Pledges, Vows and Promises
D’var Torah for Matot-Mass’ei
By Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman
July 27, 2022
This week’s Torah reading is comprised of two portions, Matot and Mass’ei. Matot (“Staffs,” Numbers 30:2—32:42) refers to laws given by Moses to the tribal heads of the nascent Israelite nation. Mass’ei (“Journeys,” Numbers 33:1—36:13), the last portion in the book of Numbers, recounts the 40-year journey of the Israelites toward the Promised Land, enumerating every stop along the way.
As is true for so much of the Torah, these portions reflect the barbarity of ancient times as well as the idealism that characterizes Moses and his grand vision for future generations.
Matot covers three topics: Nedarim (vows); the war against the Midianites; and the request by the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh to settle not within the boundaries of the Promised Land proper, but rather in the fertile lands east of the Jordan River, in territories won in battle with Israel’s enemies.
Our vows tell the world who we are and what we believe in. They may be words, but they aren’t empty words. Rather, they convey our innermost purpose and our commitment to our ideals. Somewhat like flags around which we rally and which give us aim and direction, our vows are meant to remind us of lifegoals we try to reach. We take them seriously, despite any obstacles that may rise along the way.
Vows are sacred, and breaking them carries consequences. Hence the Torah also gives us guidelines to help us bend—or, if necessary, nullify—vows we find impossible to fulfill. Such an act should never be simple or easy, and—based on this Torah portion—in later times the rabbis outline several procedures for annulling vows. The most famous of these, of course, is a ritual we follow on the eve of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The entire service takes its name from this ritual: Kol Nidrei.
There are times to hold fast to our vows, and times to give ourselves a second chance. As the Talmud expounds (Ta’anit 20:1), “A person should forever be as soft as a reed and not as hard as a cedar.”
As this portion ends, the Israelites are finally poised at the borders of the Promised Land. Having made all this journey together, however, now some of the tribes, namely Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh, request permission from Moses to stay behind and settle on the eastern shore of the Jordan River. The land there is fertile and offers rich pasture for their herds and flocks. Moses grows angry, thinking that these two and a half tribes wish to shirk their allegiance to the rest of the Israelite Nation. In the ensuing negotiations, however, the chieftains reassure Moses, pledging always to be there for their brethren, to come to their aid in time of famine, or to help out in time of war. Upon hearing this, Moses relents, though not without cautioning them of the consequences of breaking their word. “If you do not do so… know that your sin will find you.”
A thousand years later, the great philosopher and commentator Maimonides (Moses ben Maimon, aka the Rambam), expands on Moses’ warning, declaring it a mitzvah—a sacred commandment—for Jews to come to the aid and defense of fellow Jews, wherever they are.
Taking possession of the Promised Land is not going to be simple or easy. It will involve battles and brutal warfare. Moses however, great visionary that he was, looks beyond this initial phase and foresees a future where Justice will become the law of the land. As the book of Numbers comes to its conclusion in the portion called Mass’ei, Moses commands the Israelites to establish Refuge Cities. These would become a safe zone for people accused of crimes they may or may not have committed, giving them access to courts and a fair trial. Vengeance, we learn, is not the Jewish way. Justice is. It’s a pledge the Jewish People have held sacred since the most ancient times.
Despite the many challenges Life puts in our way, we learn that human beings can be more than savages. Our vows, pledges and promises enable us to rise above instinct and impulse. We fight when necessary, yes; we bend like a soft reed at other times. But above all comes our pursuit of justice and the law. These are the basic necessities that keep us human, greater than the beasts of the field —and as some commentators say, even closer to God than the very angels themselves.
© 2022 by Boaz D. Heilman
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