Questions on Parshas Matos to think about and discuss:

1. What is the connection between the end of Parshas Pinchos and the beginning of Parshas Matos that discusses Nedorim, vows?
2. How was the Jewish Army comprised?
3. The tribes of Gad and Reuven requested to take their portions of Eretz Yisroel from the part of Eiver Hayarden. Moshe then added half the tribe of Menashe. Why?

Ideas for answers on the general parsha:

1. The end of Parshas Pinchos discusses the festivals and at the end it discusses Sukkos which is a time of extra happiness. There is a danger that this joy could cause people’s evil inclination to lead them to sin. Therefore they would make nedorim, vows, to guard themselves from sin, as it says in Pirkei Avos (3:17) – “nedorim siyog laprishus“, “vows are a protective fence”. (Tzror Hamor)
2. The Midrash (Yalkut Shemoini) says that the possuk doubles over the phrase of “Eleph LeMatei“, one thousand from each tribe, implying two thousand from each tribe. This was because for every soldier there was another man from his tribe that was tasked with davening for his welfare.
3. Ibn Ezra says that they also asked for this land with the others, but since they were not a whole tribe, they are not mentioned until now. The Shach says that Moshe decided to split a tribe so that there would be more of a connection between the Jews on either side of the Yarden. Chizkuni explains why specifically was Menashe picked: he was the first born of Yosef who caused his brothers to tear their clothes when the cup was found with Binyomin. Therefore he was punished in that his descendants were split.

Questions on the battle with Midyon:

1. There is a contradiction in the pesukim at to the the number of Jewish soldiers sent out to battle Midyon. On the one hand it says one thousand soldiers from each tribe that includes Sheivet Levi, making 13,000. Yet it then says explicitly that twelve thousand soldiers went?
2. Why were the number requested from each tribe specifically one thousand?
3. Why get the army comprised from all the tribes as opposed to simply picking the best 12,000 soldiers no matter from which tribe?
4. The Midrash says that there were 12,000 armed soldiers and paralleling them were 12,000 Jews selected to daven for their welfare. Why the need for two lots of 12,000 in these two forms?
5. This was Moshe’s last fight as leader. Why did he not lead the fight himself? If not him, why was Pinchos chosen instead?
6. Pinchos led out the army together with three things: (see Rashi, 31:6) the Aron, the Tzitz and a trumpet with which to blow the terua sound. Why the need for all these things?
7. Why use a trumpet more than a shofar and why sound the terua as opposed to the tekia sound?
8. Why did Moshe only get angry at the heads of the army and not also at Pinchos when they left the Midyanite women alive?
9. How was Bilom killed?

Ideas for answers on the battle with Midyon:

