The combined parshiot, takes us to the end of the book of B'midbar, Numbers.
This parsha is examined through a Mussar lens, focusing on a particular middah, קִּנְאָה / jealousy. The Tribes of Reuven and Gad appeal to Moses for different property than what was assigned to them. What was their motivation? In what ways was a desire/jealousy for material goods part of that motivation? How much do money and material comforts play into our decisions?
The early Sages used to pray, "May we not have any envy against others, and may others not envy us!" Now why would they pray that others should not posses this quality more than other evil qualities? But this is the explanation of the matter : — Many men cause others to envy them and covet their possessions. Therefore, the early wise men used to pray that others not envy them because of anything that they, the Sages, were responsible for. ~Orchot Tzadikkim, 14:13
Thou wilt observe the envious man effusive in his affection (for thee) when he meets thee, but hating thee in thy absence. His name is friend, his intention unfriendly. ~Solomon Ibn Gabriol, Improvement of the Moral Qualities 4:3:5
Parsha Summary
Matot / Tribes: begins Numbers 30:2 ; Masei / Journeys begins Numbers 33:1
- Moses instructs the heads of the Tribes about the laws pertaining to the annulment of vows War is waged against Midian for their pursuit of the moral destruction of Israel
- There is a detailed account of the spoils of war spoils and how they were allocated
- The tribes of Reuben and Gad (later joined by half of the tribe of Manasseh) ask for the lands east of the Jordan as their portion in the Promised Land.
- Moses is initially angered by the request, but subsequently agrees on the condition that they first join, and lead, in Israel’s conquest of the lands west of the Jordan.
- The 42 journeys and encampments of Israel are listed, from Egypt to their encampment on the plains of Moab across the Jordan river from the land of Canaan.
- Commandments for the entry into the Promised Land
- Boundaries of the Promised Land are listed
- Cities assigned to the Levites and cities of refuge are designated as havens and places of exile for those who inadvertently commited manslaughter.
- Reiteration of laws pertaining to female heirs of property: the daughters of Tzelafchad marry within their own tribe of Manasseh [the estate which they inherit from their father will not go to another tribe].
Only a person who can overcome his desires for what he does not have is truly free. He is the only type of person who will live a completely happy life since whatever he does not have does not bother him. ~ R’ Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l (1902-1979)
The wise man said to his son, "Guard yourself from jealousy, for it can easily be recognized when your facial expression changes because of the gloom in your heart and why should an enemy of yours rejoice and obtain his vengeance by seeing you in such a state?" ~Orchot Tzadikkim, 14:7
(א) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {פ} (ב) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הַמַּטּ֔וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָֽה׃
(1) So Moses spoke to the Israelites just as יהוה had commanded Moses. (2) Moses spoke to the heads of the Israelite tribes, saying: This is what יהוה has commanded:
(3) If a householder makes a vow to יהוה or takes an oath imposing an obligation on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips.(4) If a woman makes a vow to יהוה or assumes an obligation while still in her father’s household by reason of her youth, (5) and her father learns of her vow or her self-imposed obligation and offers no objection, all her vows shall stand and every self-imposed obligation shall stand.
'וידבר משה אל ראשי המטות....זה הדבר אשר צוה ה, G’d had commanded the basic legislation at Mount Sinai when He had said (Leviticus 19,12) ולא תשבעו בשמי לשקר וחללת וגו' “do not render a false oath in My name and thereby desecrate it.” The plain meaning of that verse had not been that you must not deliberately swear falsely, but that having sworn you must honour your oath in all its details. A woman who is married and therefore subject to restrictions imposed upon her by the authority of her husband, is not considered as having desecrated G’d’s name when violating her vows or oath on that account, provided her husband had declared her vow void.
