Blessing for the Torah:
Bar’chu et YHVH ha-m’vorach,
Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed!
Baruch ata YHVH Eloheinu melech ha-olam
asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’na-tan lanu
eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH,
noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Bless YHVH the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the
blessed
One for all eternity. Blessed are you, YHVH, our
Elohim,
King of the
Universe, you have selected us from among
all the peoples and have given us your Torah.)
Num 32:1 And the children of Re’uḇĕn and the children
of Gaḏ had much livestock, a large number. And they saw the land of Yaʽzĕr (Heb
– helped surrounded protected) and the land of Gilʽaḏ (Heb – witness) and saw
that the place was a place for livestock.
Num 32:2 So
the children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn came and spoke to Mosheh, and
to Elʽazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying,
Num 32:3
“Ataroth, and Diḇon, and Yaʽzĕr, and Nimrah, and Ḥeshbon, and Elʽalĕh,
and Seḇam, and Neḇo, and Beʽon,
Num 32:4 the
land which יהוה had smitten
before the congregation of Yisra’ĕl, is a land for livestock, and your servants
have livestock.”
Num 32:5 And they
said, “If we have found favour in your eyes, let this land be given to your
servants as a possession, and do not let us pass over the Yardĕn.”
Num 32:6 And
Mosheh said to the children of Gaḏ and to the children of Re’uḇĕn, “Are your
brothers to go into the battle while you yourselves sit here?
Num 32:7 “Now why
do you discourage the heart of the children of Yisra’ĕl from passing over into
the land which יהוה has given
them?
Num 32:8 “Thus
your fathers did when I sent them away from Qaḏĕsh Barnĕa to see the land.
Num 32:9 “For when
they went up to the wadi Eshkol (Heb – cluster of grapes) and saw the land,
they discouraged the heart of the children of Yisra’ĕl, so that they did not go
into the land which יהוה had given them.
Num 32:10 “Then
the displeasure of יהוה burned on that day, and He swore an oath, saying,
Num 32:11 ‘Not one
of the men who came up from Mitsrayim, from twenty years old and above, is to
see the land of which I swore to Aḇraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yaʽaqoḇ, because they
did not follow Me completely, - (ci lo
milu acharai)
Num 32:12 except
Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh, the Qenizzite, and Yehoshua son of Nun, for they have
followed יהוה completely.’ (ci
milu acharei YHVH)
Num 32:13 “So the
displeasure of יהוה burned against
Yisra’ĕl, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the
generation that had done evil in the eyes of יהוה was destroyed.
Num 32:14 “And
see, you have risen in your father’s place, an increase of men, sinners, to add
still more the burning displeasure of יהוה against
Yisra’ĕl.
Num 32:15 “For if
you turn away from following Him, He shall once again leave them in the
wilderness, and you shall destroy all these people.”
Num 32:16 Then
they came near to him and said, “Let us build sheep-enclosures here for our
livestock, and cities for our little ones,
Num 32:17 but let
us ourselves be armed, hastening before the children of Yisra’ĕl until we have
brought them to their place. And our little ones shall dwell in the walled
cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
Num 32:18 “We
shall not return to our homes until every one of the children of Yisra’ĕl has
received his inheritance.
Num 32:19 “For we
shall not inherit with them on the other side of the Yardĕn and beyond, because
our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Yardĕn.”
This was
possibly a reminder that the borders of Yisrael would be much larger than what
they were then and what they are now.
Aliyah
Reviee 32:20 – 33:49
Num 32:20 And Mosheh said to them, “If you make this
promise: if you arm yourselves before יהוה for battle,
Num 32:21 and all
your armed ones pass over the Yardĕn before יהוה until He has
driven out His enemies from before Him,
Num 32:22 and the
land has been subdued before יהוה, then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before יהוה and before
Yisra’ĕl. And this land shall be your possession before יהוה.
Num 32:23 “But if
you do not do so, then see, you shall sin against יהוה, and know: your sin is going to find you out.
Num 32:24 “Build
cities for your little ones and enclosures for your sheep, and do what you have
promised.” (notice how Moshe changes the order around from vs 16)
Num 32:25 And the
children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Your
servants are going to do as my master commands.
Num 32:26 “Our
little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock are going to be there
in the cities of Gilʽaḏ,
Num 32:27 but your
servants are passing over, every armed one of the army, before יהוה, to battle, as
my master says.”
