Torah Portion Masei

Torah Portion Masei

Bemidbar – Numbers 33:1-36:13

Num 33:1 These are the journeys of the children of Yisra’el, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moshe and Aharon.

Num 33:2  Moshe wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the mitzvah of YHWH: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

Num 33:3  They traveled from Ra`meses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Pesach the children of Yisra’el went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,

Num 33:4  while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom YHWH had struck among them: on their gods also YHWH executed judgments.

This date is also the First Day of Unleavened Bread.

Numbers, continued:

Num 33:5  The children of Yisra’el traveled from Ra`meses, and encamped in Sukkot.

Num 33:6  They traveled from Sukkot, and encamped in Etam, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

Num 33:7  They traveled from Etam, and turned back to Pi-Hachirot, which is before Ba`al-Tzefon: and they encamped before Migdol.

Num 33:8  They traveled from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness: and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etam, and encamped in Marah.

Num 33:9  They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim: and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there.

Num 33:10  They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Sea of Suf.

Num 33:11  They traveled from the Sea of Suf, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.

Num 33:12  They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dofka.

Num 33:13  They traveled from Dofka, and encamped in Alush.

Num 33:14  They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Refidim, where was no water for the people to drink.

Num 33:15  They traveled from Refidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.

Num 33:16  They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kivrot-Hatta’avah.

Num 33:17  They traveled from Kivrot-Hatta’avah, and encamped in Chatzerot.

Num 33:18  They traveled from Chatzerot, and encamped in Ritmah.

Num 33:19  They traveled from Ritmah, and encamped in Rimmon-Peretz.

Num 33:20  They traveled from Rimmon-Peretz, and encamped in Livna.

Num 33:21  They traveled from Livna, and encamped in Rissah.

Num 33:22  They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelatah.

Num 33:23  They traveled from Kehelatah, and encamped in Mount Shefer.

Num 33:24  They traveled from Mount Shefer, and encamped in Charadah.

Num 33:25  They traveled from Charadah, and encamped in Makhelot.

Num 33:26  They traveled from Makhelot, and encamped in Tachat.

Num 33:27  They traveled from Tachat, and encamped in Terach.

Num 33:28  They traveled from Terach, and encamped in Mitkah.

Num 33:29  They traveled from Mitkah, and encamped in Chashmonah.

Num 33:30  They traveled from Chashmonah, and encamped in Moserot.

Num 33:31  They traveled from Moserot, and encamped in Bene-Ya`akan.

Num 33:32  They traveled from Bene-Ya`akan, and encamped in Chor-Haggidgad.

Num 33:33  They traveled from Chor-Haggidgad, and encamped in Yotvatah.

Num 33:34  They traveled from Yotvatah, and encamped in `Avronah.

Num 33:35  They traveled from `Avronah, and encamped in `Etzyon-Gever.

Num 33:36  They traveled from `Etzyon-Gever, and encamped in the wilderness of Tzin (the same is Kadesh).

Num 33:37  They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

Num 33:38  Aharon the Kohen went up into Mount Hor at the mitzvah of YHWH, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Yisra’el were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.

Num 33:39  Aharon was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor.

This is the month we now call Av.

Numbers, continued:

Num 33:40  The Kena`ani, the king of `Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Kena`an, heard of the coming of the children of Yisra’el.

Num 33:41  They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Tzalmonah.

Num 33:42  They traveled from Tzalmonah, and encamped in Punon.

Num 33:43  They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Ovot.

Num 33:44  They traveled from Ovot, and encamped in Iye `Avarimen, in the border of Mo’av.

Num 33:45  They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Divon-Gad.

Num 33:46  They traveled from Divon-Gad, and encamped in `Almon at Divlatayim.

Num 33:47  They traveled from `Almon at Divlatayim, and encamped in the mountains of `Avarimen, before Nevo 1.

Num 33:48  They traveled from the mountains of `Avarimen, and encamped in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden at Yericho.

Num 33:49  They encamped by the Yarden, from Beit-Yeshimot even to Avel-Hashittim in the plains of Mo’av.

