Commento su Deuteronomio 1:25

ויורדו אלינו AND THEY BROUGHT IT DOWN TO US — This tells us that the land of Israel is situated higher than all other countries (Sifrei Devarim 23:2).

AND THEY SAID: ‘GOOD IS THE LAND WHICH THE ETERNAL OUR G-D GIVETH UNTO US.’ “Who were those who spoke well of the Land? Joshua and Caleb.” This is Rashi’s language quoting the Sifre.¹⁰³Sifre, Devarim 23. But I wonder. If so, what is this complaint against them [the people]? It was proper that they should believe ten people more than two? Perhaps Moses complained against them: “Since the Holy One, blessed be He, had informed you that it is a good Land, and the leading emissaries and the most righteous among them had also testified to that effect, you should have believed that the others spoke their piece out of lack of courage.”
The correct interpretation is as I have already explained there:¹⁰⁴Numbers 13:32. All the spies admitted before Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation, saying, We came unto the Land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.¹⁰⁵Ibid., Verse 27. Thus they were all in consensus on the goodness of the Land itself, but, with reference to the strength of those nations living there, they melted the people’s hearts. Then, when [the ten spies] saw that Joshua and Caleb were encouraging the people to wage war, the spies came to the children of Israel not in the presence of Moses and they disseminated a slanderous report about the Land to the effect that it is a Land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof.¹⁰⁴Numbers 13:32. This is [what Moses meant when he stated here], and ye murmured in your tents.¹⁰⁶Verse 27 here. The expression in your tents clearly indicates that the murmuring was done surreptitiously. The ten wicked spies did not confront Moses with this charge. The people also did not mention this slander in the presence of Moses¹⁰⁷In Verse 28, where Moses quotes the words of the people’s complaint. for he would refute them because they [the spies themselves] did not say so at first [that the Land kills its inhabitants]; instead they admitted that it is a good Land, and surely it floweth with milk and honey.¹⁰⁵Ibid., Verse 27. Rather, they said to Moses, Whither are we going up? our brethren have made our heart to melt, saying: The people is greater and taller than we.¹⁰⁷In Verse 28, where Moses quotes the words of the people’s complaint. Therefore, Moses now said to them: “It is true as you say that that people is great and tall, but the Eternal will fight for you¹⁰⁸Exodus 14:14. according to all that He did for you¹⁰⁹Verse 30 here. from Egypt even till now.”¹¹⁰Numbers 14:19. This, then, is the sense of the verse, Yet in this thing ye do not believe the Eternal your G-d,¹¹¹Verse 32 here. which means that the hindrance [to your immediate entry into the Land] was only a result of insufficient faith [you had in G-d]. Thus the whole section is explained in accordance with the simple meaning of Scripture and its purport.

ויאמרו טובה הארץ, even the wicked spies acknowledged the goodness of the land when they said “it is also flowing with milk and honey.” (Numbers 13,27).