Matos
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Vengeance!
The Torah emphasizes revenge twice in these parshios:
1. In the beginning of Matos Moshe is asked to take Hashem’s revenge for the Jewish people and then die. Does his death connect to revenge? Yes. It’s a comfort to see payback on your enemies before you die. Moshe earned that. Because getting even is sometimes important. [-Midrash]
2. In Masai, the blood-avenger, relative of the victim, ought to kill the murderer. Don’t pity the murderer, ‘for blood has corrupted the earth, and the earth cannot be atoned… but with the killer’s blood’.
Getting even is an expression of justice – let the score be settled. Unless revenge is extracted, the balance is out: the one has injured the other. With revenge, things are normalized, and balance restored.
However, the Torah prohibits taking revenge. ‘Take no revenge against the sons of your people’. How can that fit with the revenge spoken of here?
The Rambam (Hilchos Deos) explains that we refrain from revenge because most things are not worthwhile. Someone insulted us. Or didn’t lend us their pen; ought we avenge that? Isn’t it silly? The Torah is telling us not to be petty-minded! It follows, though, that if this why we don’t avenge, then in a significant matter, such as murder or incitement to sin, revenge would be appropriate. And a mitzvah!
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Settling The Score
When Moshe asked the Jews to go fight the Midianites, they refused. They needed to be impressed into service. They knew that Moshe would die after this war, and demonstrated their love for him. (Rashi) Who had told them that info, and why?
It can only be that Moshe himself had told them, because Hashem had directed him to discuss it with the nation. Why did the Jews need to know?
This battle was a personal satisfaction for Moshe. The Midianites had deeply injured the Jews, and the debt was still unpaid. The war was payback. Moshe would merit seeing this: ‘take revenge from the Midianites and (only) then die’. The Jews needed to learn that Hashem was holding off Moshe’s death so that he could have the satisfaction of seeing revenge. They needed to know that Hashem cares for His tzaddikim, even resolving their insults.
And reading this parshah, we know it too.
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Levels Of Obligation
Of from the soldiers’ tithe it says ‘…from people (captives), cattle, donkeys and sheep’ (only these were tithed – Chizkuni). The Jews however, tithed the above and ‘…from all the other animals’ too. Why? The soldiers gave one of five hundred; the other Jews gave one out of fifty. (Ten times as much!) Why?
One is obligated to be more generous with windfall money than with money earned. It’s more difficult to part with hard earned cash, so less is expected of him. The soldiers had worked hard. So they tithed only certain animals and only 1/500. The Jews did not work for that money, so they tithed all at 1/50.
The lesson? Don’t easily compare your donation to anyone else’s. You may be obligated more, or you might have less responsibility. To each their own.
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Coming Clean
Moshe exhorted the tribes ‘Be clean before Hashem and Jewry!’ Even if you are correct, take care that others accept that. Why? If I’m doing the correct thing, why do I need to be justified to my fellowman’s eyes; why give a hoot about what he thinks!?
The requirement to be “yotzai peoples opinion” is just as one needs to “be yotzai Hashem’s opinion” (-Meseches Kallah ch. 8) and its connected with loving fellow Jews. Here is the connection: Our brotherhood lies in that we are all Hashem-servers. We share a life-goal. Putting yourself in suspicion of sin, is removing oneself from the brotherhood. It undermines the very basis of loving fellow Jews.
Keeping yourself above suspicion, is living together as a group. You owe it to your fellows to stick together, you owe it to them that they think well of you!
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Seize The Inspiration!
When the generals saw that not a soldier was lost, they offered a Korbon to Hashem; a gift of the most sensual and seductive jewelry around. Why this?
Perhaps they responded to Hashem’s sign of love by embracing spirituality, renouncing sensuousness to a degree. They felt closeness with Hashem, and they knew to capitalize on it, and propel themselves to be more. They symbolized this by giving away the objects of sensuality that they had won; We are holier now. We are more spiritual.
The lesson for us is that when inspiration strikes, capture it in an action. Create lasting value of it.