Num 33:50  YHWH spoke to Moshe in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden at Yericho, saying,

Num 33:51  Speak to the children of Yisra’el, and tell them, When you pass over the Yarden into the land of Kena`an,

Num 33:52  then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured [stones], and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places:

Num 33:53  and you shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for to you have I given the land to possess it.

The Cana’anites did not have to die.  Elohim ordered them to be “driven out” and it is logical to presume that many thousands did in fact simply pack up and leave, knowing, as Rahab tells the second set of spies, that Elohim had given them the land and that they were an unconquerable military force as long as Elohim was with them.  Thus the claims that the Bible promotes genocide are simply false.  The only ones killed were ones who refused to leave, knowing full well the consequences.

Numbers, continued:

Num 33:54  You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance: wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall you inherit.

This procedure will be repeated in the Messianic Kingdom.

Eze 47:21  So shall you divide this land to you according to the tribes of Yisra’el.   Eze 47:22 It shall happen, that you shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the strangers who sojourn among you, who shall father children among you; and they shall be to you as the native-born among the children of Yisra’el; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Yisra’el.   Eze 47:23  It shall happen, that in what tribe the stranger sojourns, there shall you give him his inheritance, says Adonai YHWH.

This presumes, of course, that the sojourners have agreed to be Obedient Believers and observe the Written Torah, as Isaiah affirms.

Isa 56:1 Thus says YHWH, Keep you justice, and do righteousness; for my Yeshuah is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.   Isa 56:2  Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Shabbat from profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.   Isa 56:3  Neither let the foreigner, who has joined himself to YHWH, speak, saying, YHWH will surely separate me from his people…  Isa 56:6  Also the foreigners who join themselves to YHWH, to minister to him, and to love the name of YHWH, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Shabbat from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant;   Isa 56:7  even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.   Isa 56:8  Adonai YHWH, who gathers the outcasts of Yisra’el, says, Yet will I gather [others] to him, besides his own who are gathered.

Numbers, continued:

Num 33:55  But if you will not drive out the [pagan] inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those who you let remain of them be as pricks in your eyes, and as thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land in which you dwell.

Num 33:56  It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so will I do to you.

Num 34:1 YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying,

Num 34:2  Command the children of Yisra’el, and tell them, When you come into the land of Kena`an (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, even the land of Kena`an according to the borders of it),

Num 34:3  then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Tzin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward;

Num 34:4  and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of `Akrabbim, and pass along to Tzin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh-Barnea; and it shall go forth to Chatzar-Addar, and pass along to `Atzmon;

Num 34:5  and the border shall turn about from `Atzmon to the brook of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

Num 34:6  For the western border, you shall have the great sea and the border [of it]: this shall be your west border.

Num 34:7  This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for you Mount Hor;

Num 34:8  from Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Chamat; and the goings out of the border shall be at Tzedad;

Num 34:9  and the border shall go forth to Zifron, and the goings out of it shall be at Chatzar-`Enan: this shall be your north border.

Num 34:10  You shall mark out your east border from Chatzar-`Enan to Shefam;

Num 34:11  and the border shall go down from Shefam to Rivlah, on the east side of `Ayin; and the border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Kinneret eastward;

Num 34:12  and the border shall go down to the Yarden, and the goings out of it shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to the borders of it round about.

This is, of course, a much smaller area initially than Abraham was promised.

Gen 15:18 In that day YHWH made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘Unto your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates…

This will be the extent of Eretz Israel during the Messianic Kingdom.

Numbers, continued:

Num 34:13  Moshe commanded the children of Yisra’el, saying, This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which YHWH has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;

Num 34:14  for the tribe of the children of Re’uven according to their fathers’ houses, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to their fathers’ houses, have received, and the half-tribe of Menasheh have received, their inheritance:

Num 34:15  the two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Yarden at Yericho eastward, toward the sunrise.

Num 34:16  YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying,

Num 34:17  These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: El`azar the Kohen, and Yehoshua the son of Nun.

Num 34:18  You shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.

Num 34:19  These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Yehudah, Kalev the son of Yefunneh.

Num 34:20  Of the tribe of the children of Shim`on, Shemu’el the son of `Ammihud.

