So if the people became hysterical after listening to the spies’ report, it was only because they were predisposed to doing so. Had they possessed the correct mindset, they would have easily recognized the negative agenda that it contained for what it was, and dismissed everything except for the recognition that the land was good. And that is what Moshe was saying here.

While Moshe may be setting the bar very high, there is an important takeaway for all of us. And that is that there is an important ethical component in how we collect information. Since reports can never include every single detail of what transpired, they are necessarily subjective. But even if that is the case, there are two things that we are expected to notice. The first is whether the speaker is speaking in an informational or in a persuasive mode. The second – and perhaps even more important – element is to know whether the persuasion is towards something positive or negative. To read more at the Jewish Press, click here.