MY DAILY LIFE TORAH COACH:
Double Parasha 43 Matot & 44 Mas’ey

Matot n.43

Moses describes the laws of oaths; the Israelites battle the Midianites; the tribes of Reuben and Gad request to dwell outside of the Land of Israel. Moses speaks to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying “This is the word that G-d has commanded. If a man makes a vow to G-d or swears an oath, he must not permit his word to remain unfulfilled. He shall do whatever has come forth from his mouth.“ The same goes for a woman, unless her father (in her youth) or her husband obstructs her vows. In that case, G-d will forgive her because of these obstructions. Every vow and every binding oath of self-denial, her husband can let it stand or her husband can annul it. As for a widowed or divorced woman, anything that she has vowed shall stand for her.

Mas’ey n.44

The sons of Reuben and Gad have promised Moses that they will help the other tribes settle the Promised Land before settling across the River Jordan. Moses records the journeys of the sons of Israel from when they were led out of Egypt by Moses and Aaron, from the first month of the fifteenth day, on the morning after the Pesach offering, when the sons of Israel went out before the eyes of all the Egyptians. For G-d had struck them down with the death of the first-born, with judgment upon their gods. G-d talks to Moses: “Tell the people that when you cross into the land of Canaan, you shall drive out all people who live there and destroy all their symbols, idols and places of worship. I have given this land to you. If you do not drive out the people who live there then those left behind will become like a thorn in your side. They will oppress you as enemies in the land in which you dwell and it will come to pass that what I had intended to do to them, I will do to you.” G-d has Moses tell the Children of Israel about the borders of Canaan and the land each tribe shall receive. Each tribe will give a portion of their possessions, land and animals to the Levites who take care of the Tent of Appointed Meeting with G-d.