P.s.; That’s why inspiration strikes! Think of it as a man lost at night. He strikes a match. It lasts but a second or two, but gains him his bearings. Inspiration is a lit match – use it to align yourself!
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But It Costs…
Eliezer is the one who teaches the laws of purifying utensils used for non-kosher food. Where was Moshe?? Rashi explains that Moshe had became angry at the soldiers returning with the women, who were the very cause of all the trouble, instead of killing them. As a result of his anger he forgot the laws, and ELiezer taught them instead.
Eliezer quoted Moshe, saying “These are the laws that Hashem has taught Moshe”. Rashi explains that he wanted to grant Moshe the proper credit. Wasn’t it the case that Moshe was not granted this parsha on account of his getting angry? Why credit him?
We suggested that Moshe was entirely correct in getting angry. Indeed, the soldiers had done the wrong thing and totally missed the pint. And yet, for all that, anger makes one forget Torah. It clouds the mind and makes one emotional, not rational. It needed to be done, but carried a price.
This is the lesson for us: before getting angry, consider the cost. You may be in the right, and entitled to be angry, but it will have a price.
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Masai
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The Story IS The Message
The Parshah begins with a list of the Jewish camps through the desert. Why are these necessary?
Rashi answers that we are like a prince who became deathly ill. The royal physician suggested a trip so that he recover. So the king took his son and they traveled long and hard, finally reaching where they needed. The prince recovered. On the journey back, the king showed his son “Here you had a violent headache, there you began vomiting etc.”
What is the lesson in this parable?
Perhaps indeed there is no lesson whatsoever, and that’s the whole idea. Hashem is the king, simply reminiscing with his son, Prince Yisroel about times they shared. He cares about His People and the little episodes are meaningful to Him. There is no lesson here, just a huge message of caring and love…
That’s huge. Why did I think there was no message?
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The Meaning In Our Travels
The Parshah begins with stops the Jews made in their desert travels. What is the purpose of recounting this? (See Rashi, Ramban) I saw that Rabbi Sternbuch explained how this recounts the compliance the Jews had with Hashem’s wishes. Sometimes the campgrounds were not to their liking at all – too many mosquitoes and no shade. Yet they were told to stay there for month on end. And they did. Sometimes they reached a dream spot, only to be told two days later that it was time to leave. And they did. Sometimes they would reach a place and unpack, only to be told an hour later to pack back up, because they were leaving. And they did!
These travels really are the record of the Jewish People’s compliance with Hashem’s wishes.
We added that at the end of forty years the Jews were like soldiers; they did Hashem’s bidding, almost automatically.
Traveling and camping are parables for our trip through life; we so often do not call the shots, rather Hashem does. And we are the soldiers, complying with His will. There is no “What if?”, no regrets for paths not taken. Rather there is quiet joy at being called to the flag, to the service of Hashem.
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Vigilantism
The Chinuch considers it a specific mitzvah that when we see someone murder or do anything else that one incurs the death penalty for, that we not take matters into our on hands, but rather submit the affair to beis din. Even today, when there is no option of going to beis din, the mitzvah that we not take matters into our own hands persists.
The exception to the rule is those people that pose active interference and danger. The Rambam and Shulchan Aruch records that Jewish idol-worshipers or those who do aveiros in spite – even merely eating non-kosher or wearing shaatnez, – or those atheists who deny the validity of Torah or prophesy, it is virtuous to kill them. If possible, kill them outright. If not, use subterfuge to assassinate them. For example, if one of them goes up to a roof, steal the ladder, pretending some great need, etc.
Perhaps it can be classified as follows: we do not administer punishment. Only Beis Din, representing Hashem Himself, can presume to do so. However the common good must be preserved, and that includes even killing those who pose a threat to our physical and spiritual wellbeing. Or perhaps the idea is that with certain behaviors, these folk have placed themselves outside the pale of decent society, and the prohibition against killing is not about them. They are not to be executed, rather their lives are not protected by law.
