When the twelve spies returned from Canaan, ten of them were overcome with fear. “We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we were in their eyes” (Numbers 13:33). These words reflect the deep doubts that can arise in each of us when we face the unknown. Fear of the new is natural. We doubt our abilities, exaggerate obstacles, and, like the spies, may feel small and powerless. But do others see us as we perceive ourselves? Or is this just our internal fear speaking? 

Among the twelve, however, there were two—Joshua and Caleb—who remained courageous and faithful. They understood that true strength is not the absence of fear but the ability to overcome it, drawing support from faith and each other. In life, we can be “ten grasshoppers in a coat”—if we unite, support one another, and see ourselves through the eyes of those who believe in us. Together, we can become a giant, capable of overcoming any obstacle. 

May this parashah remind us: even if we feel small alone, together, we are strong. And sometimes, life doesn’t go as planned. It’s okay to not always find the strength or courage to take a leap, to feel unprepared or hesitant. What matters is that we keep moving forward, leaning on each other along the way.