Making Sense of the Sedra: Matot-Masei

The latest CNN news on the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine includes news of the broken promises of major companies such as Heineken, Unilever and Oreo-maker Mondelez to either leave or scale back their operations in Russia.

This week’s parsha, Matot-Masei, starts out by discussing the laws of vows. Words are easy to utter, but the Torah holds us to our word. A promise is a promise and must be fulfilled, unless it promises a transgression of God’s law. There is a way out in a domestic situation to avoid pledging to debt, whereby for example the head of a house may annul a promise he hears made in the home.

The scripture then proceeds to tell how the Israelites waged war against the Midianites, a people committed to destroying ancient Israel both morally and physically. The war was a retaliation for their efforts to tempt Israel into morally objectionable conduct. War spoils from that war were divided amongst the people and also tithed to the priests. Moses strongly objected to the taking of women captives, not least because this was the reason for the initial downfall of Israel at the hand of the Midianites.

Following this war, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh asked not to inherit with the remaining tribes of Israel on the West Bank of the Jordan, preferring instead to remain on the East Bank (modern Jordan). Moshe accepted their request after pointing out that only if they joined their brothers in the general conquest could they do so.

The reading of Masei lists the 42 stations of Israel in the Sinai desert and delineates the borders of what will be the Holy Land. In anticipation of entering Canaan, Moses appoints new tribal leaders to divide up the land and allocates cities of refuge and rehabilitation staffed by Levites. These cities are especially relevant to the negligent killers who escape the fate of murderers but who are, according to the Torah, guilty of manslaughter.

Thus, the first four books of the Torah culminate in the desire of God for His people to settle the Land of Israel. Anti-Israel rhetoric has a long and inglorious history. This reading reassures the readers of Scripture that the adherents of the law of Moses have nothing to fear from detractors, but the Israelite camp also needs to resolve to be united. In the words of Moses to the tribes of Gad and Reuben: “Will your brothers do battle while you sit here?!”

Moses encourages all the tribes of Israel to stand together in common enterprise. Taking responsibility for words uttered and promises made and fraternally shouldering responsibility for the common good are pillars central to the philosophy and practice of Torah. Even a child must not be promised anything by an adult, if the adult has no intention of fulfilling their word. No word is too secular to become a promise sacred to its beneficiary.

Rabbi Ariel Abel is HM Land Army military chaplain to 206 (NW) Multi-Medical role. Rabbi Abel completed officers’ training at Sandhurst Military Academy last month.