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This Shabbat

Candle Lighting & Havdalah times for Shabbat Parashat Matot
Friday, July 25, 2008 - Candle Lighting at 7:41 PM
Saturday, July 26, 2008 - Havdalah at 8:43 PM
Times for Beverly Hills, CA (Havdalah times are 45 minutes after sundown)

Shabbat Servicess Saturday, July 26, 2008

Rabbi David Shofet
Hakham Yedidia Shofet Hall
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Rabbi Hillel Benchimol
Simcha Hall
9:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Mincha followed by Seuda Shelishit, Arvit & Havdalah
6:30 PM

Parashat Matot
This week we’ll explore how Moshe -- very subtly -- taught his nation that people, especially the children, come first.

The Jews were camped on the bank of the Jordan River, about to enter the land of Israel. Representatives of the tribes of Gad and Reuben approached Moshe with a very brazen request -- "We don’t want to enter Israel. The land here is very suited for our cattle and it would be beneficial if we remained here." Moses, recalling the calamity of the ten spies who dissuaded the entire nation from entering Israel, reacted in shock -- "Do you remember what happened 40 years ago? Do you want to again demoralize your brothers and sisters as did the spies? And now you have risen in place of your fathers to rekindle the burning wrath of G-d?"

The representatives sat quietly through the denunciation and then spoke. "No, Moses, it was never our intent just to remain here. We’ll build stables for our livestock and homes for our children, then we will join our brethren in the fight for Israel. Only after all is conquered will we return home and settle."

Moses, obviously pacified by the quick and well prepared response, reviewed the stipulations. "OK, you shall arm yourself for battle, cross the Jordan and fight with your brothers until G-d drives out the enemy. Then, once the Land is conquered and settled, you can come back here and this land will be a heritage for you."

After Moshe reiterated all the prerequisites involved in the deal, he warns them. "If you transgress your commitment you will bear a terrible sin before G-d.” Then, in what is seemingly out of place he adds the following: "Build cities for your children and pens for your livestock and thus you shall observe the words that left your mouth

Moses was pleased with their offer to fight, however, he noted a major problem in the honorable plans of the tribes of Gad and Reuben. They prefaced their commitment with a very suspect phrase -- "We will build pens for our livestock and then we will build cities for our children." People who put monetary values before humans tend to worry about finances before family. Thus Moses reiterates their pledge with one major amendment. He says to them, "build cities for your children and then pens for your livestock; thus you shall keep the word that left your mouth." If the children come first, then he will trust them. He knows and believes if their values are in order, they will uphold their pledge. A major provision in the deal was not only a military commitment, but a philosophy that will guide the Jews for centuries -- Put the people first.