Two Minute Torah Podcast

Matot-Ma'asei 5770 by Rabbi Joel Alter

Shalom! Welcome to KOACH’s Two Minute Torah, a project of the Department of College Outreach of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. This is Rabbi Joel Alter, school rabbi at JCDS, Boston’s Jewish Community Day School.

In Parshiyot Matot and Ma’asei, our 40 years in the Wildnerness are ending. The entire generation of adults who came out of Egypt has died so a strong generation can go into Canaan and live the life they’ve made a covenant to live.

B’nei Yisrael have conquered lands in the North, just east of the Jordan — east of the Promised Land, that is. The leaders of the tribes of Reuven and Gad and half the tribe of Menasheh - approach Moses. They would rather settle here, in these lands, than settle in Canaan itself. It’s ideal pasture land, you see. It would make the most sense for them because they’re herders — they have tons of sheep and cattle. “So Moshe, if you find us worthy, please don’t send us across the Jordan.”

In other words, they want an exception. They want out of the plan.

Moshe doesn’t respond ... positively. He sees a repeat of the catastrophe of the Spies, when the entire people gave up on the plan once before. If you look at the leaders’ words, you realize they’re thinking more about their sheep than about their children and families. If the people see these 2 ? tribes get an exception, everyone will want an exception. No one will be willing to go into Canaan. Everyone will lose heart. And God, Moshe warns, will not take kindly to them dissing the covenant.

The leaders of the 2 ? tribes hear Moshe and reply. Wait, you’re right. A commentator called the B’chor Shor understands their reply this way: If our tribes get to settle first, on this side of the Jordan, then we should be the first to fight for the land on that side for everyone else. We’ll lead the charge into Canaan, we’ll fight for the people, and only then will we go back and join our families — with the sheep and cattle.

They’re willing to pay a high price for their exception — to take extra care of the community instead of less. Moshe agrees. There is no catastrophe.

The 2 ? tribes? They were right. Shepherds and cowboys have sheep and cows. They always will. And sheep and cows? They need pasture. If settling east of the Jordan is what they need to do to be who they are, then that’s what they need. They need an exception.

Moshe? He was right, too. A covenant is a covenant. A people is a people. The tribes couldn’t just look out for their own interest. They had to see how their move would affect the community.

In the end, the 2 1/2 tribes did see, and it worked out. It was the right kind of exception. Without withdrawing from the community, they got what they needed to be who they are.

Shabbat Shalom.