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The Kollel Boys
The Torah allots 48 cities for the Levi’im – six cities of refuge plus forty two more. The truth is that all forty eight provided refuge to an accidental killer, the only differences being if the residents paid rent to the Levi’im and if the cities afforded refuge without the person intending to seek it. Why were the cities of the Levi’im chosen for refuge?
The Chinuch gives two reasons: the cities that Levi’im lived in were holy, and provided additional atonement for the killer. Also, the killer needed to be among people who would accept them despite their past. Levi was the tribe who “said that his father and mother he did not recognize, nor did he know his own sons, rather they watched Your commands and Your bond they kept.” They would be able to set aside their prejudice against someone who murdered their friend, and treat them decently.
We suggested a third path. Levi was not granted a portion in the Land, for “Hashem is their portion” instead. Perhaps this was absolute – not even their cities were really theirs, rather they served as caretakers of those cities, whose actual function was to protect accidental murderers. Thats why the cities needed to be cities of refuge, for only then were Levi granted them to live in.
Levi served Hashem and His people. In return, Levi received what he needed. He was not granted a portion, and left to work it out on his own, rather as he had needs, Hashem met them. This is a model to the way Hashem deals with those that are devoted to Him, as the Rambam says; not merely Levi, but indeed any man who has devoted himself to Hashem’s service will be sanctified and provided for.
Kollel life, in a nutshell…
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Eye Candy
The Torah specifies that the Levi’im be given 48 cities in Eretz Yisroel, each with a two thousand amah commons around the city. This place was to remain empty, and beautified the city. It was a park of sorts. As this is not found by other cities, we assume that only because we honor the Levi’im do their cities need to be handsome. Ordinary cities do not need to be so fancy.
So is the Torah concerned with the city planning? It would seem that as you may design your home as you wish, so too you can design your city. Certain things are nice to have, and greenery is certainly refreshing, but it is not a Torah mandate.
The moral: there are things better left to each individual’s tastes…
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Sh’china And Accidents
When the Kohen Gadol dies, an accidental-murderer may leave the city of his refuge, which protected him until now. He had fled there after the accident so the blood-avenger not kill him. Now he is atoned for; no one may touch him. How are fatal accidents tied to the Kohen Gadol? Why does he atone for them?
Accident are tragedies that just came together in a bad way. One fellow carelessly chops wood, the other drifts into the danger zone and gets hit. There is no plot, no real guilt. Coincidental tragedy means that Shchinah, – Hashem’s revealed Hand, – is missing. Happenstance governs. Bringing Shchinah is the Kohen Gadol’s job. The Kohen Gadol is accountable for praying that mishaps don’t happen. This is the responsibility a Kohen Gadol bears for accidents.
The lesson: Shchina and accidents don’t go together. Bring the Shchina closer – help keep us safe!
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Win Win
The Torah specified that female first-generation land occupiers marry into her own tribe. Limited to that generation, a holiday – Tu B’av – was established at its official dissolution, which allowed the shvatim to marry one another.
Why was the mitzvah established only for that generation? If the claim of the Bnei Menashe – that they lose when a land owning woman married into another tribe and then bequeathed her property to her sons – was valid, why isn’t this a permanent mitzvah? (Truth is that the argument seems specious – because the same process can add new land to Menashe too!)
Perhaps Bnos Tzelofchad were correct. Indeed, the land was theirs, and they ought not to be limited in their options. Yet Bnei Menashe worried that their territory would become compromised. Very worried. The Torah pointed to a basic principle: right as you may be, if you can easily accommodate the next guy, please do so. Do not stand on your rights.
Some people say this still applies today. You think?
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Double Sided Warheads
If we do not wipe out the evil nations we find in Israel, the Torah warns, ‘they will be a thorn in your side and a pain in your eyes. And as I planned to do with them, I shall do with you!’
The forces of destruction have been loosed. They are designed to crush the wicked people living in Canaan. But take care: if those forces are not used against them, they will turn against you, and destroy you. Terrible!
Evil is not neutral. You are either part of the solution or part of the problem. And ‘then as I planned for them, I will do to you…’