When my kids ask if they can jump in the canal for a swim, I remind them that despite its pleasant and refreshing looks, it flows very quickly. “But, look at that duck,” they exclaim in reply, “It’s swimming the other direction. The current can’t be so strong!”
Gently, I explain that ducks live in the water and are capable of swimming upstream.
For us humans, that’s much harder.
Or, is it?
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In this week’s parsha of Shelach we discover that ten of the twelve scouts that were sent by the Jewish people into Israel came back with a negative report. The unfortunate developments that ensued caused the entry into the Holy Land to be delayed by almost forty years. Only two scouts – Yehoshua (Joshua) and Kalev (Caleb) returned with optimism.
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Interestingly, the laws of kosher can shed light on the remarkable fortitude of Yehoshua and Kalev. Halacha mandates that an animal or bird from a kosher species must also be in good health to qualify for kosher ritual slaughter and subsequent consumption. If an animal suffers significant injury it is disqualified.
Rambam (Maimonides) discusses the case of a duck that fell into a river and was injured. He states that if the duck is flowing downstream, we must assume that it has suffered substantial injury and cannot be used for kosher consumption. However, if it is swimming against the current it is presumed healthy.
Jewish law does not only instruct us on the technicalities. It also offers deep insights into life’s challenges and struggles. Here, Judaism is teaching us the genuine sign of life. Going with the flow is easy. Going against the flow is difficult. But doing so may be the truest indication of life.
Kalev and Yehoshua recognized that they were the minority. But they refused to allow that to influence their behavior when it went against their principles. G-d had promised this land to His people, and they remained faithful to that mission. They were indeed fully “alive.”
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We, too, often need to fight against the odds. Wearing a yarmulke in public may not come naturally. Politely declining non-kosher food is not always easy. Participating in Jewish social and religious events can be difficult.
Despite the advances of the 21st century, some things remain the same. Jews, again, are called upon to stand proud.
We take our cue from Yehoshua and Kalev, who stood by their values in the face of hardship. Sometimes it’s the appealing barbecue of a well-meaning non-Jewish neighbor (off them a kosher barbecue!). At other times it’s the demeaning look of a coworker at our Jewish dress. And, sadly, it may be a misguided fellow Jew berating our own people and our future.
We ought to gain confidence and courage from this week’s parsha. The Jewish people are not only still afloat. We are healthy and robust. We’re even swimming upstream!