Num 32:28 And
Mosheh gave command concerning them to Elʽazar the priest, to Yehoshua son of
Nun, and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Num 32:29 And
Mosheh said to them, “If the children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn pass
over the Yardĕn with you, every man armed for battle before יהוה, and the land
has been subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilʽaḏ as a
possession.
Num 32:30 “But if
they do not pass over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in
the land of Kenaʽan.”
Num 32:31 Then the
children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn answered, saying, “As יהוה has said to
your servants, so we do.
Num 32:32 “We
ourselves are passing over armed before יהוה into the land
of Kenaʽan, but the possession of our inheritance remains with us beyond the
Yardĕn.”
Num 32:33 So
Mosheh gave to the children of Gaḏ, to the children of Re’uḇĕn, and to half
the tribe of Menashsheh, son of Yosĕph, the reign of Siḥon sovereign of the Amorites and the
reign of Oḡ sovereign of Bashan, the land with its cities within the borders,
the cities of the land round about.
Moshe was initially not pleased with the request from Reuven and Gad, but
later granted them their request because of their commitment to make sure that
tribes would be established in the land of Yisrael. In hind sight it would seem
that Moshe made sure half the tribe of Menasheh would stay with Reuven and Gad
because Moshe knew how much Menasheh loved eretz Yisrael. (we see this love
portrayed by the daughters of Tzelophad who came from the Menasheh) Moshe wanted to make sure that one day all 12
tribes would return and live in the land.
Num
32:34 And the children of Gaḏ built
Diḇon and Ataroth and Aroʽĕr,
Num
32:35 and Atroth, Shophan and Yaʽzĕr and
Yoḡbehah,
Num
32:36 and Bĕyth Nimrah and Bĕyth Haran,
walled cities, and enclosures for sheep.
Num
32:37 And the children of Re’uḇĕn built
Ḥeshbon and Elʽalĕh and Qiryathayim,
Num
32:38 Neḇo and Baʽal Meʽon – the names
being changed – and Shiḇmah. And they gave other names to the cities which
they built.
Num
32:39 And the sons of Maḵir son of
Menashsheh went to Gilʽaḏ and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were
in it.
Num
32:40 So Mosheh gave Gilʽaḏ to Maḵir,
son of Menashsheh, and he dwelt in it.
Num
32:41 And Ya’ir son of Menashsheh went
and took its small towns, and called them Ḥawoth Ya’ir.
Num
32:42 And Noḇaḥ went and took Qenath
and its villages, and he called it Noḇaḥ, after his own name.
To help us
understand this parasha we will look into the family background of the sons of
Yakov. We will see our ancient family was somewhat dysfunctional, yet it
pleased YHVH to take the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. Now we can know that YHVH causes all things
to work together for us for the good. Rom 8:28 and 1 Cor 1:27
Around 137 BCE a rabbi wrote twelve
biographies of the life and last words of the twelve sons of Yakov. This rabbi
obviously concluded this information from the Torah as well as ancient
traditions as well as his own insight into the lives of these patriarchs.
Of Reuben the rabbi wrote: The First-Born Son of Jacob and Leah.
THE Copy of the Testament
of Reuben, even the commands which he gave his sons before he died in the
hundred and twenty-fifth year of his life.
2 Two years after the
death of Joseph his brother, when Reuben fell ill, his sons and his sons' sons
were gathered together to visit him.
3 And he said to them: My
children, behold I am dying, and go the way of my fathers.
4 And seeing there Judah,
and Gad, and Asher, his brethren, he said to them: Raise me up that I may tell
to my brethren and to my children what things I have hidden in my heart, for
behold now at length I am passing away.
5 And he arose and kissed
them, and said unto them: Hear, my brethren, and do ye my children, give ear to
Reuben your father, in the commands which I give unto you.
6 And behold I call to
witness against you this day the Elohim of heaven, that ye walk not in the sins of youth and fornication, wherein I was
poured out, and defiled the bed of my father Jacob (sleeping with his father's
concubine wife)
7 And I tell you that he
smote me with a sore plague in my loins for seven months; and had not my father
Jacob prayed for me to the Almighty, the Almighty would have destroyed me.
8 For I was thirty years
old when I wrought the evil thing before the Eternal One, and for seven months
I was sick unto death
9 And after this I
repented with set purpose of my soul for seven years before the Almighty.
10 And wine and strong
drink I drank not, and flesh entered not into my mouth, and I ate no pleasant
food; but I mourned over my sin, for it was great, such as had not been in
Israel.
