Your Daily Pesuk July 10, 2018

Parashat Matot-Masei / פרשת מטות־מסעי

• Tue, 10 July 2018 = 27th of Tamuz, 5778
• כ״ז בְּתַמּוּז תשע״ח

Numbers 32:1-19 (19 p'sukim)

Numbers 32:1-19 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Settling the East Side

32 The sons of Reuben and Gad had very large herds and flocks, and, they saw that the territory of Jazer and Gilead were ideal for livestock. 2 So the sons of Reuben and Gad came and said to Moses, Eleazar the kohen, and the princes of the community saying, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon— 4 the territory Adonai conquered before the community of Israel—are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”

5 Then they said, “If we have found favor in your eyes, let this territory be given to your servants as a possession. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”

6 Moses replied to the sons of Gad and Reuben, “Should your countrymen go to war while you dwell here? 7 Why do you dishearten Bnei-Yisrael from going across to the land that Adonai has given to them? 8 Your fathers did this when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. 9 They went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, but they discouraged the hearts of Bnei-Yisrael not to enter the land which Adonai had given them. 10 The anger of Adonai was aroused that day, and He swore an oath saying: 11 ‘The men who came out of Egypt, from 20 years old and upward, will not see the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for they have not followed after Me with a whole heart— 12 except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they were wholehearted after Adonai.’ 13 The anger of Adonai burned against Israel and He caused them to wander in the wilderness 40 years until all the generation doing that evil in Adonai’s sight was gone.

14 “Now look, here you stand in the place of your fathers as a brood of sinful men to add more to Adonai’s great wrath against Israel! 15 If you turn away from Him, He will repeat again leaving this people in the wilderness, you being the cause of this people’s destruction.”

16 Then they came up to him and said, “We will build sheepfolds for our livestock and cities for our children. 17 But we are prepared to arm ourselves and go ahead of Bnei-Yisrael until we have brought them to their place. Our children will live in the cities fortified against the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each one of Bnei-Yisrael has received his inheritance. 19 Yet we will not inherit with them on the side beyond the Jordan, since our inheritance has come on the east side of the Jordan.”

32 וּמִקְנֶ֣ה׀ רַ֗ב הָיָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֧י רְאוּבֵ֛ן וְלִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד עָצ֣וּם מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּרְא֞וּ אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ יַעְזֵר֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גִּלְעָ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמָּק֖וֹם מְק֥וֹם מִקְנֶֽה׃

2 וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ בְנֵֽי־גָ֖ד וּבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶל־נְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָעֵדָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

3 עֲטָר֤וֹת וְדִיבֹן֙ וְיַעְזֵ֣ר וְנִמְרָ֔ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם וּנְב֖וֹ וּבְעֹֽן׃

4 הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לִפְנֵי֙ עֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֥רֶץ מִקְנֶ֖ה הִ֑וא וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ מִקְנֶֽה׃ ס

5 וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אִם־מָצָ֤אנוּ חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ יֻתַּ֞ן אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את לַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ לַאֲחֻזָּ֑ה אַל־תַּעֲבִרֵ֖נוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

6 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד וְלִבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן הַאַֽחֵיכֶ֗ם יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם תֵּ֥שְׁבוּ פֹֽה׃

7 וְלָ֣מָּה ׳תְנוּאוּן׳ ״תְנִיא֔וּן״ אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מֵֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃

8 כֹּ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּשָׁלְחִ֥י אֹתָ֛ם מִקָּדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵ֖עַ לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

9 וַֽיַּעֲל֞וּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֗וֹל וַיִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּנִ֕יאוּ אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְבִלְתִּי־בֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃

10 וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהוָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע לֵאמֹֽר׃

11 אִם־יִרְא֨וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים הָעֹלִ֣ים מִמִּצְרַ֗יִם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה אֵ֚ת הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֑ב כִּ֥י לֹא־מִלְא֖וּ אַחֲרָֽי׃

12 בִּלְתִּ֞י כָּלֵ֤ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה֙ הַקְּנִזִּ֔י וִיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נ֑וּן כִּ֥י מִלְא֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

13 וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף יְהוָה֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְנִעֵם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה עַד־תֹּם֙ כָּל־הַדּ֔וֹר הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

14 וְהִנֵּ֣ה קַמְתֶּ֗ם תַּ֚חַת אֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם תַּרְבּ֖וּת אֲנָשִׁ֣ים חַטָּאִ֑ים לִסְפּ֣וֹת ע֗וֹד עַ֛ל חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

15 כִּ֤י תְשׁוּבֻן֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו וְיָסַ֣ף ע֔וֹד לְהַנִּיח֖וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְשִֽׁחַתֶּ֖ם לְכָל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃ ס

16 וַיִּגְּשׁ֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ וַ֣יֹּאמְר֔וּ גִּדְרֹ֥ת צֹ֛אן נִבְנֶ֥ה לְמִקְנֵ֖נוּ פֹּ֑ה וְעָרִ֖ים לְטַפֵּֽנוּ׃

