Parsha Talk Matot Masei 2024 5784

Kol Ramah

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsku and Barry Chesler. Parashat Mattot-Mas’ai [Numbers 30:2-36:13], the double parashah which concludes the Book of Numbers, is the longest parashah in the Torah by the number of sentences and word. Because it is a double parashah it has, perhaps, a larger number of themes than usual. We spent most of our time discussing the curious request of the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half Menashe, who ask Moshe if they can stake their claim on the east side of the River Jordan, rather than in the land to its west. What does this say about the Zionist enterprise, if already at the beginning, part of the people chose to stay in the Diaspora? Feel free to leave comments below or at [e-mail]. The conclusion of another book of the Torah in the annual synagogue reading, reminds us that people have been held hostage since we began the annual reading last Simchat Torah, October 7th in Israel. May the hostages be speedily returned to their homes; may the soldiers in the Israel Defense Force be removed from harm’s way. Shabbat Shalom