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Pashat Matot, July 23rd, 2011, 21 Tammuz, 5771

Dear Talmidot, Parents and Friends –

 

1)       Faculty Devar Torah – Rav Zvi Ron

2)       Mi She-Berach List

 

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Staying in Touch

Rav Zvi Ron

 

This week we have the famous request of the tribes of Reuven and Gad to stay on the eastern side of the Jordan. They wanted to settle there because they had abundant livestock and the land there was good for grazing (32:1). When they asked Moshe for permission to stay there, they mentioned their flocks even before their children, "Pens for the flock shall we build here for our livestock and cities for our small children" (32:16), indicating that they cared about their property more than their offspring (Rashi), an attitude that Moshe corrected in his response to them, by mentioning the children before the livestock (32:24). Clearly Reuven and Gad had their priorities mixed up, placing their animals above their children and the Land of Israel.

 

What is very unusual is that part of the tribe of Menashe was also sent to settle there by Moshe (32:33), even though only Reuven and Gad asked to. Why was the tribe of Menashe divided this way if they did not even want to live outside of Israel? The Netziv explains that it was Moshe's idea for Menashe to join the other two tribes. Since Menashe was a tribe of scholars and legislators, as we find in the Song of Devorah (Jud. 5:14), they were sent to provide instruction and guidance for the other two tribes. There may also be another reason Menashe was chosen. We know that the daughters of Zelophchad loved the Land of Israel so much that they requested a part of their father's inheritance, and they were from the tribe of Menashe. It was important that a tribe known for its love of Israel live among Reuven and Gad to instill in them the proper attitude towards the Land of Israel.

 

If so, why was only half of Menashe sent to live with Reuven and Gad? Siftei Kohen explains that this was in order to preserve a sense of brotherhood and connection between the Jews on either side of the Jordan River. If all of Menashe was sent there, there was a danger that although they were Torah scholars, over time, the people of Menashe themselves would feel disconnected to the Land and People of Israel. Since they had tribe-members on either side, Menashe would be able to serve as the link between Reuven, Gad and the other tribes, without getting lost themselves.

 

We can learn a few things from the example of Menashe. First, that sometimes we must sacrifice our own comfort and growth to reach out to other Jews who need our guidance and leadership. Half of Menashe sacrificed their own desire to live in Israel in order to make sure Reuven and Gad stayed in the fold. At the same time we must be aware that as we fulfill our responsibility to help other Jews, there is a danger that we ourselves will lose touch with our own hopes and dreams, our own spiritual growth and fulfillment. By splitting into two groups, Menashe had a kind of insurance policy, a safety net, that they won't lose sight of their true role. As we live our lives, it is important to remember this balance, between sacrificing for the growth of others and growing ourselves.  

 

Shabbat Shalom

 

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 Mi SheBerach List

Please email midmoriah@gmail.com if there is a name you would like to add or remove!  

 

Aviva Miriam bat Esther - 15 month old baby continuing chemotherapy for cancer (7/17/11)

Tziporah Sarah bat Esther Leah (7/14/11)

Aron ben Reizal (7/14/11)

Tzuriya Kochevet bat Sara - diagnosed with stomach cancer.(7/3/11)

Shmuel ben Miriam-toddler whose cancer has returned (5/26/11)

Karen bat Lena - undergoing chemotherapy (5/4/11)

Faiga Leah bas Henya (5/3/11)

Chaim ben Chashka (3/3/2011) – diabetes complications 

Matityahu Yaakov ben Gittel Rivka (3/5/2011)

Tziporah Feiga Bat Sima Sheindel (2/26/2011)

Shira bat Deena Miriam – premature baby on a ventilator (2/19/2011)

Noa Batya bat Daniella Rut – 7 month old with leukemia (2/5/2011)

Leah Alona Bat Tziporah (2/5/2011)

Leora bat Sarah (2/5/2011)

Frimit bat Devorah (2/5/2011)

Rivah bat Jane (1/29/2011)

Amitai Yaakov ben Bracha - a 16 yr. old just diagnosed with leukemia (1/29/2011)

Dina Eta bat Chaya Tzippora Sheva (1/22/2011)

Aharon Yitzchak ben Deena Yehudis (1/6/2011)

Adi bat Zahavit (twin baby who is sick)

Reut bat Zahavit (twin baby who is sick)

Chaim Yissachar ben Chaya Mushkit (26 year old with 2 children, leukemia)

Shraga Feivel ben Sasha

Ari ben Rivka (young husband with brain tumor)

Inbal bat Nelya

Zacharia

Kalman HaCohen ben Yael Margalit

Shai Ben Meital - 4 yr old with brain damage and seizures

Tzipora Fayga Bat Sima Shaindel- 33 year old mother of 3 with Leukemia(9/19/2010)

Tzvi Ilan ben Gita (8/12/2010)

Chaya Tziporah Sheva bat Faiga (8/12/2010)

Chisha Bayla bat Miriam

Chaya Meira Mindel bat Chava Golda - Midreshet alumna with cancer

Refael ben Nomi- 10 month old baby who has meningitis

Avraham ben Elka (5/21/10)

Rivka Margalit bat Ita - 12 year old girl with a brain tumor (5/27/2010)

Batya Leah bat Sara - cancer

Noa Chaya bat Nava Yehudit - baby

Yehuda Moshe Yosef ben Miriam

Rayzel bat Rifka

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Midreshet Moriah

The Educational Wing

Shaare Zedek Medical Center

P.O. Box 3235, Jerusalem, Israel

tel: 972-2-652-7449 fax: 972-2-651-1524

www.midreshetmoriah.com

 

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