Rabbi's Derasha

The Three Weeks are about what has transpired initially to prevent the nation from entering Eretz Yisrael and then what led to the loss of Eretz Yisrael.  We also always read these Parshiot, which are about preparation to go into Eretz Yisrael, during the Three Weeks.  They give us a sense of the standard against which we are measured till this day.  There are many aspects raised here, but I want to concentrate on the episode in which representatives of two tribes, Gad and Reuven, ask for permission to remain on the other side of the Jordan River because the land there is more fitting for their needs.

There is a big split among the commentators as to how to read the dialogue between the representatives of the tribes and Moshe Rabenu.  There is a lot of support for the approach that says it was a misunderstanding.  That is, Moshe was hyperalert to anything resembling the Meraglim at this time, any kind of hesitation that would potentially undermine morale about entering the land.  For this reason, he took a relatively innocent request to set up camp on that side of the Jordan River as a potential desertion of duty.  Once he was reassured by the representatives of the Gad and Reuven, he realized that he had overreacted.  One can of course support this reading of the episode.  

But I want to look at the other opinion, usually attributed to the Sefer Akeida, R’ Moshe Arama (15th century).  According to this view, Moshe Rabenu understood full well what the tribes had in mind and that is what he sought to confront.  The tribes were not trying to reenact the Meraglim; they did not want to undermine morale at all.  But at the same time, they did not want to cross over the river to fight, preferring instead to cultivate the space outside of the land for their future.  

If we look at the dialog, one sees that the tribes open, oddly, with a list of nice cities.  No opening sentence to sum up what they are seeking, just a list, in the manner of real estate brokers, of the property that has recently fallen into Jewish possession.  Then they try to hint at what they want by pointing out that the land is ideal for livestock and that they have livestock.  Then there is a strange pause.  There’s even a paragraph break.  Then the text says they began to speak again.  

What happened in that pause?  Silence.  Moshe Rabenu is negotiating at this point.  He does not agree to the request nor does he deny it.  They have tried to hint and now Moshe Rabenu also hints.  He is waiting to see if the two tribes will drop their thought or will persist.  They persist: Don’t make us cross the river.  And Moshe Rabenu responds: Don’t do anything to break morale.

If it is an attempt to stay out of Eretz Yisrael, there are two things we can learn from it.  First, in their presentation, the representatives of Gad and Reuven only mention Hashem once, and it’s only in reference to the past.  They do not mention Hashem at all in reference to the future.  Moshe Rabenu picks up on this immediately.  In his response, he mentions Hashem seven times, emphasizing the divine role in any conquest of Eretz Yisrael and in ongoing life there.  Those who remain outside of Eretz Yisrael are prone to overlooking this.

The second lesson is that priorities are prone to distortion.  When they agree to cross over, they said, we will build corrals for our livestock and cities for our children.  When he responds, Moshe Rabenu reverses the order: You will make cities for your children and corrals for your livestock.  

Because of these challenges, Moshe Rabenu adds another suggestion: In addition to the two tribes, he wants half of the tribe of Menashe to settle on the other side of the Jordan River.  This tribe will be charged to learn with all of Gad and Reuven.  Because if they insist on staying outside of Eretz Yisrael, they will need extra reinforcement in remaining connected to Hashem and to the Torah.  The only way to overcome the distance from Hashem and the possible distortion in priorities is learning.