33 And now, my children,
love the truth, and it will preserve you: hear ye the words of Reuben your
father.
34 Pay no heed to the face
of a woman,
35 Nor associate with
another man's wife,
36 Nor meddle with affairs
of womankind.
37 For had I not seen
Bilhah bathing in a covered place, I had not fallen into this great iniquity.
38 For my mind taking in
the thought of the woman's nakedness, suffered me not to sleep until I had
wrought the abominable thing.
39 For while Jacob our
father had gone to Isaac his father, when we were in Eder, near to Ephrath in
Bethlehem, Bilhah became drunk and was asleep uncovered in her chamber.
40 Having therefore gone in and beheld her nakedness,
I wrought the impiety without her perceiving it, and leaving her sleeping
departed.
41 And forthwith an angel
of YHVH revealed to my father concerning my impiety, and he came and mourned
over me, and touched her no more.
PAY no heed, therefore, my
children, to the beauty of women, nor set your mind--on their affairs; but walk in singleness of heart in the fear of the YHVH, and expend
labour on good works, and on study and on your flocks, until the Mighty One
give you a wife, whom He will, that ye suffer not as I did.
2
For until my father's death I had not boldness to look in his face, or to speak
to any of my brethren, because of the reproach.
3
Even until now my conscience causeth me anguish on account of my impiety.
4
And yet my father comforted me much, and prayed for me unto the Eternal One,
that the anger of the Eternal One might pass from me, even as the Eternal One
showed.
5
And thenceforth until now I have been on my guard and sinned not.
6
Therefore, my children, I say unto you, observe all things whatsoever I command
you, and ye shall not sin.
7
For a pit unto the soul is the sin of
fornication, separating it from Elohim, and bringing it near to idols,
because it deceiveth the mind and understanding, and leadeth down young men
into Hades before their time.
8
For many hath fornication destroyed; because, though a man be old or noble, or
rich or poor, he bringeth reproach upon himself with the sons of men and
derision with Beliar (satanic messenger).
9
For ye heard regarding Joseph how he guarded himself from a woman, and purged
his thoughts from all fornication, and found favour in the sight of Elohim and
men.
10
For the Egyptian woman did many things unto him, and summoned magicians, and
offered him love potions, but the purpose of his soul admitted no evil desire.
11
Therefore the Elohim of your fathers delivered him from every evil and hidden
death.
12
For if fornication overcomes not your mind, neither can Beliar overcome you.
13
For evil are women, my children; and since they have no power or strength over
man, they use wiles by outward attractions, that they may draw him to
themselves.
14
And whom they cannot bewitch by outward attractions, him they overcome by
craft.
15
For moreover, concerning them, the angel of the Mighty One told me, and taught
me, that women are overcome by the spirit of fornication more than men, and in
their heart they plot against men; and by means of their adornment they deceive
first their minds, and by the glance of the eye instil the poison, and then
through the accomplished act they take them captive.
16
For a woman cannot force a man openly, but by a harlot's bearing she beguiles
him.
17
Flee, therefore, fornication, my children, and command your wives and your
daughters, that they adorn not their heads and faces to deceive the mind:
because every woman who useth these wiles bath been reserved for eternal
punishment.
18
For thus they allured the Watchers 1 who were before the flood; for as these
continually beheld them, they lusted after them, and they conceived the act in
their mind; for they changed themselves into the shape of men, and appeared to
them when they were with their husbands.
19
And the women lusting in their minds after their forms, gave birth to giants,
for the Watchers appeared to them as reaching even unto heaven.
20
Beware, therefore, of fornication; and if you wish to be pure in mind, guard
your senses from every woman.
21
And command the women likewise not to associate with men, that they also may be
pure in mind.
22
For constant meetings, even though the ungodly deed be not wrought, are to them
an irremediable disease, and to us a destruction of Beliar and an eternal
reproach.
23
For in fornication there is neither understanding nor godliness, and all
jealousy dwelleth in the lust thereof.
24
Therefore, then I say unto you, ye will be jealous against the sons of Levi,
and will seek to be exalted over them; but ye shall not be able.
25
For YHVH will avenge them, and ye shall die by an evil death. For to Levi YHVH
gave the sovereignty and to Judah with him and to me also, and to Dan and
Joseph, that we should be for rulers.
