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Parsha Perspectives by Dovid baslaw

ויאמר משה לבני גד ולבני ראובן האחיכם יבאו למלחמה ואתם תשבו פה ולמה תנואון את לב בני ישראל מעבר אל הארץ (אשר נתן להם ד' (32:6-7

“Moses said to the children of Gad and the children of Reuven, ‘Shall your brothers go out to battle while you settle here? Why do you dissuade the heart of the Children of Israel from crossing to the land that Hashem has given them?’”

At the end of Parshas Chukas, the Jewish people conquered the lands of Sichon and Og, which were just across the Jordan river to the east of the land of Israel proper. In this week’s parsha, the tribes of Gad and Reuven approached Moses with a request. They noticed that these lands were particularly well-suited for raising animals. As these two tribes were blessed with an abundance of livestock, they asked for permission to receive and settle this area as their portion in the land.

Moses responded harshly, questioning why their brethren should go to battle to conquer the rest of the land of Israel while they remain behind living comfortably. He also argued that their actions could dissuade the rest of the Jews from wanting to enter and conquer the land, in a manner similar to the negative report brought back by the spies.

The tribes of Gad and Reuven clarified their intentions, explaining that after they built cities for their families and animals in this region, they would join the rest of the Jews in the battle for the land of Israel proper. Only after it was fully conquered and settled by their brethren would they return to their families. Moses then entered into a legally binding agreement with them to confirm their intentions and in fact, agreed to their request.

The commentaries explain that the two tribes always intended to assist in the conquest of Israel, but because they didn’t see this point as significant, they didn’t say it explicitly until pressed by Moses. Why then was it so important to him to make an explicit, legally-binding agreement with the tribes regarding this point?

In his work Shemen HaTov, Rabbi Dov Weinberger explains that Moses recognized their original good intentions. Nevertheless, he was concerned that after they actually built the cities for their families and animals, they would be tempted to reconsider their plans. After 40 years of wandering through the wilderness in pursuit of a stable home, it would be quite natural for them to be tempted to reevaluate their commitment to spend an additional 14 years helping their brethren conquer and settle the land of Israel.

To prevent this from occurring and to keep their actions consistent with their original intent, Moses insisted on making an explicit and binding agreement with them. Only if they fulfilled their end of the deal by assisting with the conquest of Israel would they be permitted to keep their land on the east side of the Jordan river.

This explanation brings to mind the following story. Rabbi Yosef Yoizel Horowitz, known as the Alter of Novhardok, once. was in doubt whether it was appropriate for him to go to the train station to greet a certain guest who was coming to town. Since it was the middle of the frigid winter, Rabbi Horowitz worried that perhaps he would decide against going not for the right reasons, but because it would have been cold or inconvenient To remove this concern, he traveled to the train station and continued making his decision once he was already there.

Many times in life we are confronted with difficult decisions. When weighing the various factors involved, it is important to be aware of our personal biases and strive to reach conclusions based on pure unbiased thinking. return to top
Ozer Alport can be reached at  ozer@partnersintorah.org

talking points - parshas mattos
Rabbi Elazar Meisels

1. Campaign Promises

“Moshe spoke to the tribal leaders of Bnei Yisroel saying: “This is the word that Hashem has commanded. If a man makes a vow to Hashem or swears an oath; to establish a prohibition upon himself; he may not desecrate his word. He shall do all that he said.” 30:3

• To the tribal leaders – Why were these instructions given first to the tribal leaders, and only afterwards to the rest of the nation? He bestowed honor on the leaders by teaching them first, and only afterwards, all of Bnei Yisroel… – Rashi
• To the tribal leaders – The laws of oaths and vows apply to everyone equally, as both men and women of all ages are prone to uttering them. This reality means that the possibility for numerous violations of their laws is very real. Therefore, the tribal leaders were charged with the duty of ensuring that people not abuse this privilege. – Rabbi Yosef B’chor Shor

Chasam Sofer (Rabbi Moshe Sofer, 1762-1838) explains that leaders often make public promises that they have no intention of keeping, but do so in order to pacify the people or win their votes. Thus, the first people instructed in the laws of keeping one’s vows and oaths were the leaders because they, more than anyone else, needed to hear this message most. Furthermore, their poor track record in this regard was especially likely to erode the people’s respect for the truth since people tend to take their cues from their leaders.

