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By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin
In parshas Matos, members of the tribes of Gad and Reuven, approach Moshe, Elazar the Kohen, and the princes of the nation with a request. Both tribes had large herds of livestock. They were passing through lush pasture land, perfect for grazing. Could they settle there and not cross the Jordan to Eretz Yisroel?
“Yutan ess haeretz hazos l’avodecha la’achuza, Let this land be given to your servants as a heritage; al ta’ah’veereinu ess ha’yardein, do not bring us across the Jordan.” (Bamidbar 32:5)
Moshe is pained by their request. Using just a few words, he responds with a powerful message. A message of unity and solidarity. A message of one strong nation being there for each other. “Ha’ah’cheichem yavo’u la’milchama, v’atem teishvu poh, Shall your brothers go out to battle, while you remain here?” (Bamidbar 32:6)
Ha’ah’cheichem, your brothers. Moshe reminds the members of Reuven and Gad that they are part of a nation where all are brothers. Brothers who care and are concerned about each other. Brothers who don’t abandon one another.
The tribes of Reuven and Gad responded with a plan of their own. “Vayigshu”, they came close to Moshe, and spoke of building pens for their sheep and cities for their children. They would leave their families and possessions behind, while they joined their brothers in conquering and settling the land.
“And we will go armed before Bnei Yisroel.” (Bamidbar 32:17) Rashi expounds that they were “giborim”, strong men, ready and able to stand on the frontline.
Moshe is not satisfied with their answer. He repeats their words, but with an essential and significant difference.
“If you arm yourselves before HaShem…” (Bamidbar 32:20). Moshe adds HaShem’s name to their words, conveying a crucial message. It’s not “kochi v’otzem yadi”, with my strength, with my might. Rather, one must know that HaShem is in control. It isn’t in our hands, but in yad HaShem, the hand of HaShem.
A story that happened over 3,000 years ago, yet is so today. Since October 7, our nation has been at war. A war that began with heinous atrocities committed against our people. Entire families sadistically wiped out. Tortured. Beaten and burned beyond recognition. Innocent children killed in front of their parents. Parents murdered before their children. Little babies burned alive. Our nation had no choice but to respond.
Moshe’s words to Bnei Reuven and Gad are words that take on special meaning today. We are in the midst of galus Yishmael, the final exile before the coming of Moshiach. Rav Chaim Vital teaches that this galus will be “kasha mi’kulom”, harder, more excruciating and painful than all prior exiles.
The Torah refers to Yishmael as “pereh adam”, a wild man. The Abarbanel explains this to mean that they are achzorim me’od, exceedingly cruel. This is what we are living through today.
“If you arm yourself before HaShem….” For Am Yisroel to be successful, we must first turn to HaShem.
“Hakol kol Yaakov, the voice is the voice of Yaakov, ve’hayadiyim yedei Eisav, but the hands are the hands of Eisav.” (Bereishis 27:22) The way to overcome the “hands”, the inhumanness of our enemy, is with the kol Yaakov, the voice of Yaakov. The voice of prayer. Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth, beautifully explains this passage from the Torah based on the teachings of the Vilna Gaon. The word ‘kol’ is mentioned twice. In the first instance, the ‘kol’, the voice, is spelled kuf-lamed missing the vav. In the second instance, just one word later, it’s spelled kuf-vav-lamed, it has the vav in the middle of the word. When ‘kol’ is missing a vav, it indicates that something is absent. The voice is not as loud and strong as it should be. Kol has become ‘kal’ – light. It is in such circumstances, G-d forbid, that “hayadaim yedei Eisav” – the hands of Esau can be powerful. But when we have a full kol, a powerful voice, forceful prayer, HaShem is on our side, leading us to victory over our enemies.
It is time us to cry out to HaShem. To feel the pain of our brothers at war, the hostages, the injured and the families who lost loved ones. As the weeks turned to months, complacency can set in. Natural to forget. The momentum wears off. Our voices become kal, light.
Especially for us in the Diaspora, living outside of Israel, we become busy with our daily routine. But it is precisely then that we must remember Moshe’s words: “HaShem is before you”. We must find our kol Yaakov. Our voice that has the power to connect to HaShem, and daven like we never did before.
It’s time to do something for our people – for ourselves.
Moshe had yet another powerful message. By telling Bnei Reuven and Gad that we are all “achim”, brothers, he is underscoring that to achieve our common goals, we must never forget that we are one nation. One united people. The importance of solidarity. Being there for each other.
Moshe’s message was clear. How can you sit in comfort while your brothers are at war. It is said that during World War I, the Chofetz Chaim refused to sleep in a bed for even a single night, saying how could he rest while the world was at war. A message for us internalize. What can we do to tone down our comforts, while are brothers and sisters are suffering.
We are now in the midst of the Three Weeks. A time to reflect upon the pain and tragedies our nation has endured throughout history. Twenty-one days culminating in Tisha B’Av, a day of woe, marking the destruction of both Batei Mikdash. While we shed a tear for the past, we must ask ourselves, what can we do now to bring about the rebuilding of the third and final Beis HaMikdash.
Shabbat Shalom!
Chaya Sora
Chaya Sora can be reached at [email protected]
This article was written L’zecher Nishmas/In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l
