The Power of Words in Parashat Matot-Masei

A Message for Rosh Chodesh Av and Tisha B’Av

Good morning.

I am once again trying to send you a short message that will give you some food for thought. As we prepare to bless Rosh Chodesh Av this week and draw closer to Tisha B’Av, we need to strengthen ourselves and spend some time reflecting on the messages of the parashah.

This message is offered l’ilui nishmat Shmuel ben Moshe, who left this world many years ago without leaving children, and l’ilui nishmat Rav Shloime ben Reb Yitzchok.

The following has been reorganized from the original transcript while preserving its ideas, examples, and teachings.

Why Does Parashat Matot Begin with the Laws of Vows?

Parashat Matot begins with Moshe Rabbeinu addressing the leaders of the Jewish people, the Roshei Matot Bnei Yisrael. He gives them a precise law about the importance of respecting and fulfilling anything a person undertakes or promises:

“Ish ki yidor neder… lo yachel devaro; k’chol hayotzei mipiv ya’aseh.”If a person makes a vow, he may not profane his word. He must fulfill whatever has come from his mouth.

Of all the halachot and laws in the Torah, why is this particular mitzvah taught now, as we approach the end of Sefer Bamidbar?

We can understand why the Torah discussed something such as the Parah Adumah, because its importance is clear. But what is the particular message Moshe Rabbeinu is giving us here?

The Torah is teaching us about the importance of the words we pronounce. A person must not disrespect his own word. What we say matters, and this idea runs through the final two parashiot of Sefer Bamidbar.

We have learned about so many events that took place in the wilderness. The Jewish people are now preparing to enter Eretz Yisrael. At precisely this moment, the Torah reminds them of the sanctity of speech.

Divrei, Shimu and Chazon: Words, Listening and Vision

This week’s Haftarah begins with the word:

“Shimu” — Listen.

Pay attention to what is being said.

Last week, we began with Divrei Yirmiyahu, the words of Yirmiyahu. Thoughts are communicated and expressed through words. But to understand the meaning of those words, a person must listen carefully.

As we say in our prayers, we must be able:

“Lishmoa, lilmod ulelamed” — to listen, to learn and to teach.

Only when we know how to listen are we able to learn.

Next week, we will speak about seeing, because it will be Shabbat Chazon, the Shabbat of vision. First come the words, then the listening, and then the clarity of vision.

A Person’s Word Was Once Sacred

Why does the parashah begin by emphasizing the importance of keeping one’s promises?

Until relatively recently—and certainly in earlier generations—people often conducted business without signing lengthy contracts. A person would simply say:

“Mazal u’bracha.”

His word was considered sacred.

Why?

Because:

“Ha’chaim v’hamavet b’yad halashon.”Life and death are in the power of the tongue.

We are also taught:

“Shomer piv uleshonoh, shomer mitzarot nafsho.”The person who guards his mouth and tongue protects himself from many troubles.

A person can avoid many difficulties by being careful about the words he utters.

Speech Is One of Humanity’s Greatest Gifts

The power of speech is one of the qualities that elevates the human being above the other creatures of the world.

The Midrash teaches that a person possesses a ruach memalela, a speaking spirit. We possess the power of meaningful speech in a way that animals do not. Through this power, humanity has the ability to elevate the entire world.

We must therefore realize that Hashem has given us an extraordinary gift. Every word is precious.

Yet we often speak and speak without stopping to consider what we are actually saying. We do not always recognize the effects our words can have.

The Midrash teaches:

“Brit kerutah lasefatayim.”A covenant has been made with the lips.

The words that leave our mouths can have consequences and effects, even when we did not fully intend them.

The Story of the New Cemetery Near Petah Tikva

A sad story is told about an event near Petah Tikva at the end of the nineteenth century.

The community was searching for land on which to establish a new cemetery. They eventually found a suitable place. When a cemetery is established, the land must be consecrated. There is a ceremony, Tehillim are recited, and members of the Chevra Kadisha participate.

When the ceremony was completed, one man jokingly asked:

“I wonder who will be the first person buried here.”

He then added:

“Who knows? Perhaps I will be the first.”

He said it as a joke. Yet, according to the story, only a short time later he died of a heart attack. His tombstone recorded that he was the first person buried in the new cemetery.

The story reminds us how careful a person must be about the words he pronounces.

Yaakov’s Words While Lavan Searched for His Idols

We find another example when Lavan searched for the idols Rachel had taken.

Yaakov became upset with Lavan. Why was Lavan falsely accusing and searching them? Yaakov was certain that no one in his family had taken the idols, and he declared:

“Im asher timtza et elohecha, lo yichyeh.”The person with whom you find your gods shall not live.

Chazal teach that because Yaakov pronounced the words “lo yichyeh”, and Rachel had in fact taken the idols, his words had an effect. Rachel later died near Bethlehem and did not complete the journey into Eretz Canaan together with Yaakov.

