So today is Shabbat Hagadol—The Great Shabbat. Guess I’m supposed to give a long Drash. Sorry to disappoint you, but that isn’t about to happen. Let’s start with some basics. What is Shabbat Hagadol and what makes it so great? It turns out that the first Shabbat Hagadol was actually observed in Egypt five days before the redemption of our ancestors from slavery. That Shabbat fell on the tenth of Nissan. A one- time commandment was given by G-d ordering each man to get a lamb and tie it to his bedpost. Huh? You heard me right. The lamb was to be sacrificed four days later as a Passover sacrifice. Thus, the creation of the Pascal lamb. The Egyptians instead of wondering what the crazy Jews were up to, instead were really steamed. It turns out that the lamb was an Egyptian deity. Amazingly, nothing bad happened to the Children of Israel as a result of the commandment. Everyone agreed that the lack of reprisal by the Egyptians must be a miracle. Therefore, the Shabbat when lambs were taken became known as the Great Shabbat—Shabbat Hagadol.

Let’s move on now to this week’s Parsha, Parshat Metzorah. The Parsha deals primarily with two matters: How to purify a leper who is healed and a discussion of laws concerning the emission of bodily fluids. Query: What is the connection between Metzorah and Shabbat Hagadol? Why are we reading this Parsha today?

The answer bluntly is that I really have no idea how these two things are related and I am not able to find any help on the subject. So, the best I can do is give you an opinion. Let me premise this by reminding you that I am neither a Rabbi nor a scholar. I am just a guy who innocently raised a question that he can’t answer and who will now attempt to come up with something that at least makes sense.It strikes me that the main theme of Metzorah is purification. Could it be that the Pascal lamb that gave rise to the notion of a Shabbat Hagadol was part of a purification process that the Children of Israel had to go through before undertaking the Exodus from Egypt? Was it a test of faith as well?  Our ancestors  witnessed one miracle after another. As the Haggadah notes, G-d made everything happen by Himself. Not through a messenger. Not through any other means. All that our ancestors had to do was sit back and watch. But what would they do if their necks were on the line? The Pascal lamb was an abomination to the Egyptians. G-d wasn’t gathering lambs. G-d wasn’t killing them. People were gathering them and preparing them for slaughter. Perhaps the question of the day was: Are these people mere bystanders or do they purely and genuinely have faith in G-d to the extent that they will actively involve themselves in the overall freedom process and put themselves potentially in harm’s way? Do they have faith that G-d will not allow the angry throngs to seek revenge and harm them?

It seems to me, therefore, that when the Haggadah compels us to consider it as if we too were freed from slavery, the Haggadah is not only speaking about the time of the Exodus. The message, I maintain, is just as relevant today. On this Shabbat preceding Passover, are you fully purified? Are you spiritually prepared for the upcoming holiday of Passover? If so, then next Shabbat can be a Shabbat Hagadol V’Hakadosh. As you prepare to face the drudgery of purifying your home for Passover, recognize that freedom does not come about without sacrifice. After the misery of purifying our home and preparing for Passover is completed, I like to reflect on a few matters. When I see the beautiful and smiling faces of Terry, my children and my grandchildren at the Passover Seders, I realize that the hardship of preparing for the holiday is somehow worth the effort. At that moment, I recognize that I am free—free at last.

STONED ON TETZAVEHI just get back from Disney World and I find an email from Alan. Will I give a Dvar on February 16^th? Sure! Why bother checking what I’m getting myself into. Tetzaveh? Isn’t that the Parsha that describes the priestly garments? How will I ever turn this into a good Dvar? After minutes of intense concentration (maybe I should have given the matter a little more thought), I decide that the best approach is to ask myself some questions about the Parsha and then research to find the answers. Here’s the questions that I developed: (1) What stones are on the priestly breastplate, (2) Why these stones, (3) Why 12 stones? Since all of my questions involve stones, I decided to title my Dvar “Stoned on Tetzaveh”.

The Priests, starting with Aaron and his four sons, were required to wear special garments. These garments are described in detail in this week’s Parsha.  The names of Aaron’s four sons, if you’re curious, are Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Itamar.  Rather than describing all the garments of the High Priest and Ordinary Priests, I am going to limit my discussion to those items that pertain to my three questions. The High Priest wore on his shoulders two gold settings. Gold chains extended from the settings to gold hooks in rings that were on a breastplate. This allowed for the breastplate to be affixed to the ephod, an apron which he wore. The breastplate, or Choshen Mishpat (breastplate of judgment), was square and was worn over the heart. It is on this breastplate that the 12 stones were set.

