MATOT-MASSEI, NUMBERS 30:2–36:13
Moses at the age of 120 is ordered to fight a war against Midian, a war for Hashem, just before he is to be gathered to his ancestors…Why him?…Why then? Could it be that he had to clear the slate because of his Midianite wife or father-in-law or is it because he did not speak out and come forward at the incident of Zimri and Cozbi?
Zipporah, Moshe's wife had six sisters, perhaps their families were involved. What do you think?
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MAX’S DOUBLE PARSHAT MATOT-MASSEI QUIZ QUESTIONS
Max has come up with a quiz that relates to the double Parshah Matot-Massei. Attached are his questions. Do your best. The answers are found at the end of the post.
Stay inside; Stay safe; Stay healthy.
Shavua tov,
Mick
1-Why did Jewish Soldiers need to bring Korbanos after the war?
2-What was Moshe's process sending soldiers to war?
3-When should a person make a Neder (promise)?
4-Why was the tribe of Menashe split into two?
5-Which 2-words should you say when making a donation?
6-What was General Yiftach's outrageous vow ?
7-Who came to get paid and got "paid back " all right ?
8-Which person's words will always come true ?
9-Why were the Shevatim of Gad & Reuvein the first to be exiled ?
10-How does one purge impurities from his mind ?
11-Did any Jewish soldiers die in the war against Midyan ?
12-Which 2-words can prevent endangering one's family life ?
1 3-How did Chanah gain by Vowing ?
14-From where do we know true leaders care more for the community ?
15-Why did the Jewish soldiers not want to battle Midyan ?
16-Which Mitzvots are considered Am YISROEL Swords ?
17-Which Aron Kodesh was taken to war to help defeat the enemy ?
18-How did Beis Din know which Midyanite women were guilty of sin ?
19-How many people are needed nowadays to nullify a vow ?
20-Where are the 4-Nations that exiled the Jews hinted to in Torah ?
21-What did the Shevatim purchase with the money when selling Yosef ?
22-When is Aharon HaKohen Yahrzeit ?
23-When is there a Mitzvah to put up signs ?
24-Why were the 48 cities of the Leviim designated as cities of refuge ?
25-How many of the 48 Levite cities did the Kohanim settle within ?
26-Why were there 42- stops in the Desert ?
27-Why couldn't the Jews sanctify the new Moon in the Desert ?
28-How many moves did Bnei YISROEL make during middle 38-years ?
29-Why did HASHEM dispersed the Leviim in 48-Cities ?
30-How did HASHEM pamper the Jews in the desert ?
31-How much space did the camp of the Jews take up in the MIDBAR ?
32-Where will most Jews be in the final stage of Galus ?
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The Women of Midian Led Captive by the
Hebrews, watercolor by James Tissot, 1896-1900.
At 31:14-18 we experience some strong words said by Moses to the
officers of the returning army:
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר
אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם משֶׁ֑ה הַֽחִיִּיתֶ֖ם כָּל־נְקֵבָֽה
“Moses said to them, "Did you allow all the females to live?”
“They were the same ones who were involved with the children of Israel on Balaam's advice to betray the Lord over the incident of Peor, resulting in a plague among the congregation of the Lord”.
“So now kill every male child, and every woman who can lie intimately with a man you shall kill”.
“And all the young girls who have no experience of intimate relations with a man, you may keep alive for yourselves”.
It is difficult to relate to these words and resultant actions, but about 500 years later it will happen again when King Saul is commanded to kill without exception all of the Amelekites…wow.
As an aside, the word for female is נְקֵבָֽה.
The root comes from the word orifice or hole, and is hardly politically correct.
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The Haftarah portion comes from the Prophet Jeremiah (2:4-28, 4:1-2),
and is in regard to our continuing intransigence:
At 2:25 it reads: “but you said, "I despair. No, for I love
strangers, and I will follow them."
This verse is reminiscent of Rabbi Meir Kahane:
“For so long as the Jew has even one ally, he will be convinced - in his smallness of mind - that his salvation came from that ally. It is only when he is alone - against all of his own efforts and frantic attempts - that he will, through no choice, be compelled to turn to G-d.
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There is more than one way to view the Parshah. In 1898 Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn
published an authoritative text referred to as a “maimar”. It is entitled : Heichaltzu”.
In it the Rabbi tries to understand what
and why did Midian have anything against the Israelites. He concluded that Midian harbored a baseless
hatred, sinas chinam, שנאת חינם, against the Israelites.
The text for Heichaltzucan be found at https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/83659/jewish/Heichaltzu-Chapter-I.htm
Among many other thingsthe Rabbi found that he name Midian (מדין) is etymologically related to the word מדון meaning strife and contention.
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We conclude Sefer Bamidbar:
Chazak, Chazak, V'nitchazek.
MAX’S PARSHAT MATOT-MASSEI QUIZ
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Max has come up with a quiz that relates to
this week's Parshah. Below are his
questions and answers. How did you do?
Maybe you have to study more; I do.
1-Why did Jewish Soldiers need to bring
Korbanos after the war?
IN GRATITUDE THAT NOT ONE SOLDIER DIED IN
ACTION
> 2-What was Moshe's process sending
soldiers to war?
