The spies Moses sent were spiritually elevated individuals, "the heads of the Children of Israel." It follows that their refusal to enter the Land of Israel stemmed specifically from their elevated status. Indeed, Hasidic wisdom explains that the spies wanted to avoid entering the Land of Israel because they wished to remain in the "spiritual world" of Torah study, as they had lived in the desert, and not descend to the "world of action" of observing practical mitzvot in the Land of Israel. However, this very explanation requires further clarification: how could such elevated individuals, tribal leaders, be confused on such a fundamental matter and fail to grasp the paramount importance of observing practical mitzvot? The entire Torah speaks of the importance of fulfilling mitzvot!
It must be said that the spies certainly knew and understood that it is impossible to be satisfied with Torah study alone and that the observance of practical mitzvot is imperative. However, in their view, fulfilling the precepts as they were observed in the desert was sufficient. For them, it was not necessary to enter the Land of Israel and become involved in worldly life to fulfill the mitzvot related to ordinary earthly life; rather, the mitzvot observed under desert conditions were enough.
Apparently the spies were complete in their spiritual level and in their study of Torah, only on the level of action They were not complete. However, the truth is that the lack of action proves that their Torah study was also incomplete, since "it is not the study that is important, but the action.".
There are three ways to understand this rule that "it is not the study that matters, but the action." The first is that action is "the proof" that the study was worthy of being called study. In the world of intellect, there can be opposing logics, and when study is akin to the halakha - the Jewish law - practice, this testifies that it was true.
The second way is that the study is complete when "the study leads to action." This occurs while the person is engaged in intellectual reasoning. theorist, It may happen that one does not make enough effort to check that the logic used is valid and true; but when one knows that practical matters in life will be defined according to one's rational conclusions, the person delves deeper into the study and is more careful to choose the appropriate and absolutely true ideas.
The third and highest form is that "study" itself "leads" to and is found "in action." The intellectual idea penetrates so deeply into the person that it is expressed in their practical behavior. For example, Maimonides said: "Just as a wise person is recognized by their wisdom... so too must they be recognized by their actions, their way of eating, etc." True wisdom signifies a level that becomes so unified with the person that it is expressed in every detail of their life.
This is where the spies' failing lies. They were at a high spiritual level, but their Torah study remained in the "spiritual realm" and did not translate into action. Had their study been at the highest and truest level, they would have understood that the completion of Torah study compels them to enter the Land of Israel, so that the Torah may be expressed in practical life and in the observance of mitzvot practiced in the Holy Land.
Extracted from Shulchan Shabbat.