Matot

Hi,

This week we read the portion of Matot.

The portion of Matot begins with the laws for annulling vows. Judaism teaches that words have spiritual power, and so a person can make a binding declaration prohibiting himself from certain benefits or certain activities, or dedicating a possession of his to the Temple. On the other hand, courts may annul personal vows, given certain conditions.
Additionally, a husband can annul his wife's vows, if they hurt him. In exchange for a man's marital obligations (outlined in the wedding Ketubah), a woman grants him certain rights - which include the ability to annul vows which damage him.
A father has financial obligations toward his unmarried daughter, and these obligations generate a right for him to annul her vows, as well.

This section is followed by a war against the nation of Midian. At the end of the "Balak" portion, Midian corrupted the Jewish males by seducing them and then luring them to idolatry. Now the Jews fought a war of retaliation.
The Jews took many vessels and cooking implements in the spoils, and Gd taught them the laws of making this equipment Kosher, as well as immersing new dining utensils in a Mikvah.

After this, the tribes of Reuven and Gad told Moshe they were not interested in receiving a share of land in Israel. Moshe warned that they would dishearten their brethren by refusing to cross the Jordan, but Gd agreed to their request for land on the eastern side of the Jordan River, on the condition that they would first help the rest of the Jews get settled in Israel.

Have a great day,
Mordechai