42.3 Par'shah Mattot- Tribes

[alon]

Name of Par’shah- 42.3 Par'shah Mattot- Tribes
Par’shah- Numbers 30:2 – 32:42

D’rash: This is next weeks (17th & 18th) parashah. Let me know what you think.

Numbers 30:2 (ESV) If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Do not break an oath or a vow. And some might want to rethink their habit of casually saying “I swear to God.”

H5088   (Strong) נֵדֶר  נֶדֶר neder    nêder neh'-der, nay’-der From H5087; a promise (to God); also (concretely) a thing promised: - vow ([-ed]).

H7621   (Strong) שְׁבוּעָה shebû‛âh sheb-oo-aw’ Feminine passive participle of H7650; properly something sworn, that is, an oath: - curse, oath, X sworn.

H632   (Strong) אִסָּר   אֱסָר 'ĕsâr   ‘issâr es-awr', is-sawr’ From H631; an obligation or vow (of abstinence): - binding, bond. Later verses where it says she is “bound” ties the statement/command to an oath (Hillel’s 2nd Rule of Scriptural Exegesis, g’zerah shavah- equivalence of expresions)

prom•ise (ˈprɒm ɪs)
1. a declaration that something will or will not be done, given, etc:
3. something that is promised.
4. to pledge or undertake by promise (usu. with an infinitive or a clause as object):
5. to make a promise of (some specified act, gift, etc.): t
7. to engage to join in marriage.
8. to assure (used in emphatic declarations):
9. to make a promise.
10. to afford ground for expectation (often fol. by well or fair).

swear  (swâr)
1. To make a solemn declaration, invoking a deity or a sacred person or thing, in confirmation of and witness to the honesty or truth of such a declaration.
2. To make a solemn promise; vow.
3. To use obscene or blasphemous language; curse.
4. Law To commit oneself by oath to giving evidence or testimony that is truthful.

oath  (ōth)
A solemn, formal declaration or promise to fulfill a pledge, often calling on God, a god, or a sacred object as witness.
The words or formula of such a declaration or promise.
Something declared or promised.

The subtle difference between a promise and an oath, or something sworn is the witness. In the case of something sworn to God, God may be the only witness. The same may be true when swearing in the Name of God. We are in fact (later) commanded to swear in God’s Name and (contextually) in Him alone: Deuteronomy 6:13 (ESV) It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.

The end of our parashah (ch. 32) gives a good illustration of when a promise goes over to being an oath. Gad and Reuben wanted their inheritance to be on the east bank, but Moshe thought they would be tempted to just stay there while the rest of Israel went over and continued the fight. In addition to demoralizing the nation this would have angered YHVH-Tsevaoth The Lord of Hosts (1 Sam 1:3). So they promised. But Moshe took this before El Elohe Yisroel and came back, making them swear to God and the people they would be there for the entire conquest of the land. That made this an oath; no more or less binding, but the consequences could be much worse if it was not fulfilled.

Numbers 30:3-5 (ESV)  “If a woman vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house in her youth,  and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand.  But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the Lord will forgive her, because her father opposed her. A woman living under the protection of her father may have her vows or oaths annulled by her father. Or he may let them stand, but he must decide on the first day in which he hears of them.

Numbers 30:6-8 (ESV) “If she marries a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand.  But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her vow that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound herself. And the Lord will forgive her. When she marries, her husband may annul any previous or new vows, again only on the first day he hears of them. She is now under his spiritual protection.

Numbers 30:9 (ESV) (But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.) A widow or divorced woman is responsible for her own self, and her oaths and vows are binding on her if made after her husband is gone and she is no longer under the spiritual covering of a head of household.

Numbers 30:10-15 (ESV)  And if she vowed in her husband's house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge of herself shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will forgive her. Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself [fast], her husband may establish [allow to stand], or her husband may make void. But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her pledges that are upon her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.” Reiterates what was said before, however note the additional caveat in the ending; “But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.” As head of the household, men are held to a higher standard (as is with any leadership position). Once you hear of the vows or oaths of a female member of your household, then men are to find out the details and make a judicious ruling on whether it will stand. But the male head of household is responsible before God for his ruling.

Point of discussion: Some, especially these days might say this is prejudicial to women. It makes them appear as if they are just mindless little females needing the guidance and protection of a man. What say you all?

Some of you who are just "lurking," we'd like to hear from you on this. 

Dan (may have just stepped in it) C

[jimmie]

Leadership. We hear a lot about it. There is a multitude of books and seminars on how to be a good leader. But it can be allusive. During the War of Northern Aggression, a Confederate officer led a Calvary charge against the Northern troops in Missouri in order to get out of a closing trap. He killed several union troops and made it through their line, only to be shoot in the back by the Northern troops. He was the lone Confederate killed in the engagement. It turns out not a single Confederate trooper followed the officer in the charge and they all surrendered after their leader was killed. Leadership rises or falls on follow-ship. Good followers can often make a bad leader successful. Good leaders never make bad followers successful. A good leader may be able to motivate a bad follower to become a good follower, thus allowing the follower to become successful.

At work, I am in a position that most would say is a position of “leadership”. I have 125 employees. I also have a boss who answers to a boss that answers to a governing body. All of which have the authority to override my decisions or “vows”. Not unlike the authority an husband or father has over his wife and daughters. This does not make me a mindless cog in the organization that needs the guidance and protection of my boss, nor are wives and daughters mindless little females needing the guidance and protection of a man.