Yaakov certainly did not intend to harm his wife. He had no knowledge that she had taken the idols. Nevertheless, Chazal emphasize the importance of the words that left his mouth.

A person must therefore be extremely careful. People often exaggerate or say things they do not truly mean. We must never speak thoughtlessly.

Rachel’s Words: “Ben Oni”

The Midrash brings another example.

When Rachel gave birth to her second child and felt that she was dying, she called him:

“Ben Oni” — the son of my suffering.

Yaakov changed the name. He called the child Binyamin, giving the name a meaning connected to strength and permanence.

Nevertheless, the Midrash observes that because Rachel first called him Ben Oni, the tribe of Binyamin later experienced considerable suffering.

Binyamin became the smallest of the tribes and lost many of its children. Later, after the Jewish people entered Eretz Yisrael, the tragic episode of the Pilegesh B’Givah led to a civil war between Binyamin and the other tribes. Many thousands from the tribe of Binyamin died.

The Midrash connects the origin of this suffering to Rachel’s words, “Ben Oni.”

Once again, the message is that words are not insignificant. They can reveal thoughts, establish directions and affect the future.

Avoid Promises You May Be Unable to Keep

The practical lesson is clear: do not make promises unless you are certain that you will be able to keep them.

We should avoid unnecessary nedarim and commitments. That is why we have the important ceremony of Hatarat Nedarim before Rosh Hashanah. It is also why Yom Kippur begins with Kol Nidrei.

There are so many occasions when people say things they do not truly mean or make commitments without saying “bli neder.”

Moshe Rabbeinu therefore teaches the leaders of the Jewish people to help everyone understand the importance of the words they pronounce.

Moshe Rabbeinu’s Final Mission

The War Against Midian

Immediately after the Torah teaches the laws of vows, Hashem gives Moshe Rabbeinu one final mission before his death: he must take revenge against the Midianites.

Midian was a particularly dangerous enemy of the Jewish people. They did not seek merely to harm the nation politically or physically. They wanted to destroy the Jewish people spiritually.

Hashem told Moshe that after completing this mission, the time would come for him to leave the world:

“V’achar te’asef el amecha.”Afterward, you will be gathered to your people.

Moshe Rabbeinu knew that he would die after the war. He could theoretically have attempted to delay it. He might have said, “I will carry out this mission in one year, five years or ten years.”

Instead, he acted immediately.

Moshe understood how important it was for the Jewish people to regain their spiritual strength. He therefore did not postpone Hashem’s command, even though fulfilling it would bring his own life to its conclusion.

Tefillin: Purifying Thought and Action

Chazal teach that when the soldiers went to war against Midian, they wore tefillin: tefillin shel rosh on the head and tefillin shel yad on the arm.

Tefillin shel rosh symbolize the purification of a person’s thoughts.

Tefillin shel yad symbolize the purification of a person’s actions.

When the Jewish people went out to fight Midian, they needed to do teshuvah and purify themselves from the spiritual damage caused by idolatry, immorality and uncontrolled desire.

The tefillin on the head reminded them to fight with pure thoughts. The tefillin on the arm reminded them to purify their deeds.

The struggle against Midian was therefore not only a military struggle. It was a struggle for the spiritual identity of the Jewish people.

Purifying the Spoils of Midian

After the war, the Jewish people returned with various objects and vessels that had belonged to Midian.

The Torah then teaches how these objects could be purified. Metal vessels had to undergo processes such as hagalah or purification through fire, depending on the way they had been used.

The physical vessels brought back from Midian had to be purified, just as the people themselves had to purify their thoughts and actions.

Reuven, Gad and Half of Menashe

The Request to Remain Across the Jordan

Toward the end of Parashat Matot, something very significant takes place.

The tribes of Reuven and Gad, together with half of the tribe of Menashe, settle on the eastern side of the Jordan. It is interesting that Moshe himself arranged for half of Menashe to join Reuven and Gad.

Menashe came from Yosef, and Yosef had instilled a deep love of Eretz Yisrael in his children. Before his death, Yosef made the Jewish people promise to carry his remains with them when they eventually returned to the land.

Because Yosef possessed such love for Eretz Yisrael, the presence of half of Menashe on the eastern side could help maintain the spiritual connection between that territory and the Land of Israel.

Reuven and Gad came to Moshe and explained that they possessed large quantities of cattle.

Many explanations are offered regarding whether they truly had more cattle than the other tribes and why their situation was different. In any case, they requested permission to remain on the other side of the Jordan rather than receive their portion within Eretz Yisrael.

They said that they would build:

“Gederot tzonenu” — enclosures for our cattle,

and:

“Arim l’tapeinu” — cities for our children.

The order in which they spoke revealed something about their priorities.

