The March of Folly: Thoughts for Parashat Shelah Lekha, June 1, 2013
Moses appointed a blue ribbon panel representing the top leaders of the tribes of Israel. They were charged with spying the Promised Land and returning with a full report of what the Israelites could expect when they were soon to enter the land.
The twelve members of this panel were the elite of Israel, men of proven leadership.
Yet, this panel came back with a flawed report, representing serious misjudgment. Because of their erroneous evaluation of the situation, the Israelites were condemned to forty years of wandering in the wilderness. An entire generation was lost before the people ultimately were able to enter the Promised Land.