Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay: Matot – Masei Do Women’s Vows Count?: A 21st Century Problem

Torah Sparks

Rabbi Ruskay considers the challenging text that stipulates that a woman’s vow can be nullified by her father or husband; otherwise, if she breaks it then he is culpable. Rather than skipping over it, she “leans into the text”, considering contemporary contexts. For instance, she quotes the question “what happens to our bodies when we encounter a text that challenges us because of who we are”. She observes, “our tradition is bigger than any single passage.”

Sam Berrin Shonkoff: Matot-Masei

Torah Sparks

Sam Berrin Shonkoff tackles the multiple challenges of this double parashah; the sexism of men nullifying women’s promises, genocide of the Midianites, ethnic cleansing of the current inhabitants of Canaan, and questions how we can meaningfully engage with such texts. He writes that we cannot evade, ignore, or whitewash the narrative, but must approach the Torah in its entirety, cultivating true shalem—wholeness in the world.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z/l: Matot-Masei The Danger of Suspicion

Torah Sparks

Rabbi Sacks writes about the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who will be permitted to return to their land on the east side of the Jordan river after the land is conquered, and they will be free of any obligation before God and Israel. Rabbi Sacks’ concern is that instead of being innocent before God, they must also be innocent before Israel. This enhancement has become an ethical axiom of Judaism. Appearances matter.

Rabbi George Altshuler: Pinchas The Dilemma of Pinchas: When do you teach against the text?

Torah Sparks

Rabbi Altshuler considers the narrative of the Israelites cohabiting with the Moabite women: He questions why non-Jewish women are blamed for leading Jewish men into idolatry and why God sees this as something punishable by death. For comparison, he references the writings of Charles Arthaud, of the French colony that would later become Haiti. Dr. Arthaud wrote that all people have a relationship with the Divine, yet he owned a plantation with slaves.

Dr. Peri Sinclair: Pinchas An Enduring Act of Feminine Courage

Torah Sparks

Dr. Sinclair comments on the lack of feminine push-back against the male domination, and the remarkable narrative of the 5 daughters of Tzlofechad. She observes that they are identified by their names, and not by their relationships to men. Secondly, they challenge the accepted social order, and the law of the land. Dr. Sinclair then analyzes the meaning of the root “g-r-ah” — to subtract, to derive meaning from the text.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z’l: Pinchas On Parents and Teachers

Torah Sparks

Rabbi Sacks writes of the poignancy of Moses’ prayer to God to appoint a successor to lead the Jewish people. God then informs Moses that he will also be “gathered to his people as was his brother Aaron.” Rashi interprets this to mean that Moses was somewhat envious of how Aaron died. Rabbi Sacks cites Ktav Sofer, who observed that Aaron knew that his children would follow in his footsteps, yet Moses’ sons would not follow in his own.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z’l: Balak The Hardest Word to Hear

Torah Sparks

Rabbi Sacks points out some interesting contradictions in the parashah. First, when Bilaam refuses to return with the officers to Balak, he implies that God may change His mind regarding the prohibition. Yet, God doesn’t change His mind. Yet, God seemed to contradict Himself, instructing Bilaam after all, but prohibits him from doing anything except as instructed by God. When Bilaam goes, God gets angry. These apparent contradictions don’t seem to make sense.