WRT Torah Study
Matot-Mas‘ey Musings
July 10, 2010
Matot: Num 30:2-32 Mas‘ey: Num 33-36 Middle Third: Num 32-33:49
Prefatory Remarks
I will provide you with three tools which I hope will help you in your study of this double parasha: 1) a brief summary, highlighting the middle third of the parasha which we will concentrate on; 2) seven questions for you to consider while you read Matot- Mas‘ey; and, 3) a map from the excellent Oxford Bible Atlas. The seven questions arise either from the Torah text or from reading respected, scholarly, historical accounts of these events in Ben-Sasson’s History and in Encyclopedia Judaica. I will seek your help in trying to answer these questions—and more—during our study this upcoming Shabbat, or on the weblog. If 7 questions are too many, then focus on the first 4, or even just one of particular interest…….David S
Parasha Summary
Chapter 30
Vows and oaths—obligations for independent men, dependent women & independent women
Chapter 31
God-commanded vengeance on the Midianites; Moses’ anger at the sparing of Midianite women; dividing the booty; levy for Levites and God, through the priests
Chapter 32
Re’uvenites, Gadites, and ½ Menashites (Machir) negotiate a deal with Moses to remain East of the Jordan in Gil‘ad (Trans-Jordan) in return for leading the Israelites in their conquest of the Promised Land
Chapter 33:1-49
Moses’ record of the Israelites’ marches from Egypt to the plains of Mo’av along the Jordan (more detailed than in Khukat)
Chapter 33:50 – 35:8
God’s instructions to Moses for the Israelites to conquer and divide Canaan
Chapter 35:9 – 35:34
God’s instructions regarding the Cities of Refuge
Chapter 36
Marriage implications of God’s ruling on the land holdings of Tzelofekhad’s daughters (which was described earlier in Chapter 27; note: Tzelofekhad was a descendant of Machir)
Seven Questions to Consider While Reading the Parasha
- Why did the Re’uvenites, Gadites & ½ Menashites (Machir) want to stay in Gil‘ad?
- Livestock country? Weren’t Israel’s sons all herdsmen?
- Afraid? Then why volunteer to lead the conquest in the van as khalutzim?
- Security reasons? Some historians acknowledge the Israelites were more successful militarily in the hill country; their enemies in the plains had military technology advantages
- Economic reasons?
- Post-facto rationalization of their historical presence in Trans-Jordan?
- Why does God let the Re’uvenites, Gadites & ½ Menashites (RG½M) settle outside the Promised Land?
- Is this a reward or punishment?
- History shows that despite the Torah’s account of Israelite conquests in Trans-Jordan, the conquered Moabites, ’Amorites, and ‘Ammonites survive and continue to make war on the Israelite presence East of the Jordan. Clearly, then, the RG½M were most exposed to foreign attacks from the East
- Post-facto rationalization of Israelite presence East of the Promised Land?
- Was this “deal” the Torah’s way of harmonizing fraternal discord?
- How has internal, fraternal discord undermined Israel over the millennia?
- Ancient examples? RG½M vs. Moses & the remaining Israelite tribes; Efrayim vs. RG½M in Gil‘ad; the Jewish Rebellions; etc.
- Modern examples? Mitnagdim vs. Hasidim; Ashkenazim vs. Sephardim; German Jews vs. Russian Jews; Haredim vs. secular Jews; Zionists vs. post-Zionists; Israeli Jewry vs. Galut Jewry, living in the “extended Trans-Jordan”; etc.
- What was the real purpose of this RG½M-Moses deal?
- What is the reason for the repetition* or legal dance in the structure of this conditional contract?
- Pretend you are Moses’ General Counsel. Reread 32:29-30. What’s your reaction to these terms? Assuming it is no mistake, what is going on?
- Why is ½ Menashites (Machir) not introduced until 32:33? Were they an afterthought or a later insertion?
- Is the deal securing fair compensation for different real estate preferences? Or, is the deal securing Israelite unity amidst fractured tribes and clans?
- How and when was Trans-Jordan historically settled by Israelites?
- Did it occur as described in the Torah?
- Was Gil‘ad/Trans-Jordan settled as an Eastern expansion from the Promised Land?
- Why do we have another (more detailed) chronology of the Israelites’ trek out of Egypt through the Wilderness?
- Product of multiple authors/redactors?
- Supports the Exodus story with facts on the ground so to speak, despite the absence of scholarly, extra-Scriptural corroboration of a massive Israelite exodus or a single-campaign conquest
- What was the real significance of the sections on the daughters of Tzelofekhad, given that they were descendants of Machir (½ Menashe) and, therefore, potentially with a ceded claim to a share in the Promised Land?
- Sounds attractive to a 21st Century Jew reading from a gender neutral Torah translation
- But, is there really something else going on? Is this about women’s rights? Or, is this about tribal integrity?
- Note: Joshua 17:3-6 implies Menashe’s “daughters”—including those of Tzelofekhad—inherited a portion of the Promised Land, apart from the Trans-Jordanian Machirites. Joshua 22:7 implies ½ Menashe gets Bashan, while the “other half” receives their portion of the territory West of the Jordan.
______________________________
* Conditional contract structure:
- Moses gets angry at RG
- RG proposes deal
- Moses restates the deal, including a penalty for non-compliance
- RG repeats the deal
- Moses commands El‘azar, Yehoshua & tribal heads: if they comply, then they get Gil‘ad; if they don’t comply, then they get their portion of Canaan
- RG reiterates their commitment to the deal
- Moses gives RG½M the Kingdoms of Sikhon, Og & Bashan
- RG (re)build cities in Trans-Jordan; Machir goes to Gil‘ad and conquers the Amorites there
Plaut cites 4 basic principles from Shulchan Aruch: 1) condition must be stated twice—once positively and once negatively; 2) the positive condition must precede the negative; 3) “if” must precede the “what”; and 4) the condition must be fulfillable.
Fox observes Milgrom’s interesting finding of the sevenfold occurrence of “before YHWH” in this contractual construct: 1) 32:20; 2) 32:21; 3-5) 32:22; 6) 32:27; and 7) 32:29.
* * * * * * *
Khazak, khazak, venitkhazek
* * * * * * *
Sources: The Jewish Study Bible, A. Berlin, M. Brettler, M. Fishbane, eds., 2004; The Torah: A Modern Commentary, W.G. Plaut, ed., 1981; The Five Books of Moses, E. Fox, ed., 1997; A History of the Jewish People, H.H. Ben-Sasson, ed., 1976; Encyclopedia Judaica, 2007; Oxford Bible Atlas, 3rd Ed., 1984; www.chabad.org
Here is a follow-up Q:
ReplyDeleteHow do we interpret Moses' initial reaction to RG½M's proposal, in the context of Gil'ad/Trans-Jordan as our first Galut-by-choice? I.e., aren't we all Re'uvenites and Gaddites for choosing to graze our herds outside the Promised Land?
Shabbat shalom.