Midrash su Numeri 13:3

[(Numb. 13:2:) SEND PEOPLE (anashim).]¹⁰Although the context of Numb. 13:2 shows that the anashim were all males, in a wider context anashim refers to both genders. In every place that anashim is used, the people are righteous, [for so it says (in Exod. 17:9): THEN MOSES SAID TO JOSHUA: CHOOSE MEN (anashim) FOR US.]¹¹Tanh., Numb. 4:4, cont.; Numb. R. 16:5. And so it says (in I Sam. 17:12): AND IN THE DAYS OF SAUL THE MAN (Jesse) HAD COME TO AN ELDERLY AGE AMONG HUMANS (anashim). And similarly does Hannah say (in I Sam. 1:11): AND IF YOU GRANT YOUR HANDMAID HUMAN (anashim) OFFSPRING. Now you are calling these <spies> fools (in Prov. 26:6): THE ONE WHO SENDS A MESSAGE THROUGH A FOOL! But these were only called fools because they had uttered malicious slander against the land, as stated (in Prov. 10:18): AND THE ONE WHO UTTERS SLANDER IS A FOOL. But nevertheless they had <once> been great human beings, although they had made themselves foolish. So it is on account of them that Moses says (in Deut. 32:20): FOR THEY ARE A PERVERSE GENERATION…. Thus they were chosen from all of Israel at the command of the Holy One and at the command of Moses, as stated (in Deut. 1:23): NOW THE PLAN SEEMED GOOD IN MY EYES; SO I TOOK <TWELVE MEN (anashim)> FROM YOU, <ONE FOR EACH TRIBE>. {Where is it shown?} [Hence] you <can> say that they were righteous in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of Moses. In addition Moses did not want to send them until he had consulted with the Holy One over each and every one. [When he had said <for each one>:] So-and-so from [such-and-such tribe], the Holy One said to him: They are acceptable. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 13:3): SO MOSES SENT THEM FROM THE DESERT OF PARAN AT THE COMMAND OF THE LORD; [THEY ALL WERE PEOPLE (anashim) WHO WERE THE HEADS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL]. Then after that, at the end of forty days, they changed and made all that trouble. So they caused that generation to be afflicted with that punishment, as stated (in Deut. 32:20): FOR THEY ARE A PERVERSE GENERATION. Because when they were chosen, <they were> righteous. [Then they changed.] It is therefore stated (in Numb. 13:2): SEND PEOPLE (anashim).

5 This text is related (to Prov. 26:6), “The one who sends a message through a fool is cutting off [his own] feet and drinking violence.” And were the spies fools? And has it not already been stated (in Numb. 13:2) “Send men (anashim).” And in every place that anashim is used, the men are righteous. Where is this shown? For so it says (in Exod. 17:9), “Then Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose men (anashim) for us.’” And so it says (in I Sam. 17:12), “and in the days of Saul the man (Jesse) had come to an elderly age among men (anashim).” And so it [also] says (in I Sam. 1:11), “and if you grant your handmaid the seed of men (anashim).” Now you are calling these [spies] fools? But these were only called fools because they had uttered malicious slander against the land, as stated (in Prov. 10:18), “and the one who utters slander is a fool.” But nevertheless they had [once] been great human beings, although they had made themselves foolish. So it is on account of them that Moses says (in Deut. 32:20), “for they are a perverse generation, children with no loyalty to them.” Thus they were chosen from all of Israel at the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, and at the command of Moses, as stated (in Deut. 1:23), “Now the plan seemed good in My eyes; so I took [twelve men (anashim)] from you.” From here [we see] that they were righteous in front of Israel and in front of Moses. And even Moses did not want to send them until he had consulted with the Holy One, blessed be He, over each and every one. When he had said [for each one], “So-and-so from such-and-such tribe,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “They are acceptable.” Thus it is stated (in Numb. 13:3), “So Moses sent them from the Desert of Paran at the command of the Lord.” Then after that, at the end of forty days, they changed and made all that trouble. So they caused that generation to be afflicted with that punishment, as stated (in Deut. 32:20), “for they are a perverse generation.” Because when they were chosen, [they were] righteous, and then they changed. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 13:2, 16), “Send men for yourself […]. And these are the names of the men (anashim).”