In Parshat Shelach, we read about the spies sent to scout the Land of Israel. When they returned, ten of the twelve spies insisted that the Jewish people could not conquer the land. Only Yehoshua and Calev remained faithful to Hashem’s promise and declared, “We shall surely go up and possess it.” Though they were outnumbered ten to two, they were the ones who were right.
At first glance, this seems surprising. After all, the Torah teaches the principle of following the majority. Yet the story of the spies teaches that truth is not always determined by numbers. When a majority loses sight of faith and Hashem’s will, the majority does not become right simply because it is larger.
This has been the story of the Jewish people throughout history. Abraham was called “Avraham Ha’Ivri ” because the entire world stood on one side while he stood on the other. Even today, Israel often finds itself standing alone on the world stage. In international forums and at the United Nations, it can seem as though much of the world is aligned against Israel.
The lesson of the spies is that the real question is not how many people support a position, but whether that position is true. Yehoshua and Calev were not intimidated by being in the minority because they knew that Hashem was with them.
The same lesson applies to our personal lives. There are times when doing the right thing means standing apart from the crowd. Whether it is strengthening our Jewish commitment, standing up for our values, or remaining faithful to our beliefs, we should never measure truth by popularity.
When Hashem is on your side, even a small minority can change history.
