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Overview
of the Torah Reading
To be read on Shabbat
Matot/Masei, 1 Menachem Av 5785/July 26, 2025
Torah: Numbers
30:2-36:13
Haftorah: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4, 4:1-2 Jeremiah 2:4-28; Jeremiah
4:1-2 (2nd haftorah of affliction) ;
Isaiah 66:1; Isaiah 66:23-24; Isaiah 66:23; (for Rosh Chodesh)
Pirkei Avot:
Chapter 2
Matot
is the 9th Reading out of 10 in Numbers and it contains 5652
letters, in 1484 words, in 112 verses
Masei
is the 10th Reading out of 10 in Numbers and it contains 5773
letters, in 1461 words, in 132 verses
Matot
opens with laws concerning making vows and their annulment. Next, G-d
commands the Jews to take vengeance on Midian for having deliberately
caused them to sin. After killing, capturing, and plundering the Midianites,
the Jews are commanded how to purify themselves and the spoil. The spoil
is divided according to G-d’s command, and a part is dedicated to the
Sanctuary. Remarkably (31:48-49) not a single Jew was killed in the battle
with Midian. Mattot ends with the tribes of Reuven and Gad requesting
to live in the conquered lands (that were not originally intended to be
part of the Land of Israel). They are granted permission on condition
that they only permanently settle this land after the rest of the Jews
conquer and divide the Land of Israel on the opposite side of the Jordan
River.
Masei begins listing the 42 different journeys
the Jews traversed during their 40 years in the desert. Then, G-d commands
that when the Jews will cross the Jordan to conquer the land of Canaan,
they must completely drive out the inhabitants and destroy all idolatry.
The Land is then to be divided according to tribes and families through
a special type of Divinely conducted lottery system. G-d also defines
the specific borders of the Land and lists leaders from each tribe who
will help parcel out the Land. The Levites are also to be given 48 residential
cities. These include 6 cities of refuge-havens to which the accidental
murderer escapes from the blood avenger, a relative of the killed. Here
are detailed many laws concerning intentional and unintentional bloodshed.
The parsha ends with the tribe of Menashe complaining that their tribal
inheritance would be diminished due to the daughters of Tzelofchad inheriting
their father’s portion. The sisters are then told that if they want to
keep the inheritance, they must marry only men from their own tribe ensuring
that their sons who inherit the land would also be from the tribe of Menashe.
With the conclusion of Massei, we complete the book of Bamidbar (Numbers).
Chazak, Chazak, Venitchazek!
 An
essay from Rabbi
Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free
weekly email subscription, click
here)
This year the
portions of Matot and Masei are read together this Shabbat. We learn that
a name of something can have deeper meanings. What inspiration can we
gain from the names of these portions, separately and together, to support
us during the Three Weeks of Mourning [between the two fast days of 17th
Tamuz and 9th of Av] and the two remaining months of preparations before
the High Holidays {Av and Elul]?
The Lubavitcher Rebbe
taught in his talk on these two portions in 1982, that the word Matot,
meaning “tribes”, is generally translated as a staff or stick.
Matot connotes strength and determination just as a staff is hard, strong
and unbending.
Masei, meaning “journeys”,
hints to a person's efforts during their lifetime - their journeys. The
word journeys specifically refers to a person's efforts because a journey
assumes movement and action. You can only rise from one level to the next
higher level when you are moving. Someone sedentary doesn’t progress.
Not physically or spiritually.
When both words are
joined together (as on this Shabbat) it is teaching us that to accomplish
the important things in our lives (Masei) we have to be tough, determined
(Matot) and keep sight of our goal while taking the necessary steps to
accomplish it.
The Ba’al Shem
Tov was adamant about using strength to push ahead in our lives. In KeterShem
Tov #259 he teaches that a Jewish person is supposed to “Wake the
dawn” [see Tehillim/Psalms 57:9], not to wait passively until the
morning wakes us. The verse is not only speaking about the morning sun
in in our eyes. It is about waking up and drawing down the Divine light
to empower us. In Kabbalah this is known as an arousal from below which
stimulates an arousal from Above, bringing even greater Divine energy
to help us move forward. There is no comparison to the impact when we
make the first move. It stays with us, rather than dissipating.
In spiritual terms,
to maximize our spiritual potential, we are taught, "Not to be intimidated
by the scoffers" [the first chapter of the first section of the Code
of Jewish Law]. When we act tenaciously and with strength in our spiritual
lives it makes it possible to rise consistently. Even if we slip a little
bit, we know we are still in an upward mode.
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
(for a
free weekly email subscription, click
here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading, see the
archive.
FROM
THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org
Specifically,
for an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary
Kabbalists, and more,
click to
Matot-Masei
Zohar
Spinning
Strictness with Mercy
From the teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai; translation and commentary
by Shmuel-Simcha Treister, based on Metok MiDevash
The Hebrew word for woman is "isha", which includes both
strict judgment and mercy. Every woman is called "judgment"
until she grows to become a married woman, when she combines the feminine
aspect of gevura with the masculine aspect of chesed.
To continue,
click
here.
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