Matot begins with an account of how Moses instructed the leaders of the tribes about vows and oaths – how they should be kept and how they may be annulled. The Israelites are commanded to wage war against the Midianites because of their hostility. There is an account of what is to be done with the spoils of war. Two…
The parsha of Matot begins with a passage about vows and oaths and their annulment. It uses vocabulary that was later to be adopted and adapted for Kol Nidrei, the annulment of vows on the eve of Yom Kippur. Its position here, though – near the end of the book of Numbers – is strange. The Torah has been describing…
The Parsha in a Nutshell Parshat Matot begins with Moshe teaching the people about promises – vows and oaths – how they should be kept and how they can be cancelled. Two tribes, Reuven and Gad, together with half the tribe of Menashe, then ask permission to dwell on the east side of the River Jordan where the land is…
The book of Bamidbar comes to a close that is very strange indeed. Earlier in the parsha of Pinchas we read of how the five daughters of Tzelophehad came to Moses with a claim based on justice and human rights.[1] Their father had died without sons. Inheritance – in this case, of a share in the land – passes through…
The Parsha in a Nutshell This summary is adapted from this week’s main Covenant & Conversation essay by Rabbi Sacks, available to read in full via the left sidebar (or below, if you are viewing this on your phone) The book of Bamidbar comes to a close that is very strange indeed. Earlier, in Pinchas,we read of how the five…
The Parsha in a Nutshell Parshat Matot begins with Moshe instructing the leaders of the tribes about how to keep vows and oaths, as well as how to annul them. The Israelites are then commanded to wage war against the Midianites because of their hostility towards them. There is an account of what is to be done with the spoils…
There are moments when Divine Providence touches you on the shoulder and makes you see a certain truth with blazing clarity. Let me share with you such a moment that happened to me this morning. For technical reasons, I have to write my essays for the Covenant & Conversation series many weeks in advance. I had come to Matot-Masei, and…
…Matot is of the highest consequence. It arose like this: The Israelites were on the last stage of their journey to the Promised Land. They were now situated on the east bank of the Jordan, within sight of their destination. Two of the tribes, Reuben and Gad, who had large herds and flocks of cattle, felt that the land upon…
…about Rabbi Rabinovitch, please see the Covenant & Conversation essay entitled “My Teacher: In Memoriam”, written for Matot-Masei. [3] According to midrashic tradition (Midrash Aggadah, Pesikta Zutreta, Sechel Tov et al.), Judah was “sent down” or excommunicated by his brothers for convincing them to sell Joseph, after the grief they saw their father suffer. See also Rashi ad loc. [4]…
The Israelites were almost within sight of the Promised Land. They had successfully waged their first battles. They had just won a victory over the Midianites. There is a new tone to the narrative. We no longer hear the querulous complaints that had been the bass note of so much of the wilderness years. We know why. That undertone was…