Any person who can stop his family members from sinning, and does not do so, is punished in their stead for the sins they commit. If he can prevent the people of his city from sinning, he is punished in their place for the sins that they commit. If he can prevent the whole world from sinning, he is punished for the sins of the entire world. ~Talmud, Tractate Shabbat, 54b
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) נְקֹ֗ם נִקְמַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאֵ֖ת הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים אַחַ֖ר תֵּאָסֵ֥ף אֶל־עַמֶּֽיךָ׃ (ג) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵחָלְצ֧וּ מֵאִתְּכֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַצָּבָ֑א וְיִהְיוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן לָתֵ֥ת נִקְמַת־יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּמִדְיָֽן׃
(1) יהוה spoke to Moses, saying, (2) Avenge the Children of Israel on the Midianites; then you shall be gathered to your kin. (3) Moses spoke to the people saying, Let men be picked out from among you for a [militia] campaign, and let them fall upon Midian to wreak יהוה’s vengeance on Midian.
The Hebrew word midian means “strife.” Midian is the essence of divisiveness, which is the root of all evil.
Thus our sages speak of “groundless hatred” as the greatest of evils. In truth, all strife is groundless hatred: the so-called “grounds” that people and nations have for hating and destroying each other are but the various façades of the divisive “I” of Midian—the ego that belies the common source and goal of humanity, and views the very existence of others as an encroachment upon the self.
On the cosmic level, G‑d is the ultimate oneness, and everything G‑dly in our world bears the stamp of His unity. All evil derives from the distortion of this oneness by the veil of divisiveness in which G‑d shrouds His creation.
So before the people of Israel could conquer the “seven nations” that inhabited the land of Canaan—which represent the seven negative traits of the heart—they first had to destroy Midian, which is their source and cause. This is also why the destruction of Midian could be achieved only under the leadership of Moses, who embodied the traits of utter self-abnegation, (and thus) harmony and truth. ~Maamar Heichaltzu ,565
Just as eye glasses made for someone else are not suitable for you, so too all material tools are tailor made for the person to whom they were given.Anyone internalizing this perspective will not feel envious of what others possess.~ R’ Eliyahu Dessler in Michtav MaiEliyahu vol. 1, p. 136
AVENGE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OF THE MIDIANITES; AFTERWARD SHALT THOU BE GATHERED UNTO THY PEOPLE. It was decreed upon our teacher Moses not to cross over the Jordan, but on the other [eastern] side of the Jordan he fulfilled all the commandments [that were necessary] for Israel. Thus he conquered the two great Amorite kings, and divided their land up as an inheritance [amongst the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Menasheh], and it was he who was worthy of executing vengeance upon the enemies of the Eternal, leaving Joshua only the commandment of [conquering and dividing] the Land. Furthermore [this commandment was given to Moses because] the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him honor so that the righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance, this being the meaning of afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses showed honor to Phinehas because he had begun the meritorious task [of punishing the Midianites, by killing Cozbi] and it was up to him to finish it, and therefore he appointed him the anointed priest for this war. It was not fitting that Eleazar should go [as the anointed priest of the war], because he was the High Priest [after the death of Aaron].
“To take G‑d’s vengeance on Midian”—for whoever stands against Israel, stands against G‑d. ~Rashi
G‑d had said to Moses, “Avenge the vengeance of the children of Israel upon the Midianites”; yet Moses said: “To take G‑d’s vengeance on Midian”!
G‑d said to Israel: It is you who have an account to settle with them, for they caused Me to harm you. But Moses said: Master of the worlds! If we had been uncircumcised, or idol worshippers, or had denied the mitzvot, the Midianites would not have hated us. They persecute us only on account of the Torah and the precepts which You have given us! Consequently the vengeance is Yours; and so I say: “To take G‑d’s vengeance on Midian.” ~Midrash Tanchuma
G‑d sees the war on Midian as avenging Israel, for G‑d’s foremost concern is for His people; the people of Israel see the war as avenging G‑d, for they are concerned only with the honor of G‑d. ~The Chassidic Masters
(4) You shall dispatch on the campaign a thousand from every one of the tribes of Israel.” (5) So a thousand from each tribe were furnished from the divisions of Israel, twelve thousand picked for the campaign. (6) Moses dispatched them on the campaign, a thousand from each tribe, with Phinehas son of Eleazar serving as a priest on the campaign, equipped with the sacred utensils and the trumpets for sounding the blasts.
