Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Matot The word of the lord came to me: What do you see, jeremiah? I replied: i see a branch of an almond tree. (From the haphtarah of Parashat Mattot, Jeremiah 1:11)   Said Rabbi Munah: Both according to those who opine that the city wall was breached on the ninth of the month and according those who opine it was on the seventeenth of Tammuz, from the date of breach until the destruction of the temple,...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Matot THE DESCENDANTS OF GAD AND THE DESCENDANTS OF REUBEN CAME, AND THEY SPOKE TO MOSES AND TO ELEAZAR THE PRIEST AND TO THE PRINCES OF THE COMMUNITY, SAYING, "…THE LAND THAT THE LORD STRUCK DOWN BEFORE THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL IS A LAND FOR LIVESTOCK, AND YOUR SERVANTS HAVE LIVESTOCK." THEY SAID, "IF IT PLEASES YOU, LET THIS LAND BE GIVEN TO YOUR SERVANTS AS A HERITAGE; DO NOT TAKE US ACROSS THE JORDAN."…THEY APPROACHED HIM...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Matot AND MOSES SAID TO THE CHILDREN OF GAD AND TO THE CHILDREN OF REUVEN: "SHALL YOUR BROTHERS COME TO WAR WHILE YOU SIT HERE?" (Bamidbar 32:6)   Shall your brothers come to war Usually Scripture uses the expression "went out to war" , while the expression "came to war" is unusual. Moses uses the latter when addressing the children of Gad and the children of Reuven: Shall your brothers come to...