Parshas Mattos/Massei
א
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם משֶׁ֛ה אֶ֥לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֖ה לַצָּבָ֑א אֹ֠תָ֠ם וְאֶת־פִּ֨ינְחָ֜ס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לַצָּבָ֔א וּכְלֵ֥י הַקֹּ֛דֶשׁ וַֽחֲצֹֽצְר֥וֹת הַתְּרוּעָ֖ה בְּיָדֽוֹ:
Moses sent them the thousand from each tribe to the army, them along with Pinchas the son of Eleazar the kohen to the army, with the sacred utensils and the trumpets for sounding in his possession. (Bamidbar 31:6)
The Gemara in Soteh[1] teaches that the “sacred utensils” was the aron, the ark, which contained the luchos, the tablets. The Tosefta[2] goes further and explains that the broken luchos were in the aron and that is the “sacred utensils” that accompanied the army into war.
The Belzer Rebbe, zt”l, found this puzzling. The Torah tells us in Parshas Shoftim[3], And the officers shall continue to speak to the people and say, "What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, that he should not cause the heart of his brothers to melt, as his heart. The Gemara[4] explains this this is referring to anyone who has “sins in his hands”. In other words, the Torah warns that if people would feel distracted by their sins, if they feel that their life might be endangered because of their transgressions, they should return home. Therefore, asked the Rebbe, why would we have the broken luchos that symbolized one of the greatest sins in Jewish history, the cheit haeigel, travel with the army into war? Wouldn’t that remind all the soldiers of their sinful past and worry about divine retribution in this world?
The Rebbe explains that this is exactly why the shattered luchos accompanied the yidden into battle. It teaches that even if the yidden sin, even if they are broken, there is still the possibility for teshuva and a second set of tablets. What was broken can be made whole.
The Seforim HaKedosim explain that each of the battles described in the Torah alludes to the ongoing struggle with the Yetzer Harah. Whenever a yid begins to want to change their lives, to rectify and refine their behaviors, the Yetzer Harah can try and dissuade and discourage you. He reminds you of your past hoping to deflate your enthusiasm, to imprison you in a state of complacency. He wants you to define yourself by your “shattered tablets”.
However, as the Torah relates here, we go to war against our enemies, against our Yetzer Harah remembering that every moment is an opportunity to do teshuva, to change everything about who we are. We carry the internal lesson of the aron: it contains the shattered tablets that resulted from the eigel, along with the whole, complete set that was given after the yidden did teshuva.
ב
אֵ֜לֶּה מַסְעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָֽצְא֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם בְּיַד־משֶׁ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹֽן
וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב משֶׁ֜ה אֶת־מוֹצָֽאֵיהֶ֛ם לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֵ֥לֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם לְמוֹצָֽאֵיהֶֽם
These are the journeys of the children of Israel who left the land of Egypt in their legions, under the charge of Moshe and Aharon. Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of the Lord, and these were their journeys with their starting points (Bamidar 33:1-2)
The word “אֵ֜לֶּה” (can be translated as “these” and “but”) is used to discredit what was previously said. The Skver Rebbe, quoting the Koshnitzer Maggid, asked why this word is used here? What is it discrediting?
The Sefas Emes points out that these journeys are tied to leaving Mitzrayim. We know that the Torah never simple narrates a storyline. What can we learn from the connection of these journeys to Eygpt?
Each location mentioned describes that they “journeyed” and “camped”. Why do we need to be told that they encamped? Isn’t that obvious?
What can we learn from this parsha for our Avodas Hashem?
These journeys have deep spiritual implications. The Avodas Yisroel teaches that each of these journeys had a unique spiritual purpose. Each location the yidden travelled to require a tikkun, a refinement.
There were sparks of kedusha, holiness, held captive in these places. These journeys and the battles that surrounded them were a process of releasing that spiritual potential from the clutches of the Sitra Achra, the evil and impure forces in the world.
The Degel Mache Efraim quotes his grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov, who taught that these journeys occur throughout one’s life, from the time they are born until they return to the World of Truth. These journeys represent the struggles every yid will have with their Yetzer Harah throughout their lives.
