Shalom Chaverim!
We’ve all had the experience of having said or done something that reveals who we truly are. Sometimes those moments are heroic or profoundly kind, generous, or brave. Often, we find ourselves forced to admit we are not yet the person we aspire towards or think ourselves to be.
The Torah in these week’s parasha, Mattot-Masei, records one of these moments of profound insight into one’s character. Maybe we can learn from it.
The tribes of Israel are about to cross into the Promised Land, finally, after 40 years of preparation. It is clear that moving onto the Land will require war and all manner of difficulties. The tribes’ unity, morale, and faith will be essential.
Yet the tribes of Reuben and Gad ask Moses to release them from this impending and crucial national project 40 years in the making: “The Reubenites and the Gadites owned cattle in very great numbers…[They] came to Moses, Eleazar the priest and the chiefs of the community and said…”The land [still across the Jordan, not yet in the Promised Land] that the Lord has conquered for the community of Israel is cattle country, and your servants have cattle. 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”. [Numbers 32.1-5]
Moses is understandably furious. He thinks back to the last time we were about to go into the Land, when the spies brought back a negative report that dissuaded the people from going forward immediately into the land. The result? Those 40 years of wandering in the desert. Moses reminds Gad and Reuben: “The Lord was incensed at Israel and for forty years God made them wander the wilderness…and now you breed of sinful men…you will bring calamity upon all the people!”
To their credit, the Reubenites and Gadites step up and say, “We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks and towns for our children and we will hasten as shock troops in the vanguard of the Israelites …we will not return until every Israelite is in possession of his portion. [Numbers 10-19]
Moses is somewhat pacified by their offer to serve on the front lines. He does warn them, “If you do not do so, you will have sinned against the Lord; and know that your sin will overtake you. Build towns for your children and sheepfolds for your flocks, but do what you have promised.” [Numbers 23,24]
The Rabbis do not hide their contempt for these tribes. They are condemned for being overly materialistic and foolish. The Midrash [Numbers Rabbah 22.9] calls these tribes foolish because “they made the important trivial and trivialized the important.” How? A careful reading of the Biblical text reveals this. These tribes say to Moses “We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks and towns for our children” [Numbers 32.16]. This is the revealing slip of the tongue. Notice Moses’ response: “Build towns for your children and sheepfolds for your flocks…” [Numbers 22:24]
Moses highlights the tribes’ misplaced values by rearranging the order of their words: They put their cattle before their children. According to the midrash God says, “You loved your cattle more than people, I swear, you will not be blessed.”
The Torah has the rich ability to teach deep values from seemingly simple words, or from the mere change in the order of the words of a Biblical verse. May we learn to recognize what is truly important and distinguish between it and what is of lesser importance in life. May our priorities in practical living truly reflect our best, most enduring, and worthy values.
As we conclude reading the fourth book of the Torah, the Book of Numbers, and we say Chazak Chazak v’Nitchazek – “Be strong, be strong together and we will be strengthened.”
SHABBAT SHALOM!
Rabbi Michael