A few weeks ago someone gifted me with a small jar of dried locusts from Israel which were supposedly Kosher.
Now while some Yemenite & other Sephardic Jews have traditions as to which locusts they can eat and are Kosher, as an Ashkenazi our tradition is that we don't eat them, not that I had any interest or craving to go near them.
Locusts are mentioned in the Torah on several occasions, including during the plagues in Egypt, in the laws of Kosher, and in a small conversation that is repeated over by the spies in this week's Torah portion of Shelach.
Ten of the twelve spies who had gone to check out the land of Israel, come back in a panic and cause mass hysteria and fear among the Jewish people. In one of the interesting lines that they share, they stated "We were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so were we in their (Canaanites) eyes".
What they intended to share was that they felt awfully timid and insignificant compared to the powerful warriors that they encountered in Canaan.
Yet their words also convey a fascinating idea and teaching, for they first state how they feel about themselves, and after that they share that that is how the Canaanites indeed viewed them. Meaning that their own belief in themselves about their self worth and abilities, directly impacted how others perceived and viewed them.
The implication is that had they viewed themselves and their mission with confidence and trust in G-d who had promised to help them, this attitude would have been felt by these very same people who would have respected them, instead of viewing them with scorn as they now did.
Among the many practical lessons in this week's portion, this particular idea is an important reminder of understanding and appreciating your unique life, challenges and skill set. In doing so we can be more confident in how we use and apply our goals and values and our own G-d given personality, in taking on the day to day challenges that are obviously part of our destiny and purpose in this world.
It is up to us to decide if we are going to view ourselves as Grasshoppers or Locusts, or if we are the unique human being that is created in the image of G-d, and with the ability to truly make a difference and deal with the challenges and opportunities that we face.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
Yisroel