The Torah recounts that there were 42 destinations that the yidden travelled to along with eight locations they returned to[5] for a total of 50 encampments. The Zohar explains that this correlates to the 50 times that Yitziyas Mitzrayim is mentioned in the Torah. Each journey was transforming the 50 gates of impurity to the gates of purity.
The Sefas Emes explains (5644) that the pasuk connects these journeys to leaving Eygpt because that experience, that redemption, carries forward for all generations. Each battle the yidden face, both as a collective and as an individual, is rooted in that original redemption. And, just like that experience is relived throughout the generations, so too, these journeys are experienced in every yid’s life.
While in Mitzrayim, the yidden fell to the 49th level of impurity. And, it was in that utter state of spiritual destitution that Hashem chose the yidden, redeeming them. This event is so pivotal to our relationship with Hashem that throughout our davening we constantly remind ourselves of this critical lesson: no matter how far we fall, how distant we become from Hashem, His Torah and mitzvos, we can always come back. We can find our own redemption through the power of teshuva. A yid can never be truly lost.
This lesson of Yitzyias Mitzrayim empowers every journey that follows. The realization of that unique relationship enables every yid to face the challenges of his own life’s journeys. Therefore the pasuk connects these journeys to leaving Eygpt: it was a continuation of that avodah (Sefas Emes 5662).
Each journey is inevitably followed by another. The Gemara (Chulin) teaches us that a person is called a – מהלך- “mehalech”; a person needs to always be on the move. We can never become complacent. Our avodah in this world is to constantly be growing, evolving, and refining our Avodas Hashem. Each “journey” of our lives, each place we find ourselves in – physically and spiritually – has a purpose. We have a mission in that moment in that place. By seizing that moment and overcoming those challenges, we inevitably grow.
The Karliner Rebbe, the Beis Aharon, points out that there are two critical lessons here by mentioning each journey. Each journey, each success, will inevitably lead to another “journey”, another test, another challenge to overcome. The job is never finished. However, he adds, that if you slip up, if you aren’t successful on a given day, you cannot allow yourself to despair. You cannot allow a failure to define your spiritual trajectory. You cannot give in or give up. Chazal teaches us that every day a new Yetzer Harah is created to challenge you. You will have new battles to come, new opportunities to overcome temptation and to grow. You cannot let despair over one battle hinder your ability to win the next one.
Therefore, each journey is described as “journeying” and “camping”. There is a moment of battle and journeying. But it has a finiteness to it. There is an “encampment”. A moment to reflect and prepare for the next journey.
Therefore this parsha of the journeys is preluded with the word אֵ֜לֶּה. At times, you need to discredit your past. You need to move beyond failure. You cannot allow past behaviors to determine future outcomes. We cannot always be victorious in our Avodas Hashem. And, that’s ok. There will be a new challenge, a new test, that can be the catalyst for our growth. And, when we are successful, we need to “discredit” that, too. We cannot rely on past successes. We cannot become complacent and comfortable. But always realize that each passing moment, each new challenge, presents a new opportunity to grow in our Avodas Hashem.
ג
The Avodah of the Three Weeks
We currently find ourselves in the three weeks from the 17th of Taamuz until Tisha B’Av known as the Bein HaMeitzrim, during which we mourn the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, the ongoing galus and all of the suffering and pain that the yidden have had to endure as a result.
We never celebrate or observe events, rather, we relive them. The Jewish calendar is constructed with various touchpoints throughout the year to help us grow, remain connected to Hashem and improve our Avodas Hashem. Everything we experience and celebrate, every yom tov, serves a purpose and empowers us to focus and improve on an aspect of our avodah.
What lesson can we learn and incorporate into our Avodas Hashem from these three weeks?
The Tolna Rebbe, shlita, writes that the Baal Shem Tov taught that these are days of a certain joy and simcha. How can we try and understand this simcha?
Lastly, the seforim hakedohsim notes that the Parsha of Matos and Massei are always read during these weeks. How can understand the connection?
The Reality of Our World
After Adam and Chava ate from the Eitz HaDa’as, they were confronted with the consequence of their actions. And, Hashem described the ramifications of their actions and said[6] וְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַ לָ֑ךְ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה- And it will cause thorns and thistles to grow for you, and you shall eat the herbs of the field. On a deeper level, how can we understand this aspect of their punishment?
