being. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” These words are from Bina, big letters. Afterward, small letters struck them, Malchut ascended and struck Bina, which diminished her. This is the Yod that entered the light, creating Avir (air). They fly, and the verse, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good,” appears from them.

Afterward the small letters strike the big letters once again, meaning that Malchut rises to Bina once again and diminishes her. Then the words, “And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament,’” appear in them, as well as the whole work of creation. The works of these letters are great wonders and joy to the poor. Happy are the people who await all that.

Zoharfor All, Shlach Lecha (Send Forth), item 153

Summary

Man needs to make every effort, and only then does one reach the “land of Israel.” This is the purpose of creation, and is truly a land flowing with milk and honey.