Caleb is usually lauded as one of the spies who does not share a false report about who inhabits the land. And while this is praiseworthy, one has to wonder about his approach in trying to tame the crowd. B’nai Yisrael is swept up in waves of complaints. Perhaps the question isn’t, why does B’nai Yisrael fall prey to their own insecurities? The question may be, why doesn’t Caleb seek different ways of persuasion? Doesn’t Caleb realize B’nai Yisrael isn’t in a position to hear anything at all?

The scene is a perfect lesson in any familial debate. There are moments in which our loved ones are present, open to differing thoughts and opinions. And then, there’s the opposite. The moments in which we must evaluate when and where our views will best be expressed and internalized.

Sforno, the Italian commentator, explains that Caleb silences the cries of the people. They’re scared, frightened, unable to think past the terrors that await them in an unknown land. Would Caleb have been more successful if he had listened first, offering his opinion second?

Sometimes we feel as if we might explode if our views aren’t immediately offered. And yet, the Torah reveals an often-overlooked lesson: taking stock of the situation and environment is just as important as expressing one’s thoughts. For in that analysis, the assessment of when and where to speak may eventually lead towards settling in a Promised Land.