Parshas Devarim is always read on the Shabbos before Tisha B'av. It is clearly not a coincidence that the story of the meraglim is repeated in this parsha, since Chazal tell us that the sin of the meraglim was the first of the tragic events of Tisha B'av. Chazal comment on the passuk in parshas Shlach, "vayivku ha'am balayla hahu - and the nation cried on that night", that the unjustified crying caused that night to become a night of crying for all generations. What can we learn from the cheit hameraglim that can help us reverse the tragic consequences of that fateful night?
When the event of the meraglim is recounted in Tehillim, an interesting phrase is used to highlight the actions of the meraglim and the Jewish people who followed their lead: "vayimasu baeretz chemda - and they despised the coveted land". The phrase eretz chemda is familiar to us from Birkas Hamazon, whose second beracha focuses on Eretz Yisroel and describes it in glowing terms, as an "eretz chemda tova urechava". What does "chemda" mean and why does it lead the list of special qualities of Eretz Yisroel? Furthermore, what does it mean that the meraglim despised "eretz chemda"?
There is a cheit that involves chemda, i.e. lo sachmod, the last of the aseres hadibros, which prohibits us from being chomeid our neighbor's property. The Ibn Ezra questions how can Hashem, via lo sachmod, require us to not have the feeling of desire - isn't it an instinctive reaction, beyond our control? The Ibn Ezra answers this question using a parable of a poor farmer who hears that the king is seeking a husband for the princess. It never crosses the farmer's mind that he is among the potential suitors; he realizes that his marrying the princess is not within the realm of possibility. He therefore does not even desire to marry her, as one only desires that which he thinks is attainable. Lo sachmod requires that we view our neighbor's possessions as being as unattainable for us as the princess is for the farmer. We do not desire to attain something which we view as being beyond our grasp.
Thus, according to the Ibn Ezra, "chemda" describes something we do desire specifically because we view it as attainable. The meraglim could have presented a negative report which described the conquering of Eretz Yisroel as difficult but not hopeless. Although still a cheit, such a presentation would not necessarily have had the tragic consequences that followed. The meraglim's fatalistic certainty, their description of the conquering of Eretz Yisroel as unattainable, sealed their fate. They declared that Eretz Yisroel is not the eretz chemda. This approach to Eretz Yisroel began the tragedy of Tisha B'av. "Vayimasu baeretz chemda" sums up the entire event of the meraglim.
Each time we recite Birchas Hamazon we remind ourselves of the unique relationship between Eretz Yisroel and Am Yisroel. We begin our praises with "eretz chemda". Despite whatever difficulties that may be involved with attaining Eretz Yisroel, it is always the eretz chemda. We must never view Eretz Yisroel the way the farmer views the princess - an unattainable goal which does not evoke desire. Rather, we must always view Eretz Yisroel as being our eretz chemda. As we again read the story of the meraglim in preparation for Tisha B'av, perhaps we can undo the "vayimasu baeretz chemda" and recite "node lecha…al eretz chemda" with all our desire and thereby merit that Hashem returns us back to our beloved eretz chemda.