Matos-Masei - 7th Portion

Join me as we learn Chumash 4 Shabbat Parshat Matot and Masei, the final aliyot of the Torah reading of Matot and Masei combined, the final aliyot of the Torah reading of Chumash Bamidbar, the book of Numbers. Yesterday we mentioned that there were 48 cities given to the Levites. Six of the cities were appointed to be cities of refuge. What is a city of When is a city of refuge used and for how long is discussed in today's Chumash? Chapter 35 verse 9. Vayedaber Hashem el Moshe lemor, and God spoke to Moshe saying, "Daber el Bnei Yisrael, speak to the Jewish people, ve'amarta aleihem, and you will tell them, ki atem ovrim et haYarden, when you cross over the Jordan, artza Kena'an, to the land of Kena'an." Verse 11. Vehikritem lakhem, you will then designate for yourselves arim, cities, arei miklat, cities of refuge, tiheyna lakhem, will be for you. Venat shamah harotzeiach, this will be a place for a murderer who killed a person makeh nefesh bishgagah, who killed an individual unintentionally, venat shamah harotzeiach, and that's where the murderer will flee. Vehikritem, the word vehikritem einah keri'ah, the word hakri'ah, usually mikrah means by chance, something that happened inadvertently, like that's what it means usually, but in this case it means lashon hazmanah, something the opposite of chance, which means you prepared that it should be proper. Keheynu omer, so too as we see ki hikrah Hashem lefanai, where Yaakov talks about the wonder that God, when Yitzchak asks him, "How did you get the meal so quickly?" He says, "God brought it, prepared it for me." Verse 12. Vehayu ha'arim lemiklat, these cities will serve as refuge migo'el, from when it comes to a case of an unintentional murder and the avenger of that individual, Migoyel, who wants to kill the person who killed his relative. The law Yamos Adei Tzei'ch, this way the murder will not die Ad Omdil Fnei Amisho Lifnei Eideh Amishpat, until he stands in judgment before the congregation, meaning in front of the judges. Rashi Migoyel Lifnei Goel Hadam, because the one who wants to avenge the blood of the person that he killed. Shu Kariv L'Nirtzach, because he's a relative of the murder murdered. 13. V'Ha'arim Asher Titnu, and the cities that you will then provide for them, Sheish Arei Miklat Tiyena Lachem, you should have six cities of refuge should be designated. Sheish Arei Miklat Magid teaches us Af B'Shivto Moshe B'Chai'av Shalosh Shalosh Shalosh B'Eiver HaYarden. Even though that Moshe designated while he was alive three cities of refuge on the other side of the Jordan, as we're going to read later on in the book of Deuteronomy, V'Hayu K'Oltas, they were not considered in service, they were not yet used Ad She'Nifchu Shalosh Shalosh Yeshua Ba Arei HaK'na'an, until they came to the other side of the Jordan and to the land of K'na'an and designated three cities of refuge there, these three were not yet used. 14. Ushlaysha Arei Miklat Me'Eiver LaYarden, you're going to point, you're going to make three cities on the other side of the Jordan. Ushlaysha Arei Miklat Me'Eretz K'na'an and three cities will be in the land of K'na'an, Arei Miklat Tiyena, they're going to be cities of refuge. Shlaysha Arei Miklat B'Eretz K'na'an Tisha Shvatim, you ask, it's not a proportion. In the land of K'na'an you have nine tribes and the other side of the Jordan you only have two and a half tribes, so how does that work out? Ashish B'Minyan Arei Miklat Chalal, but still in all the same amount. Mishum D'Gilead Nafshi Etzom, the reason is because in Gilead, which is on the other side of the Jordan, there were many many much more murderers. As the prophet Hosea says that in the city of Gilead it's dripping with blood. Verse 15. Lifnei Yisrael L'Hagid L'Ateisha B'Tzei'chah will be used for the Israelites and the convert and the resident. Will be the six cities of refuge London Shama to run over there to flee. Any person who murders somebody unintentionally. Verse 16. Now the Torah goes on to discuss what does it mean an unintentional murder? If he struck the person with an iron instrument. Intentionally. And the person died. Then that person's considered a murderer. Therefore the murderer must be put to death. That means if you intentionally go into a person and kill him and you put it as something on him, then you're it's not unintentional, it's intentional. As Rashi explains. The aim of the double headed This verse is not talking about an inadvertent or unintentional murder. This is talking about a person who's intentionally killing someone. This is coming to teach you that it's coming to teach us even though we know already we learned in the book of Exodus that a person who murders somebody is liable of the death penalty. This is coming to teach us that even if a person uses an instrument. With anything