1. There are many suggested answers: 1) There were only 12,000. Although the tribe of Levi was included but this meant that the tribes of Menashe and Efrayim, both sons of Yosef, are counted only as one tribe of Yosef. (Maskil Lidovid). 2) There were really 13,000 including the tribe of Levi. The possuk that says 12,000 is speaking about the soldiers handed over unwillingly, while the 1,000 from the tribe of Levi went willingly. (Imrei Shefer) 3) There were only 12,000 and the although the tribe of Levi was included but the tribe of Shimon were excluded since they were the ones who had sinned with the daughters of Midyon and therefore it was not appropriate for them to join. (ibid) 4) 12,000 did not include the tribe of Efrayim. Moshe’s death was to follow after this battle and his successor, Yehoshua, came from Efrayim. In order that people should not say that the tribe of Efrayim were eager to fight this battle in order to make the new leader from their tribe step in. Therefore the tribe of Efrayim’s 1,000 soldiers were replaced by the tribe of Levi. (Abarbanel) 5) 12,000 were from all the tribes while from the tribe of Levi there were more soldiers but not the same number of 1,000 (Imrei Noiam). 6) 12,000 soldiers went armed while the 1,000 from the tribe of Levi were different going unarmed but escorted by the Aron. (Gur Aryeh)
2. Perhaps the idea here is that the Midrash (Yalkut Shemoini) says that there were 12,000 armed soldiers and 12,000 people selected to daven, one for each soldier. The total being 24,000. The number of Jews that died due to the daughters of Midyan were 24,000 (25:9). Thus, the number of 1,000 from each tribe doubled was to avenge the same number of Jews killed.
3. Perhaps the idea here is to express that there are no individuals amongst the Jews but that we are all one unit. When someone sins it effects the whole nation. Therefore, the problem here was to be dealt with in a united fashion comprising all the tribes to show that it is a problem for the nation as a whole.
4. Perhaps the idea here is that in this fight against Midyon the Jews were deploying two different powers. The possuk says הקול קול יעקב והידים ידי עשו, that the Jews natural strength lies in their power to daven – this explains the need for 12,000 people selected to daven. The power of the enemy was with the sword, with soldiers. Since Bilom reversed this by using his power of the mouth – in the fight against him and Midyon, the Jews also used their enemies weapon of the sword seen in the 12,000 soldiers.
5. Perhaps Moshe did not want to fight Midyon since this was the place where he grew up (Rashi, 22:4). We see from here how far hakoras hatov, recognising one’s benefactor goes. As to why Pinchos was then chosen see Rashi (31:6) who gives three reasons.
6. Rashi brings the need for the Tzitz was to combat the magic of Bilom who was flying in the air. The taking out of the Aron, that contained the broken Luchos, was usual when going into battle. The trumpet with the sounding of the terua was also done in battle (10:9).
9. The possuk (31:8) brings that he was killed with the sword. Rashi implies that when Pinchos showed the Tzitz to Bilom, his magic stopped his flying and he fell to the ground. The Jews raised their swords and he fell on them, killed by the sword. It is also mentioned in Sefer Yehoshua (13:22) although there it implies that the Beis Din killed him with a sword. The Gemora (Sanhedrin 106b) learns from here that he was killed (not only with the sword) by the four deaths meted out by Beis Din – stoning, burning, beheading and strangulation. This begs the question how can you kill one person with all four deaths simultaneously and why does the possuk, verse, single out to mention his death by the sword? Rashi (ibid) brings that they first hang Bilom (strangulation), then burnt a fire below where they hung him. Then cut off his head (beheading) that fell (like stoning where throw down from height) into the fire (burning). Maharsha (ibid) does not like this explanation since it means that some of these deaths came after he had already died. Instead, he says that to begin with them stoned him a bit (stoning) while he was still a bit alive, then they put a bit of molten iron into his mouth (burning) and then strangled him a bit (strangulation) and while he still was a bit alive then they beheaded him (beheading). With this explanation of the Maharsha we understand why the possuk only mentions him dying by the sword since this was the last one that actually fully killed him.

Questions on the splitting of the booty:

1. What is a short summary of how the booty was divided?
2. Why the need for such detail in the splitting of the booty between the soldiers and the other Jews?
3. Why is there the need at all for splitting up the booty? Why shouldn’t the soldiers who fought keep it all for themselves?
4. Why were only the living beings (animals and captives) split up but not the other inanimate spoils (like gold and jewellery)?
5. The way the booty was split up to the Kohanim and Leviyim is unique to the battle with Midyan. Why was this division not also made with the booty taken from the battle with Sichoin and Oig?
6. What lies behind this calculation of how which amount and percentage to each group?
7. The list of animals that were taken as spoils names sheep, cattle and donkeys. Why only these animals? What about the camels that are usually found in the desert?
8. When bringing the order of the list of living beings from the booty it starts with people and then lists the animals (31:28). Yet, when it goes into the actual calculations and lists each one individually then the people are listed last (31:35). Why this switch?

Ideas for answers on the splitting of the booty:

1. The returning soldiers only had to split living beings (animals and captives) but kept for themselves all other objects. From these living beings half were given to the other Jews who did not come into battle. From this half left to the soldiers one out of five hundred was to be given as teruma to the Kohanim. From the half that the other Jews received, one fiftieth was to be given to the Leviyim.
2. To show us the great miracle that from the time the animals were captured until they were counted this number remained accurate. No animal died or was stolen or slaughtered. (Malbim quoting Ramban.)
3. We find this practice can be traced back to Avrohom (see Rashi, Bereishis, 14:24). The standard practice was to split the spoils between the soldiers and those who stayed behind to guard their belongings. However, since there were different dangers involved to each, the soldiers who actually entered battle would take a larger share.
4. Living beings required looking after once the battle had finished and therefore it required guarding afterwards and therefore the burden was on everyone and therefore this booty was shared. However, all inanimate spoils that would not be a burden for the other people could be kept by the soldiers. (R’ Shimshon Refoel Hirsch) Perhaps another answer is that the other booty could be hidden in sacks and people would not see them and get jealous. Therefore they could keep these for themselves. However, the living beings were openly brought back and were seen by everyone. Therefore, these had to be split to prevent jealousy. The Shach answers that since living beings can walk by themselves, there was no extra bother in bringing them back and therefore to prevent jealousy they were split. However, the other inanimate booty that had to be carried by the soldiers because of this bother were to be kept by them because of their efforts.
5. The battle with Sichoin and Oig was part of the conquering quest towards getting Eretz Yisroel and therefore not parts were to be given to the Kohanim and Leviyim. However, the battle with Midyan was in order to avenge them making the Jews sin and not done to get their land. Therefore, part was taken for the special section of Jews devoted to the service of Hashem, namely the Kohanim and Leviyim. (Ramban, 31:28)
6. See the Malbim… Chizkuni explains that a smaller amount was taken from the soldiers since they were more at risk in battle than the other Jews left guarding the camp.
7. There simply were not any camels there (Tosfas). Or they were able to quickly run away and avoid capture (Imrei Noiam). The Chizkuni says that there were camels there. However, the Torah only mentions kosher animals (sheep and cattle) and donkeys since they have kedusha when being the first born.
8. Perhaps the idea is that the normal order is for people to be listed fast. However, we know that a person is below Angels and above animals and his work is to rise himself to be like Angels and not follow his base desires and become like animals. …