Num 34:21  Of the tribe of Binyamin, Elidad the son of Kislon.

Num 34:22  Of the tribe of the children of Dan a prince, Bukki the son of Yogli.

Num 34:23  Of the children of Yosef: of the tribe of the children of Menasheh a prince, Channi’el the son of Efod.

Num 34:24  Of the tribe of the children of Efrayim a prince, Kemu’el the son of Shiftan.

Num 34:25  Of the tribe of the children of Zevulun a prince, Elitzafan the son of Parnakh 1.

Num 34:26  Of the tribe of the children of Yissakhar a prince, Palti’el the son of `Azzan.

Num 34:27  Of the tribe of the children of Asher a prince, Achichud the son of Shelomi.

Num 34:28  Of the tribe of the children of Naftali a prince, Pedah’el the son of `Ammihud.

Num 34:29  These are they whom YHWH commanded to divide the inheritance to the children of Yisra’el in the land of Kena`an.

Num 35:1 YHWH spoke to Moshe in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden at Yericho, saying,

Num 35:2  Command the children of Yisra’el that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall you give to the Levites.

Num 35:3  The cities shall they have to dwell in; and their suburbs shall be for their livestock, and for their substance, and for all their animals.

Num 35:4  The suburbs of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward one thousand cubits round about.

The Levites were expected to farm and run shops and businesses at home in their cities during the times that they were not on rotation at the Temple (which would be two weeks per year for their family line, plus all of the moedim).    Many of the offerings at the Temple had to be eaten there on the grounds (in the Holy Place) and could not be preserved and brought home to their cities.  So the Levities, like Paul and the other apostles after them, had a “day job” and worked with their own hands to earn their living most of the time.  This is what is still expected of teachers, pastos, ministers and Rabbis today – they are not supposed to be a burden on their congregation.  The congregation’s offerings are to go for the truly poor, not to those  who are simply unwilling to work.

Numbers, continued:

Num 35:5  You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.

Num 35:6  The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to: and besides them you shall give forty-two cities.

Num 35:7  All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities; them [shall you give] with their suburbs.

The person who accidentally kills someone is not sent to “prison,” rather he is temporarily “exiled” to a city of refuge.  There, his family could move to be with him and he could set up a shop or business just like he had in his hometown.  Elohim’s justice is not designed to separate families, lock men into unnatural confinement, or throw their families into destitution.  All of these are effects of the modern prison system, and have nothing to do with Elohim’s Torah, which never speaks of prisons or requires prisons to be built.  A person accused of a capital offense is executed immediately.  A person found guilty of white-collar crimes must pay back what they owe plus 20% as restitution, and if they cannot, they are sold into indentured servitude to fulfill their obligation, but not for more than 6 years  – and again, it was  a situation in which their family goes with them and is kept intact and provided for, not left to fend for themselves with no breadwinner.  Modern “justice” is designed to be degrading and impoverish the families of the convicted.  Elohim never approved such a system.

Numbers, continued:

Num 35:8  Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Yisra’el, from the many you shall take many; and from the few you shall take few: everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give of his cities to the Levites.

The number of existing cities appointed to the rest of the Tribes of Israel was to be proportional to their needs.

Numbers, continued:

Num 35:9  YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying,

Num 35:10  Speak to the children of Yisra’el, and tell them, When you pass over the Yarden into the land of Kena`an,

Num 35:11  then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

Num 35:12  The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment.

Num 35:13  The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.

Num 35:14  You shall give three cities beyond the Yarden, and three cities shall you give in the land of Kena`an; they shall be cities of refuge.

Num 35:15  For the children of Yisra’el, and for the stranger and for the foreigner living among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

The idea was that the cities should not be so far away from any Tribe’s territory that a person couldn’t make it there before the kinsman-redeemer (aka the “avenger of blood”) of the slain person caught up with them to kill them.

Numbers, continued:

Num 35:16  But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Num 35:17  If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Num 35:18  Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Num 35:19  The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

Num 35:20  If he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died,

Num 35:21  or in enmity struck him with his hand, so that he died; he who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.

Num 35:22  But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait,

Num 35:23  or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;

Num 35:24  then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances;

Num 35:25  and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the Kohen Gadol, who was anointed with the holy oil.