So, what were the 12 stones? Although the stones are named, their true identity remains a mystery. The terms used to name the stones are very difficult to translate. The end result is that over thirty opinions have been rendered by Biblical scholars regarding the identity of the stones. What is known is that the color of each stone corresponded with the color of the banners carried by the tribes during the journey  through the wilderness. Based upon this information, a list that often appears for the 12 stones is as follows:  Reuven-ruby (red), Shimon-jade (green), Levi-agate (red, white and black striped), Judah-emerald (bluish-green), Issachar-lapis-lazuli (deep blue), Zebulun-quartz (clear), Dan-turquoise (blue),  Naftali-amethyst (purple), Gad-agate (grey), Asher-aquamarine (blue-green), Joseph-onyx (black) and  Benjamin-opal (a play of all colors).  The first two questions have now been addressed. A reasonable list of the 12 stones has been put together based upon the color of the tribes’ banners. Therefore, it is nowappropriate to proceed to the last question.

Why 12 stones? The simple answer is that the 12 stones represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The High Priest wore this reminder of the tribes on his breastplate over his heart so that he could be mindful of them when he came before G-d. The order of the tribes on the breastplate, however, is also a subject of controversy. It is known that the stones were place on the breastplate in four rows of three stones each. The name of a tribe was engraved on its corresponding stone. In which order were the stones/tribes placed on the breastplate? One school of thought is that the tribes were listed in the order of the birth of the sons of Jacob. Thus, the engraved stones of Reuven, Shimon and Levi would appear in the first row in that order concluding with Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin in the last row. A differing opinion places the stones/tribes according to the Matriarchs who bore them. First came the six sons of Leah followed by the two sons of Bilhah, two sons of Zilpah and two sons of Rachel. Using this approach Reuven, Shimon and Levi would be in row 1 ending with Asher, Joseph and Benjamin in row 4. A third approach places the tribes on the breastplate in the order that they marched in the wilderness. That’s part of the beauty of Judaism. Two people—three opinions.

How can I conclude this talk with only three questions? Don’t we typically ask four questions? So, here is my fourth question. Frankly, I don’t have an answer. If the 12 stones are supposed to remind the High Priest of the 12 tribes, then why were the 12 sons of Jacob engraved on the 12 stones rather than the actual 12 tribes? I’ll leave that question for you to research.

Last week in Parshat Miketz we learned about the trials and tribulations of Joseph in Egypt as he  progressed from inmate to number two man in Egypt. We learned about the entry into Egypt of ten of his brothers seeking grain and supplies. This was followed by the detaining of Simon by Joseph as the  other brothers were sent back to Canaan to return with their missing youngest brother, Benjamin. Benjamin, you will please recall, is the only full brother of Joseph as they were the only two sons borne  by Rachel.    Upon their return to Egypt with Benjamin, the now eleven brothers are greeted by Joseph  with apparent kindness as their sacks are laden with grain and supplies for their return to their father  Jacob in Canaan. Unbeknownst to them, there sacks are overladen as Joseph has planted in Benjamin’s  sack his royal goblet. Shortly after the brothers leave Egypt to return home, they are met by none other  than Joseph’s royal guard demanding a search of their belongings as someone had stolen the Royal  Goblet of Joseph. After the goblet is found in Benjamin’s sack, the brothers are escorted back to Egypt  to face their punishment. It is at this point that Vayigash picks up.

Joseph orders the imprisonment of Benjamin. Judah pleads with Joseph and points out that there were  originally twelve brothers, but one was torn apart by animals. Only Benjamin remains as a live son of  Rachel, beloved wife of their father Jacob. If Benjamin does not return to Canaan, it will kill Jacob. Judah pleads with Joseph to take him (Judah) instead of Benjamin. At this point, Joseph can no longer compose himself. He breaks down in tears and announces that he is Joseph. The brothers are sent home to return  to Egypt with their father and live in the fertile land of Goshen. Seventy individuals return to Egypt. After  twenty-two years, Jacob is finally reunited with Joseph.

