There is a phrase at the beginning of this week's Torah portion that deserves a closer look. God says to Moses, "Shelach lecha anashim"—"Send men to scout out the land." The command seems straightforward, yet it carries a profound paradox. The Israelites are standing at the threshold of the Promised Land. They have left slavery behind, crossed the wilderness, and are on the verge of fulfilling the dream that began with Abraham when he first heard God's call of Lech Lecha. And