Matot/Ma’asei; Numbers 30:2- 36:13 By: Rabbi Denise L. Eger

These two portions are combined to make one portion for this week. In a leap year these two are separated to account for the additional Sabbaths because of the addition of a leap month (Adar II). Matot/Ma’asei are the last two portions in the book of Numbers. The Children of Israel are in the steppes of Moab on the eastern side of the Jordan River almost ready to cross into the Promised Land. Moses is still in leadership along with Eleazar the High Priest who assumed the Priestly office upon his father, Aaron’s death.

Two of the tribes Gad and Reuben send their leaders to speak with Moses. They wish to stay on the eastern side of the Jordan River and stake out their claim to the land. Although it is clear from the text that the Promised Land lies across the River Jordan –the Torah tells us that since it is such good grazing land for cattle and that they are cattle herders they requested to settle there (Num. 32:4). “Do not move us across the Jordan.” (Num. 32:5), their leaders plead. The leaders of these tribes make the claim that God conquered the local tribes for the community Israel even though this is technically not the Promised Land.

Moses is afraid that granting their request will keep the Israelites from their divine task of conquering the Promised Land. Moses reminds them of the spies whose lies about the Promised Land caused the children of Israel a forty year delay before they could enter. And now the Children of Israel are about to finally cross over the Jordan and stake their claim to the sacred land of Israel promised to Abraham and the Israelites. But these tribes appear to want out of their responsibility to make the promise real!

The Gadites and Reubenites promise to still fulfill their obligations to the whole People of Israel by promising to participate in conquering and delivering the Promised Land to the People Israel. They agree to send their men forward to fight even as their children, wives and livestock will stay behind on the steppes of Moab. The leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben say “Whatever the Eternal has spoken concerning your servants that we will do. We ourselves will cross over as shock troops at the instance of the Eternal into the land of Canaan,” (Numb 32:32-32).

While Gad and Reuben seek what is best for their families and clans there is still the issue of responsibility to the Israelite nation. While they convince Moses and the other elders that they should be able to dwell east of the Jordan it comes with the obligation to help the other tribes fulfill God’s promise and eternal plan.

We must learn from this important example. Even as we all do what is best for ourselves and our own families—there is another family that we Jews are part of. We are a part of the People Israel. Our covenant with God is also a covenant with one another and we do have common obligations to help our people thrive. The personal decisions we make do not just impact our own small sphere of influence but does impact the Jewish world. Decisions made about who we marry—Jewish or not? How we raise our children, or whether we have children or not may seem like personal decisions. But they also affect greatly the Jewish people. If we choose to support non-Jewish tzedakah always over Jewish tzedakah opportunities do we diminish the Jewish world? In light of the story of the tribe of Gad and Reuben if we do not make Aliyah to Israel what ought to be our relationship to Israel and what is our obligation/responsibility/privilege to help our brother and sisters in Israel?

These questions of particularism and universalism, personal and national are part of the balance of what makes us a Jew in the 21st century, no less than it was for the Gadites and Reubenites so many centuries ago. The torah’s answer is clear—dwell nearby, even outside the Promised Land—but remember your responsibility. We would do well to honor our responsibilities in the same way by also taking into account our own responsibilities to help the Jewish people thrive and grow both in Israel and around the world through out actions, decisions and support!

Posted by Aaron at July 9, 2007 10:15 AM