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Matot – Mas’ei – מַטּוֹת – מַסְעֵי (Numbers 30:2–36:13)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Matot – Mas’ei – מַטּוֹת – מַסְעֵי (Numbers 30:2–36:13)

“Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here?” Numbers 32:6

All of the people of Israel are responsible to each other, we care about our people, our family, it should not matter where we live, we should always feel the pains and joys of each other.

Parsha Matot – Mas’ei – מַטּוֹת – מַסְעֵי Torah Summary:

Moses explains to the Israelites the laws concerning vows made by men and women. (30:2—17) Israel wages war against the Midianites. (31:1—18) The laws regarding the spoils of war are outlined. (31:19—54) The tribes of Reuben and Gad are granted permission to stay on the east bank of the Jordan River. (32:1—42) The itinerary of the Israelites through the wilderness from Egypt to Jordan is delineated. (33:1-49) Moses tells Israel to remove the current inhabitants of the land that God will give them and to destroy their gods. (33:50-56) The boundaries of the Land of Israel are defined, along with those of the Levitical cities and the cities of refuge. (34:1-35:15) God makes a precise distinction between murder and manslaughter. (35:16-34) The laws of inheritance as they apply to Israelite women are delineated. (36:1-13) Matot – Mas’ei – מַטּוֹת – מַסְעֵי “Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here?” Numbers 32:6 All of the people of Israel are responsible to each other, we care about our people, our family, it should not matter where we live, we should always feel the pains and joys of each other.

Pinchas – פִּינְחָס (Numbers 25:10−30:1)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Pinchas – פִּינְחָס (Numbers 25:10−30:1)

כֵּ֗ן בְּנ֣וֹת צְלׇפְחָד֮ דֹּבְרֹת֒ נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ אֲחֻזַּ֣ת נַחֲלָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֣י אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ן לָהֶֽן׃

“The Daughters of Zelophead are just in their words, surely give to them a hereditary holding among the kinsmen of their father; transfer the share of their father to them.” Numbers 27:7

Although property laws in the Torah heavily favored male heirs, the Daughters of Zelophead, Mahlah, Noah, Holgah, Milcah, and Tirzah, stood up for equality and fought for their right to inherit what was rightfully theirs. Sometimes, even when words of Torah seem clear, it is our job, just like the Daughters of Zelophead, to push the boundary even further, making Jewish life, law, and practice more radically inclusive and meaningful.

Parsha Pinchas – פִּינְחָס Torah Summary:

Pinchas is rewarded for killing the Israelite and the Midianite woman who cursed God. (25:10–15) Israel fights a war against the Midianites. (25:16-18) A second census is taken. (26:1–65) The daughters of Zelophehad force a change in the laws of property inheritance. (27:1–11) Joshua is chosen to be Moses’ successor. (27:15–23) The sacrificial ritual for all festival occasions is described in detail. (28:1–30:1) Pinchas – פִּינְחָס כֵּ֗ן בְּנ֣וֹת צְלׇפְחָד֮ דֹּבְרֹת֒ נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ אֲחֻזַּ֣ת נַחֲלָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֣י אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ן לָהֶֽן׃ “The Daughters of Zelophead are just in their words, surely give to them a hereditary holding among the kinsmen of their father; transfer the share of their father to them.” Numbers 27:7 Although property laws in the Torah heavily favored male heirs, the Daughters of Zelophead, Mahlah, Noah, Holgah, Milcah, and Tirzah, stood up for equality and fought for their right to inherit what was rightfully theirs. Sometimes, even when words of Torah seem clear, it is our job, just like the Daughters of Zelophead, to push the boundary even further, making Jewish life, law, and practice more radically inclusive and meaningful.

Balak – בָּלָק (Numbers 22:2−25:9)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Balak – בָּלָק (Numbers 22:2−25:9)

מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel. Numbers 24:5

At a moment in the Torah when Balak, the king of Moab, feared the Israelites and all the amazing things they were able to do with the help of their God, he sent Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet to curse the People of Israel. Instead of cursing the People, Balaam ends up blessing them, instead, with the words that we sing at the beginning of our services. May we have the courage to be like our ancestors, inspiring those around us to bless us, even when it feels like the world is trying to curse us.

Parsha Balak – בָּלָק Torah Summary:

Balak, the king of Moab, persuades the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites so that he can defeat them and drive them out of the region. However, Balaam blesses the Children of Israel instead and prophesies that Israel’s enemies will be defeated. (22:2-24:25) God punishes the Israelites with a plague for consorting with the Moabite women and their god. The plague is stayed after Pinchas kills an Israelite man and his Midianite woman. (25:1-9) Balak – בָּלָק מַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel. Numbers 24:5 At a moment in the Torah when Balak, the king of Moab, feared the Israelites and all the amazing things they were able to do with the help of their God, he sent Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet to curse the People of Israel. Instead of cursing the People, Balaam ends up blessing them, instead, with the words that we sing at the beginning of our services. May we have the courage to be like our ancestors, inspiring those around us to bless us, even when it feels like the world is trying to curse us.

Chukat – חֻקַּת (Numbers 19:1−22:1)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Chukat – חֻקַּת (Numbers 19:1−22:1)

וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם׃

Moses raised his hand, striking the rock with his staff twice, causing great waters to come forth [from the rock]. Then the community and their animals drank from it. Numbers 20:11

In this dramatic moment in the Torah narrative, Moses lets his anger get the best of him, causing him to directly go against what God instructed him to do, hitting the rock instead of speaking to it. We are told that because of this, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Despite this, Moses is still known in our tradition as the greatest there ever was, showing us that everyone, even Moses, can make mistakes. May we have the compassion to forgive ourselves for our missteps, and the wisdom to learn from our mistakes.

Parsha Chukat – חֻקַּת Torah Summary:

The laws of the red heifer to purify a person who has had contact with a corpse are given. (19:1-22) The people arrive at the wilderness of Zin. Miriam dies and is buried there. (20:1) The people complain that they have no water. Moses strikes the rock to get water for them. God tells Moses and Aaron they will not enter the Land of Israel. (20:2-13) The king of Edom refuses to let the Children of Israel pass through his land. After Aaron’s priestly garments are given to his son Eleazer, Aaron dies. (20:14-29) After they are punished for complaining about the lack of bread and water, the Israelites repent and are victorious in battle against the Amorites and the people of Bashan, whose lands they capture. (21:4-22:1) Chukat – חֻקַּת וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם׃ Moses raised his hand, striking the rock with his staff twice, causing great waters to come forth [from the rock]. Then the community and their animals drank from it. Numbers 20:11 In this dramatic moment in the Torah narrative, Moses lets his anger get the best of him, causing him to directly go against what God instructed him to do, hitting the rock instead of speaking to it. We are told that because of this, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Despite this, Moses is still known in our tradition as the greatest there ever was, showing us that everyone, even Moses, can make mistakes. May we have the compassion to forgive ourselves for our missteps, and the wisdom to learn from our mistakes.