The Bnei Yissachar[7] offers an incredible insight. The world was created with a certain clarity. Man was able to see the world in very raw, simple terms. There was good and evil, kedusha and impurities. The choice was unquestionable: choose kedusha and abhor evil.
However, after the sin of the Eitz HaDa’as, confusion entered the world, and that clarity was blurred with a veil of uncertainty. The world had become complicated in an instant. Confusion became a reality and the role of the yidden had transformed to now utilize their bechirah to choose the goodness and avoid the temptations for evil, sin and impurity. It became a challenge to determine the difference between goodness and evil. While there are obvious choices that are not very challenging, there remains a battleground in the subtle, less obvious choices. The cunning Yetzer Harah at times even tries to convince us a specific sin is a mitzvah! Our intentions have also become opaque and damaging character traits such as haughtiness, kavod, jealousy can even creep into our Avodah and mitzvos.
Our Avodah, explained the Bnei Yissachor, is to strive to always choose Hashem over temptation and self. When a yid realizes that everything in the world is a gift from Hashem, when they recognize His unparalleled, singular Kingship over and presence in this world, they can make the right choices. When they forget that, when their actions, thoughts or words are tainted with ulterior motives or when they sin, they are in essence denying Hashem’s rule. After all, if they knew that with clarity, they could never sin. They are literally like idol worshipers serving other “gods”.
The Shema[8] expresses our acceptance of Hashem’s rule and our subjugation to His Will. The last word, Echad, is written with an enlarged Daled. There is another enlarged letter in the Torah: the Reish in the pasuk[9] that forbids foreign gods saying, כִּ֛י לֹ֥א תִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֖ה לְאֵ֣ל אַחֵ֑ר- For you shall not prostrate yourself before another god. The difference between these two letters is a “Kotz” – a slight mark on the Daled: ד ר. The difference between knowing Hashem Echad and falling prey to serving other gods, to the Acher, can sometimes be a small smidge, a slight deviation and you are completely off track. Additionally, the numerical difference between a “Daled” and a “Reish” is 196 – the same gematria of the Hebrew word Kotz-קוץ.
This, explained the Bnei Yissachor, was the message Hashem told Adam and Chava by saying: וְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר. The outcome of their behavior was that the lines became blurred. Now, discerning the Daled from the Reish has become difficult (the Hebrew word דַרְדַּ֖ר consists of a Daled iand Reish) and it can even depend on something that seems minute and meaningless, like a Kotz.
The Darkness of Our Lives
This teaching leads to another lesson for our Avodas Hashem. Another outcome of this confusion is being able to discern the goodness in our suffering, the light dormant in the darkness. We struggle with pain and tragedy. Confusion seeps into our perspective and we can feel lost.
We believe in Hashgacha Pratis, Hashem’s ever guiding intervention and providence in this world. We also have emunah that Hashem is completely good, and everything that occurs in this world and in our individual lives is for the best. When life gets difficult, it is our Avodah to recognize and believe that this not only will be good, but that it itself is good. There is purpose in our pain. Even the darkest moments, the most painful struggles, have a spark of Hashem’s essence within, sustaining it. And, therefore, there is the potential and obligation to seek that goodness in the most difficult moments. The Baal Shem Tov explained that, especially now in the galus, our Avodah is to recognize Hashem even in the tragedy, to seek out the goodness that is layered within the pain, the light that is waiting to be unleashed. The emunah that drives that recognition alone is enough to dissipate the suffering and replace it with bracha and Chesed.
R’ Chaim from Sanz in Divrei Chaim[10] taught that his Rebbe, the Roshpizer Ruv, writes in Zera Kodesh when Moshiach comes and we are finally redeemed from this long and bitter galus, we will look back and realize that all the suffering, the pain, and the tragedy were all acts of Hashem’s Chesed.
The Gemara[11] taught Olam HaBah is not like this world. In this world, upon good news one recites, “Blessed…Who is good and does good.” And, when one hears bad tidings they say, “ Blessed…the true Judge.” However, in Olam HaBah one recites, “Blessed…Who is good and does good” on both. The obvious question is what bad tidings is one receiving when they are in Olam HaBah?! The Rebbe answers that one will say HaTov V’HaMeitiv on the bad tidings they had while in this world. In other words, they will have regained their clarity and see with precision how every event in the world and in their lives – the good and the bad – was for a purpose that was ultimately good and kind.
