Inheriting the Land through the Merit of the Avos

עוד פרשנו עלה נעלה וירשנו.

We further explained "We shall surely go up and inherit it" (Bamidbar 13:30).

The Sefas Emes offers an additional explanation of Kalev and Yehoshua's declaration of confidence in entering the Land.

כי ארץ ישראל ניתן לבנ"י בזכות האבות שנשבע השי"ת להם וכדאיתא במד' ודבר אלקינו יקום לעולם ע"ש.

For Eretz Yisrael was given to Bnei Yisrael in the merit of the Avos, to whom Hashem swore, and as it is stated in the Midrash "and the word of our G-d shall stand forever" (Yeshayahu 40:8) — see there.

The Land is an inheritance secured by Hashem's oath to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov; that promise stands eternally and cannot be undone.

לכן אעפ"י שראו המרגלים שאין בכחם לעלות אל העם מ"מ אמרו יהושע וכלב שהעיקר צריכין לתקן עצמנו להיות נמשך אחר מעשה אבות כדאיתא בתנא דב"א לעולם יאמר אדם מתי יגיעו מעשי למעשי אבותי.

Therefore, even though the meraglim saw that they had no power to go up against the people, nevertheless Yehoshua and Kalev said that the main thing is that we must refine ourselves to be drawn after the deeds of the Avos, as it is stated in Tanna d'Vei Eliyahu: a person should always say, "When will my deeds reach the deeds of my forefathers?"

Yehoshua and Kalev understood that conquering the Land does not depend on military strength but on making ourselves worthy heirs by following in the path of the Avos — aspiring for our deeds to match theirs.

ואז וירשנו אותה בדרך ירושה:

And then "we shall inherit it" — by way of inheritance.

Once we attach ourselves to the merit and conduct of the Avos, the Land comes to us as a rightful inheritance, independent of our own military might.

Summary: Eretz Yisrael was promised to the Avos by Hashem's eternal oath, so it belongs to Bnei Yisrael as an inheritance. Yehoshua and Kalev therefore declared "we shall surely go up and inherit it": the key is not strength against the inhabitants but refining ourselves to follow in the deeds of the Avos, by which merit the Land is inherited.