Longing for Hashem transcends time and nature

בפסוק אם חפץ בנו ה' והביא כו'.

On the pasuk: "If Hashem desires us, then He will bring us [to this land]..." (Bamidbar 14:8).

The Sefas Emes opens with the words of Yehoshua and Calev: entry into the land depends on Hashem's desire for us.

כי בודאי הרגישו המרגלים כי אינם מוכנים לכנוס לארץ ישראל כמ"ש במ"א דכתיב לכל זמן ועת כו' ולא היו מוכנים לכנוס עד אחר מ' שנה.

For surely the meraglim (spies) sensed that they were not ready to enter Eretz Yisrael, as stated elsewhere, as it is written, "for everything there is a season, and a time [for every matter]" (Koheles 3:1) — and they were not ready to enter until after forty years.

The spies genuinely perceived that the nation was not yet prepared, by the natural timetable, to enter the land — a readiness that, in the ordinary course of things, would only come after forty years.

אך תחת כל השמים כתיב.

But it is written, "under all the heavens" (referring to Koheles 3:1, "a time for everything under the heavens").

That fixed schedule of "times and seasons" applies only to what is "under the heavens" — to the natural order.

אבל דור המדבר דורו של מרע"ה הי' כל תהליכות שלהם למעלה מן השמים.

But the generation of the wilderness, the generation of Moshe Rabbeinu — all of their conduct was above the heavens.

The dor ha-midbar operated on a plane above nature, so the natural constraints of time did not bind them.

וזהו שרמזו חז"ל עלה נעלה אפילו יאמר עשו סולמות לעלות לשמים כו'.

And this is what Chazal hinted regarding "we shall surely go up" (Bamidbar 13:30) — even if he were to say, "make ladders to ascend to the heavens..." etc.

Calev's "we shall surely go up" expressed confidence so great that even were Moshe to command something as seemingly impossible as building ladders to heaven, they could accomplish it — because they stood above nature.

הם הדברים שדברנו כי עפ"י הטבע לא היו מוכנים לעלות.

These are the matters of which we spoke: that by nature they were not ready to ascend.

This confirms the point — naturally they were unprepared, but they were not bound by nature.

וזהו שלח לך כו' כי אם היו מצליחים בשליחותם והיו נכנסין באופן זה שלמעלה מן הזמן והטבע הי' גם מרע"ה נכנס עמהם.

And this is "send for yourself..." (Bamidbar 13:2) — for had they succeeded in their shlichus (mission) and entered in this manner, above time and nature, then Moshe Rabbeinu too would have entered with them.

Had the spies' mission succeeded and the nation entered the land on that supernatural plane, Moshe himself would have entered Eretz Yisrael along with them.

וכן כתיב בגאולה העתידה בעתה אחישנה זכו אחישנה כו'.

And so it is written regarding the future geulah: "in its time, I will hasten it" (Yeshayahu 60:22) — [Chazal explain] if they merit, "I will hasten it"...

The redemption likewise has a fixed "time," but if Bnei Yisrael merit it, Hashem will bring it ahead of schedule — the natural timetable can be transcended.

והכל תלוי ברצון בנ"י שע"י תשוקה באהבה רבה להשי"ת מעוררין רצונו ית' ואז אין מניעה מצד הזמן והטבע.

And everything depends on the ratzon (will) of Bnei Yisrael, for through longing with great love (ahavah rabbah) for Hashem they arouse His will, and then there is no impediment from the side of time or nature.

It all hinges on the yearning of Bnei Yisrael: an intense, loving desire for Hashem awakens His own will, and once that is roused, the limits of time and nature pose no obstacle.

וז"ש אם חפץ בנו ה' והביא כו'.

And this is the meaning of "If Hashem desires us, then He will bring us..."

"If Hashem desires us" — i.e., if our longing awakens His desire for us — then He will bring us in at once, beyond the natural timetable.

ולכן יש לנו ללמוד מזו הפרשה שהגם שבאמת לא הי' הזמן מ"מ אם הי' הרצון בלבות בנ"י להשי"ת כראוי הי' באין.

Therefore we should learn from this parshah that, although in truth it was not yet the time, nevertheless, had the will in the hearts of Bnei Yisrael toward Hashem been as it should, they would have entered.

The lesson of the parshah: even though the appointed time had not arrived, a proper, wholehearted desire for Hashem would have brought them into the land then and there.

וכמו כן בגלות הזה אם הי' לנו תשוקה של אמת לשוב אליו ית' יחיש וימהר גאולתינו. אמן:

And so too in this galus: if we had a true longing to return to Him, He would hasten and speed our geulah. Amen.

The same holds today — a genuine yearning to return to Hashem would arouse His will to bring our redemption swiftly, ahead of its appointed time. Amen.

Summary: The meraglim correctly sensed that, by the natural order ("under the heavens"), Bnei Yisrael were not yet ready to enter Eretz Yisrael for forty years. But the dor ha-midbar lived above nature, so had their mission succeeded and they entered on that supernatural plane — beyond time and nature — even Moshe would have entered with them. Everything depends on the ratzon of Bnei Yisrael: a longing of great love for Hashem awakens His will and removes every barrier of time and nature. So too in galus, a true yearning to return to Hashem would hasten the geulah, just as "in its time" can become "I will hasten it." Amen.