Bnei Yisrael were living a life of open miracles in the desert.
They were surrounded by Divine protection—clouds by day, fire by night, manna from Heaven, clothing that never wore out. It was a life completely enveloped in Hashem’s presence.

So when it came time to enter Eretz Yisrael, they hesitated.
To them, it felt like a spiritual downgrade. In the Land, they’d have to work the land, earn their bread, make their own clothing. No more daily miracles. Just nature. Just effort. Why leave the miracle-filled desert to live a “normal” life?

But they misunderstood something fundamental.
Hashem wasn’t lowering them. He was elevating them.

The goal was never to remain in a cocoon of miracles—but to learn how to find the Divine within the natural.

Man is a unique creation—a blend of physical body and heavenly soul. Angels may live in a world of constant holiness, but they can’t grow. Humans, on the other hand, can take the lowest physical elements and infuse them with kedusha. In doing so, we can rise higher than the malachim themselves.

Eretz Yisrael appears, at first glance, to be all about nature.
So many mitzvot are agricultural—planting, harvesting, tithing. But this is the secret: working the land in Eretz Yisrael is spiritual greatness. Because when we bring holiness into the natural world, we partner with Hashem in perfecting Creation.

That’s the power of living in Eretz Yisrael.
It’s not a downgrade. It’s the ultimate upgrade.