Musar for Deuteronomy 1:22

Another difficulty is: What was Israel's sin in asking for these spies to be sent out? Our sages claim that G–d tripped them up intentionally, since they should never have demanded such a mission. Furthermore, why is the fact that Israel initiated this mission by asking Moses to send spies, not reported here but only when Moses summarizes the events of the forty years before his death? (Deut. 1,22). Another problem is why several descriptions of the spies' mission are used such as לתור, לרגל, and לחפור. Besides, why did Moses have to send out twelve spies, would not two spies have been sufficient just as when Joshua sent two spies to Jericho?

ותקרבון אלי כלכם . Rashi comments that it was a mob that approached Moses. Later on, in 5,20, however, Moses says of the people ותקרבון אלי כל ראשי שבטיכם וזקניכם, "You approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders." At that time they asked Moses to become their intermediary since the people were afraid that being exposed to G–d's voice directly would become fatal for them. This latter approach (at the time of the revelation) was correct; children showed respect for their elders. Humility is one of the best traits a person can practice. Only by allowing others זכות קדימה, the right of precedence, can one prove that one deserves a measure of honour oneself.

This was however, not the case after Moses had died, and Joshua therefore was entitled to reconnoiter the land in the manner that he did. Of course, the Alshich says that Joshua knew beforehand exactly what the spies would report, but he wanted the people to have the feeling that he had done everything humanly possible, read: "by natural means," to ensure the success of their mission. Gideon was another leader who, though relying on G–d's help, made it appear as if every possible means at man's disposal had been exploited. The author feels that Joshua had to send out the spies since ever since Aaron's death there had been no pillar of cloud, and he would not have known the way without reconnaissance. This is the reason that these Israelites use the expression ויחפרו "so they will dig up" (information), when they describe the purpose of the spies' mission. They wanted these men to discover the weakness of the country and its inhabitants, if indeed there should be such. Rabbi Chiyah in Talmud Sotah 34b, says that the sole intention of the spies was to find fault with the land. He understands the word יחפרו as analogous to Isaiah saying (24,23) "וחפרה הלבנה ובושה החמה," meaning that the moon will be shamefaced, and the sun will be abashed." Applied to our situation, the spies then were to find the points the land of Israel had to be ashamed of. However, the Israelites had not made up their minds, they only wanted to know if there was truth to negative comments about the land of Israel.