Why the ruse by Joseph? Wasn’t he happy to see his brothers? Or was he angry that they had sold him  into slavery? Maybe he had mixed emotions? After all, didn’t bad turn into good? Why didn’t the  brothers recognize Joseph from the get go? Why the sudden change of attitude by Joseph after the plea of Judah? Clearly, a careful examination of this saga is in order.  

A good starting point is to remember that Joseph is a very spiritual individual. He is the type of person who believes that G-d has a plan for him and that he must retain his faith that all is for the best. Although this would not excuse his brothers’ despicable action of selling him into slavery, it would at least help to explain it. So why didn’t Joseph simply identify himself from the start and tell his brothers that all is forgiven and all is well?

Joseph is also the type of person who believes that one must atone for his sins. Joseph fully recognized  that before family unity could be restored, it was necessary that some act of contrition occur. It would  have been far too easy for the brothers to say that they were sorry and thereby become part of the  royal family. The plea of Judah in the eyes of Joseph was a genuine act of repentance. The time was ripe, therefore, for family reunification.

Why didn’t the brothers recognize Joseph?  He recognized them. Twenty -two years had passed since  they had last seen Joseph. The last time they saw him, he was a young lad. Now he was a grown man. Also, he appeared to them in royal garb and adorned to appear Egyptian. But shouldn’t the name Joseph  have raised some eyebrows? Joseph is not the name that he was called in Egypt. Pharaoh had given him  the name Zaphnath-Paaneah which means “the man to whom mysteries are revealed”. It is perfectly  reasonable and understandable, therefore,  that the brothers would not have recognized Joseph.

Don’t you love a happy ending? I do.

So, Isaac and Rebecca wanted a child. OK. Nothing unusual about that. Well, nothing unusual accept for the fact that they produced twins. Esau and Jacob. But these were no ordinary twins. Rebecca experienced an unusually hard labor. Why? Because the twins seemed to be fighting in her womb. And this began the saga of Jacob and Esau.

“Toldot” means generations. Jacob and Esau were destined to become the progenitors of two groups of people who would always be at each other throats. The battle between their descendants continues to the present day. Was this to be their destiny? Was there something in their early history that could account for this?

I could simplify the matter and state that Jacob vs. Esau represents a battle between good and evil. But as we all are undoubtedly aware, life today has made it difficult to differentiate between good and evil. One person’s hero is another person’s villain. After all, even the Wicked Witch of Wizard of Oz fame has suddenly become the admiration of millions in her own play.

Jacob and Esau were not only not identical twins, but their lifestyles were diametrically opposed. Esau was very hairy. Jacob may have actually been bald. Esau was a hunter. Jacob was a scholar. Esau worshipped idols. Jacob devoutly followed the precepts of his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham. It’s recognized that Isaac favored Esau and Rebecca favored Jacob. Esau had a way with his father. He would hunt and bring him good food to eat. He knew exactly what to say to his father to bring out the gleam in his father’s eyes.

As the first born, Esau preceded Jacob out of the womb, Esau was entitled to certain birthright advantages. Most of us are probably familiar with the pot of lentils for birthright trade that Jacob negotiated with Esau. Hence, I won’t bother retelling it. Suffice it to state that Esau eagerly accepted the trade. The deal turned out to exceed the acquisition of Manhattan from the Native Americans and Seward’s purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire. Skip forward to the disguise of Jacob enabling him to receive a blessing from a vision-impaired Isaac that was apparently intended for Esau. Again, I will forego reiterating the story as most of you are already likely familiar with it. So, where does this leave us? Is Jacob a dirty rat who took advantage of his poor brother Esau?

Some of you may disagree, but in my opinion everything Jacob did was perfectly above board. Let’s examine the two incidents earlier described a little more closely. Esau may have been able to fool his father, but he couldn’t fool his mother. Rebecca was aware that Isaac planned to bless Esau with material wealth and Jacob with spiritual fulfilment. Why should material wealth go to an undeserving Esau instead of to a righteous Jacob who would have to toil to make ends meet? Shouldn’t the righteous be blessed with the good things in life? Therefore, she devised a plan that would allow for a proper outcome from Isaac’s blessings. Should Jacob have disregarded his mother? I think not.