This emunah is encapsulated by the Shema. As it says, שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ה' אֱלֹהקינוּ ה' | אֶחָֽד- Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; the Lord is one. Hashem’s name Hevayah represents His pure chesed and Elokeinu His din and judgement in the world. Shema is the expression that while at times we see His Chesed and at times His din, we recognize Hashem Echad, they are both complete good and chesed.
If we falter in this emunah, if we credit our pain and suffering to anything else but Hashem’s Chesed, it is like serving other gods, Acher.
We can, therefore, now interpret the punishment for Adam and Chava slightly differently. As a result of their sin and the confusion that entered the world, it became more difficult to recognize and believe in Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad. We can experience suffering and doubt everything about our emunah. We can feel angry, jealous, envious, and sad. These emotions are all “foreign gods”. When you believe completely in Hashem and that everything He brings into your life is for you ultimate good, then how can you ever experience these emotions? They demonstrate that you are crediting another power in this world was able to harm you! If a yid truly believes in Hashem Echad, he can accept everything with Ahavah. He can recognize that even in the darkness, is Hashem’s Chesed and that emunah prevents him from being confused and assigning any creditably to the “Acher” in his life.
The difference between Echad and Acheir is that tiny little Kotz .The Kotz represents emunah. The Hebrew word Kotz is the same gematria of אמונה בחסדך, Faith in Your Kindness, and המאמינים. It also resembles the letter Yud which represents Emunah, as R’ Itche Meir Morgenstern explains[12]. Through emunah even in the darkest times, we can connect to Hashem Echad and distance ourselves from Acher, the false gods, emotions, and fears that pulls us away from that emunah.
Oaths of Emunah
Parshas Matos begins with the laws of Nedarim as the pasuk says, אִישׁ֩ כִּֽי־יִדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לַה' אֽוֹ־הִשָּׁ֤בַע שְׁבֻעָה֙ לֶאְסֹ֤ר אִסָּר֙ עַל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ לֹ֥א יַחֵ֖ל דְּבָר֑וֹ כְּכָל־הַיֹּצֵ֥א מִפִּ֖יו יַֽעֲשֶֽׂה- If a man makes a vow to the Lord or makes an oath to prohibit himself, he shall not violate his word; according to whatever came out of his mouth, he shall do.
The Kedushas Levi explains the process of making a Neder is an expression of Emunah in Hashem’s Hasgacha Pratis. When a person is truly connected to Hashem and His Divine Providence, then he seeks to expand his kedusha through an oath.
The Rebbe continues and teaches that this is expressed in the very word Neder. In Hebrew, Neder can be broken down into two words: נ דר. The letter “Nun” - explained the Rebbe – is the letter that represents emunah in Hashem and His Hashgacha Pratis.
According to what we have said above this is an incredible insight. We can interpret this same teaching to mean that the Avodah of the Neder is to place the Nun, the letter of emunah before the דר -emunah. A yid needs emunah to avoid confusin Hashem Echad and Acher. Empowered with that emunah a yid can see clearly see the world – all the good and bad – and be able to expand his kedusha through a Neder.
The Journeys of Faith
Parsha Massei begins describing the 42 journeys that the yidden took in the Bamidbar. And, the pasuk begins this recounting saying:
אֵ֜לֶּה מַסְעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָֽצְא֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם בְּיַד־משֶׁ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹֽן
וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב משֶׁ֜ה אֶת־מוֹצָֽאֵיהֶ֛ם לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֵ֥לֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם לְמוֹצָֽאֵיהֶֽם
These are the journeys of the children of Israel who left the land of Egypt in their legions, under the charge of Moses and Aaron. Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of the Lord, and these were their journeys with their starting points…[13]
Why does the pasuk need to inform us that they left Eygpt? That is obvious. Secondly, the Seforim HaKedoshim all seem to note the pasuk switches the placement of “starting points” – where they left – and “journeys” – where they went to. It is seemingly very awkward wording. Therefore, there must be a lesson here for our Avodas Hashem.
The Bobover Ruv, zt”l, whose yartzeit is on Rosh Chodesh Av has a beautiful insight – especially when placed in the context of his life - in Kerem Shlomo.