that he uses to be able to large enough to be able to kill a person with. It says in all them with a stone or with a piece of wood and I have a message to you almost it has to be the measurement or something that is able to kill somebody. That's all talking about by all other types of things besides when it comes to something metal that it just says that it doesn't say in big league by yourself. It goes I'm sorry cuz it says in big league by yourself. Because it's revealed by God that somebody can kill somebody with any small piece of metal. I feel a market. Even if it's a needle. And that needle is punctured into a person's veins or blood or organs, that can kill the person. So therefore, it doesn't have to have a measurement that can blunt the person with let's say where it comes to a stone or a rock. Or a piece of wood. When it comes to metal, even the smallest piece of metal is liable to death penalty. If they are shy almost by therefore the total doesn't say the size of a metal by by a stone or by as we're going to see in the next when it comes to a piece of wood. The Torah says, if he hit him with a vessel made out of wood or stone that's large enough to kill him. This one the Torah says just with that vessel. Because with metal, even the smallest metal can kill somebody. If you enter if you may suggest that he had it's talking about an inadvertent murder. How do you remember the matter? But that says later on in verse 23, it's talking about when a person kills somebody with a stone that he doesn't see. This teaches us that the ones that are mentioned here which is the previous verses by that is talking about an intentional murder. Verse 17. Or if he struck him with a fist-sized stone. Or if I am in some of the person dies. They say who is a murderer by some sort of say after they have to be liable of murder. But Evan Yod, what does it mean? A stone she has to be a lot of a fist-sized stone that's a large stone which can kill somebody. It all comes to that the measurement to be able to kill the person. Because it says when a person will kill his friend for he knows some but she does not give a measurement. You have to like think also even a stone a small pebble. Like I remember that it says I shall almost by that has to be large enough that can kill somebody. Verse 18. I would create. Or if he struck him with a fist-sized wooden instrument. Which is I shall almost by which is large enough to kill somebody. He killed it, that's what he did with the Yumas that he did. The Yumas that he dies for take who is considered a murderer. My assume us at his house. The murderer is liable of death penalty. I will create a fish number being that it says in the book of Exodus. The Yaki shows after the Yumas of Shavous that if a person hits a servant or his maid servant with a stick. You all collide with saying call Shue that it's even so small. The number be eight of Shure Yumas she could break it in half. Therefore it says the vessel that's that he can kill him with it has to be the size that somebody can be killed with. Verse 19. Go you a dumb. We Yumas is a re-saying. The intentional murder who's been tried and found guilty the blood avenger, which means the relative of this individual of the murder of the victim Yumas is a re-saying will be allowed to kill the murderer. The figure boy in any where he meets him. Who do you miss him? He can then kill him. Even if he's inside the city of refuge. Let's say a guy does an intentional murder, goes into the city of refuge. We're going to tell the guy a dumb if you want, that means the relative. We tell him you can go into the city of refuge and kill that person. Let's see Rashi. The figure boy I feel a little bit of hair in my throat. Even in the arm of look it doesn't protect him. Even in the city of refuge he's not protected. Verse 20. The in the scene of Yada Feno. I he should have a lot of it see what Yumas. What happens if this was done out of hatred? That he pushed him or threw something at him and ambushed. The Yumas and he died. Rashi. Let's see a bit of ham in the mouth that he ambushed him. 21. I be even he call. Or he did it maliciously that he struck him. The Yumas and he died my Shumas I make it. The the person who killed him or hit him dies or take who is considered a murder. Kill Adam Yumas. The relative can then kill him as a re-saying the murderer the figure boy when he meets him. Rashi. No Rashi. 