Chumash Classes: Matot

Introduction, why did Moshe only speak to the princes? Description of vows and oaths. Keeping your word. (Ch. 30 verses 2 & 3)

Laws of vows and oaths especially as it pertains to a father and a husband, both to betrothal and marriage. (Ch. 30 verses 3 - 17)

G-d commands Moshe to take the revenge of Israel against the Medianites. Moshe tells the people that it is the revenge of G-d? He chooses only 12,000 men for the war? They have to forced to go, why? (Ch. 31 verses 1 - 5)

This portion deals with Moshe sending the 12,000 men to war with Median. They Billaam and the 5 kings of Median. They kill out all the men and take the women, animals, and all their possessions as the spoils of war. Moshe commands them to purify themselves from the defilement of the dead for 7 days, until they are purified by the ashes of the red Heifer. (Ch. 31 verses 6 -20)

Elazar instructs the returning soldiers from the war with Median, about spiritually purifying the vessels that they had taken as booty. There is also an accounting of all the spoils, in animals, and people. The soldiers were instructed as to how to divide the spoils of war. (Ch. 31 verses 21 - 54)

The Tribes of Reuvain and Gad approach Moshe, they contend that they have an abundance of sheep and cattle and that they want to inherit the lands of Og and Shichon, rather than receive their portion in Israel proper. Moshe rebukes them thinking that they wanted to avoid crossing the Jordan so that they would not have to enter the war against the 7 nations. They approach Moshe quietly after his rebuke and assure him that he misunderstood their request. (Ch. 32 verses 1 - 16)