Posted on June 18, 2025 by Ronnie Weyl and Lisa Dickholtz
With Mitzrayim, Egypt, a painful memory from the past, and the wilderness their current home, an uncertain future lies ahead for the Israelites. In Parashat Sh’lach L’cha, God tells Moses to “send agents to scout the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelite people; send one participant from each of their ancestral tribes, each one a chieftain among them.”
Moses tells the twelve spies or scouts to “go up there into the Negeb and on into the hill country and see what kind of country it is.”
The scouts spend 40 days exploring what is to be the Promised Land, and they return with news that will change the fate of the wandering Israelites.
In Parashat Sh’lach L’cha, we also read about God providing prescriptive details of the offerings the Israelites should present in the sanctuary; guidance concerning the treatment of the stranger who resides among the Israelites; and the commandment to attach a blur cord or thread to the fringes at the corners of their garments to remind the Israelites of their responsibility to fulfill all the commandments of the Torah.
Want to hear more? Join us for Pride Shabbat when we share our reflections on Parashat Sh’lach L’cha as seen through the lens of allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Cantor Wallach will also share special readings and musical selections by LGBTQ+ composers. Harold Levin will serve as our Sh’liach Tzibbur, leader of prayer, for the evening.
L’shalom,
Ronnie Weyl and Lisa Dickholtz