22. The in pass away him. If however, now the law is different if this was unintentional. Up until now we were talking about an intentional murder. What happens if the we if this wasn't a case where he was um pushed. If he pushed him accidentally without any malice. Or he or he threw an object at him but he not that he ambushed him and threw something. He was he didn't notice it. Rashi, 23. It was inadvertently. Right next to him. He was right next to him and he didn't realize that he was there so he couldn't warn him and it was a mistake. Verse 23. Or with any stone can kill him. But he didn't see him and it fell upon him. He died. And he does not hate him and nor he does he have any malice against him or does he want him to see anything bad against him. Rashi. He that's the way he hit him. But later he didn't see him. We can learn from here the sages say that he did it from here we learn in the tractate of talks about that if he kills him while he was coming down and meaning he was coming down the ladder and he falls on him he has to go to exile. But if he was going up the ladder then he does not go because in this case the um he was bringing something up and it was the item that fell on the individual so therefore he would not be going to exile. Even though it was inadvertently. Verse 25. When the judges then have to come and judge between the person who was who killed him and the relative of the victim. And then on the basis of these judgments, they will then decide what should happen to the individual. Was it negligence and what and if he has to go to exile? Verse 25. And then the congregation, we're talking about the judges, must protect the murderer from the hands of the relative from the blood of vengeance. And they will return him to the city of refuge. That he fled there initially. He will stay there until he will stay there at until the coin godel dies. Who was anointed with the sacred oil. Rashi. At my second godel. What does the coin godel have to do with the person going to the city of refuge and an inadvertent murder? He named the purpose of the high priest is to bring the divine presence amongst the Jewish people and by them bringing sacrifice atone for the sins so they should have a long life. And a person who is a murderer is taking away the divine presence from the Jews. As it says that one who murders is um because of murder the holy temple was destroyed. And therefore he's shortening the person's life. Therefore he is not worthy that this individual should live together with the coin godel. But he has to be in the city of refuge as long as the coin godel is alive. The coin godel, the high priest should have prayed that such a event should not happen in his lifetime. This is a a very shortened verse and therefore we have to explain. The Shali Perish means "who anointed him". It doesn't say who anointed him. "Elec moy asher meshach es Mashiach Hashem Hakodesh". Just it means as if one who is anointed by the anointing oil. Rabbi Seinider Shmuel says "Makkos Orais D'Oraisa". And the Rabbis in the Talmud in the tractate of Makkos used this verse to prove something else as well. "L'lamed she im ach nigmar dinei Meis Hakoin Gadol". What happens if the judgment, the case, the court case against this individual, the Koin Gadol dies in between? "U'minu acher tachasav". And they picked another guy out. So now does he have to wait for the second Koin Gadol to die? Or once the first Koin Gadol, even though the case hasn't been filled finished yet, does he is he allowed out? "U'l'achar she'nigmar dinei". And afterwards they decide that he has to go to exile. "Chozer b'meisasai shel Hashaini". Then the murderer has to go returned from exile only after the second one dies. Even though that he was the murder happened during the first one, still and all, "She'ne'emar "Moshach Oisoi" "K'Chum Sh'Chail Koin Gadol" "Koin Mashiach Oisoi" "Ela L'havi es Hanimshach Min Yom Av" "She'machzir B'meisasai". What does it mean? It does it because it says that he was anointed. It doesn't say who anointed him. Did the the the murderer anoint him? Why is it saying that was anointed from who? Who anointed him? So did did it happen before or after? So it's telling us that the Koin Gadol that was anointed in the time of the murder, even after the murder occurred. Because he is now the Koin Gadol, he still has to stay in exile until the second Koin Gadol dies. 26. "V'im yatza yatzei achas miklato". If however the murderer leaves the boundaries of the city of refuge "asher ya'an shamah" that he fled there. 