Why Did Moshe Become So Angry?

Moshe Rabbeinu became extremely angry when he heard their request.

This raises an important question.

At Mei Merivah, when Moshe struck the rock and said:

“Shimu na hamorim” — Listen now, you rebels,

Hashem held him accountable, and Moshe was not permitted to enter Eretz Yisrael.

Yet when Reuven and Gad requested the land across the Jordan, Moshe spoke to them with great severity. He compared their behavior to that of the spies and described the disastrous consequences that their decision could produce.

Nevertheless, Hashem did not rebuke Moshe for his anger in this case.

Why?

Moshe recognized that something fundamentally wrong was taking place. Their own words revealed a serious error in perspective.

Words Reveal a Person’s Priorities

There is a teaching:

“B’derech she’adam rotzeh leilech, molichin oto.”A person is led along the path he chooses to follow.

Reuven and Gad first spoke about caring for their cattle and only afterward mentioned building cities for their children.

Their words suggested that their animals and material possessions came before their families.

Moshe therefore deliberately reversed their order. He told them:

First, build cities for your children, and only afterward build enclosures for your cattle.

Moshe was not merely correcting their sentence. He was correcting their priorities.

Children must come before possessions. Spiritual and human responsibilities must come before material ambitions.

Their words expressed their thoughts, and their thoughts revealed a lack of clarity.

Why Did They Want the Eastern Side of the Jordan?

Several explanations are given for their request.

According to one approach, their decision reflected material ambition. They saw the land east of the Jordan as ideal for their cattle and wished to establish themselves economically. Their desire to accumulate wealth changed their perspective and weakened their appreciation for living within Eretz Yisrael.

Another explanation goes in a very different direction. Reuven and Gad knew that Moshe Rabbeinu would not enter Eretz Yisrael, although they did not know exactly where he would be buried. They may have wanted to remain close to Moshe so that they could pray near his resting place.

Nevertheless, the generally accepted explanation emphasizes their material priorities and lack of clarity.

They were not exempt from participating in the conquest of Eretz Yisrael. Their soldiers had to cross the Jordan and fight alongside the other tribes until the land was conquered. Only afterward could they return to their families and possessions on the eastern side.

Even so, Chazal teach that because these tribes rushed to receive their land first, they were also the first to be exiled. They were taken away by Sancheriv before the tribes living farther inside Eretz Yisrael.

Their eagerness for material security did not ultimately provide them with lasting security.

A Lesson for Bein HaMetzarim

This episode is read during the period of Bein HaMetzarim, when we reflect on the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash and the causes of exile.

Again, we must listen carefully to the words being spoken.

Had Reuven and Gad recognized what their own words were communicating, they might have understood the problem. By placing their cattle before their children, they were unintentionally declaring that their possessions mattered more than their families.

Words express thoughts, and thoughts reveal whether a person possesses the correct priorities and clarity.

From Listening to Clear Vision

Shabbat Chazon

Next Shabbat will be Shabbat Chazon, named for the vision of Yeshayahu.

In our daily prayers, we ask:

“Techezenah eineinu b’shuvcha l’Tzion b’rachamim.”May our eyes behold Your return to Zion with mercy.

We ask Hashem to give our eyes clarity—not only clarity regarding what we say, but also clarity regarding what we see.

We must understand what we should truly be striving for: the coming of Mashiach and the rebuilding of Yerushalayim as soon as possible.

We need the ability to listen correctly, speak correctly and see correctly.

Parashat Masei and the 42 Journeys

The Stages of the Wilderness

We then come to Parashat Masei.

The Torah describes the journeys of the Jewish people through the wilderness. It lists the 42 stages through which they travelled from the time they left Egypt until they reached the border of Eretz Yisrael.

Again and again, the Torah says:

“Vayisu” — they journeyed,

and:

“Vayachanu” — they encamped.

They left one location and arrived at another: Rephidim, the wilderness, Sinai, Kivrot Hata’avah and the other stations along the journey.

The Torah recounts the stages one by one.

Aharon’s Death at Hor Hahar

One detail receives special emphasis.

When the Jewish people came to Hor Hahar, Aharon HaKohen died. The Torah tells us that he was 123 years old and that he died on the first day of the fifth month:

Rosh Chodesh Av.

We are preparing to bless Rosh Chodesh Av this week, which makes this detail especially relevant.

Why was the Beit Hamikdash destroyed?

Chazal teach that the Second Beit Hamikdash was destroyed because of sinat chinam, baseless hatred.

Who, then, should inspire us as we approach Rosh Chodesh Av?

Aharon HaKohen.

Aharon was:

“Ohev shalom v’rodef shalom” — one who loved peace and pursued peace.

The Torah emphasizes Aharon’s death on Rosh Chodesh Av to remind us that the response to sinat chinam is to follow Aharon’s example.

