Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Mattot/0/en

Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Mattot

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Imperfection in our Leaders?

Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel have conflicting views regarding Moshe's handling of the petition of the two and half tribes.  While Akeidat Yitzchak justifies Moshe's angry reaction as the appropriate response to a problematic request, Abarbanel posits that Moshe over-reacted and misunderstood the tribes' true intentions.

• With whom do you agree? Set up a debate at your Shabbat table, using Petition of the Two and a Half Tribes to aid in the discussion.
• Regardless of which side of the debate you take, what can you learn about negotiating tactics from our story?
• Is it problematic to criticize Moshe and suggest that he might have had imperfect leadership skills?  Interestingly, despite his position here, elsewhere Abarbanel  gets upset at those who find fault with Moshe.¹ See his debate with Ralbag in Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice for elaboration.

The Handicap of the Omniscient Reader

When speaking of the tribes that negotiated settling the eastern bank of the Jordan, many refer to the group as the "two and half tribes," not distinguishing between Reuven, Gad and Menashe. Since readers know that half of Menashe settled in the East, they often do not even notice that throughout the discussion with Moshe, it is only Reuven and Gad who play a role, while Menashe is conspicuously absent. 

• Was Menashe part of the original petition?  If so, why are they not mentioned? If not, why did they, too, share in the lands? For elaboration, see Menashe Joins Reuven and Gad.
• Can you think of other examples where knowledge of the end of the story might hamper your reading of the beginning?  For some examples:
• Did Yaakov's sons know that they were all to be chosen?  If not how might that help explain the behavior of both the brothers and Yosef?  See Yosef's Treatment of his Family.
• Did the nation know in advance that Yericho was to be destroyed via miracle?  How might that affect your understanding of the Purpose of the Spies in Yehoshua 2?
• Was Yerushalayim the only option for the "place that God will choose"? When and why was it chosen?  See Choice of Yerushalayim.

Reconciling Peshat and Derash

Bemidbar 31 describes the war against Midyan and laws dealing with the purification of the spoils from battle.  It is not clear, however, why these spoils need purification. While the context of the unit and the similarity between these laws and those in Bemidbar 19 would support the possibility that the laws relate to purification from corpse contamination, most exegetes follow the Rabbinic position that suggests that the verses speak of impurity from non-Kosher cooking.

• Can you bring support for the Rabbinic position? Does it match the simple sense of the verses?  See Purifying Midianite Spoils – From What?
• In general, when "peshat" and "derash" appear to conflict, what methods can be employed to reconcile them? 
• For discussion of two of the most well-known examples where the rabbinic interpretation of a law appears not to match the simple reading of the verses, see "עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן" – An Eye for an Eye and MiMachorat HaShabbat.

¹ He writes, "Many have already spoken much about this matter, against the master of prophets, suggesting that he was lacking in civic leadership… And this is a lie, for the perfection of his ways demonstrates his knowledge of them."