The dangers of separation: An analysis of Reuven and Gads actions in Parshat Matot-Maasei

(1) The Reubenites and the Gadites owned cattle in very great numbers. Noting that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were a region suitable for cattle, (2) the Gadites and the Reubenites came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chieftains of the community, and said, (3) “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon— (4) the land that the LORD has conquered for the community of Israel is cattle country, and your servants have cattle. (5) It would be a favor to us,” they continued, “if this land were given to your servants as a holding; do not move us across the Jordan.” (6) Moses replied to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here? (7) Why will you turn the minds of the Israelites from crossing into the land that the LORD has given them? (8) That is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to survey the land. (9) After going up to the wadi Eshcol and surveying the land, they turned the minds of the Israelites from invading the land that the LORD had given them. (10) Thereupon the LORD was incensed and He swore, (11) ‘None of the men from twenty years up who came out of Egypt shall see the land that I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they did not remain loyal to Me— (12) none except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they remained loyal to the LORD.’ (13) The LORD was incensed at Israel, and for forty years He made them wander in the wilderness, until the whole generation that had provoked the LORD’s displeasure was gone. (14) And now you, a breed of sinful men, have replaced your fathers, to add still further to the LORD’s wrath against Israel. (15) If you turn away from Him and He abandons them once more in the wilderness, you will bring calamity upon all this people.” (16) Then they stepped up to him and said, “We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks and towns for our children. (17) And we will hasten as shock-troops in the van of the Israelites until we have established them in their home, while our children stay in the fortified towns because of the inhabitants of the land. (18) We will not return to our homes until every one of the Israelites is in possession of his portion. (19) But we will not have a share with them in the territory beyond the Jordan, for we have received our share on the east side of the Jordan.”

ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן, And the members of the tribe of Reuven had a great amount of cattle, etc. The Torah had to give us this information in order to justify their request to settle in the lands which used to belong to Sichon and Og. The Torah simply testifies that their claim was based on solid facts. The reason that these two tribes had so much more cattle than the other tribes was that the soldiers of these tribes were exceedingly brave and captured more loot than the soldiers of the other tribes.

Why do you dishearten. This refers to a sinful thought between them and their Father in Heaven. About them, Yisroel will say that it is not because of the livestock that they want this, but rather that they are afraid of the war with Canaan, or they do not want to be subject to Hashem’s strong supervision in Eretz Yisroel.

נבנה למקננו פה WE WILL BUILD [SHEEP FOLDS] FOR OUR CATTLE HERE — They paid more regard to their property than to their sons and daughters, because they mentioned their cattle before their children. Moses said to them, “Not so! Make the chief thing the chief thing and what is subordinate subordinate. First build cities for your little ones and afterwards enclosures for your flocks” (cf. v. 24) (Midrash Tanchuma, Matot 7).

Before Bnei Yisroel. This removed Moshe’s first complaint against them: How will Bnei Yisroel have the heart to go to war if we remain across the Yardein. The second claim was removed as well: Yisroel will say we are afraid and do not rely on Hashem’s supervision. On the contrary, at the time we go armed before them, our children will dwell in fortified cities — This is proof that we are not afraid to leave our children behind and we rely on Hashem’s protection. Without Hashem’s individualized supervision, fortified cities offer no benefit, for there will be no one to wage battle in them.

Our inheritance came to us. Rashi wrote: We have already received it, on the eastern bank. [However, this is difficult because] it was not proper for them to say to Moshe that they have already received it. This was not something dependent on them. Rather, it depended on Moshe’s will, and they would not receive it until Moshe gave it to them. Instead, this is what they meant: But we do not want to take possession with them — this excludes their inheritance in the good land, for, our inheritance came to us — the inheritance that is appropriate for us, which is land for livestock, and we have more livestock than the other tribes. Thus, they were speaking as a request and not antagonistically (as in Rashi’s explanation). Alternatively, the explanation of, but we do not want to take possession with them, is: Even if you do not want to give us this land now, and we and all our possessions will cross over with the rest of the tribes, we will not take possession with them. Rather, we will return to this land, which is the appropriate inheritance for us, and what we want. None of the other tribes want it at all.

Another interpretation of "And much cattle" (Numbers 32:1). This is [the meaning of] that which is stated by the verse (Ecclesiastes 10:2), "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is the good impulse; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the evil impulse. Another interpretation: "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is the righteous who put their hearts to Torah which is from the right, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 33:2), “from His right, a fiery law to them; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the evildoers who put their hearts to becoming rich, as it is stated (Proverbs 3:16), “in her left, riches and honor.” Another interpretation: "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is Moshe; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad, who made the essential, secondary, and the secondary, essential. Why? Because they loved their possessions more than the [human] souls. As they said to Moshe (Numbers 32:16), "'We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks, and towns for our children.'" Moshe said to them, "This is nothing; rather make the essential, essential. First 'build towns for your children,' and afterwards 'sheepfolds for your flocks' (Numbers 32:24)." Hence, "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is Moshe; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "You loved your money more than [your] souls. By your lives, there is no blessing in this, as stated (Proverbs 20:21), 'An estate acquired in haste at the outset will not be blessed in the end.'" And it likewise states (Proverbs 23:4), "Do not toil to gain wealth; have the sense to desist." And who is wealthy? One who is happy with his lot, as stated (in Psalms 128:2), "You shall eat the produce of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you."

(20) Moses said to them, “If you do this, if you go to battle as shock-troops, at the instance of the LORD, (21) and every shock-fighter among you crosses the Jordan, at the instance of the LORD, until He has dispossessed His enemies before Him, (22) and the land has been subdued, at the instance of the LORD, and then you return—you shall be clear before the LORD and before Israel; and this land shall be your holding under the LORD. (23) But if you do not do so, you will have sinned against the LORD; and know that your sin will overtake you. (24) Build towns for your children and sheepfolds for your flocks, but do what you have promised.” (25) The Gadites and the Reubenites answered Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. (26) Our children, our wives, our flocks, and all our other livestock will stay behind in the towns of Gilead; (27) while your servants, all those recruited for war, cross over, at the instance of the LORD, to engage in battle—as my lord orders.” (28) Then Moses gave instructions concerning them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the family heads of the Israelite tribes. (29) Moses said to them, “If every shock-fighter among the Gadites and the Reubenites crosses the Jordan with you to do battle, at the instance of the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, you shall give them the land of Gilead as a holding. (30) But if they do not cross over with you as shock-troops, they shall receive holdings among you in the land of Canaan.” (31) The Gadites and the Reubenites said in reply, “Whatever the LORD has spoken concerning your servants, that we will do. (32) We ourselves will cross over as shock-troops, at the instance of the LORD, into the land of Canaan; and we shall keep our hereditary holding across the Jordan.” (33) So Moses assigned to them—to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph—the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of King Og of Bashan, the land with its various cities and the territories of their surrounding towns.

Moses advisedly concludes by saying that G'd will drive out His enemies from "before Him" instead of "from before you," to hint that G'd alone will do the fighting if the two tribes were to fulfil these conditions.

It is possible that by repeating the expression לפני השם, "in the presence of G'd," Moses meant to say that although their land was חוצה לארץ, "outside the boundaries of the Holy Land proper," they would be considered as if they had made their residence within the Holy Land. The land would be considered holy as no strip of secular land separated between it and ארץ ישראל proper.

(12) Then Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, (13) “Remember what Moses the servant of the LORD enjoined upon you, when he said: ‘The LORD your God is granting you a haven; He has assigned this territory to you.’ (14) Let your wives, children, and livestock remain in the land that Moses assigned to you on this side of the Jordan; but every one of your fighting men shall go across armed in the van of your kinsmen. And you shall assist them (15) until the LORD has given your kinsmen a haven, such as you have, and they too have gained possession of the land that the LORD your God has assigned to them. Then you may return to the land on the east side of the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the LORD assigned to you as your possession, and you may possess it.” (16) They answered Joshua, “We will do everything you have commanded us and we will go wherever you send us. (17) We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses; let but the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses! (18) Any man who flouts your commands and does not obey every order you give him shall be put to death. Only be strong and resolute!”