Let’s examine this even further. Why was Esau entitled to the first blessing from Isaac? Simply put, it was a birthright blessing. But didn’t Esau voluntarily trade his birthright to Jacob? So, wasn’t Jacob really entitled to the first blessing? But for the fact that Isaac was apparently unaware of the negotiation between Jacob and Esau, Jacob would clearly and legally be entitled to the first blessing. Why didn’t Esau come forward and explain to Isaac that Jacob should get the first blessing? Didn’t he trust that Isaac would give him a great second blessing? Obviously not. Jacob, please note, never recommended to Rebecca that he inform Isaac that Esau’s birthright had been traded to him. Such was the noble and humble nature of Jacob. Therefore, Rebecca intervenes and the rest is history.

Now please note that Isaac felt something was awry. “… but the hands are the hands of Esau”. Nevertheless, he proceeds to bless Jacob. Moreover, when Isaac later blesses Esau after learning of the disguise, why did he choose to bless Esau as he did? Jacob was blessed with the spiritual blessings of Abraham and with material blessings. Esau was given a conditional blessing. If he shakes loose from the yoke of Jacob, then he will get the material blessings. What does this mean? So long as the descendants of Jacob remain spiritual and loyal to G-d, they will be entitled to material blessings. If they abandon G-d, then the descendants of Esau will be able to snatch the material blessings. Mistake by Isaac? I think not.

So, it’s that time of the year again. It’s time to draw closer to G-d. It’s time to pray that the upcoming year is a good year. But how do we attain this lofty goal? Our High Holiday prayers conveniently provide the magic formula. Just do these three things and watch any bad decree miraculously disappear: Teshuva, Tefilla and Tzedakah. Easy, right? Well, maybe not so easy as it appears. And one part of this three-prong approach is particularly hard.

Teshuva relates to repentance. What have I done in the past year that I should not have done and that I should avoid repeating? How can I improve myself? The Al Chet prayer reminds us that we are not praying merely for ourselves.  Shechetanu, which means that we sinned, reflects that we are collectively praying for forgiveness for any sins that any of us committed. A strength in numbers approach. You may have copied me and reviewed the sins list at some time to determine which arguably apply to yourself. Hopefully, most do not apply. We trust that by combining prayers we will be on the path to redemption for all of us.

Tzedakah commonly refers to charity. Pretty easy to get by this one, right? Just open up your wallet and voila! The root word of Tzedakah, however, is Tzedek. This can translate into righteousness. Thus, in addition to giving charity, it’s probably a good idea to be your normal righteous self on a regular basis. Do good deeds. Volunteer time to worthy organizations and/or noble causes. Be nice to others. You are now a bona fide Tzadik or Tzadeket and have successfully overcome the second hurdle. In addition to this, please do not overlook the dictates of Parshat Shoftim which we read a few weeks ago. The Parsha commands “Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof”. This means that we must chase after Justice. Tzedek, which means justice, is actually the root word for Tzedakah and Tzadik. We may be successful in our attempt to get a good judgment from G-d by being righteous and giving charity. But if we also want to be recognized as a good Jew and a good person, we must seek justice and treat people justly.

Tefilla, prayer. This one’s kind of tricky. The Bible and other Jewish texts are filled with outstanding examples of the power of prayer. Abraham is credited with establishing Shacharit, i.e., praying in the morning. Isaac gets credit for Mincha, i.e., afternoon prayers. Jacob added Maariv, evening prayers. Hence, we have a longstanding history of prayer among Jews. On a more personal level, I remember my first encounter with intense prayer. I was a young lad. My beloved Zadie had been hospitalized. While listening on my transistor radio to the Cubs, I formulated a youthful plan to communicate with G-d. The Cubs were playing the Mets. It was late in the game and the Cubs were up by one run. Dear G-d, I said, You know how much I love the Cubs. Save my grandfather and I’ll make You a deal. The Cubs can lose. Sure enough. Cleon Jones of the Mets hit a two- run homer in the ninth inning just over the outstretched glove of Cub centerfielder, Sweet Lou Johnson, and the Cubs lost by one run. My grandfather survived and lived for several more years. Ah, the power of prayer. By the way, I never again made a deal against the Cubs. Also, I do not advocate making deals with G-d. This was simply a case of beginner’s luck.

Many of you know my daughter Sarah. But did you know that she was born with a severe immune deficiency? Life expectancy, we were advised, was 3 or 4. My wife Terry and I were grief stricken as we watched our baby continually develop colds, rashes and illnesses as a result of her IGA deficiency. Another Jewish couple who lived nearby faced the same dilemma with their baby. Did I pray? You better believe it. I prayed with all my heart and with all my might and with all my soul. At age 2, we started noticing some changes in Sarah’s readings. By then, Sarah was a regular customer of Children’s Hospital. One day we received great news from Children’s. Sarah had somehow undergone a spontaneous recovery and the critical period had passed. She would develop a functioning immune system and would survive. The other sick child I earlier referred to did not survive.