2. Few Against The Many

“Moshe spoke to the people, saying: ‘Arm men from among yourselves for the army and they will be against Midian, to bring revenge of Hashem against Midian…They were handed over from among the thousands of Yisroel, one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed men for the army.’” 31:3:5

• Men – This refers specifically to righteous men. - Rashi
• Men – They had to be both warriors, and extremely G-d-fearing, with a desire to avenge G-d’s honor at the hands of the Midianites who had desecrated it through their despicable actions – Medrash HaGodol
• From among the thousands – The word used by the Torah is “Mei’alfei” which can be translated either as, “among the thousands,” or “from their leaders,” since the root of the word “Aluf,” also means “leader.” This teaches us that Moses chose the warriors from among the leaders of the people, and that they were upstanding and righteous men in keeping with G-d’s instructions. – Ksav V’Kabbalah

Unlike the nations of the world who populate their army with the strongest and most uncouth of men, the Jewish army consisted of its greatest sages and most decent and upstanding members. This is because we know that G-d is our warrior, and that it is He that we rely upon in battle. Jewish history bears witness to the fact that although the Jewish people have rarely outnumbered their enemies, they have enjoyed numerous stunning victories that left mouths agape the world over. This is not because we’re physically overpowering or shrewd tacticians. It’s because Hashem watches over His children even when our loyalty is found lacking.

3. Using Your Gifts To Serve Hashem

“The army officers approached Moshe…And they said to Moshe: “Your servants have taken a census of the soldiers who went out to war and not one of us is missing. We therefore brought an offering for Hashem. Any man who found a gold article: an anklet, a bracelet, a ring, an earring or clasp [has dedicated it for Hashem] to atone for ourselves before Hashem.” - 31:48-50

• And not one of us is missing – They recognized that Hashem had effected an incredible salvation on their behalf, and they wished to demonstrate their appreciation to Him. They also recognized that they had earned His protection by avoiding sin on the battlefield, which is something that they’d fallen prey to the first time they battled Midian. The reason they referred to it as atonement,” was because although they hadn’t actually sinned, they’d contemplated it and wished to atone for that as well. – Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, Nachmanides)
• And not one of us is missing – The numerical equivalent of these words in Hebrew is 718, which is the same as the word, “L’aveiros” [for sins]. This indicates that no man had fallen prey to sin on the battlefield. – Baal HaTurim (Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher, 1270-1340)

The gifts they brought were the jewelry they captured from the Midianites. They specifically offered the jewelry because they recognized that these implements are often used to make a woman appear more attractive and seductive. That is why they were present on the battlefield in the first place. The Jewish men saw them on the women who populated the battlefield, and were momentarily tempted to engage in inappropriate activities. Now that they wished to atone for that, they dedicated these very objects of their desire to be used in the service of Hashem in the Tabernacle. return to top
Rabbi Elazar Meisels can be reached at rabbimeisels@partnersintorah.org 

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Train Tracks Rabbi Elazar Meisels

Dear Rabbi,

I was discussing the mitzvah of Chinuch [training one’s child to perform mitzvot] with my study partner the other night, and she asked me how we know that a person is obligated to do so? She also asked me whether a person is obligated to spend money to do so? I wasn’t sure how to answer her and promised to ask you for sources.
Aidel Penser ,

Aidel,
Thank you for your excellent questions, which I’ll try to answer one at a time. The obligation to train a child in the performance of mitzvot is spelled out in the Talmud [Tractate Chagigah 4a] which states that it is of rabbinic origin. Some of the commentaries suggest that it is loosely based on the verse [Mishlei 22:6] that says, “Train the youth according to his way…” Yet others suggest that it is based on the verse [Bereishis 18:19] regarding Abraham, “I have given him special attention so that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep G-d's way, doing charity and justice...” Of course, the obligation is only to train a child in the mitzvot that he will be obligated in once he reaches the age of Bar/Bas Mitzvah, at which time he’s obligated in the commandments.