17 וַאֲנַ֜חְנוּ נֵחָלֵ֣ץ חֻשִׁ֗ים לִפְנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִם־הֲבִֽיאֹנֻ֖ם אֶל־מְקוֹמָ֑ם וְיָשַׁ֤ב טַפֵּ֙נוּ֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַמִּבְצָ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֖י יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃

18 לֹ֥א נָשׁ֖וּב אֶל־בָּתֵּ֑ינוּ עַ֗ד הִתְנַחֵל֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֖ישׁ נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃

19 כִּ֣י לֹ֤א נִנְחַל֙ אִתָּ֔ם מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן וָהָ֑לְאָה כִּ֣י בָ֤אָה נַחֲלָתֵ֙נוּ֙ אֵלֵ֔ינוּ מֵעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן מִזְרָֽחָה׃ פ

In our pesukim today, we find Reuben and Gad's request not to cross over into Eretz Yisrael, the Holy Promised Land, rather they wanted to settle "east" of the Jordan.  Moshe responds quite justifiably angry with this request.  Why should Moshe be so upset at this request, and why did he react so harshly with these two tribes?  And what does this episode have anything to do with us as the Kedoshim (Holy Ones), today?

Rabbi Sforno comments on pesuk 6 & 7: "?ואתם תשבו פה, while you are settled here on land that we have already conquered? Surely you did not think for a moment that you could get away with such an arrangement! Your suggestion therefore can only have the effect of undermining the morale of your brethren! ?ולמה תניאון, what is the point in your undermining the resolution and morale of your brethren? You are repeating what the spies in the last generation did!"

According to Sforno, Moshe was concerned about 2 implications of this request from Reuben and Gad:

1. Hashem would be angered as He was with the previous generation who "slandered" the Land, and an additional delay of entering the promised Land was possible.

2. The Morale of the rest of the 10 Tribes of Israel; being left to themselves to fight for their own inheritance; would be intolerable and they may fail to conquer their own inheritance! 

Angering God is "self-explanatory".  But what of this issue of morale?

We must remember that conquering the Land was not going to be a "cake walk".  

Deuteronomy 7:22 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Adonai your God will drive away those nations before you little by little—you will not be able to put an end to them all at once, or else the beasts of the field will multiply on you.

Exodus 23:27 “I will send My terror before you and throw all the people to whom you will come into panic, and make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 I will send the hornet before you, which will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites and the Hittites, from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in a single year. Otherwise the land would become desolate, and the animals of the field will multiply against you. 30 But little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you are fruitful. Then you will possess the land.

It is important to note that while God did promise victory to the B'nei Yisrael by sending plagues before them to assist in the conquering of the Land; nevertheless it would take more than a year, and there would also be some military combat that they would face.  However, just as they experienced with slaying the Moabites just prior; God demonstrated He was able to take them into military conflict without even a single Jew loosing his life!

The problem was Israel later did become discouraged, even when Reuben and Gad kept their promise and went into Eretz Yisrael to fight along side their brethren... and as a consequence, the Canaanite was NEVER COMPLETELY ERADICATED FROM THE LAND OF ISRAEL AS GOD REQUIRED.  Canaanites remained a thorn in the side of the flesh of Israel throughout Biblical history.

This is why ENCOURAGEMENT is so very important.  In spiritual warfare - it is our duty to encourage our brothers.  To "bear each others burdens", and thereby fulfill the Torah of Messiah. (Gal. 6:2).

Are we all willing to go with our brother into spiritual battle?  Are we willing to take time out of our busy week to attend a prayer meeting and pray for others once in a while?  How can you pray for your brothers if you don't know the prayer needs?

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement. 4 He encourages us in every trouble, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any trouble, through the very encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Messiah overflow into us, so also through Messiah our encouragement overflows. 6 If we are suffering hardship, it is for your encouragement and salvation. Or if we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which produces in you the patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer. 7 Our hope for you is firm, since we know that as you are partners in our sufferings, so also in our encouragement.

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our trouble that happened in Asia. We were under great pressure—so far beyond our strength that we despaired even of living. 9 In fact, we had within ourselves the death sentence—so that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. 10 He who rescued us from so great a danger of death will continue to rescue us—we have set our hope on Him that He will rescue us again. 11 You also are helping by your prayer for us, so that from many people thanks may be given on our behalf for the gracious gift given us through the help of many.

12 For our reason for boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world, and most especially toward you, with simplicity and godly sincerity—not by human wisdom but by the grace of God. 13 For we write nothing to you other than what you can read and understand—and I hope you will understand in full 14 just as you understood us in part, so that we are your reason for boasting just as you also are ours in the Day of our Lord Yeshua.

Let us be like Reuben and Gad in this episode, even though we have all found our comfy lives and inheritances; let us be willing to cross over with our brothers in the struggle for Messiah!

Amen.