The purpose of galus, and all the persecutions, suffering, and pain that the yidden experience is for the ultimate geulah. Every aspect of the bitter darkness of exile is a catalyst for the final and complete redemption. And, when that geulah arrives, explains the Rebbe, we will be able to realize that the redemption would not have been possible without the galus and everything we had to endure; that the light cannot come forth without the darkness and that the pain served an exalted purpose.
Therefore, within each struggle of galus is veiled the wondrous building blocks of our geulah. The Torah taught us this during the enslavement in Eygpt when the redemption was hastened because of the Jewish suffering. The harshness and bitterness of their labor were directly responsible for the redemption arriving before the 400 years were completed.
The journeys mentioned in this parsha represent the experiences the yidden have in galus. Therefore, it traces them back to Egypt to remind us that the suffering in each galus will directly contribute to the redemption. What seems like chaotic catastrophes are Hashem’s Hashgacha Pratis guiding us towards our ultimate salvation.
The Yalkut Reuveini taught that when you take the first letters of the following words אֵ֜לֶּה מַסְעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל they create an acronym for the four exiles: אדום מדי בבל יון. The Rebbe continues and teaches that the first two letters spell the names of the six redeemers of Bnei Yisroel: Moshe, Aharon, Esther, Mordechai, Eliyahu and Moshiach. The very same pasuk that alludes to the future suffering of the exiles that would come also alludes to the saviors, the redeemers who ushered and will usher in the redemption. They are connected, intertwined and dependent on one another.
And this is how the Rebbe explains the remaining words:
Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of the Lord – Moshe taught the yidden that the redeemers who will take you out – your starting point – for your journeys in exile have already been established. Everything that occurs during those journeys in galus occurs with the “word of the Lord” – with Hashgacha Pratis and for that eventual purpose of redemption.
Then the pasuk says:
these were their journeys with their starting points…- And the purpose of these journeys was and is to go out and experience the geulah. However, that redemption cannot occur without the exile. Therefore, we need to first journey and experience galus. And, then we will go out and experience the ultimate revelation of Hashem’s presence with the arrival of Moshiach.
Joyous Days
Now, we can understand the Simcha that the Baal Shem Tov was referring to. We always associate these three weeks with the pain and suffering of galus. However, if we shift our perspective and realize that galus is not a prerequisite for geulah but the catalyst for redemption, we can accept the galus, the suffering, the pain and loss with a ahavah and simcha.
The Seforim HaKedoshim (Zera Kodesh, Bnei Yissachor and Tzvi L’Tzadik among others) teach that the numbers of days from the 17th of Ta’amuz until after Tisha B’Av is the same number of days of Yom Tov throughout the year.
The Mishna famously teaches[14] that at the beginning of Av one decreases their simchah. However, the actual words - מִשֶּׁנִּכְנָס אָב מְמַעֲטִין בְּשִׂמְחָה- are better translated as follow: When Av enters you diminish with Simcha. The Tolna Rebbe quotes the Maggid of Mezritch who reiterated a teaching of his Rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov. The Tzadik interpreted the Chazal as follows: When Av comes, you can diminish the suffering with Simchah.
During these weeks, our Avodah is to recognize what has been lost and to feel the suffering of our galus. However, we must also realize that the galus and its bitterness directly contribute to the geulah. And, therefore, there is room to rejoice and experience Simcha. Now is the time to work on our emunah to see the kindness in the pain. During these weeks we alter our perspective and shift our paradigm. We can strengthen our emunah and connect Hashem in an incredibly powerful way. And, we will know that the darkness we will experience will lead to the light and everything we undergo in galus is with Hashem’s Hashgacha Pratis, and, therefore, totally good and kind.
[1] 43a
[2] Soteh 7:18
[3] Devarim 20:8
[4] Soteh 43b
[5] see Rashi in Bamidbar 26:13
[6] Breshis 3:18
[7] Chodesh Adar Ma’amar 2, Shel HaKaodesh, Darush 8
[8] Devarim 6:4
[9] Shemos 34:14
[10] Chanukah
[11] Pesachim 50a
[12] Shiurei Yam Chachma , Otzros Chaim, Chapter One, Os, Aleph, Shaar 2
[13] Bamidar 33:1-2
[14] Taanis 26b