We must love peace, pursue peace and bring people closer to one another. That is what can bring the exile to an end.

Why Does the Torah Record Every Journey?

Why does the Torah provide all the details of the 42 journeys?

The Ramban explains that these details testify to the enormous miracles Hashem performed for the Jewish people in the wilderness.

A person might ask: how could an entire nation possibly survive for so many years in the desert?

The Torah therefore gives exact geographical details. The Jewish people remained only briefly in certain locations, while in other places they stayed for years. Some stations lasted much longer than others.

These details demonstrate that the account is not vague. The people genuinely travelled through these places and were sustained through continual miracles.

If Hashem performed such miracles in the past, we should recognize that He continues to sustain and guide us in the present.

Every Person Has 42 Journeys

The Journey Through Life

Chazal teach that the 42 journeys are not only the historical journeys of the Jewish people through the desert.

Every person journeys through life.

A child comes into the world and gradually begins to speak, see and use all the senses. The person advances from one stage to another.

Throughout life there are struggles, challenges, periods of growth and moments of decline. There are successes and disappointments. Life does not always unfold in the way we expected or planned.

The Jewish people also did not always know what awaited them in the wilderness.

Their journeys were:

“Al pi Hashem yisu, v’al pi Hashem yachanu.”According to Hashem they journeyed, and according to Hashem they encamped.

Every stage formed part of Hashem’s plan.

The same is true of our individual journeys.

The 42 Journeys and the Cities of Refuge

The Torah also commands the Jewish people to establish six principal cities of refuge.

If a person killed someone unintentionally, b’shogeg, without intending to cause death, he could flee to an ir miklat, a city of refuge.

There were six main cities of refuge—three on one side of the Jordan and three on the other. In addition, there were 42 cities belonging to the Leviim. These Levitical cities also functioned as places of refuge.

Chazal draw a connection between the 42 journeys through the wilderness and the 42 Levitical cities.

What is that connection?

Every person travels through many different stages of life. Yet wherever a person arrives, that place can become a place of refuge.

Hashem is present at every stage. Hashem wants to support the person. Hashem wants to help.

The journey may sometimes feel like a wilderness, but the person is never outside Hashem’s presence.

Shema as a Spiritual Refuge

There is also a connection between the cities of refuge and the words of Shema.

The six principal cities correspond to the six words:

“Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad.”

The additional 42 cities correspond to the 42 words associated with the paragraph beginning:

“V’ahavta et Hashem Elokecha” — You shall love Hashem your God.

This teaches us what to do when we struggle through life and face challenges.

We should return to the words of Shema.

Love Hashem.

Trust Hashem.

Recognize that Hashem ultimately does everything for our good, even when we do not understand what is happening.

Wherever we find ourselves on the journey, the words of Shema can become our refuge.

The Hopeful Ending of Sefer Bamidbar

The Daughters of Tzelofchad

At the conclusion of Sefer Bamidbar, after Moshe has discussed the borders of Eretz Yisrael and the division of the land among the tribes, the Torah returns to the daughters of Tzelofchad.

In an earlier parashah, they had approached Moshe Rabbeinu and asked to receive an inheritance in the land.

The leaders of the tribe of Menashe later raised a concern. If the daughters married men from another tribe, their inherited land could eventually pass from Menashe to that tribe.

The Torah therefore instructed them to marry within their own tribe so that the land would remain with Menashe.

Although they were no longer especially young, each of the daughters eventually found a relative within the tribe to marry.

Sefer Bamidbar ends with this positive and hopeful detail.

Hashem Is Present Through Every Struggle

Sefer Bamidbar contains struggles, tragedies, rebellions and painful events.

Nevertheless, it concludes with the daughters of Tzelofchad finding their place, establishing families and preserving their inheritance in Eretz Yisrael.

This ending teaches us that whatever struggles a person experiences, Hashem is present.

Hashem takes care of us.

Hashem wants to help us.

We must listen to the way Hashem is speaking to us. We must speak to Hashem and use our own words in the best possible way.

As we approach the Haftarah of Chazon, we ask that our eyes should see goodness and positivity, and that we should soon witness the coming of Mashiach.

Chazak, Chazak, V’nitchazek

At the conclusion of Sefer Bamidbar, we say:

“Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek.”Be strong, be strong, and may we strengthen one another.

The word chazak can be associated with three stages of working the land:

• Charishah — ploughing the land.

• Zeriah — planting.

• Ketzirah — harvesting.

First, a person prepares the ground. Then the person plants. Eventually, the person can harvest the fruits of what was planted.

We pray that we will be able to reap the benefits of all our positive words and positive actions.

May this be a month in which Hashem transforms yagon, sadness, into joy.

Chodesh tov. Have a wonderful Shabbos, and all my love from Yerushalayim.