27. "Motzei es Hagel Adam chutz L'gvul Ir". And the blood avenger, that means the relative of the victim finds him outside the city of refuge. And now the relative goes and kills this murder. He has no blood, meaning he is dead if he is dead already and therefore it's not considered that he's that he did anything. Meaning it's okay to get some action in the dump as if killing a person with no blood cuz it's a liability that himself he left the city of refuge and that's his own fault. Verse 28. Because he has to stay rather this fellow must stay in the city of refuge until the going out of dies. And after the going out of dies this murder can then return to his land of inheritance which is his estate. Rashi Rashi at verse 29. This will be for you as a statute as a law for the sake of generations to come. The all your dwelling places. Rashi The limited teachers of Sanhedrin tells us that there was a Sanhedrin, a rabbinic tribunal of 23 that they would have to judge cases of death penalties and they were allowed to do cases of death penalties outside the land of Israel as long as they were still the rabbinic and the rabbinic tribunal in the land of Israel as well. Verse 30 Whoever kills a person intentionally according to the testimony only according to testimony this person be allowed to be killed. However, a single witness is not good enough to testify against a person to give him the death penalty. Kol makke nefesh Ba'al ha'or galui al nefesh, if a person wants to get kill somebody because since he killed another individual, if he ate a me'itzach she'eido bishogeg u'meizid u'vistara u'veregel, you have to have witnesses that know that he was warned and he did it intentionally. Verse 31. Velo sikru chefer lenefesh latzais, you must not accept ransom money for the life of a murderer who is killed, asher hu rasha, because since he is guilty, rasha lamus he is guilty of the death penalty, kimaist she'amos sieh, he must be put to death. Velo sikru chefer Rashi, lo yifater bemamon, he doesn't get away with a fine with a monetary penalty. Verse 30 two. Velo sikru chefer lanus al yedai makos also he cannot accept a ransom for one who has killed inadvertently and says, "Oh, you know what, instead of me going to the city of refuge, let me just pay you my fine." Lo yashuv el ha'aretz ki im ad mot ha'kohen, he has to go to sit in the city of refuge he has to go to sit in the city of refuge until the kohen dies. Velo sikru chefer lanus al yedai makos, Rashi, lo yifater um lemishsheh nas al yedai makos u'vishogeg, if for somebody who has to flee to the city of refuge because he killed somebody inadvertently, ein enifta mikol ha'mamon, he cannot be exempt and he cannot get his way out of it by just paying a monetary fine, leiten chefer lo yashuv el ha'aretz ki im ad mot ha'kohen to be able to return to sit in his own estate before the kohen dies. Lanus, to run, kima ilanus, to flee, kima ishuv umul kima ishuv kfar, umul kima ilanus, people that came back from the war kineged umul u'meizid u'vistara k'asher teima, when you say the word shuv, umul kima ishuv kfar, who somebody was already there, umul umul kima umul kfar, or mul means when somebody was already circumcised. Kima ilanus umul kima ilanus k'asher teima ilanus kima ilanus muvrach muvrach, you're talking about lanus, to flee, that means a person who was there to flee back, to go back, and this is the terminology that he's fled from there. Im teima, if you may suggest lanus over here means to run, like Livrei'ach, to run there. umul You should not take ransom money for a person who needs to go first running there now. The Poter Magolisi should be exempt exempt initially from exile. And then what are you going to say? What does it mean return? If he never went anywhere, why does he have to return? If he never left, why should he return? So therefore, when the word over here means Lones, it's telling me to return that he fled there. He's there. Now he wants to get out early. Wants Doesn't want to wait until the coming God will die. So therefore, he wants to give money. That we don't allow. Verse 33. The Lo Sachnifu, "You shall not You must not corrupt the land." The Shar Atem B'Omer You're on it. You have to have it cuz blood of the murdered corrupts the land. And the blood that is shed in the land through murder cannot be atoned this other than through the blood of the one who shed it. And the meaning either the death of the high priest, as we mentioned before. The Lo Sachnifu, Lo Sachnifu, "Do not corrupt it." Lo Sachnifu, "Don't make it liable." Verse 34. Do not contaminate the land that you're in it. I dwell amongst it. Cuz I am God who continues to dwell amongst the Jewish people. I do not want to dwell in impurity. Chapter 36, verse 1. We now continuing the laws of inheritance, as we mentioned previously, the word the daughters of Tzelafchad, and that's where we are today. And the paternal heads of the families of Gilead approached. The Gilead, the son of the son of Menashe, from the family of Yosef. They spoke before Moshe in front of the elders. The obviously been Israel, the of the paternal heads of the families of the Jewish people. What was their question? They came in and they said, "Es do you need Hashem losses of the girl?" God commanded that we give the land as inheritance to all the Jewish people. Living in Israel, as well as God as your master commanded to was commanded by God. Losses to give to give the inheritance of the land of our brother. The nice of two daughters. Verse three. The what happens now is if a member