Parshat Matot: Chutz La'aretz

In this week’s Torah portion, of the many occurrences that take place, there is one episode in particular worthy of discussion. As the entire Jewish nation was journeying through the desert and was on its way to entering the land of Israel, two and a half tribes (Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe) of the twelve national tribes decided that they did not want a share in the land of Israel. They felt that they needed to settle in the land on the east bank of the Jordan. When they approached Moshe about their request he grew angry with them. Moshe believed that, instead of aiding the rest of the nation in the conquest of Israel, they wanted to abandon their brethren. He was also afraid that this decision of theirs might influence other tribes to back out of the war as well and forget about entering the land altogether. [Numbers: 32: 1-15]

However, the two and a half tribes assured Moshe that this was never their intent. They clarified to Moshe that they would undoubtedly engage in war to conquer Israel, together with the entire nation. And only after the conquest would finish and the nation would settle in Israel, would they then return back to the east bank of Jordan. Moshe agreed to their request, and as long as they would fulfill their vow to help in the conquest they would be able to live outside of Israel [Verses 16 to 19]

The end of the story isn’t found in this week’s parshah, and it isn’t found at all in the entire Torah (the five books of Moses). However, we do find the culmination to this agreement in the book of Joshua (the first of the many books of the prophets).

There it describes that the two and a half tribes fulfilled their side of the bargain and returned to the east bank of Jordan. But when they arrived, they immediately erected a large altar. Being that it was forbidden to offer sacrifices on any foreign altar outside of the Temple, when the rest of the nation (the nine and a half tribes in Israel) heard about this they became infuriated and were ready to declare war against them. However, once again the actions of the two and a half tribes were misinterpreted, and they had a justified reason for the altar they put up.

They told the rest of the nation that they were afraid that “… In the future your children might say to our children ‘what have you to do with Hashem the God of Israel? Hashem has established a border between us and you…’ So your children will cause our children to stop fearing Hashem.” [Joshua: 22: 24-25] By living separately from the rest of the nation, who dwell in God’s chosen land, the future generations may come to believe that they are not a part of the Jewish nation, and that they were not obligated in serving God. The two and a half tribes assured their brethren that the erected altar was never meant to be used for offering sacrifices upon, but rather as “… a witness between us and you and our generations after us, to perform the service of Hashem…” [Verse 27] The altar was erected as testimony that the three and a half tribes are and always were part of the nation. Upon this explanation, the rest of the nation understood their mistaken accusation, and agreed with the decision of the two and a half tribes to erect the altar.

What lesson can we draw out from this story?

Interestingly, when the Torah first describes (in our parshah) the two and a half tribes’ decision to stay outside of Israel, one will undoubtedly notice that the motive behind their choice wasn’t holy in origin. The Torah states that the two and a half tribes “…had abundant livestock  very great. They saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead (the east bank of Jordan) and behold!  It was a place for livestock.” [Numbers: 32: 1] It seems that their decision to settle there was based solely on the conditions of their livestock. Furthermore, when they explained to Moshe that they would still remain loyal to the nation and engage in battle, they would nevertheless leave their families behind on the east bank of Jordan. The following verse describes their claim to Moshe: “… ‘Pens for the flock shall we build here for our livestock and cities for our small children.” [Verse 16] Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaqi, 1040-1105, famed as the author of the first comprehensive commentaries on the Torah) comments that from the fact that they mentioned their livestock before their children, they clearly cared more for their money than for their families. Evidently, it seemed that the two and a half tribes were caught up in materialism, which led to them staying behind outside of Israel. So when they ended up erecting the large altar, the rest of the nation immediately thought to themselves “You see! Because they were so engrossed in the pursuit of wealth and materilalism it has caused them to stray from God and build a foreign altar!”

It is clear that Israel was and always will be the center of spirituality in the entire world, especially for Jews, for it is our inheritance from God. But nowadays, so many of us are living outside of our homeland! Is this wrong!? Apparently, the level of holiness of the diaspora can’t even compare to that of Israel, and living there will no doubt numb our service to God to a certain degree. The desire for wealth, honor, and materialism is therefore far greater outside the land of Israel, and it is an extremely severe danger for us in our religious service. It is so much easier for us to get caught in the web of vanity when we are distanced from the source of holiness in this world, the land of Israel. However, we must never forget that although we may feel forced to live outside of Israel because of various and perhaps justified reasons, we will always be a part of the entire Jewish nation. And just like the two and a half tribes had to put up an altar as a testimony to their service to God, we must also be constantly reminding ourselves of that service as well. (please see footnote)

May we all one day live in the land of Israel together, but until then realize that our goals can still be completed even outside of our homeland.

Good Shabbos,

NZL


** To highlight this point, it is interesting to notice one verse in the parshah. When the two and a half tribes are detailing which cities they have chosen to settle in, Targum Onkelos (the official eastern translation of the bible) changes a few words. The original hebrew script states the cities: “Ataroth, and Dibon…and Nebo, and Beon” [Numbers: 32: 3] When Targum Onkelos translates this verse, in place of the city “Nebo”, he writes the words “the burial place of Moshe”. Indeed, Moshe was buried in the region of Nebo, as stated later in the Torah. But what possessed Targum Onkelos to add in these words if the Torah itself didn’t write them!? The idea is that although the two and a half tribes would stay outside of Israel, the center of spiritual growth, they would still live where Moshe was buried. Moshe, as we know, reached the highest potential anyone has ever reached, yet he never entered the land of Israel. Moshe’s burial place sort of acted as a symbol that even though one lives outside of Israel, he can still fulfill his spiritual potential to the utmost degree as did Moshe. This may have been Onkelos’s intention.