Immediately, upon hearing the dreadful report of the spies, Calev silenced the people, and proclaimed assuredly "oloh na-aleh"- we shall surely ascend and conquer the land (Bamidbar 13:30). Rashi adds that the double language "shall surely ascend" connotes even if it means to the heavens. Were Moshe to ask us to make ladders and go up there (to the heavens) we would succeed in following him.
The Admor of Ostrovtza z"l sees an additional deeper meaning than following Moshe blindly even to the heavens. It is not only that Moshe earned our trust by his past performances and accomplishments of splitting the sea, and bringing down the mun, but Moshe as Rabbeinu- our teacher par excellence- is showing how we could ascend to the heavens, by building ladders and going up step by step. The Torah is teaching us often there are no short cuts to success. One has to progress slowly, gradually and with focus.
The mishnah (Keilim 1:6-9) teaches that there are ten levels of kedusha- sanctity- associated with the Land of Israel. While the literal understanding of the mishnah refers to geographic locations within Eretz Yisroel and the Bais HaMikdash, this certainly may be applied to different aspects of Eretz Yisroel. The Talmud (Kesubos 111A) teaches that if one walks 4 cubits (6 feet) in Eretz Yisroel he has earned (thereby) a share in the World to Come. One could only imagine the significance and higher rung for one who lives in the land, earns his livelihood in the land, contributes to the welfare of the land and fulfills the mitzvah of yishuv ha'aretz.
The land contains plentiful rungs. The Tur (ch. 208) cites that his father the Rosh omitted in the "Al HaMichya" blessing the phrase "v’nochal mipirya"- that we may eat of the fruit of the Land of Israel. The Talmud (Sotah 14A) states that Moshe did not wish to enter the land to eat of its fruit, but rather he craved to perform the mitzvos that can only be fulfilled in the land. The Rosh therefore omitted "v’nochal mipirya". The Bach says we are to recite it, as indeed, the fruit of the Land of Israel contains kedusha- sanctity.
There are many rungs to the redemptive process. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 98A) teaches in the name of Rabi Abba that there is no greater indication of the end of the Exile and beginning of Redemption than the Land of Israel producing and yielding fruit in abundance in preparation of the return of the Jewish People to its land. This is the first rung and we b’ezras Hashem have seen with our own eyes this incredible phenomenon, both in the positive harvesting throughout the land and the refusal of the land to yield produce to its enemies.
Thus, the minyan of spies that demoralized the nation are defied by Calev and the metaphor of the ladder. Yes, there are challenges and crises to be met and encountered, but step by step, rung by rung, we can prevail. Why? Because "asher barah Elokim la’asos" (Braishis 2:3) - He abstained on Shabbos from all His work which G-d created to do. The last two words are an invitation to man to initiate- to do, and then He will assist and complete the efforts of man. We have to build the ladder and begin ascending. But then He takes us to the top. To cite Rashi (Bamidbar 3:16): Hashem said to Moshe "you do yours and I will do Mine." If need be we can ascend to the heavens if not beyond!
It is interesting to note that this directive to ascend to the heavens is found a second time in the Torah at the end of Moshe’s oration in the book of Devarim. Moshe declares (30:12) "it (the Torah) is not in heaven." Rashi directs you to the Talmud (Eruvin 55A) that teaches that "if it were in the heavens, you would be required to go up in pursuit of it." Once again the image of ladders and rungs comes to mind.
The Medrash (Devarim Rabbah 8:3) commenting on the verse in Proverbs (24:7) "wisdom is too lofty for a fool, he does not open his mouth at the gate," explains that a fool enters the study hall and inquires how one can participate in the discussion. He is told: first one studies the Hebrew language, then Chumash, then the Prophets, then Scriptures, then the Mishnah, then the Talmud, then the codified laws, then the philosophy of Torah. Upon hearing this seemingly colossal assignment of prerequisites, the fool declares: "when can I ever succeed in mastering the above?"And he leaves the study hall frustrated and dejected. Hence the latter half of the above cited verse "he does not open his mouth at the gate". The wise individual studies one letter a day, one verse a day, one mishnah, one blatt, one siman until he is most capable of partaking in the discussion in the study hall. The image of the ladder conveys not only the resolve of the Jew to study Torah, because of which he would even pursue it to the heavens. But in addition, the method by which he acquires Torah is rung by rung.
Here too, as with Eretz Yisroel, Hashem says you do yours and I will do Mine. Rav Moshe Shapira shlita conveyed the message of Sefiras HaOmer (counting the Omer) in the following way: The Torah ordains (Vayikra 23:16) "tisperu chamishim yom- you shall count fifty days". In reality, we only count seven weeks, or forty nine days. However, there are fifty rungs of purity and a similar number of impurity. Part of the haste in leaving Egypt, explain the commentaries, is that Israel had fallen to the forty ninth rung of impurity, and thus needed to be expelled from there. Similarly, there are fifty levels of knowledge and a corresponding number of ignorance. The maximum that man can attain on his own is the forty ninth rung of knowledge insight and understanding. Hashem says you count forty nine days, prepare yourselves for the humanly impossible and I will share with you a taste of Torah, a part of the fiftieth. We do ours, we are to climb the spiritual ladder of Torah, and He takes us over the top.
Finally, there is a third area that I believe the imagery of the ladder and ascending rungs is applicable. The Talmud (Brachos 5A) teaches in the name of R’ Shimon Bar Yochai "the Holy One Blessed Be He gave three good gifts to Israel, and He gave them only through suffering". They are Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World to Come. Olam HaBa - the World to Come – is reached rung by rung.
The Talmud (Avodah Zarah 18A) tells of the tragic death of Rabi Chanina ben Tradyon. The Romans (yimach shemam) brought the rabbi wrapped in a Sefer Torah, encircled them with bundles of vine shoots and set them on fire. As the fire continued to rage, the (Roman) executioner asked R’ Chanina, "if I increase the flame and remove the tufts of wool from your heart (that his killers had placed to prolong his agony and death), will you bring me with you to the life of the World to Come?" R’ Chanina answered yes. The executioner insisted that the rabbi swear, and he did. He immediately increased the flame and removed the tufts of wool from Rabi Chanina’s heart and the latter’s soul departed more quickly. Then the executioner jumped and fell into the fire, whereupon a heavenly voice issued forth and proclaimed "Rabi Chanina and the executioner have been readied for the World to Come". When Rebbi heard of the above he cried and declared "there are those who acquire their place in the World to Come in a single moment, and those who acquire their share in Olam HaBa through years of spiritual striving and accomplishments."
Aside from the literal understanding of Rebbi’s teaching, one may understand it to mean Rebbi cried for if one can acquire a share in Olam HaBa in a single moment with a single act, how much more could that person have attained with many noble acts? Olam HaBa is acquired rung by rung.
The levels of the World to Come are featured in the blessing a Jew recites after an aliyah to the Torah. He thanks Hashem for giving us a Torah of truth and "v’chayay olam nata b’socheinu"- and for implanting eternal life within us. The word "chayay" in the plural denotes rungs or measures of accomplishments and commensurate rewards.
Finally, the Talmud (Megillah 28B) teaches he who studies Torah laws every day has the assurance that he will be in the World to Come. The daily prescription of study reflecting the rung by rung approach is the assured method of acquisition.
Eretz Yisroel, Torah and Olam HaBa share the common trait of being this worldly, but because they possess a special infusion of the Divine, by nature they appear to be most difficult and challenging for mortal man. Calev in Parshas Shelach teaches the formula for success in all three- proceed rung by rung and Hashem completes the ascent.