There is actually a fascinating debate among the halachic authorities on how to understand this obligation to train a child in mitzvot. Some maintain that the child, while still beneath the age of Bar Mitzvah, is not at all personally obligated in the commandments. Rather, his parents are obligated to train him to perform the mitzvot, but he himself is entirely exempt. Others explain that the child is obligated to perform the mitzvah, although not for its own sake, but in order to train himself to perform them properly so that he’ll be proficient once he grows older. The parents are also obligated to help the child do so. There are a number of practical ramifications to this debate but I’ll leave those for another time.

The Talmud [Succah 42a] makes it clear that the obligation to train a child in a specific mitzvah does not begin until the child is of age to understand what he is doing and why. Thus, one should not train a very young child (who has only just begun to speak) to recite prayers or to don Tefillin. He is incapable of comprehending the significance of these acts, and must be worked with on his own level.

Furthermore, when one trains a child in mitzvot, he should not compromise on the manner in which the mitzvah is fulfilled, but he should make sure that the mitzvah is fulfilled in its entirety. An example of this is the case of an Etrog on Succot, in which one may give a child a lemon as a substitute for the more expensive Etrog.

As far as expending money to assist a child in the performance of a mitzvah, the Talmud [Succah 42a] writes, “The rabbis taught: A minor who knows how to shake the Lulav is bound to perform this duty. If he knows how to wrap himself in a cloth, he is bound to perform the duty of Tzitzit; if he is able to properly care for Tefillin, his father should buy for him a pair of Tefillin.” Clearly, one is obligated to spend money in order to train his child to fulfill mitzvot.

Maimonides writes something fascinating regarding this mitzvah in his Hilchot Teshuvah [10:1&5] about the proper attitude to inculcate in a child in the early stages. He maintains that early on it is not reasonable to expect a child to perform mitzvot out of love of Hashem. In the initial stages of training, therefore, we must talk to the child about the reward for the fulfillment of mitzvot and the punishment for their violation. As a child matures, his parents should help him understand that although reward and punishment are very much Torah-based precepts, there is an even greater reason to observe mitzvot: love of Hashem, and how that should ultimately be the greatest motivation to fulfill a mitzvah. I’ll conclude with a wonderful idea that I saw in Shelah HaKodosh [Shaar HaOssios, Oss Derech Eretz] who writes that one of the easiest, and most effective means of training a child in the performance of mitzvot is for the parent to demonstrate their importance through personal example. A child who witnesses a parent perform a mitzvah with exactitude and enthusiasm is likely to imitate the parents’ example and therefore, through our personal example, we’re training the child to perform mitzvot.

Wishing you great success in your own efforts to educate your children,
Rabbi Elazar Meisels
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Rabbi Elazar Meisels can be reached at rabbimeisels@partnersintorah.org

The Torah teaches that a Jewish army is required to leave one wall unguarded when besieging a city, to allow the inhabitants the option of easy escape, should they wish to flee instead of waging war.

Ramban notes a message in this mitzvah from the fact that we are commanded to leave one side of the city open for escape; the Torah is concerned with the safety of the Jewish attackers. When a person becomes desperate, he will often find the inner strength to accomplish great things that are far beyond what he is able to do under normal circumstances. Indeed, many of the feats of survival and courage during times of war are achieved by otherwise ordinary people, who, had the sheer necessity of the moment not propelled them to rise to the heights of what simply needed to be done, would never have dreamed that they were capable of doing such things. Thus, if the Jewish army would be permitted to fully encircle an enemy city, it is very possible that once the inhabitants would see that they have no escape, they would be motivated — by their own will to survive — to fight with great boldness, and might succeed in killing Jewish soldiers in their efforts to defend their homeland. To ensure that this would not happen, and to help the Jewish army emerge successful and unbloodied in their military campaigns, the Torah mandates that we leave one side of a city unguarded, to allow an enemy easy retreat. This way, the desperation that often breeds great valiancy will never come to be. Since most people, when faced with a choice between fleeing or fighting, will instinctively choose the easier path of flight, the invading Jewish army will benefit by easily capturing the city.