Have you ever experienced this scenario? You place a telephone call only to be greeted by the following message: Sorry but all of our representatives are currently busy . . . After waiting an eternity, you slam down the phone, mumble a few choice words, and storm off in utter frustration. Don’t you just hate it? Then why do we play this cruel game with G-d? We turn to G-d for help when we need or want something. We race to Him especially when we are in trouble. Please G-d. Drop whatever You’re doing and listen to me instead. Have you every missed praying or attending a Kehilla service because you were “too busy”? Have you ever put G-d on hold? Praying in a group setting amplifies our prayers. G-d may not always say “yes”. But rest assured that He will listen and never put you on hold. So, what can we do to give ourselves a better chance of having a good year?  Teshuva, Tefilla and Tzedakah. Give G-d a break. Quit the excuses. Better yet, give yourself a break. In addition to Teshuva and Tzedakah, PRAY! Attend prayer services on a regular basis. Maybe, even on time. The spiritual, healing and cleansing power of Tefilla may do you and your loved ones a world of good.

Wishing all of you a happy, healthy, blessed and meaningful New Year. May we all be written into the Book of Life this Rosh Hashanah for the following year, sealed on Yom Kippur and confirmed on Succoth.

This D’var is dedicated to the memory of my father and to everyone who has lost someone of significance.

Vaeschanan. What a noteworthy Parsha filled with a plethora of major topics.  It readily lends itself to a D’var Torah. Moses, nearing death, gathers the B’nai Yisroel for his final speech. He does this while standing on the banks of the Jordan River, looking longingly into the Promised Land. He imprints the Ten Commandments on the minds of all those in attendance. He recites the Shema and reminds the Israelites that G-d is one and that they must serve Him and love Him with all their heart and all their might. He points out that G-d also loves them, his chosen people. Why then have I decided to give my D’var today on the Haftorah rather than the Parsha? Isn’t that like attending a Smorgasbord, but only choosing a salad for lunch?

“Nachamu, nachamu ami”. Comfort, comfort my people. G-d commands the Prophet Isaiah to speak to the suffering people of Jerusalem and assure them that their suffering will soon be coming to an end. Haftorah Nachamu is the first of seven Haftorahs dealing with the issue of consolation. It’s always read immediately after Tisha B’Av. The last of the consolation Haftorahs is read on the Shabbos preceding Rosh Hashanah. I remember the excitement I felt chanting Haftorah Nachamu on my Bar Mitzvah. How wonderful, I thought, that my father’s name had the same root word as the Haftorah.  How fitting, I felt, that I should be able to perhaps provide my father Nacham with some comfort for the loss of his entire family at the hands of Hitler during World War II.  This Haftorah of consolation was a perfect opportunity to provide my father with some comfort through my efforts. Little did I realize at the time that the notions expressed in the Haftorah would later have a significant impact on me.

Before I explain please allow me to side step for a moment and explore with you something that recently crossed my mind. Why is Parshat Vaeschanan paired with Haftorah Nachamu?  The traditional viewpoint is that there really is no particular reason why the two are read on the same Shabbos. It seems to me, however, that a closer symbiotic relationship never existed. Vaeschanan clearly encompasses a belief in G-d. Nachamu requires people to have faith in G-d that things will improve. Is not belief in G-d and faith in Him the path that leads to comfort?

In 2000, my beloved father passed away. Therefore, this year is the “Chai Year” (18^th year) of his afterlife. While grieving during Shiva, I recall thinking about some of the most meaningful times I spent with my father. My Bar Mitzvah was one such time. I remembered my father advising me to swallow a raw egg before going to shul. This, he explained would make my voice stronger and clearer. Huh? Okay.  What a confidence builder for a thirteen- year- old whose voice took a detour just weeks before as it bounced up and down at will and without permission. At the very least, what a great placebo. I will now return to my grief during Shiva. I was lost. I mean, really lost. My mother had died ten years earlier so I was officially an orphan. To comfort myself, I wrote a letter to myself which I will now share with you.