My job is to make my boss a success. Most of the time, I know what my boss want’s/needs from me before he does. Occasionally he wants something that I didn’t foresee, don’t understand and don’t like. Most of the time I can influence him to my way of thinking. But not always. That does not change my job to make my boss a success and carry out his wishes over mine. Only once have I ever told my boss I would not do what he wanted. I had a boss ask me to falsify some reports. I told him absolutely not. I would expect a wife or daughter to do likewise. That is what Abigail (my father’s joy) done regarding her husband, Nabal (fool).

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

[alon]

Jul 17, 2020 8:22:56 GMT -8 jimmie said:

Leadership. We hear a lot about it. There is a multitude of books and seminars on how to be a good leader. But it can be allusive. During the War of Northern Aggression, a Confederate officer led a Calvary charge against the Northern troops in Missouri in order to get out of a closing trap. He killed several union troops and made it through their line, only to be shoot in the back by the Northern troops. He was the lone Confederate killed in the engagement. It turns out not a single Confederate trooper followed the officer in the charge and they all surrendered after their leader was killed. Leadership rises or falls on follow-ship. Good followers can often make a bad leader successful. Good leaders never make bad followers successful. A good leader may be able to motivate a bad follower to become a good follower, thus allowing the follower to become successful.

At work, I am in a position that most would say is a position of “leadership”. I have 125 employees. I also have a boss who answers to a boss that answers to a governing body. All of which have the authority to override my decisions or “vows”. Not unlike the authority an husband or father has over his wife and daughters. This does not make me a mindless cog in the organization that needs the guidance and protection of my boss, nor are wives and daughters mindless little females needing the guidance and protection of a man.

My job is to make my boss a success. Most of the time, I know what my boss want’s/needs from me before he does. Occasionally he wants something that I didn’t foresee, don’t understand and don’t like. Most of the time I can influence him to my way of thinking. But not always. That does not change my job to make my boss a success and carry out his wishes over mine. Only once have I ever told my boss I would not do what he wanted. I had a boss ask me to falsify some reports. I told him absolutely not. I would expect a wife or daughter to do likewise. That is what Abigail (my father’s joy) done regarding her husband, Nabal (fool).

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Good analogy. Another Confederate cavalry leader, John Singleton Mosby was in a similar situation. Surrounded and cut off by a far larger Union force, he led his men in an attack through the Union lines, decimating the Yankee forces without loss to his own. Great leaders, with great followers can do truly great things!

Hebrew for “woman” is אִשָּׁה (isha), for “man” אִישׁ (ish). They sound alike, however they do not share the same root. אִישׁ (ish) comes from the root אִוֵּשׁ, connoting “strength”; אִשָּׁה  (isha) comes from אֲנָשׁ (anash), “fragile.” The Bible acknowledges the woman to be a “weaker vessel:”

1 Peter 3:7 (ESV) Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

However to this “weaker vessel” our Creator assigned an interesting role:

וַיֹּאמֶר יהוה אֱלֹהִים לֹא־טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂהּ־לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ׃

Genesis 2:18 (ESV) Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

The term “helper” does not give us the full original meaning of the Hebrew, עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ׃ ezer kenegdo. עֵזֶר ezer “helper” connotes active intervention on someone’s behalf; someone so committed to you and to your success they are willing to kill, or even die for you. However עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ ezer kenegdo also means “a helper in opposition to him.” This, like many Hebrew words and phrases is a military term, something akin to an Executive Officer; one who can come to the Commanding Officer and say “This is a terrible plan! You are going to get us all killed!” Yet if he cannot change the CO’s mind, one who will carry out the plan, leading the charge as though sure in the belief it will work.

Proverbs 31:10, while also sounding submissive and compliant in our English translations refers to wisdom, personified as a woman, as אֵשֶׁת-חַיִל eshet chayil “a woman-soldier:”

Proverbs 31:10 (ESV) An excellent wife (אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל) who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.

משלי Moshle/ Proverbs 31:10 (WLC) אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל מִ֣י יִמְצָ֑א וְרָחֹ֖ק מִפְּנִינִ֣ים מִכְרָֽהּ׃

There are several Bible stories in which women justifiably opposed their men: had Zipporah not opposed Moses, his Elohim was coming and would have killed him; Tamar opposed Judah and ensured the Messianic line was not broken. They opposed the will of the men at great personal risk. They carried out God’s plan (a much higher ranking officer in this “army”) and saved their men, one a husband and the other a kinsman protector; one from death, another from a grave sin. Like you they refused to break a higher law for their immediate leader. 

Women often show more courage than men in many ways. Men cringe at the thought of having a baby! And guys, it’s much worse than we thought! A doctor once told us in a continuing education class for EMT’s that childbirth feels like being kicked in the groin, hard! Several times! We know this because the genitalia of both men and women are innervated by the same nerve bundles. And if you are ever present for the birth of your child, we know this by how hard she slaps, hits, grabs or pinches us! Those are not the assaults of a weaker vessel!

Women’s minds also work differently. Everything matters to women, and everything somehow connects. They can see things we men never do, because they see those connections. Their minds constantly buzz, always finding these relationships we tend to overlook, if we see them at all. They in effect think in opposition to our thinking. So a man and wife make a very formidable team- IF the man has the good sense to listen to her; and if he respects her, so she knows her opinion is valued. 

Generally speaking, women are physically weaker than men. On the other hand, their strengths compliment our weaknesses. And when combined with a steadfast faith and trust in God they can be an awesome bulwark against the slings and arrows of ha’satan, the enemy.