Torah Portion Shelach Lecha – Standing at the Edge of God’s Promise
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Torah: Numbers 13:1-15:41
Haftarah: Joshua 2:1-24
Besorah: John 14:1-24
This week we have Torah portion Shelach Lecha (Numbers 13:1–15:41). The name means “Send for Yourself,” referring to God’s command to Moses to send spies into the land of Canaan. Twelve leaders go on a reconnaissance mission meant to stir faith, but fear prevails, and Israel’s hesitation delays their promise by forty years.
The Haftarah, Joshua 2:1–24, introduces Rahab, a Canaanite woman whose courageous faith in God sets her apart, foreshadowing the inclusion of all nations in God’s redemption plan. In the Besorah, John 14:1–24, Yeshua offers peace, promise, and the way to the Father, a reassurance that draws us back from fear and into relationship.
Together, our readings ask: In the face of giants, will we stand with Joshua, or echo the voices of doubt?
You can download a printable copy of this portion along with study and reflection questions at the end of this post!
Torah Portion Shelach Lecha: Numbers 13:1–15:41
Understanding the Portion
Moses sends one leader from each of the twelve tribes to scout the Promised Land. When they return, they bring back fruit and firsthand reports. Ten of the scouts highlight the strength of the Canaanites: “We looked like grasshoppers in our own sight” (13:33). Their narrative plants seeds of fear. Joshua and Caleb stand firm: God’s presence means victory, not defeat.
But the people cry out to stone the faithful spies, wishing they had died in Egypt or the wilderness. This reaction reveals that their issue wasn’t geography but trust. Their fear was deeper than the giants, it was fear of God’s faithfulness.
The portion shifts to laws clarifying daily living: offerings, sacrifices, and sin unintentional or deliberate. Sabbath violation is treated severely, and a leadership emergency erupts until Moses intercedes.
Finally, the portion commands a festival of communal atonement on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27), linking public repentance with personal responsibility.
A Little Nugget
God’s fixation is never on geography as much as on hearts. What the Israelites saw in the Promised Land, which were giants, fortified cities, strong foes, is also what God saw: a challenge He was ready to overcome. The land didn’t lack provision; their faith did.
Application
Do you have “giants” in your life…pressures, fears, relationships…that look invincible? These giants may mirror the beliefs of the ten spies rather than truth. God calls us to filter our vision through faith, not fear. Speak Joshua and Caleb’s words over your life: “Let us go up… for we can surely overcome it.”
A Drash: A Leap Called Faith
The scouts returned with evidence, but what evidence do you hold before God? Sometimes we ask God to provide signs of victory before we dare to step forward. True trust means moving when God has not only promised but already provided. The path will demand courage, but “unless the winner touches the line, no crown is obtained.”
Haftarah: Joshua 2:1–24
Understanding the Portion
Entering Canaan under Joshua’s leadership, Israel sends two spies into Jericho. They arrive at Rahab’s house, an inn that doubles as a fortress. She hides them on her rooftop, then declares: “The Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.”
She recounts Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea and God’s conquest of Sihon and Og. Rahab pledges loyalty and is spared in the coming defeat. The spies seal the deal, tying the scarlet cord to Rahab’s window as a sign of her faith.
What’s stunning is that God’s deliverance came through a woman of Canaan, not only saved, but woven into Israel’s story. She becomes part of the lineage of Messiah (Matthew 1:5).
A Little Nugget
Rahab’s faith rises not from seeing the promised Land but from hearing Israel’s tribal anthem of redemption. Her faith isn’t born from experience, but from confession: “God is God.”
Application
Are you declaring faith because of God’s past deeds or living off past glories? Faith is renewed as we declare God’s truth in uncertain times. When fear tells you the walls are indestructible, speak Jeremiah 29:11: God knows the plans He has for you.
Drash: Walls Fall When Faith Speaks
The mightiest walls in life do not crumble against armies, they crumble when someone declares God louder than their circumstances. Rahab was small in Jericho but large in faith; her declaration issued a seismic shift. Faith doesn’t erase walls, but it inaugurates God’s power over them.
Besorah: John 14:1–24
Understanding the Portion
Jesus gathers His disciples during Passover, on the brink of betrayal. His words are both tender and revolutionary: “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.”
He affirms five truths: He is the way, the truth, the life; He goes to prepare a place; He will return; He reveals the Father to those who love Him; and through the Spirit, He dwells within us.
More than abstract theology, this is heart care. His promise to return and dwell within us brings deep comfort. It doesn’t ignore conflict but meets us in it, offering victory even through suffering.
A Little Nugget
Yeshua uses “believe” three times in verse 1. In Greek, that’s three imperatives; strong, urgent exhortations. He wasn’t offering a suggestion, He was laying foundations.