MY LETTER

It was a Sunday in January. As usual, I phoned my father to talk to him about his health, the terrible food served at the assisted living facility, and anything else that may occasionally come up. This time, however, was different. A strange female voice answered the phone. My father, I was told, had fallen and been taken to the hospital. I phoned my sister, Jo, who also lived in Charlotte to find out what was going on. We soon learned that my father had suffered both a serious heart attack and stroke and that he was deemed comatose. The next morning, I was on a plane to Charlotte.

My father had earlier suffered a damaging heart attack and debilitating stroke. But my father was a survivor. After all, he made it through World War II. My father came to America in 1937 to live with some relatives. He had already served in the Polish cavalry as a young man. Although born in Russia, he attended German schools as a youngster after the Germans ousted the Russians. When the Germans lost World War I, the Poles took over. The Poles were drafting again in response to a general unrest in Europe. By 1940, my father, who could barely speak English and was not yet a U.S. citizen, was a U.S. soldier. My father survived the War. His family did not.

Although my father was almost 90, he still “looked good”. Why, 25% of his hair was still black. His skin remained relatively smooth and had a nice olive hue to it. Although my father’s cardiologist had opined that it was only a matter of time before “the end”, the end was approaching too quickly. My family and I, thank G-d, had visited my father only a month earlier. We could chat with him, joke with him, and show him our love. I remember saying goodbye to my dad and thinking that this would be our last goodbye. Now, a month later, I found myself before my father and our Maker having to deal with matters vastly beyond my comprehension.

Throughout the week my sister, her husband and I visited my father and stayed by him, although he could not communicate and usually seemed to be sleeping. Occasionally, my father would half-open an eye and seem to look in the direction of our voices. Sometimes a finger would move. I was convinced that this was his way of communicating. Without question he, at least, sensed our presence.

On Friday night and Saturday, I could not visit my father. It was Shabbat, but not very restful. When Shabbat ended, we went to the hospital. My father’s breathing seemed strained. Unlike other visits, my father actually grasped our hands throughout the evening. Suddenly, my father’s eyes opened wide and he began to stare at something. He had the appearance of a young child looking in amazement at some wondrous thing while declaring “WOW!” His eyes then closed. He appeared calm. He took a gentle breath, then another one, then another, then a whisper, then silence.

It was the seventh day since the fall. Shabbat was over. My father was not alone. He could now rest. Shavuah Tov Dad.

__________________________________________

Belief in G-d.

Faith.

Comfort.                                        Good Shabbos.

The purpose of this D’var will be to discuss some of the more intriguing aspects of Matot and Masei. Both Parshas are not only interesting, but also extremely informative regarding the Torah way of handling some very sensitive issues. I will point out their significance to the present day. Additionally, I will try to dispel some common misconceptions.

In Matot , the  division of land among the twelve tribes is undertaken. The tribes of Reuven and Gad had achieved great wealth before entering Israel by raising cattle. The land east of the Jordan River was ideal for cattle. This territory had been acquired by defeating the Amorites (King Sichon) and the Kingdom of Bashan (King Og). Moses wanted the combined armies of the twelve tribes to proceed to war against the Midianites. Reuven and Gad, however, stated that they preferred to remain behind and continue raising cattle. They noted that they had no interest in acquiring additional land.  They were fully satisfied with the land they currently occupied. Moses severely rebuked them. How could they idly stay back while the other tribes went to war? A compromise was finally reached. The armies of Reuven and Gad would join the armies of the other ten tribes to proceed to war against Midian. Their families, however, would remain behind in fortified cities and continue to possess the land outside of Israel. After defeat of the Midianites, a final distribution of land would be made among the twelve tribes which would constitute their inheritance of land from G-d. Reuven and Gad would retain their current holdings.

MISCONCEPTION #1

The twelve tribes are the direct descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob. Although this is partially correct, it is technically inaccurate.  There are no tribes of Joseph and Levi. The other ten tribes are, indeed, directly descended from the sons of Jacob. Rather than being a tribe of Joseph, the two half-tribes of Menashe and Ephraim were formed. They were the two sons of Joseph. Although called half tribes, they were full tribes in all regards. Levites assisted the Kohanim. They inherited no land. Instead each of the twelve tribes were required to set aside living places for the Levites and support them. The Kohanim, please note, were the descendants of the first High Priest, Aaron. A total of forty-eight cities were established where the Levites would live and perform their duties. Three tribes: Reuven, Gad and the half-tribe of Menashe, inherited land east of the Jordan River. The remaining nine tribes: Judah, Shimon, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Asher, Naftali and the half-tribe of Ephraim, inherited land in Israel west of the Jordan River.