(12) Then Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, (13) “Remember what Moses the servant of the LORD enjoined upon you, when he said: ‘The LORD your God is granting you a haven; He has assigned this territory to you.’

(1) Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, (2) and said to them, “You have observed all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed me in everything that I commanded you. (3) You have not forsaken your kinsmen through the long years down to this day, but have faithfully observed the Instruction of the LORD your God. (4) Now the LORD your God has given your kinsmen rest, as He promised them. Therefore turn and go to your homes, to the land of your holdings beyond the Jordan that Moses the servant of the LORD assigned to you. (5) But be very careful to fulfill the Instruction and the Teaching that Moses the servant of the LORD enjoined upon you, to love the LORD your God and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and soul.” (6) Then Joshua blessed them and dismissed them, and they went to their homes. (7) To the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had assigned territory in Bashan, and to the other Joshua assigned [territory] on the west side of the Jordan, with their kinsmen. Furthermore, when Joshua sent them off to their homes, he blessed them (8) and said to them, “Return to your homes with great wealth—with very much livestock, with silver and gold, with copper and iron, and with a great quantity of clothing. Share the spoil of your enemies with your kinsmen.” (9) So the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, and made their way back to the land of Gilead, the land of their own holding, which they had acquired by the command of the LORD through Moses. (10) When they came to the region of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a great conspicuous altar. (11) A report reached the Israelites: “The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar opposite the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan, across from the Israelites.” (12) When the Israelites heard this, the whole community of the Israelites assembled at Shiloh to make war on them. (13) But [first] the Israelites sent the priest Phinehas son of Eleazar to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead, (14) accompanied by ten chieftains, one chieftain from each ancestral house of each of the tribes of Israel; they were every one of them heads of ancestral houses of the contingents of Israel. (15) When they came to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead, they spoke to them as follows: (16) “Thus said the whole community of the LORD: What is this treachery that you have committed this day against the God of Israel, turning away from the LORD, building yourselves an altar and rebelling this day against the LORD! (17) Is the sin of Peor, which brought a plague upon the community of the LORD, such a small thing to us? We have not cleansed ourselves from it to this very day; (18) and now you would turn away from the LORD! If you rebel against the LORD today, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole community of Israel. (19) If it is because the land of your holding is unclean, cross over into the land of the LORD’s own holding, where the Tabernacle of the LORD abides, and acquire holdings among us. But do not rebel against the LORD, and do not rebel against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God. (20) When Achan son of Zerah violated the proscription, anger struck the whole community of Israel; he was not the only one who perished for that sin.” (21) The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the contingents of Israel: They said, (22) “God, the LORD God! God, the LORD God! He knows, and Israel too shall know! If we acted in rebellion or in treachery against the LORD, do not vindicate us this day! (23) If we built an altar to turn away from the LORD, if it was to offer burnt offerings or meal offerings upon it, or to present sacrifices of well-being upon it, may the LORD Himself demand [a reckoning]. (24) We did this thing only out of our concern that, in time to come, your children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? (25) The LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between you and us, O Reubenites and Gadites; you have no share in the LORD!’ Thus your children might prevent our children from worshiping the LORD. (26) So we decided to provide [a witness] for ourselves by building an altar—not for burnt offerings or [other] sacrifices, (27) but as a witness between you and us, and between the generations to come—that we may perform the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings, our sacrifices, and our offerings of well-being; and that your children should not say to our children in time to come, ‘You have no share in the LORD.’ (28) We reasoned: should they speak thus to us and to our children in time to come, we would reply, ‘See the replica of the LORD’s altar, which our fathers made—not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between you and us.’