TBE Minyan - Matot/Masei

(א) וּמִקְנֶ֣ה ׀ רַ֗ב הָיָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֧י רְאוּבֵ֛ן וְלִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד עָצ֣וּם מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּרְא֞וּ אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ יַעְזֵר֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גִּלְעָ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמָּק֖וֹם מְק֥וֹם מִקְנֶֽה׃ (ב) וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ בְנֵֽי־גָ֖ד וּבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶל־נְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָעֵדָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ג) עֲטָר֤וֹת וְדִיבֹן֙ וְיַעְזֵ֣ר וְנִמְרָ֔ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם וּנְב֖וֹ וּבְעֹֽן׃ (ד) הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לִפְנֵי֙ עֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֥רֶץ מִקְנֶ֖ה הִ֑וא וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ מִקְנֶֽה׃ {ס} (ה) וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אִם־מָצָ֤אנוּ חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ יֻתַּ֞ן אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את לַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ לַאֲחֻזָּ֑ה אַל־תַּעֲבִרֵ֖נוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

Numbers 32:1-5

(1) The Reubenites and the Gadites owned cattle in very great numbers. Noting that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were a region suitable for cattle, (2) the Gadites and the Reubenites came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chieftains of the community, and said, (3) “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon— (4) the land that the LORD has conquered for the community of Israel is cattle country, and your servants have cattle. (5) It would be a favor to us,” they continued, “if this land were given to your servants as a holding; do not move us across the Jordan.”

במדבר ל״ב:ו׳-ט׳

(ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד וְלִבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן הַאַֽחֵיכֶ֗ם יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם תֵּ֥שְׁבוּ פֹֽה׃ (ז) וְלָ֣מָּה (תנואון) [תְנִיא֔וּן] אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מֵֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ח) כֹּ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּשׇׁלְחִ֥י אֹתָ֛ם מִקָּדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵ֖עַ לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ט) וַֽיַּעֲל֞וּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֗וֹל וַיִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּנִ֕יאוּ אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְבִלְתִּי־בֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה׃

Numbers 32:6-9

(6) Moses replied to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here? (7) Why will you turn the minds of the Israelites from crossing into the land that the LORD has given them? (8) That is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to survey the land. (9) After going up to the wadi Eshcol and surveying the land, they turned the minds of the Israelites from invading the land that the LORD had given them.

במדבר ל״ב:ט״ז

וַיִּגְּשׁ֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ גִּדְרֹ֥ת צֹ֛אן נִבְנֶ֥ה לְמִקְנֵ֖נוּ פֹּ֑ה וְעָרִ֖ים לְטַפֵּֽנוּ׃

Numbers 32:16

Then they stepped up to him and said, “We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks and towns for our children.

רש"י על במדבר ל״ב:ט״ז:א׳

נבנה למקננו פה. חָסִים הָיוּ עַל מָמוֹנָם יוֹתֵר מִבְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם, שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ מִקְנֵיהֶם לְטַפָּם. אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה "לֹא כֵן, עֲשׂוּ הָעִקָּר עִקָּר וְהַטָּפֵל טָפֵל, בְּנוּ לָכֶם תְּחִלָּה עָרִים לְטַפְּכֶם וְאַחַר כֵּן גְּדֵרוֹת לְצֹאנְכֶם" (תנחומא):

Rashi on Numbers 32:16:1

נבנה למקננו פה WE WILL BUILD [SHEEP FOLDS] FOR OUR CATTLE HERE — They paid more regard to their property than to their sons and daughters, because they mentioned their cattle before their children. Moses said to them, “Not so! Make the chief thing the chief thing and what is subordinate subordinate. First build cities for your little ones and afterwards enclosures for your flocks” (cf. v. 24) (Midrash Tanchuma, Matot 7).