Rabbi Chaim Zaitchik observes that this mitzvah teaches us a powerful lesson that should be applied to our daily lives. A person will invariably serve Hashem on a higher level when he is put into a situation in which he truly feels that there is no option to do anything else — such as when praying during the crucial times of the Yamim Nora'im (High Holidays), or when a loved one is taken ill, G-d forbid. Since he is not distracted by any easier option of ``escape," a person in this circumstance has no choice but to fully devote his energies to achieving his goal. Accordingly, a person should always put himself into a situation of serving Hashem or Torah study that compels him to perform in an outstanding way. In this manner, his spiritual growth will be aided by his natural instinct to produce under pressure. return to top

Hey, I never knew that! By Ozer Alport

Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha   

Q:Parshas Mattos begins with the concept of taking a neder, a vow to Hashem. This concept seems difficult to understand; what is it all about?

A:The Shelah HaKadosh (Rabbi Yeshaya Hurwitz, 1560-1630) writes that if one wishes to understand the true significance and depth of any idea in the Torah, one need only examine its meaning in the place where it first appears in the Torah. In the case of a vow, Rabbi Gedaliah Schorr notes that it first appears in the beginning of Parshas Vayeitzei (Genesis 28:20-22): Jacob took a vow, saying that “If Hashem will be with me … then this stone which I have made as a pillar will become a House for Hashem.” We similarly find in Psalms (132:2-5) the concept of a vow associated with Jacob’s idea of making a dwelling place for Hashem: he (King David) swore to Hashem and vowed to the Strong One of Jacob (Hashem), “If I enter the tent of my home … until I find a place for Hashem, resting places for the Strong One of Jacob.”

The Torah is teaching us that vows are connected to the idea of a Holy dwelling place for Hashem. Indeed, Rabbeinu Bechaye writes that the Hebrew word for a vow, a neder (נדר) is linguistically derived from the word דירה לד' (dira)– a dwelling place for Hashem. It isn’t a coincidence then that this parsha is always read during the mourning period known as theThree weeks, when our focus should be on recognizing the tragedy of what we lost when the Holy Temple was destroyed, and on strengthening ourselves to build a resting place for Hashem within us.

Q: Although the Torah seems to require (36:6) the daughters of Tzelofchad to marry men from their father's tribe (Menashe), the Talmud (Bava Basra 120a) teaches that this wasn't a commandment but rather a piece of good advice that Hashem told Moses to give to them. Even so, the Torah testifies that although not obligated to do so, they followed Hashem's "advice" and each found a man from her father's tribe to marry. As the Torah is eternal and relates only that which is relevant, what lesson can we take from here?

A:Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin notes that one might think that it would be difficult to find an appropriate spouse if one's dating pool is artificially reduced by 11/12. We would therefore expect that at least some of Tzelofchad’s daughters would feel forced to ignore Hashem's non-binding advice, especially when considering that the Talmud in Bava Basra (120a) teaches that all of them had already reached the age of 40. The Torah therefore emphasizes that no matter how limited they felt their options may be, each recognized that their match is arranged by Hashem, Who, through special Divine Providence brings it about. Each understood that the apparent reduction in the size of their dating pool needn't force them to remain single or to marry someone inappropriate. Following Hashem's advice allowed each one to restrict their dating pool … to their one pre-destined bashert!

Ozer Alport can be reached at ozer@partnersintorah.org return to top

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