Moses sent . . . Pinchas the son of Elazar the priest (31:6)
Why did he send Pinchas? He said: “The one who began the mitzvah shall finish it.” It was Pinchas who turned away G‑d’s wrath from Israel and smote the Midianite woman; let him finish the sacred task. ~Midrash Rabbah; Rashi
(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 Gadite and Reubenite [leaders] 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 יהוה 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.”
Envy is the result of a feeling of inferiority. If one envies another's beauty, strength or wealth, then he is unhappy with what the Creator, blessed be He, has decreed for him. ~Orchot Tzadikkim, 14:6
(14) And now you, a breed of sinful men have replaced your fathers, to add still further to יהוה’s wrath against Israel. (15) If you turn away from [God], who then 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 the Israelites—every one of them—are in possession of their 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.”
(כ) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה אִֽם־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּן אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה אִם־תֵּחָ֥לְצ֛וּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ (כא) וְעָבַ֨ר לָכֶ֧ם כׇּל־חָל֛וּץ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה עַ֧ד הוֹרִישׁ֛וֹ אֶת־אֹיְבָ֖יו מִפָּנָֽיו׃ (כב) וְנִכְבְּשָׁ֨ה הָאָ֜רֶץ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ וְאַחַ֣ר תָּשֻׁ֔בוּ וִהְיִיתֶ֧ם נְקִיִּ֛ם מֵיְהֹוָ֖ה וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְ֠הָיְתָ֠ה הָאָ֨רֶץ הַזֹּ֥את לָכֶ֛ם לַאֲחֻזָּ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ (כג) וְאִם־לֹ֤א תַעֲשׂוּן֙ כֵּ֔ן הִנֵּ֥ה חֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַיהֹוָ֑ה וּדְעוּ֙ חַטַּאתְכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּמְצָ֖א אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (כד) בְּנֽוּ־לָכֶ֤ם עָרִים֙ לְטַפְּכֶ֔ם וּגְדֵרֹ֖ת לְצֹנַאֲכֶ֑ם וְהַיֹּצֵ֥א מִפִּיכֶ֖ם תַּעֲשֽׂוּ׃ (כה) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בְּנֵי־גָד֙ וּבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֔ן אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ יַעֲשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲדֹנִ֖י מְצַוֶּֽה׃ (כו) טַפֵּ֣נוּ נָשֵׁ֔ינוּ מִקְנֵ֖נוּ וְכׇל־בְּהֶמְתֵּ֑נוּ יִֽהְיוּ־שָׁ֖ם בְּעָרֵ֥י הַגִּלְעָֽד׃ (כז) וַעֲבָדֶ֨יךָ יַֽעַבְר֜וּ כׇּל־חֲל֥וּץ צָבָ֛א לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲדֹנִ֖י דֹּבֵֽר׃
(20) Moses said to them, “If you do this, if you go to battle as shock-troops, at the instance of יהוה, (21) and every shock-fighter among you crosses the Jordan, at the instance of יהוה, until [God] has personally dispossessed the enemies, (22) and the land has been subdued, at the instance of יהוה, and then you return—you shall be clear before יהוה and before Israel; and this land shall be your holding under יהוה. (23) But if you do not do so, you will have sinned against יהוה; 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*behind Lit. “there.” in the towns of Gilead; (27) while your servants, all those recruited for war, cross over, at the instance of יהוה, to engage in battle—as my lord orders.”