Questions on the Bnei Gad and Reuven:

1. Why did the tribes of Reuven and Gad have more cattle than any of the other tribes that this was their excuse to inherit the land of Eiver Hayarden?
2. Were the tribes of Reuven and Gad punished for wanting to have this land instead of Eretz Yisroel?
3. Why does the possuk sometimes switch the order between Reuven and Gad whom it mentions first?
4. Why did these tribes wait until after the battle of Midyon before requesting to inherit this land?
5. Why do they speak out the names of all the towns they want to inherit instead of saying the general area to inherit?
6. Was there any hidden or side reason why they might want to inherit this land more than the Holy Eretz Yisroel?
7. Moshe agreed to give them this land on condition they would go with the rest of the Jews and conquer Eretz Yisroel. Why did they add on to this to stay for the duration (seven years) of also dividing up the land?
8. Moshe agreed to give them that land. When did they actually get it – straight away or later when they returned?
9. Why did Moshe add half the tribe of Menashe to be together with the tribes of Reuven and Gad? Why the tribe of Menashe and why only half? Did they come willingly or were they forced?

Ideas for answers on the Bnei Gad and Reuven:

1. Perhaps the idea is that we know that the tribes of Reuven and Gad were known for their strength – they led the battle to conquer Eretz Yisroel. In the battle with Sichoin and Oig, being the strongest they were able to get the most booty to keep for themselves that included cattle. The Shach answers that Reuven had the special Dudoim that were naturally good for multiplying (which is why Rochel wanted it so much – see Bereishis 30:14 and meforshim). He utilised this with his cattle and they multiplied. The degel of Reuven included Shimon and Gad. Being neighbours, Reuven shared it with Gad so that their animals also multiplied. However, since the tribe of Shimon had sinned with the daughters of Midyon, therefore they did not offer it to Shimon. Another answer is that Reuven was the first born and therefore got double animals. Gad was specially connected to the Mon and this is all they ate leaving alive their cattle while the other tribes ate cattle besides for the Mon.
2. We find that these tribes of Reuven and Gad were exiled eight years before any of the other tribes. (Baal Haturim)
3. First Reuven is mentioned first because he was the first born but afterwards Gad is always mentioned first since they were the instigators of this idea being very strong in battle they did not fear the surrounding enemy nations and did not mind living in isolation from the other Jews. (Ramban)
6. Moshe was buried in Eiver Hayarden in the place of Gad and Moshe died in the portion of Reuven. This was a reason why they wanted this land more than Eretz Yisroel.
8. Moshe gave them some of the land now for their families to live in while the rest of the land waited until they returned. (Ramban) On the other hand, the Ohr Hachaim says that when Moshe saw their commitment he agreed that they could already have all the land.
9. Ibn Ezra (32:33) says that really Menashe was also part of the delegation with Reuven and Gad. The reason why they are not mentioned until later is because they are only half a tribe. Ramban brings that originally Menashe was not part of the group. However, when they saw that the land apportioned to Reuven and Gad was too large for them alone some of the tribe of Menashe decided to stay there. (It was only two families.) Tzror Hamor contends that Moshe decided to split up the tribe of Menashe, being the first born of Yosef, and he wanted Yosef’s merit to remain with all the tribes. Yosef and his two sons makes three. When split in halves gives six parts. Each two tribes got a connection with one half of Yosef. Thus, Reuven and Gad’s connection with Yosef was to be together with half the tribe of Menashe.