Since most persons didn’t reach the status of High Priest when they were young, this sentence was often far less than the 20 years a High Priest could serve (from age 30 to age 50).

Numbers, continued:

Num 35:26  But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, where he flees,

Num 35:27  and the avenger of blood find him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kill the manslayer; he shall not be guilty of blood,

Num 35:28  because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the Kohen Gadol: but after the death of the Kohen Gadol the manslayer shall return into the land of his possession.

All killing is technically murder – blood for blood, as it says in Genesis after the flood.  But intention counts in Elohim’s system of justice, too.  So even though all death is unclean and all who kill acquire blood-guilt, as long as a person who did not intent to kill abides by the Torah, he or she has their sentence commuted.  But if they defy these instructions, they have “violated parole,” so to speak, and they become fair game.  The original sentence of death may be carried out by the kinsman of the slain.

Numbers, continued:

Num 35:29  These things shall be for a statute [and] ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Num 35:30  Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

A single witness is insufficient in any death penalty case – even if that witness provides evidence that shows guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, a conviction cannot stand because there must be two witnesses.  This is no doubt to prevent people from using capital trials as political tools or tools of revenge or repression.

Numbers, continued:

Num 35:31  Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death.

Num 35:32  You shall take no ransom for him who is fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the Kohen.

Num 35:33  So you shall not pollute the land in which you are: for blood, it pollutes the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him who shed it.

Num 35:34  You shall not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell: for I, YHWH, dwell in the midst of the children of Yisra’el.

It was inferred from this passage that other types of injuries, the well-known “eye for an eye” pasages, could in fact be ransomed – meaning the guilty party could pay the victim monetary or property compensation for their injuries.  This has been the halacha from the earliest known works of the Sages.  However, when someone dies, the punishment, death or refuge, must be carried out.

Numbers, continued:

Num 36:1 The heads of the fathers’ [houses] of the family of the children of Gil`ad, the son of Makhir, the son of Menasheh, of the families of the sons of Yosef, came near, and spoke before Moshe, and before the princes, the heads of the fathers’ [houses] of the children of Yisra’el:

Num 36:2  and they said, YHWH commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Yisra’el: and my lord was commanded by YHWH to give the inheritance of Tzelohchad our brother to his daughters.

Num 36:3  If they be married to any of the sons of the [other] tribes of the children of Yisra’el, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong: so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance.

Num 36:4  When the jubilee of the children of Yisra’el shall be, then will their inheritance be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong: so will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.

Num 36:5  Moshe commanded the children of Yisra’el according to the word of YHWH, saying, The tribe of the sons of Yosef speaks right.

Num 36:6  This is the thing which YHWH does command concerning the daughters of Tzelohchad, saying, Let them be married to whom they think best; only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married.

Num 36:7  So shall no inheritance of the children of Yisra’el remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Yisra’el shall cleave everyone to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

Num 36:8  Every daughter, who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Yisra’el, shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Yisra’el may possess every man the inheritance of his fathers.

Num 36:9  So shall no inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; for the tribes of the children of Yisra’el shall cleave everyone to his own inheritance.

Num 36:10  Even as YHWH commanded Moshe, so did the daughters of Tzelohchad:

Num 36:11  for Machlah, Tirtzah, and Choglah, and Milkah, and Noach, the daughters of Tzelohchad, were married to their father’s brothers’ sons.

Num 36:12  They were married into the families of the sons of Menasheh the son of Yosef; and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.

Num 36:13  These are the mitzvot and the ordinances which YHWH commanded by Moshe to the children of Yisra’el in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden at Yericho.

Integrity concerning the purchase and transfer of property is shown in Torah to be very important to Elohim.  The prophets also harshly criticize those who “join house to house” and take property from widows and orphand and the poor – property is the only true wealth, and Elohim is concerned that no one loses their property permanently.

In light of this thought, American companies, mortgage brokers and banks, need to ask themselves if the current practice of foreclosing on people instead of negotiating more affordable terms for their loans is a practice Elohim will tolerate.

Next:  Haftarah Masei.