Moses said to them . . . “Build cities for your young, and sheepfolds for your sheep” (32:20, 24)
They, on the other hand, had said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our sheep, and cities for our young” (v. 16), giving precedence to their cattle over their children. Said Moses to them: Not so! Make the primary thing primary, and the secondary thing secondary. ~Rashi
"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...~Bamidbar Rabbah, 22
(א) אֵ֜לֶּה מַסְעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצְא֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃ (ב) וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־מוֹצָאֵיהֶ֛ם לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֵ֥לֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶֽם׃
(1) These were the marches of the Israelites who started out from the land of Egypt, troop by troop, in the charge of Moses and Aaron. (2) Moses recorded the starting points of their various marches as directed by יהוה. Their marches, by starting points, were as follows:
אלה מסעי THESE ARE THE JOURNEYS (STAGES) [OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] — Why are these stations recorded here? In order to make known the loving acts of the Omnipresent: that although He had decreed against them to make them move about and wander in the wilderness, you should not think that they wandered and moved about without cessation from one station to another station all the forty years, and that they had no rest, for you see that there are here only forty-two stages. Deduct from them fourteen, all of which were their stopping places in the first year after they left Egypt, before the decree was made, viz., from the time when they journeyed from Rameses until when they came to Rithmah whence the spies were sent out — as it is said. (Numbers 12:16): “And afterwards the people journeyed from Hazeroth, [and encamped in the wilderness of Paran], whereupon the Lord said unto Moses, (Numbers 13:2) "Send thee men [who may search out the land]”; and here (v. 18) it states, “and they journeyed from Hazeroth and they encamped in Rithmah”, so you learn that it (Rithmah) is in the wilderness of Paran. — Further deduct from them the eight stages which were after Aaron’s death viz., those from Mount Hor to the plains of Moab in the fourtieth year (v. 38). It follows that during the whole of the thirty eight years they made only twenty journeys. This is excerpted from the work of R. Moses the Preacher. — R. Tanchuma gave another explanation of it (of the question why these stages are here recorded). A parable! It may be compared to the case of a king whose son was ill and whom he took to a distant place to cure him. When they returned home the father began to enumerate all the stages, saying to him, “Here we slept, here we caught cold, here you had the head-ache, etc.” ~Midrash Tanchuma 4:10:3.
Through mathematical calculations, Rashi, in the name of R. Moshe HaDarshan, reasons that the Israelites really moved around a mere 20 times in 40 years, giving them plenty of time to rest in between stops. The list of places in our parsha testifies to this great mercy on the part of God to allow the people some recuperation along the way. ~Rabbi Erin Smokler
All of the tribulations [in the desert] were birth pangs revealing the divine light. And so it is written, "their starting places according to their journeys by the command [lit. mouth] of the Lord"...This, though, is the difference. "Moses recorded": When Moses was recording the events after the journeys and tribulations were over, everyone could see that their journeys were aimed at bringing out the "mouth" of God. However, while the journeys were happening, they felt only the pain. So the text says "their journeys according to their starting places." ~ Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, Esh Kodesh, Masei 1941
These are the journeys of the children of Israel . . . (33:1)
The forty-two “stations” from Egypt to the Promised Land are replayed in the life of every individual Jew, as his soul journeys from its descent to earth at birth to its return to its Source. ~Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov
The two phrases in the verse capture two different experiences of the same path, two different vantage points by which to assess the journey undertaken. In hindsight, Moshe tells the people, with the perspective of time, know that you have travelled "at the mouth of God, for the sake of God's word". All pain can be redeemed through this ultimate awareness. All aches had an aim. Having (almost) arrived at the destination, one can now be released of the ravages of the route. The challenges of the departure points can now fade in the light of the redemptive arrival. Name them so that you can let them go.
At the end of this book of wanderings, Moshe here offers both perspective on ultimate ends that might serve to lighten loads carried and permission to continue to live with the heaviness of them all. Even, or maybe especially, when redemption comes. ~Rabbi Erin Smokler, Matot-Masei