Weekly Reading Insights: Mattot-Masei
5780
Weekly Reading Insights: Mattot-Masei
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Overview of the
Torah Reading
To be read on Shabbat Mattot/Massei, 26 Tammuz 5780/July
18, 2020
Torah: Numbers 30:2-36:13
Haftorah: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4, 4:1-2 (2nd haftorah of
affliction)
Pirkei Avot: Chapter
1
Blessing of the New Month
Mattot is the 9th Reading out of 10 in Numbers and it contains 5652 letters, in 1484 words, in 112 verses
Massei is the 10th Reading out of 10 in Numbers and it contains 5773 letters, in 1461 words, in 132 verses
Mattot opens with laws concerning
making vows and their annulment. Next, G-d commands the Jews to take vengeance
on Midian for having deliberately caused them to sin. After killing, capturing,
and plundering the Midianites, the Jews are commanded how to purify themselves
and the spoil. The spoil is divided according to G-d’s command, and a part is
dedicated to the Sanctuary. Remarkably (31:48-49) not a single Jew was killed
in the battle with Midian. Mattot ends with the tribes of Reuven and
Gad requesting to live in the conquered lands (that were not originally intended
to be part of the Land of Israel). They are granted permission on condition
that they only permanently settle this land after the rest of the Jews conquer
and divide the Land of Israel on the opposite side of the Jordan River.
Massei begins listing
the 42 different journeys the Jews traversed during their 40 years in the desert.
Then, G-d commands that when the Jews will cross the Jordan to conquer the land
of Canaan, they must completely drive out the inhabitants and destroy all idolatry.
The Land is then to be divided according to tribes and families through a special
type of Divinely conducted lottery system. G-d also defines the specific borders
of the Land and lists leaders from each tribe who will help parcel out the Land.
The Levites are also to be given 48 residential cities. These include 6 cities
of refuge-havens to which the accidental murderer escapes from the blood avenger,
a relative of the killed. Here are detailed many laws concerning intentional
and unintentional bloodshed. The parsha ends with the tribe of Menashe complaining
that their tribal inheritance would be diminished due to the daughters of Tzelofchad
inheriting their father’s portion. The sisters are then told that if they want
to keep the inheritance, they must marry only men from their own tribe ensuring
that their sons who inherit the land would also be from the tribe of Menashe.
With the conclusion of Massei, we complete the book of Bamidbar (Numbers). Chazak,
Chazak, Venitchazek!
An
Essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, Director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click here)
This week's Torah portion comprises the two portions Matot and Massei
together. In general, we understand that each person's soul is connected to
the Torah portion of the week and we can find lessons about how to successfully
navigate the challenges in our lives by looking closely at the words and commentaries
on the portion. The Shelah [1] takes this a step further, teaching that the
Torah portions can also be connected to Jewish calendar events. Specifically,
he writes that Matot, Massei and Devarim are always read during the annual three-week
mourning period between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, when we remember,
commemorate and relive the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem. We want
to find a connection between the names of the portions and this sad time so
we will know how we can maximize the unique spiritual energy of this period.
The first portion is called Matot. When referring to the twelve tribes the Torah
uses two different names, shevet and mateh. A shevet is
the softer and more flexible branch of a tree because it still contains the
moisture from the tree whether it is attached or not. The word mateh
refers to a staff, a stiff branch, usually referring to a branch when it is
cut from the tree. The advantage of the shevet is its resilience. The
advantage of the mateh is its strength.
How do these two different names relate to our connection to G-d during these
days? The idea of a shevet refers to the Jewish people when they were
connected to their source. On a human level, when a person is in the security
of their home, small things do not bother them so much. They are flexible and
resilient because they are secure. For the Jewish people as a whole, this is
when the holy Temple stood and we were in our land. We were literally able to
go up to Jerusalem., see the miracles in the Temple and bow to the Almighty.
We were connected to the Supernal Tree Above.
