I often find myself connecting the truth of God’s Word to the reality we are living in today, especially here in Israel. His Word is alive. It isn’t something that belongs to the past. It speaks into our lives right now , with clarity and power.

This week’s portion, Shelach, is one of those portions that speaks right into our current reality. In Numbers 13 , we read:

Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying , “Send out for yourself men so that they may tour (scout , walk) out the land of Canaan , which I am giving to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes , every one a leader among them.”
Numbers 13:1–2

God had already given them the land. Their only task was to see it, trust Him, and obey. That’s it. But the word “see” is key here. What we see, and how we see it , shapes what we choose to believe and how we respond.

Ten of the twelve scouts saw the giants, the strong cities, and the challenges , and they allowed their fear to take over. They looked at the situation through human eyes and leaned on their own understanding , not on God's promises. They responded from the flesh, not from faith. What they saw made them forget who God is and what He had already done for them.

We may be tempted to judge them , but let’s be honest , how many times have we seen God move in our own lives—how many times has He provided , protected , and shown His faithfulness - and yet we still fall into fear the moment a new challenge arises?

I couldn’t read this portion without thinking of the giants we are facing today in Israel. Who are those giants? Who stands against us today with the goal of wiping us off the map?

We are in a war , not only with Hamas and Hezbollah, but also with Iran, a modern-day giant. Iran is an evil regime that many nations are afraid to confront. But what if we, the people of Israel, become afraid of what we see? What if we let fear and emotion dictate our actions?

In the days of Moses , the people had to have the faith to possess the Land. Today, we must have the faith to preserve our inheritance. It’s the same God, but the challenge looks different. We are not on the edge of promise, we are living inside of it. And we are surrounded.

But the God who brought us this far has not changed. He is still the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is still the God who watches over Israel and neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4). He is still Adonai Tzeva’ot, the LORD of Armies, and He is still fighting for us.

“The LORD your God who goes before you , He will fight on your behalf.”
Deuteronomy 1:30

“The LORD of Hosts is with us , the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”
Psalm 46:7

In the Haftarah portion, we meet Rahab. When Joshua sends two men to tour the land , they encounter a woman who had not seen God’s miracles with her own eyes , but she had heard of them, and she believed.

She tells the spies:

“I know that the LORD has given you the land , and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt , and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites… When we heard these reports , our hearts melted… for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below.”
Joshua 2:9–11

Rahab had no covenant, no miracles in her own life. But what she heard stirred her to action. She didn't just believe, she risked her life to hide the spies. That’s real faith. It is faith that takes courage and moves.

Faith without works is dead.
James 2:17

And because of that bold step , she was not only spared, she was grafted in. Rahab became part of the people of Israel. She became part of the very lineage of the Messiah.

This week’s portion is not just about what happened back then. It’s about how we choose to respond now. Are we going to be like the ten who let fear control the narrative? Or like Caleb and Joshua , who trusted God's word no matter what they saw?

Will we respond like Rahab , with courage and action?

And here’s where I want to speak especially to those living among the nations:

If you believe in the God of Israel, if you say you love the people of Israel, then let your faith be like Rahab’s. Let it move you to action. Not just in words , but in costly obedience. Will you stand for Israel even when it’s unpopular? Even when it costs you friends, resources, your job, or possibly even your life?

Rahab chose to stand with the people of Israel when it was dangerous to do so. She didn’t wait for safety. She acted in faith, and in doing so, she secured a future for herself and her family.

Will you do the same?

Will you translate your faith into action , even when it means risking everything?

And do you believe, as Rahab surely did, that God is faithful to reward those who stand with His people?

I will bless those who bless you , and the one who curses you I will curse.
 Genesis 12:3

Let this Parashah stir us, wherever we live, to walk by faith - not by sight. To stand, to speak, to act. Because now, more than ever, it matters.

Shabbat Shalom,
Moran