1. Completing Sefer Bamidbar and the Double Portion
This week’s Torah and Tea coincides with a double portion: Matos and Masei. With these two parshiyos, we conclude Sefer Bamidbar—the Book of Numbers. In a certain sense, this also marks the completion of the entire Chumash, because after Bamidbar comes Devarim, which is known as Mishneh Torah—the repetition of the Torah. On Shabbos, we will say “Chazak, Chazak, v’nischazek”—be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another—celebrating our privilege to complete and study the entire Sefer Bamidbar.
This week is also unique in that we are realigning our Torah reading schedule with those in Eretz Yisrael. Due to Acharon Shel Pesach falling on Shabbos in the Diaspora this year, we read a special Pesach reading while in Israel they continued with the regular cycle. As a result, Israel has been one parsha ahead for several weeks. Now, by reading both Matos and Masei together, we synchronize once again; starting next week with Parshas Devarim, both communities will be back on the same schedule.
2. The Laws of Koshering Vessels in Parshas Matos
One of the main halachic discussions in Parshas Matos is about kashering—making vessels kosher—and tevilas keilim—immersing dishes into a mikvah. There are two basic scenarios when immersion is required: first, when someone who did not previously keep kosher decides to start keeping kosher and needs to kasher their dishes; second, when new dishes made by a non-Jew are acquired by a Jew.
The process involves two steps: first is expelling any absorbed non-kosher substance from the walls of pots or utensils. For items used with water (like boiling), kashering is done through boiling water (hagalah). For items used directly on fire (like baking pans), kashering must be done through direct fire (libun). The Torah details these distinctions: whatever absorbs through fire must be kashered through fire; whatever absorbs through water can be kashered through water.
The second step is immersion in a mikvah if the vessel has never been immersed before. This applies especially to new utensils acquired from non-Jews or when making an entire kitchen kosher for the first time. If someone merely triefed up a dish and then kashered it again within their own kosher home, immersion isn’t required anew.
3. The War with Midyan and Moshe’s Anger
The context for these laws comes from the aftermath of Bnei Yisrael’s war against Midyan. Hashem commanded Moshe to take revenge against Midyan for their role in causing Bnei Yisrael to sin with immorality and idol worship—a plot instigated by Bilam’s advice to Balak. The Jewish army was victorious: not a single soldier was lost, which was miraculous.
However, upon their return, Moshe Rabbeinu became angry because they had spared some of the women who had enticed Bnei Yisrael into sin. Rashi notes that whenever Moshe became angry in Chumash, he made an error—in this case forgetting the laws regarding kashering vessels. As a result, Eleazar (Aaron’s son) relayed Hashem’s instructions about how to make use of the spoils: all utensils taken from Midyan had to be kashered according to how they were used (fire or water), and then immersed in a mikvah before being used by Jews.
4. Questions About Immersion and Kashering from Other Contexts
This episode raises several interesting halachic questions:
- Why do these laws appear only here regarding Midyanite spoils? In previous wars—such as those against Sihon and Og—Bnei Yisrael also took spoils but there is no mention of kashering or immersion.
- If we sell our chametzdik dishes to a non-Jew over Pesach (as per common custom), why don’t we need to immerse them again after buying them back?
- On Shavuos we eat dairy foods because after receiving the Torah at Sinai Bnei Yisrael could not eat meat until they had kosher meat and utensils—but how could they use their dairy pots without immersing them? After all, now they were Jewish and it’s like acquiring vessels from non-Jews!
5. The Rebbe’s Approach: When Is Immersion Required?
The Rebbe addresses these questions by explaining that immersion (tevilas keilim) is only required when there is potential for non-kosher use or absorption:
- In the case of Sihon and Og: Since all food captured became automatically kosher due to special dispensation (it became property of Israel), there was no possibility for non-kosher absorption—so immersion wasn’t necessary.
- After Pesach: When selling chametzdik dishes to a non-Jew over Pesach, everyone knows that the non-Jew will not actually use them—it’s more of a legal formality than an actual transfer—so there’s no concern about non-kosher use requiring re-immersion.
- Dairy pots at Matan Torah: Even before receiving the Torah, Bnei Yisrael may have kept separate dairy utensils knowing that Torah would soon be given; since these pots never absorbed anything prohibited after Matan Torah—and there was no potential for non-kosher use—they did not require immersion either.
6. The Mitzvah of Living in Eretz Yisrael
The parsha also touches on another topic: living in Eretz Yisrael. According to some opinions (such as Ramban), it is counted among the 248 positive mitzvos for Jews to live in Eretz Yisrael; others (like Rambam) do not count it as an explicit mitzvah but still hold that one should not leave Eretz Yisrael except for specific reasons such as finding a spouse or studying Torah.
Eretz Yisrael has two unique qualities:
- It was chosen by Hashem Himself—not because of its inherent qualities or mitzvos performed there but simply because Hashem chose it as His land at creation.
- It possesses special sanctity due to many mitzvos that can only be fulfilled within its borders.
7. The Parallel Between Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael
This dual greatness parallels Am Yisrael—the Jewish people themselves—who were chosen by Hashem out of all nations regardless of merit (“asher bachar banu mikol ha’amim”), and then later given special mitzvos through which they become even more distinguished.
The connection between Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael thus operates on both levels: Jews live in Hashem’s chosen land both because they are His chosen people and because they fulfill His mitzvos there.
8. Closing Remarks and Good Wishes
I hope this review provided some insight into both halacha and hashkafa related to this week’s parsha—from practical laws about kashering vessels to deeper ideas about our relationship with Eretz Yisrael. Thank you all for joining tonight despite technical challenges! Wishing everyone a good night and good week ahead; b’ezras Hashem next week everything will run smoothly again at six o’clock sharp!