A mateh on the other hand reflects the level of the Jewish people when
they are exiled from their home and the natural and innate connection to G-d
is not obvious, the miracles are hidden, when even simple moves forward to connect
to G-d are fraught with difficulties and obstacles.
This is why the Torah uses the word mateh as the name of the portion
that we always read during this sad period. This is the staff, that even though
it is cut from the tree, it becomes hard and strong, so are the Jewish people.
It is specifically during times when the going gets tough that our strength
is revealed and we are able to overcome all obstacles, be victorious over our
internal and external enemies and come to a level of completion, above and beyond
what could have been reasonably expected. We transform the sadness of the exile
into the sweetness of accomplishment and personal redemption that will bring
the complete redemption for all.
(Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Likkutei Sichot. Volume 33. Page 195 onwards).
This is the meaning of mateh. That during exile and trial, we overcome,
like a strong and inflexible staff.
We couple this with the second portion, that of Massei. Massei means journey
and the connection is obvious. Even if we are not in our secure home space and
it feels that we are on a seemingly endless journey,, we cannot give up. We
must and can rely on our mateh energy, the firmness and strength that comes
to a Jew when he or she is challenged. This will eventually bring us to our
goal.
Matot and Massei - firmness even when the journey is long and arduous.
In the first verse of Massei itself there is an interesting commentary by the
Malbim [2] (from Rabbi Chaim Y Zuckerman. Otzar Chaim). Usually when we travel
the focus is on where we are going. Why is the first verse (Bamidbar/Numbers
33:1), "These are the journeys of the Jewish people who are leaving Egypt"?
It should have said, "These are the journeys of the Jewish people on their
way to the land of Israel". The answer is totally clear. The purpose of
the journey of forty years in the desert was to purify them from all their impurities
and bad traits they had absorbed during the exile in Egypt. To prepare them
to enter the holy land on the highest level. Since the primary purpose was to
cleanse them, the verse refers to leaving Egypt.
The Meiri [3] (Lubavitcher Rebbe. Dvar Malchut. Massei. 1991) gives this negative
view a positive twist. How could G-d have possibly destroyed the Temple? The
Temple was the ultimate dwelling place for G-d in the world. All the potential
for all of the focus of the spiritual power of Jewish people was there. No matter
what the reason, how could G-d have possibly destroyed His dwelling place, His
home on earth?
The Meiri answers with an analogy. When a person buys a property of old buildings,
a lot has to happen as preparation for the property's development. Licenses
have to be arranged, plans made and approved, staff found and organized. When
it is finally time to tear down the existing structures the investor celebrates!
With great relief he exclaims, "We are finally starting!" How can
a person celebrate when a building is being torn down? Simple. If the purpose
of tearing it down is to erect a better building that will stand for a very
long time, even the destruction is a time for celebration. The destruction of
the Temples, like the long journey of exile we, the Jewish people, are still
experiencing, has an inner purpose - the rebuilding of thethird Temple that
will never be destroyed and the arrival of all the Jewish people together in
the holy Land, may it be quickly in our days.
[1] Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horowitz. 1560 - 1630. Author of SheneiLuchot HaBrit,
a work of biblical commentary and Jewish law, and is usually referred to as
"the SHeLaH", the acronym of its title.
[]2 Acronym of Rabbi Meir Leib ben Yechiel Michel Wisser. 1809-1879. Ukraine.
Biblical commentator.
[3] Rabbi Menachem ben Solomon Meiri. 1249-1310. Provence, France. Author of
Beit HaBechirah, commentary on the Talmud.
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul.
________________________________________
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For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading,
see the archive.
FROM THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org
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of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists,
and more,
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one sample:
Contemporary Kabbalists
Moses, Warrior of Peace
Adapted by Yosef Marcus from a discourse of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
In the First Temple era the Jews committed major sins that were clearly evil
and therefore easily recognized and repented of. Their exile lasted only seventy
years.
But during the Second Temple era, the primary sin of the Jews was senseless hatred; subtler and more difficult to correct. Thus the second exile lasts much longer, due to the length of time necessary to recognize the evil and repent.
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