According to the Netziv the meraglim were chosen because they were gedolim with knowledge of war. He generalizes and says that is the general approach to deal with problems in the world - is gedolim with some knowedge of the actual propblem it is not enough to be a gadol in Torah
Netziv (Bamidbar 13:2) כל נשיא בהם. מי שנשיא היינו גדול בישראל ויודע טכסיסי מלחמה הוא ילך. ולא הדיוט אע״ג שאפשר שיודע יותר טכסיסי מלחמה. ובקי בטיב הענין הנדרש יותר מכל מקום היה הצווי ליקח גדולי ישראל ויודעים לתור ולעמוד על הענין הנדרש ג״כ. בכדי שיהיו דבריהם נשמעים ביותר. ומזה יש לנו ללמוד בכל הליכות עולם לנו:
Netziv (Bamidbar 13:2) Every nassi – What is a nassi? He is a Gadol who in addition to Torah is also knowledgable about how to fight a war Experts were chosen and not an ordinary person even though he might know more about how to fight a war. Gedolim were chosen who knew how to spy the country and and were also able to determine what was necessary to do. This extra requirenment was so that their views would be more likely to be respected. This dual model is the prototype of dealing with all issues of the world.
Who are the spiritual descendants and followers of the Netziv today?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that he was a precursor to Rav Kook and possibly the modern orthodox, as per Meir Barilan.
The briskers disregard him, as do the Chofetz Chaim people, ie the litvish world.
And like today's Gedolim, quite content to remain in golus until God showed up personally to clear Israel out for them. Heaven forbid they interrupt their learning to fight for the Land
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