Shabbat

 

We  bless the new moon on Shabbat, and it's just

2 moons (months) Before Rosb Hashonah -

And we need some praying for a better coming year!

 

This past year we saw a murderous Putin attack on Ukraine, and a disruptive China lockdown and new Iran nuclear threats etc.

 

And we should probably start looking for new inspiration to help strengthen us for whatever is coming.

 

 

Where is the human factor in all this? The inspiration?

The inspiration is in the teaching of compromise by Moses - inspired by G-d - the antidote to war and greed...

 

In our portions...

 

 

Portion Chukas  " read in the  diaspora" we see

 

Moses prepares the 12 tribes and 12 military divisions to enter a new world

 

To leave the desert wandering and settle down when entering Israel proper.

 

Until...

In

Portion Matos‐‐in israel teaches-

 

Based on Rabbi

 

Moshe tzvvi Neriya who says:

 

 it is a disappointed Moses who organizes a deal with three tribes who desire land outside the original boundary of Israel

According to Rabbi Neriya, Moses worries, 
 "And why should the heart of the children (12 tribes of Israel)   be defiled by three tribes who do not want to shepherd their flocks in Canaan" As did Abraham Isaac and Jacob?

So Moses The Military Leader strikes an agreement: 

that is, a military force of several tens of thousands of Israelis from the tribes of Gad and Reuven ,

 Who Moses then allows  them to live on the land of the first three kings who attacked the Israelites - and lost...

 however, Moses' heart ached from the political approach that views everything in terms of property and achievement. 

That's selfishness. 

So the Torah hinted to us his disgust from all this practical approach (by instead of starting the story of the event in the usual way

 "and the sons of Gad will come
And the sons of Reuben,"

By couching it in 

Terms of the "economy" and selfishness in the three tribes.

Moses had to demand devotion of those 3 tribes who inherited over the Jordan, and he won their agreement,

Including pioneering training for all the sons of Gad and Reuben together; no shirkers allowed.

And there was no in-fighting despite Moses' compromise!

May it be a model also for today.

Shabbat Shalom 

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz