The tribe of Reuven and the tribe of Gad had a lot of cattle...And they said:...let this land be given to your servants as an inheritance; don’t make us cross the Yarden (Bamidbar 32). How does the Torah view the request of Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven to settle on the other side of the Yarden river? The Midrash (Bamidbar Raba 22) teaches the following: ...And similarly you find regarding Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven that they were rich, and they had a large flock, and they loved their money, and they settled outside of Eretz Yisroel. Therefore, [during the expulsion], out of all the tribes, they were expelled first.
More in this printout
- Buying a Home in Eretz Yisroel on ShabbosAn exploration of the halachic permission to purchase property in Eretz Yisroel from a non-Jew on Shabbos, including insights on Yishuv Ha'aretz and borders.
- The Sticker that SavedA story about a stolen car recovered via a faith-based bumper sticker leads into a halachic question about purchasing property in Israel from a non-Jew on Shabb
- The Journeys of Bnei Yisroel and the Commandment to Live in the LandAn exploration of why the Torah omits the mention of Matan Torah in Parshas Massei and the Ramban's perspective on the mitzvah of living in the Land of Israel.
- Rhymes for KidsA short rhyme and Midrashic insight from Parshas Mattos explaining the essential role of tefilla in Bnei Yisrael's military success against Midian.
- RiddlesA riddle about a fisherman in the Mediterranean Sea whose GPS shows Eretz Yisroel to both the east and west based on the boundaries in Parshas Massei.
- Parsha Quiz-WizA Parsha Quiz-Wiz challenge focusing on the concept of D'veikus and its application in Parshas Ma'asei regarding a Jew's attachment to Hashem.