In Masei, major topics include murder, cities of refuge and inheritance rights of women. The Torah approach of criminal justice has become the framework for the American system of law. Murder, please note, is different than killing. One, for example, who kills an enemy while serving in the military is generally not considered a murderer. Murder was Biblically punishable by death. If a person was adjudicated to be innocent, no action would be taken. If negligence on the part of the perpetrator led to death of another, the killer would be allowed to flee to a city of refuge. If killing was the result of gross negligence, i.e., severe carelessness, punishments other than the death penalty would be utilized and cities of refuge would not be an option. An example of this would be accidentally killing someone during the commission of a crime. Unlike the American Judicial approach, there was no Felony Murder Doctrine, i.e., one is deemed guilty of murder if an accidental killing occurs during the commission of a felony. To be found Biblically guilty of murder, there had to be intent. The element of mens rea (evil mind) is required in the U.S. The Torah required that two reliable witnesses had to corroborate that the murder did take place. False witness testimony could lead to the witness getting the penalty that would have been imposed on the accused. Stronger measures were taken, therefore, under Torah law than under American Law to protect the innocent or accidental killer. Circumstantial evidence was not allowed. As today, exceptions were carved out for the mentally ill and others.

MISCONCEPTION #2

The controversial Sanctuary City concept of today is a direct offshoot of the Biblical Cities of Refuge. Cities of Refuge were created primarily for one purpose. They afforded a safe haven for negligent killers who otherwise could face death by the hands of the family of the deceased. These killers, at the very least, lacked the required intent to be deemed murderers. Yet, they had killed due to their own negligence. The cities of refuge, therefore, served as places of atonement.  Three cities of refuge were set up on each side of the Jordan River. On the west side were the cities of Kedesh, Shechem and Hebron. On the east were the cities of Golan, Ramoth and Bosor. The fleeing killers had to make their way to a city of refuge and remain there until the High Priest of the city died. The death of the High Priest was deemed a repentance for the sins of the killers. They were then free to leave. Anyone who harmed them could be subject to punishment up to and including death.

MISCONCEPTION #3

Some people criticize Torah Law as being overly harsh. The verse “an eye for an eye” is often cited as proof for this conclusion. The death penalty prescribed for murder in Masei is also cited as proof that the Torah presented a blood thirsty system of justice. Although the eye for eye notion does not appear in today’s Parshaot, when coupled with the death penalty it does superficially suggest an extremely harsh Biblical approach. You poke out my eye. Then I get to poke out your eye? Not really. The eye for eye approach was a precursor to the American concept of damages. If one pokes out the eye of another, then compensation must be paid for the loss of the eye and the impact it will have on the victim. The death penalty was prescribed only for intentional murder corroborated by two witnesses. It was a rarely used punishment. Intent was difficult to prove. How often do you have a murder witnessed by two people? Whether true or not, the Talmud refers to one Sanhedrin which carried out the death penalty once in seven years as “The Bloody Sanhedrin”. Torah Law may be firm. Certainly, it is not harsh.

A last subject is certainly worthy of mention. Up to the time of the Exodus, only men could inherit. Along came the interesting case of the daughters of Tzelafchad discussed in Parsha Masei. Tzelafchad died sonless. He did, however, have five daughters. Who inherits? As it turns out, this was a very prominent family. Tzelafchad was the son of Menashe. Menashe was the son of Joseph. In other words, the daughters were the granddaughters of Menashe and the great granddaughters of Joseph. The daughters’ names, in case you are ever involved in a game of Bible Trivia, were Mahlah, Noa, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. They argued that since there were no sons to inherit, it was their right to inherit. This would be the only way their family could retain its legally acquired property interests. The Tribe of Menashe argued, with the other Tribes agreeing, that by giving the land to the daughters the Tribe of Menashe was effectively being robbed of its G-d given land should any of the daughters marry into different tribes. The matter was resolved by allowing the daughters to inherit with the proviso that if any daughter married outside the Tribe of Menashe, the land would revert back to the Tribe. None of the daughters married outside Menashe. This became a landmark decision in Jewish Law. The process of equal rights for women not only in the religious sector, but also in all other sectors of life continues.