if they marry a member of another tribe of the Jewish people. The nation as their wives if they marry them the their inheritance will be taken away. From their inheritance of our fathers. The news of a matter to the end of the hem. And this will be added to the inheritance of the tribe of the person that they marry because sons inherit daughters don't but now they're marrying somebody else so they're going to get extra extra parcel. Only and what's going to happen is from our they're going to be taking away from our lot of inheritance. Verse three. The nation of the son inherits and the son goes by the father. Verse four. The immediate of the Israel. And if the Israelites if the Jewish people will observe the Jubilee year after they die. What happens then? The nation of then their inheritance will be added and remains in the son's possession so therefore they're going to get extra property. I should be in the land which we they got from the and the inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance from our father's tribe. Basically, you're saying, yes, you're giving the daughters of Zelophehad a parcel of land. They go and get married. What happens then? They then join with their husband's land. That parcel of land never returns to the back to the tribe of Manasseh. This is not a sale that is going to go back to the original place in Yovel. So, Yovel is Yovel. And then cuz if they die before the Jubilee year, their children inherit inheritance never goes back to the original land. That means they got it from the tribe of Manasseh. They marry somebody outside of Manasseh, they die before the Jubilee year, it belongs to their children. It will never make it back to Manasseh. They're going to be getting an addition because they whoever they marry. Verse five. Moshe commanded the Jewish people according to what God said as follows. Came out of the house of David and just true that Joseph's descendants are speaking correctly, are speaking justly. Verse six. They are the ones that God commanded the daughters of Zelophehad to say. commanded the daughters of Zelophehad to say. You can marry whoever you please. However, you remember you must marry only someone from the family of your father's tribe. Marry somebody from this Manasseh. The light is not allowed in the house of Manasseh. This way, the inheritance of the Jewish people will not be transferred from tribe to tribe. This way, the inheritance will remain with the father's tribe. This is where the Jewish people will be able to connect with and stay amongst each other. As mentioned earlier, Joshua and Caleb's children were given other parcels of land because since they were the only two spies that did not say anything negative. So, for example, they got Chevron, which was not in their property, and they got land in other people's land as well. Verse eight. From here we also know more laws of inheritance. Every daughter from the tribes of the Israelites will inherit property from if there are no sons from their father. However, from one of the families of her father's tribe to whom she she should marry. This way this way people can inherit the land of their parents of their fore- the property of their forefathers. Only in a case where we're talking about where was no son. If there she's a daughter, automatically she's not getting the inheritance and therefore it doesn't matter cuz the sons are the one according to Jewish law that get the inheritance. This way the property will not be transferred from one tribe to the other each person's tribe will remain with his inheritance with his property. This way all the Jewish people will be able to stay within their tribes. Like God commanded Moshe, that's what the daughters of Tzelafchad did. Verse 11. And Machlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah in order of their birth over here married their cousins. If they married their cousins, then they married into their family. Over here we find a different order. Machlah, Tirzah, Over here he put them in age order. And they got married However, in the other verses when it talks about them, it talks about their intelligence. This teaches us that they were all equal with one another in their greatness and their intelligence. And over here it just tells us the age and how they got married according to their age. Verse 12. They they marry into the families of the son of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. But they were their wives they were wives but he not on my day of the end and therefore their inheritance always remain in the tribe of their father's family. Verse 13. These are the commandments and the ordinances that God commanded Moses that God commanded Moses of the nation to the Jewish people by in the plains of Moab on the Arden by the Jordan Jericho. This concludes the book of Numbers.