26
Therefore I command you to hearken to Levi, because he shall know the Torah of
YHVH, and shall give ordinances for judgement and shall sacrifice for all
Israel until the consummation of the times, as the anointed High Priest, of
whom YHVH spake.
27
I adjure you by the Elohim of heaven to do truth each one unto his neighbour
and to entertain love each one for his brother.
28
And draw ye near to Levi in humbleness, of heart, that ye may receive a
blessing from his mouth.
31
And Reuben died, having given these commands to his sons. And they placed him
in a coffin until they carried him up from Egypt, and buried him in Hebron in
the cave where his father was.
According
to an article published by Chabad – the following is said about Gad:
Gad was
one of the twelve sons of Jacob, making up the twelve tribes
of Israel. Gad was the son of Zilpah, one of Jacob's four wives, who
was also the mother of Asher. According to tradition, Gad was born (and
died) on the tenth day of this month, Cheshvan(Shemos Rabba 1: 5). He
was named Gad by Leah, first wife of Jacob, who had been given Zilpah as concubine
wife to Jacob and Gad was born from Zilpah. "Gad" means a
"troop" (as Gedud), and this is what Leah meant when
she said Ba Gad-for her sons now made up a whole "troop" (Gen. 3
0:11) .
At
the time when Jacob and his family of seventy souls came to live in Egypt, Gad
was the father of seven sons. When our Patriarch Jacob blessed his sons before
his death (Gen.
49:19), he prophesied that the tribe of Gad will provide brave troops who will lead the children
of Israel to victory in the conquest of the Promised Land, then return to their
inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan.
Moshe Rabbenu,
when blessing the Tribes before his death, likened Gad to a lion. This was an
allusion to the mighty warriors of this tribe who will strike down Israel's
enemies. He also prophesied that in Gad's portion would be hidden his (Moshe's)
grave (Dent. 33:20-21).
It
was especially important for the tribe of Gad to be strong, for it received its
share of land on the border, and guarded the north-eastern flank of the
country.
In
the arrangement of the camp and order of the march, the tribe of Gad was placed
under the Staff of Reuven, together with Shimon, south of the Sanctuary
(Num. 2:10, 14 Among the twelve spies, each representing a tribe,
which Moshe Rabbenu sent to spy out the Promised Land, the tribe of Gad was
represented by Geuel ben Machi. In this case, Gad is mentioned last (Num. 13:15).
Menasheh
Deu 33:17 “His splendour is like a first-born bull, and
his horns are like the horns of the wild ox. With them he pushes the peoples to
the ends of the earth. And they are the ten thousands of Ephrayim, and they are
the thousands of Menashsheh.”
“Perhaps it is no coincidence that Og and Sihon, the last of the Rephaim , also connected to the Nephilim, also shrouded in mystery, dwelt in such a fortified city with a mysterious underground city as well. It is quite remarkable, when viewed in this context, that the Israelites, led by the men of the tribe of Manasseh, defeated the mighty King Og. These were giants, fierce warriors. The Hebrew, likely, were much, much smaller people. Edrei was a mighty capital for a mighty king. The Almighty One used the foolish, small, and insignificant of the earth to shame the mighty and proud”.
This past week an article appeared in a well know Israeli news article – Arutz Sheva
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/17991
“From family dysfunction
to redemption Rav Soloveitchik consistently teaches that Elohim primarily
reveals himself in moments of suffering, defeat, loneliness and absurdity. He
adds, Elohim earnestly seeks to help us transform these ‘dysfunctional’
experiences of our lives into a covenantal process of repentance and
redemption. This article describes how Elohim helps the families of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob transform their painful dysfunctional family conflicts into a
redemptive process that will eventually create the chosen people of Elohim, who
will in turn be worthy of receiving His Torah at Mt. Sinai.
Ultimately
Elohim will pull together all the disparate threads of our current inter group
competition, and weave for us a quilt of redemption. This is the divine
providence that he bestowed upon Jacob’s(YAA'KOV's) family, as they developed,
through intra-family conflict, to become the eternal Jewish(Hebrew)
People. “ end quote.
Perhaps
Reuben felt such deep shame as to his failure as the first born. Amazingly Gad
wanted to comfort and protect Reuben, in spite of Reuben having sexual
relations with his mother – Billah. Manasshe
whose name means to “cause to forget” perhaps comforted Reuben to forgive
himself for his terrible transgression.
Baruch
atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh
o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed
are you Yahweh, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah
of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you,
YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn
