Over the past few weeks, many of us in this auditorium have been occupied by a singular demanding pursuit: final exams. This period is defined by intense preparation, but also by a specific kind of psychological pressure. We spend weeks building our knowledge, yet we often find that in the moments of the highest stakes, our greatest challenge isn’t the material itself, but our view of the task at hand. 

This tension between preparation and perception is the central idea of this week’s Torah portion, parashat Shelach. Moses sends twelve distinguished leaders – the princes of the tribes – to scout the Land of Israel. Ten out of the twelve spies return reporting that while the land is bountiful, its inhabitants are “giants” and its cities are “impregnable”. They summarize their fear with a profound observation: “We looked like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we must have looked to them.”

This verse reveals a critical psychological truth: The spies did not start by fearing the Canaanites; they started by diminishing themselves. Because they viewed themselves as “grasshoppers” – insignificant, frail, and overwhelmed – they assumed the rest of the world viewed them the same way.

We often see this in our own lives, particularly during the exam season we just navigated. We may have mastered the curriculum, but the moment we face a daunting challenge, a “Grasshopper Complex” can set in. The exam becomes gigantic , and we feel small. In that moment of panic, the internal narrative of “I am not enough” can overshadow the reality of “I am prepared.”

However, the portion offers us a counter-narrative through Joshua and Caleb. They stood before the same cities and the same people, yet they arrived at a different conclusion. They didn’t deny the difficulty of the task, but they refused to let the challenge define their stature. They remained grounded in their identity, their preparation, and their faith. 

For Joshua and Caleb, the giants were not obstacles to be feared, but opportunities to be met. They understood that the way we see ourselves determines the way we confront our future. 

As we conclude this academic year, we are granted a moment of reflection. We have all faced “giants” over the last few weeks – moments where we may have felt small under the weight of expectations. The lesson of Shelach is that we must be careful not to be our own “spies” – we must not diminish our own potential before the test even begins. We must all carry the confidence of Caleb and Joshua with us. As we face new challenges in the future, let's remember not to let fear make us feel small. We are capable of handling whatever 'giants' come our way, and we have the strength to reach our goals.

Thank you, and Shabbat Shalom. 

Written by Aline, Grade 9