במדבר רבה כ״ב:ט׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וּמִקְנֶה רַב, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת י, ב): לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ, זֶה יֵצֶר טוֹב, שֶׁהוּא נָתוּן בִּימִינוֹ. וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, זֶה יֵצֶר הָרָע, שֶׁנָּתוּן בִּשְׂמֹאלוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ, אֵלּוּ הֵם הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁהֵן נוֹתְנִין לִבָּם לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהִיא מִיָּמִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג, ב): מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָת לָמוֹ. וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, אֵלּוּ הֵן הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁהֵן נוֹתְנִין לִבָּם לְהַעֲשִׁיר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, טז): בִּשְׂמֹאולָהּ עשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ, זֶה משֶׁה. וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן וּבְנֵי גָד, שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הָעִקָּר טָפֵל וְאֶת הַטָּפֵל עִקָּר, שֶׁחִבְּבוּ אֶת מָמוֹנָם יוֹתֵר מִן הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, שֶׁהֵן אוֹמְרִים לְמשֶׁה (במדבר לב, טז): גִּדְרֹת צֹאן נִבְנֶה לְמִקְנֵנוּ פֹּה וְעָרִים לְטַפֵּנוּ. אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה, אֵינָהּ כְּלוּם, אֶלָּא עֲשׂוּ אֶת הָעִקָּר עִקָּר, תְּחִלָּה (במדבר לב, כד): בְּנוּ לָכֶם עָרִים לְטַפְּכֶם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (במדבר לב, כד): וּגְדֵרֹת לְצֹנַאֲכֶם, הֱוֵי לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ זֶה משֶׁה, וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן וּבְנֵי גָד, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתֶּם חִבַּבְתֶּם אֶת מִקְנֵיכֶם יוֹתֵר מִן הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, חַיֵּיכֶם אֵין בּוֹ בְּרָכָה, עֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (משלי כ, כא): נַחֲלָה מְבֹהֶלֶת בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ לֹא תְבֹרָךְ. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי כג, ד): אַל תִּיגַע לְהַעֲשִׁיר מִבִּינָתְךָ חֲדָל. וְאֵיזֶה הוּא עָשִׁיר הַשָֹּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכח, ב): יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ.

Bamidbar Rabbah 22:9

Another interpretation of "And much cattle" (Numbers 32:1). This is [the meaning of] that which is stated by the verse (Ecclesiastes 10:2), "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is the good impulse; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the evil impulse. Another interpretation: "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is the righteous who put their hearts to Torah which is from the right, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 33:2), “from His right, a fiery law to them; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the evildoers who put their hearts to becoming rich, as it is stated (Proverbs 3:16), “in her left, riches and honor.” Another interpretation: "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is Moshe; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad, who made the essential, secondary, and the secondary, essential. Why? Because they loved their possessions more than the [human] souls. As they said to Moshe (Numbers 32:16), "'We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks, and towns for our children.'" Moshe said to them, "This is nothing; rather make the essential, essential. First 'build towns for your children,' and afterwards 'sheepfolds for your flocks' (Numbers 32:24)." Hence, "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is Moshe; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "You loved your money more than [your] souls. By your lives, there is no blessing in this, as stated (Proverbs 20:21), 'An estate acquired in haste at the outset will not be blessed in the end.'" And it likewise states (Proverbs 23:4), "Do not toil to gain wealth; have the sense to desist." And who is wealthy? One who is happy with his lot, as stated (in Psalms 128:2), "You shall eat the produce of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you."

שני לוחות הברית, תורה שבכתב, מטות, מסעי, דברים, דרך חיים ז׳

גדרות צאן נבנה למקנינו פה וערים לטפינו (במדבר לב, טז). פירש רש"י, חסים היו על ממונם יותר מבניהם ובנותיהם, שהקדימו מקניהם. אמר להם משה, לא כן, עשו העיקר עיקר והטפל טפל. בנו לכם תחלה ערים לטפכם, ואחר כך גדרות לצאנכם, עד כאן לשונו. וקבלו מוסר ואמרו אח"כ (שם כו), טפינו נשינו מקנינו וגו'. ירגיל האדם את לשונו וטבעו בדרך חכמה ומוסר:

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Matot, Masei, Devarim, Derekh Chayim 7

גדרות צאן נבנה למקנינו פה, וערים לטפינו . "We shall build fences for our sheep and cattle here, as well as towns for our children." (3,16). Rashi points out that these tribes were more concerned with their property than with the safety of their families, seeing they first mentioned that they would build stables for their cattle, and only afterwards did they speak about building cities for their families. Moses told them that they had their priorities mixed up when he told them in 32,24 to build in the following order: "Cities for your children and enclosures for your sheep." They accepted Moses' rebuke and said afterwards in 32,26: "Our children, our wives our cattle and all our livestock will remain there in the cities of Gilead." Thus we learn that what a person says should reflect both common sense and moral values.

If we want to move forward, we must first begin to acknowledge the people behind the comforts and luxuries of our everyday lives. We must acknowledge that our healthcare system is no longer truly about care, but about profit. We must allow ourselves to identify with Moses here and become incensed and our blood to boil. And we must be willing to use our voices to say there is no blessing in the status quo. Rather, our work is to see, to lift up, to prioritize humanity.
-Rabbi Talia Stein

Ryan Leszner