“Moses sent them to scout the land of Canaan, he said to them: Ascend there in the South, and ascend the highland” (Numbers 13:17). “He said to them: Ascend there in the South.” As they were ascending, Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen ben Rabbi said: They encountered three children of the giants, as it is stated: “And there, Aḥiman, Sheshai, and Talmai” (Numbers 13:22). Why was his name Aḥiman?
It is because he would say: My brethren [aḥai], who [man] will come against us? Sheshai – because he was as hard as marble [shayish]. Talmai – because he would make furrows [telamim] in the ground. When the spies saw them, they were afraid.
That is why they said: “For they are stronger than we [mimenu]”6Mimenu can be first person plural or third person singular. If it is the latter, they were saying: “For they are stronger than Him.” (Numbers 13:31). Reish Lakish said: They hurled invective toward on High. Due to that iniquity harsh decrees were decreed against them.
What did the Holy One blessed be He say to Jeremiah? ‘Go and say to them: You do not know what you expressed from your mouths. “To the sound of great commotion” (Jeremiah 11:16) that you said, what did you cause yourselves? You ignited a fire upon yourselves.’ “A day for each year, a day for each year you shall bear your iniquities” (Numbers 14:34).
They said: “We were as grasshoppers in our eyes” (Numbers 13:33). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I forgive them for this.’ “And likewise we were in their eyes” (Numbers 13:33). ‘Do you know what I rendered you in their eyes? Who is to say that you were not as angels in their eyes?
What have you caused yourselves?’ “In accordance with the number of the days that you scouted the land” (Numbers 14:34). That is not sufficient for them, but they also did not enter the Land. The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘In this world, because they were flesh and blood messengers, it was decreed in their regard that they would not enter the Land.
However, in the World to Come, I will send you My messenger and he will clear the path,’ as it is stated: “Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to His Sanctuary” (Malachi 3:1).