42. Par'shah Mattot, Num 30:2(1)-32:42

[alon]

This week’s readings: Par’shah 42
Date of reading: 14 July 2018/2 Av 5778
Name of Par’shah: Mattot (Tribes)
Par’shah: Numbers 30:2(1)-32:42
Haftara: Yirmayahu 1:1-2:3
Brit Chadashah: Mattityahu 5:33-37

D’rash: Our par’shah starts with detailed instructions regarding vows spoken by men and women. When a man makes a vow to Adonai he is expected to fulfill all that he has spoken. Women, specifically those living in their father’s house or who are married, may speak a vow to Adonai but their fathers or husbands respectively may nullify it or let it stand on the day they hear of it, since, being head of their households they are responsible for those under their authority, The only exception to this part of the mitzvah is for widows and divorcees who are likely head of their households, and therefore must fulfill any vows they have made to Adonai.
Clearly speaking words of a vow or oath, especially to Adonai, is a serious matter and must be treated as such. They give more emphasis and determination to what a person stated he would do or not do. In short, vowing in common language means “consider it done”. Since Hashem created the heavens and earth by his spoken words, we, as His people, follow His example, but in a humanly limited way when making and fulfilling our vows.

Scripture speaks quite unfavorably towards those who renege on their vows:

D”varim 23:22(21)---"When you make a vow to Adonai your G-d, you are not to delay in fulfilling it, for Adonai your G-d will certainly demand it of you, and your failure to do so will be your sin.”

Mishlei 20:25---"It is a snare to dedicate a gift to G-d rashly and reflect on the vows only afterwards.”

Kohelet 5:3(4)-6(7)---"If you make a vow to G-d, don’t delay in discharging it. For G-d takes no pleasure in fools, so discharge your vow! Better not to make a vow than to make a vow and not discharge it. Don’t let your words make you guilty, and don’t tell the temple official that you made the vow by mistake. Why give G-d reason to be angry at what you say and destroy what you have accomplished? For [this is what happens when there are too] many dreams, aimless activities, and words. Instead, just fear G-d!”
As one can see from the last scripture, poor excuses only make matters worse.

There are also good consequences when one faithfully fulfills his or her vows just as with the other mitzvot. Tehellim 15:1 asks, “Adonai, who can rest in Your tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain?” The remaining verses lists the required moral qualities of which one is, “who hold to an oath, no matter the cost;” Adonai speaks through Asaf in Tehellim 50:14: “Offer thanksgiving as your sacrifice to G-d, pay your vows to the Most High, and call on Me when you are in trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” It goes without saying that when one keeps his word, vow, or oath it will gain them the respect of others as well as the favor of Hashem.
In the first century, Yeshua addresses a different set of issues regarding vows:

Mattityahu 5:33-37---"Again, you have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not break your oath’, and ‘Keep your vows to Adonai’. But I tell you not to swear at all---not ‘by heaven,’ because it is G-d’s throne; not ‘by the earth,’ because it is his footstool; and not ‘by Yerushalayim,’ because it is the city of the Great King. And don’t swear by your head, because you can’t make a single hair white or black. Just let your ‘Yes’ be a simple ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ a simple ‘No’; anything more than this has its origin in evil.”
Ya’akov instructs the believers in a similar way:

Ya’akov 5:12---"Above all, brothers, stop swearing oaths---not ‘By heaven,’ not ‘By the earth,’ and not by any other formula; rather, let your ‘Yes’ be simply ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ simply ‘No,’ so that you won’t fall under condemnation.”

Jacob Mann writes that Yeshua’s instructions are likely against swearing in ordinary speech and also not emphasizing one’s statements by any of these formulas of oaths. Ya’akov gives the reason---so that one does not fall under condemnation. That is why it is simply better to say “yes” or “no” and then follow through. And if a valid reason arises so that one is not able to do so, such as an unexpected death in the family, then one does not fall under condemnation. Also, Yeshua and Ya’akov were not advising their hearers against making oaths, but teaching the other side of the commandment, that is, it is also lawful not to make a vow (D’varim 23:23(22); Kohelet 5:4(5)). It is proper to mention at this point that swearing in ordinary speech may give the impression that an individual may not have a good reputation in keeping his or her word.
In our society, we can witness the flippant use of swearing such as, “I s___r to G__ I really thought they would lose the game; or of the response of someone who will not allow something to happen saying, “over my dead body.” Another vow not uncommon is when someone promises G-d they will follow Him if He gets them out of serious trouble, and when He does, they fail to follow through. These individuals would profit well from Tehellim 66:13-14:

“I will come into Your House with burnt offerings, I will fulfill my vows to You, those my lips pronounced and my mouth spoke when I was in distress.”
Vows, then, should only be spoken and performed as special and consecrated occasions, having been given the highest and most serious consideration. Depending on one’s heart and the situation they can end well or poor as illustrated by the following examples:

Hannah vowed to give her firstborn son, Sh’mu’el, to Adonai his entire lifetime. When she did, Adonai rewarded her with three more sons and two daughters (Sh’mu’el Alef 1:10-11, 22; 2:21).

The vow of a nazir is a special opportunity to set oneself apart to Adonai for a specific period of time (B’midbar 6:1-21).

Yif’tach vowed to Adonai that if He helped him to defeat the people of ‘Amon, he would offer the first thing that came out of his house as a burnt offering. Unfortunately, that was his daughter. Though she would not have been sacrificed, she remined unmarried and would have been dedicated in the service of Adonai (Shof’tim 11:30-39).
There were forty-plus Judeans who took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed emissary Sha’ul. This plot failed (Acts 23:12-33).

In conclusion, we see that that our spoken words have the power to do good or evil, and vows are a special category:

Proverbs 10:19---When words are many, sin is not lacking; so he who controls his speech is wise.
Proverbs 18:21---The tongue has power over life and death; those who indulge it must eat its fruit.
Mattityahu 12:36-37---"Moreover, I [Yeshua] tell you this: on the Day of Judgement people will have to give account for every careless word they have spoken; for by your own words you will be acquitted, and by your own words you will be condemned.”

References: Oaths and Vows in the Synoptic Gospels by Jacob Mann, The American Journal of Theology, Vol. 21, No. 2 (April, 1917), p. 261; Nave’s Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave; Dan C; Scriptures taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stearn, copyright 1998

MRD

[Elizabeth]

It's comforting to know through Yeshua you will accomplish all G-d has for you to do. That's how I consider the oath passage. Of course as humans we plan and think, but what we actually know is so limited that much of what's between us and G-d will ultimately come down to just our intentions because we don't know the future. We don't know what opportunities G-d will give us. We don't know what limitations we'll have to endure, but we know as far as we're concerned we are very limited simply because of the world we live in. So pray for opportunities, and that to me is somehow a scarier prayer than a promise on your own terms.  It demands a faith that acts on G-d's terms, and pins you down to a yes or no. That humbles me.

I am really grateful for this passage because it puts things into perspective. There's an element of pride that can creep in easily if we start thinking we can make promises to anyone because we don't know what's to come and we have nothing to give except what's G-d's anyway. I have been hearing more about being vessels for G-d's will lately. I think that fits what I'm saying here because it gives a picture of emptying yourself before G-d to be filled with whatever His will is. I think Yeshua gave us a since of humility and order in this passage while also asking more of us on a spiritual level, which seems to be a theme throughout.  He asks more of us through submission to G-d while at the same time protecting and unburdening us.