Application
Anxiety? He offers peace. Betrayal? He offers presence. Identity? He is your hidden place in trouble (Psalm 32:7). Every seat in the boat may rock, but He is there, steadying.
Drash: Presence Promises Power
Jesus spoke these words knowing the full weight of Gethsemane and Calvary. His peace surpasses mere absence of trouble; it is the presence of completion. He is the Way: not a path we pave, but the path He opens. Truth: not idealism, but personal reality. Life: not mere existence, but divine connection. When fear rears, remember: He is more present than your problems.
Standing at the Edge of God’s Promise
Every one of us has stood at a threshold—the edge of something new, frightening, and filled with potential. That’s where the children of Israel find themselves in this week’s portion: staring into the land God promised, but hesitating because of fear.
In the Torah portion, fear outweighs faith. The spies return not just with fruit, but with fear. Their report focuses more on giants than on God’s covenant. The people’s hearts melt, and they turn back from the very thing they had prayed for. It is a cautionary tale: promises alone aren’t enough if we don’t walk in trust.
The Haftarah shifts our attention to another group, years later, standing at a similar threshold. But this time, the spies Joshua sends are received by Rahab, a woman whose past could have disqualified her, but whose faith sets her apart.
Her boldness to hide the spies, confess faith in the God of Israel, and seek mercy for her family becomes part of the lineage of redemption. While the generation of Moses failed to enter, Rahab’s courage helps secure the next generation’s victory.
Then in the Besorah, Yeshua speaks to His disciples about dwelling, presence, and obedience. He doesn’t offer them an easy path. He offers them a living presence. “If you love Me, keep My commandments… I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:15, 18).
When standing at the edge of calling or hardship, we don’t need to manufacture bravery. We need to abide in Him.
So what do we learn?
- Fear often masquerades as wisdom, but faith, grounded in God’s Word, is what moves us forward.
- Our past doesn’t disqualify us when our faith reorients us. Rahab is proof that God redeems and uses the willing.
- Obedience is the bridge between promise and fulfillment. Yeshua calls us not just to believe in Him but to walk with Him.
This week’s readings remind us that the edge of promise is often the testing ground of faith. What lies ahead may be daunting, but what lies within us, when filled with God’s Spirit, is greater still. Step forward in faith. The land is still good. The promise is still true. God is still with us.
Hebrew Lesson for the Week: Zayin (ז)
The Basics of Zayin
This week we turn to the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet: Zayin ז
Sound: “Z” as in “zest”
Numerical Value: 7
Appearance: Zayin is a straight vertical line with a slight top stroke that leans forward, resembling a sword or scepter. This shape has led Jewish tradition to associate Zayin with spiritual authority and warfare; it is the tool of the Spirit, cutting through falsehood and sustaining the soul.
How Zayin Is Written
ז
Zayin’s single stroke and short ‘blade’ evoke a tool or weapon, and tradition holds it represents spiritual sustenance and defense. It’s both nourishment and protection: bread for daily life and the word of God as a blade.
Spiritual Meaning of Zayin
As mentioned, Zayin (ז) symbolizes spiritual sustenance and struggle. It is often linked to Zan, a Hebrew root meaning “to nourish” or “to sustain.” At the same time, Zayin is shaped like a weapon, symbolizing the battles we face; both physical and spiritual.
Zayin stands as a reminder that our lives involve both rest and resistance. The number seven, its numerical value, is the number of Shabbat, representing completion and holiness. But Zayin teaches us that true rest is not passive…it often involves an active fight to keep sacred space, time, and devotion.
In essence, Zayin invites us to live in a rhythm of spiritual discipline and dependence where we are being nourished by God’s Word, yet ready to stand firm when tested.
A Little Nugget
Seven appears in Scripture to signify completeness: God’s rest in Genesis 2, jubilees, blessings. Zayin stands as a reminder that spiritual battles are waged and won in the sphere of relationship, not performance.
Application
When spiritual warfare arises, wield the Word, not fear. When provision seems scarce, remember God is your bread. Let Zayin remind you that you are called as both recipient and warrior; fed daily, engaged faithfully.
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For a printable version of this portion along with study and reflection questions, follow the link below!
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About Our Author
Diane Ferreira is a Jewish believer in Yeshua, a published author, speaker, seminary student, wife, proud mom, and bulldog mama. She is the author of several books, including The Proverbs 31-ish Woman, which debuted as Amazon’s #1 New Release in Religious Humor. She is also CEO of Vale & Vine Press Publishing Company. She is currently pursuing her graduate degree in Jewish Studies, with her favorite topics being the early church and Biblical Hebrew. Diane writes and teaches from a unique perspective, bridging her Jewish heritage with vibrant faith in the Messiah to bring clarity, depth, and devotion to everyday believers.
When she’s not writing, studying, or teaching, you’ll find her curled up with a theology book, crocheting something cozy, or negotiating couch space with her bulldog, Gronk.
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