Matos Massei 2022 (Notes after class)

1Concerning the connection between vows in Matos and the holidays at the end of Parshas Pinchas:

21\ Three holidays pass before violating the negative command, “Do not delay fulfilling your promise”(Ba’al Te’acher) Fulfill your vow before even one holiday passes to avoid violating the positive commandment, “Do as you have committed” (Kechol Hayotzei Mepiv Ya’aseh).

32\ Vows were generally to bring sacrifices (the term “Konam,” which is used in the tractate about vows, means “K’karban,” like a sacrifice)

4Concerning the deeper meaning of a husband voiding the vow of his wife and a father voiding the vow of his daughter:

51\ In making this vow, the woman is communicating that she has a problem with their marriage or with the father’s parenting. The result of this vow is to prohibit items that are related to their relationship and will cause her pain by the vow. The husband or father is given a chance to negate the vow with the hope that he will listen to what she is attempting to communicate to him and work on the problem. The negation represents recognition of the wife’s or daughter’s pain and willingness to attempt to heal.

6Concerning why rules of vows were given to the leaders of the tribes and not to the courts:

71\The Parsha has an important agreement concerning the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe. Commitments were made on both sides of the deal between these tribes and the others. The heads of the tribes were instructed as to the importance of keeping your word so that the future of the boundries remains as planned.

82\ A vow often affects the greater community. As such, the tribal leadership needs to pay close attention to the rules governing vows.

93\Vows are local and should be dealt with locally.

10Revenge against the Midyanites

11The pasuk first describes the revenge being on behalf of Bnei Yisrael. Then the next pasuk describes the revenge to be Nikmat Hashem - on God’s behalf. The language found at the beginning of Parshat Pinchas reflects both aspects. There, God says, “Bekano es Kinahsi” – for he has taken upon himself My Jealousy. Then the pasuk says, “Tzaror et Hamidyanim vehekitem otam. Key tzorarim haim lachem” - attack them because they have attacked you. The jealousy was caused by two acts of infidelity. The worship of Baal Peor was likened to marriage infidelity as it violated the special relationship between God and His people. The introduction by the Midyanites of intermarriage outside the Jewish community was a violation of communal fidelity. The resultant mutilation visited upon the unfaithful wife and her adulterer is similar to the execution of Zimri and Kazbi by Pinchas. Both events served as warnings as to the consequences of infidelity both within a family and within an entire nation.

12In our days, the Syrian Jewish community, which has been worried about intermarriage, has invoked an extra-judicial proclamation outside the norms of Jewish Halacha and prohibited any conversions, lest they lead to intermarriage. This decision rests heavily on Pinchas’ example of zealotry on behalf of the whole Jewish nation.

13Moshe is told that he must take revenge against Midyan and then die. Why was revenge a precursor to his death?

14Midyan may have been a sub-group within Moav similar to how Amalek was the more violent subset of Edom. While God commanded to safeguard Edom and Moav, the opposite treatment was laid out against Amalek and Midyan. Moshe was prevented from entering the land of Israel but fulfilled many leadership initiatives in the east bank. He conquered Sichon and Og (Kivush), divided their land to the two-and-one-half tribes (Chiluk), and established there three cities of refuge. The Jews, upon entering the Land of Israel, were tasked with three things: to build a Mikdash, to appoint a king, and to eradicate Amalek. On the east bank, Moshe had already built the Mishkan, but he still had to appoint a king, which he did by anointing Yehoshua. The elimination of Midyan is directly parallel to the elimination of Amalek. God wished that Moshe should experience on the east bank what he was going to miss by dying outside Israel proper. Once that task was completed, Moshe could die in peace.

15“Take a thousand soldiers from each tribe to wage war against Midyan.” This seems like a very small fighting force to marshal against the five kings.

16The Midrash explains that the attack needed to represent each tribe equally as the Midyanite attacks were against the entire Jewish nation. That said, along with the size of the army, the entire endeavor has the sense of something Divine. We had to show up, follow the rules, and God took care of the messy stuff. Pinchas was chosen to lead this war not just on account of having started the war by killing Kazbi but also because he was “The” divine representative. In the takedown of Shechem by Shimon and Levi, a similar theme played itself out. There, two teenagers were able to enter a city and kill every man, woman, and child. This could not have happened without Divine intervention. Much later, in the era of the Hashmonayim, again the many were handed into the hands of the few. The Six Day War has that very same feel to it.

17The children of Gad and Reuven had many cattle and therefore chose to stay on the east bank. How did they obtain all that cattle? Their original portion in the land had yet to be decided. How could they have known what their portion was going to be, to say that the east bank would be better? They had struck a deal without consulting with God. How could Moshe make such a momentous decision without Divine inquiry? How did half of Menashe get involved in this adventure?

181\ The cattle may have come with them from Egypt, from the old days when Joseph had his brothers say to Pharaoh, “we are cattlemen and we have come with all our cattle.” Joseph took five of his brothers and stood them before Pharaoh to deliver the message. Pharaoh responded that perhaps one of these could oversee his own cattle. Possibly Reuven was selected for that job (note the pun: Mikneh Rav – the leader of the Mikneh). The other source of cattle, as offered by the Midrash, was the Midyan booty, which was divided among the warriors. Gad was a known warrior; his cattle came from that war. Another possibility was that Gad received his larger portion from the war with Sichon and Og, as we read in the Torah, “Only the cattle did we retain” (Deut 2:35) and “We kept the cattle and all the booty” (Deut 3:7).

192\ Reuven and Gad had Moshe’s back and wanted to facilitate his conquest of the Land (see above). As a result of the love expressed by these two tribes, Moshe died in Nov, in Reuven’s portion, and was buried in Gad’s portion (see Midrash). Alternatively, Reuven and Gad wished to increase the borders of Israel. Increasing Israel’s borders was already “Halacha Le-Moshe M’Sinai” and did not need further divine approval. God confirms the arrangement in Masei where the borders are delineated.

203\ Menashe may have shared Reuven’s feelings about being first-born yet overshadowed by younger brothers. Alternatively, Moshe sent the one family from within the tribe of Menashe because they were especially righteous and Moshe was concerned that Reuven and Gad would deteriorate into negative behavior (the Daughters of Tzlafchad came from the half of Menashe that settled on the east bank). We see that Reuven and Gad were given their portion but the half tribe of Menashe had to go out and conquer theirs. They were not part of the original deal. Consequently, they were excused from participating in the forward attack to conquer Canaan.

21There were six Cities of Refuge – three in the east bank and three in mainland Israel. It seems disproportionate to place the same number of these cities in the east bank as in the mainland. It is worth recalling, however, that instances of accidental killing often involved wartime friendly fire. The two tribes, being at the forefront of any attack, may have needed more refuge.

22The final section of the book of Bamidbar is about the Daughters of Tzlafchad. In this final summary, the daughters do exactly as they were told by Moshe. The Torah here wishes to compare these righteous women to Eve, in the Garden of Eden, who was unable to keep God’s command as communicated to her by Adam.

23Wisdom from a sister: The book of Bamidbar appears to reflect fluidity of rules and regulations in the Torah. Examples are Pesach Shenei, a daughter’s inheritance, the borders of the land of Israel; the rules were established following and in response to a specific request or need. My dear sister, Esther East, explained that the evolution out of slavery towards freedom entails the ability to change your own destiny both physically and spiritually. The Jews were liberated and started making some very good choices. These choices resulted in new Parshiyot within the Torah.