EVERY SOLDIER SENT TO BATTLE, ONE WAS SENT TO
LEARN TORAH
> 3-When should a person make a Neder
(promise)?
AT A TIME OF PERSONAL OR NATIONAL CRISIS
PROMISE TO GIVE CHARITY
> 4-Why was the tribe of Menashe split into
two?
MENASHE CAUSED THE SHEVATIM TO TEAR THEIR
CLOTH IN GRIEF
WHEN HE ACCUSED THEM OF STEALING YOSEF'S
GOBLET
> 5-Which 2-words should you say when
making a donation?
IT IS WISE TO SAY " BLI- NEDER "
JUST IN CASE YOU FORGET
> 6-What was General Yiftach's outrageous
vow ?
TO OFFER THE FIRST THING THAT CAME OUT OF HIS
HOUSE "DAUGHTER"
> 7-Who came to get paid and got "paid
back " all right ?
BILAM CAME BACK TO MIDYAN TO GET PAID FOR HIS
SCHEME
> 8-Which person's words will always come
true ?
A RIGHTEOUS PERSON DECREES AND HASHEM FULFILLS
> 9-Why were the Shevatim of Gad &
Reuvein the first to be exiled ?
THEY WERE THE FURTHEST FROM THE BEIS HAMIKDASH
> 10-How does one purge impurities from his
mind ?
THROUGH THE STUDY OF TORAH
> 11-Did any Jewish soldiers die in the war
against Midyan ?
NOT ONLY NO JEWISH SOLDIERS DIE , ALSO NO ONE
SINNED IN ACTION
> 12-Which 2-words can prevent endangering
one's family life ?
IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD HABIT TO SAY "BLI
-NEDER"
> 1 3-How did Chanah gain by Vowing ?
SHE PROMISED TO HASHEM THAT THE FIRST CHILD
BORN TO BE
FULLY DEVOTED TO SERVE IN THE MISHKAN
"SHMUEL HANAVI"
> 14-From where do we know true leaders
care more for the community ?
MOSHE DID NOT DELAY THE WAR WITH MIDYAN,
KNOWING SOON TO DIE
> 15-Why did the Jewish soldiers not want
to battle Midyan ?
BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT MOSHE'S DEATH WOULD
SOON FOLLOW
> 16-Which Mitzvots are considered Am
YISROEL Swords ?
TORAH STUDY AND TEFILLAH
> 17-Which Aron Kodesh was taken to war to
help defeat the enemy ?
THE ARON KODESH WITH THE BROKEN LUCHOS WAS
TAKEN TO WAR
> 18-How did Beis Din know which Midyanite
women were guilty of sin ?
THEY PASSED BEFORE THE ARON KODESH, GULTY
TURNED GREEN
> 19-How many people are needed nowadays to
nullify a vow ?
3-LAYMEN MAY BE USED TO NULLIFY A VOW (HATARAS
NEDARIM)
> 20-Where are the 4-Nations that exiled
the Jews hinted to in Torah ?
THE FIRST LETTER OF THE FIRST FOUR WORDS IN
PARASHAS MASEI
EDOM, MADAI, BAVEL, AND YAVAN
> 21-What did the Shevatim purchase with
the money when selling Yosef ?
THEY PURCHASED SHOES WITH KIDNAPPING MONEY
> 22-When is Aharon HaKohen Yahrzeit ?
THE FIRST OF AV
> 23-When is there a Mitzvah to put up
signs ?
SIGNS FOR THE ACCIDENTAL MURDERS TO FIND
REFUGE CITY FASTEST
> 24-Why were the 48 cities of the Leviim
designated as cities of refuge ?
LEVIIM TO PROVIDE THERAPY & REHABILITATION
TO IMPROVE BEHAVIORS
> 25-How many of the 48 Levite cities did
the Kohanim settle within ?
KOHANIM RECEIVED 13 OF THE 48 LEVITE CITIES
> 26-Why were there 42- stops in the Desert
?
ONE OF HASHEM NAMES HAS 42 LETTERS, CONSTANT
PRESENCE
> 27-Why couldn't the Jews sanctify the new
Moon in the Desert ?
THE JEWS WERE ALWAYS ENVELOPED IN THE CLOUDS
OF GLORY
> 28-How many moves did Bnei YISROEL make
during middle 38-years ?
THE ONLY MOVED ABOUT 20 TIMES IN THE MIDDLE
38- YEARS
> 29-Why did HASHEM dispersed the Leviim in
48-Cities ?
SO THEY COULD BE A MAJOR INFLUENCE AND ROLE
MODEL TO JEWS
> 30-How did HASHEM pamper the Jews in the
desert ?
THEY WERE CLEANED BY THE ANANEI HAKAVOD, FED
BY THE MANN
TRANSPORTED BY THE CLOUDS, GIVEN TO DRINK
FRESH WATER
> 31-How much space did the camp of the
Jews take up in the MIDBAR ?
JEWISH CAMP IN THE MIDBAR SPANNED 3-PARSAH,
(12 MILES)
> 32-Where will most Jews be in the final
stage of Galus ?
RABBI CHAIM VOLOZHINER SAID AMERICA WILL BE
THE LAST GALUS
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