Torah Portion Summary

Mattot: This is the forty-second reading from the Torah which means “tribes.” The name is derived from the words of Numbers 30:1, which says, “Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel.” Numbers chapter 30 discusses the laws of vows and oaths, chapter 31 tells the story of Israel’s war with Midian, and chapter 32 relates the story of how the Reubenites, the Gadites and half the tribe of Mannaseh came to inherit the land east of the Jordan River.

Massei: This word means “journeys” and comes from the first verse of the reading, which begins, “These are the journeys of the sons of Israel” (Numbers 33:1). Massei is the end of the continuous narrative of Torah that began in Genesis with the creation of the universe and the narrative does not resume until the end of Deuteronomy when Moses dies. Massei provides several last-minute details like a list of the encampments from Egypt to the plains of Moab, instructions for apportioning the land as well as the specifics regarding the borders of the land, and explains the land and its borders.

Haftarh Portion Summary

There are three Haftarot that are read during the Three Weeks of Sorrow. Collectively they are sometimes called "the Haftarahs of Rebuke (musar)." In all three, Jeremiah describes punishments that will befall the people if they do not return to the LORD, but also promises redemption if they do. The choice is theirs. Since the Temple was destroyed and Judah was ultimately taken into captivity, it is interesting to read a key verse from the Haftarah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5 ). How are we to understand our responsibility in light of the overarching sovereignty of the LORD?

Judaism's traditional response is a form of "compatibalism" - although the LORD determines everything, people still have the responsibility to make choices. The sages explained this paradox in Pirkei Avot 3:15 -- "All is foreseen, yet freedom of choice is given. God judges the world according to the good, yet everything depends on the majority of what has been done." During the Three Weeks of Sorrow, we are to look at our own lives and seek teshuvah - repentance. We are responsible for the choices we make - whether to return to the LORD or to continue to idolize our selfishness - but the LORD has the last word in the destination of our lives. "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). How you reconcile this paradox will reveal a good deal about your own personal relationship with the LORD.

B'rit Chadashah Portion Summary

The reading from the Brit Chadashah is from the gospel according to Matthew, and concerns the Lord Yeshua's views about nedarim (vows). Yeshua plainly warns us not take any vows at all, but to be entirely truthful in all our communications. For the one who obeys the truth, oaths are unnecessary. The worse men are, the less they are bound by them; the better they are, the less there is need for them. We must be on our guard here. The words we use to communicate matter to God, and have implications that far transcend what we normally consider. There is no "chatter" in the Kingdom of Heaven; there is no idle talk or insignificant utterance. Not one. All our words will prove to be entirely prophetic (Matthew 12:36-37).

The passage from James deals with pride and the spiritual adultery it engenders. Friendship with the world is enmity against God. When we humble ourselves before God He will lift us up. Of course, Israel was to wage war against the seven nations of Canaan and not befriend them, and we can therefore see an application with the Torah reading of this week's parashah. Thankfully, as recipients of the overcoming life of Yeshua, we operate from a place of victory -- and do not need to fight for it. He is our Rest and the Victor over all the powers of darkness, blessed be He.

All Portions this week (LINK)
Torah	Haftarah	B'rit Chadashah
Numbers 30:1-32:42 (Matot)	Jeremiah 1:1-2:28	Acts 9:1-22
Numbers 33:1-36:13 (Massei)	Jeremiah 3:4	Matthew 5:33-37
	Jeremiah 4:1-2	James 4:1-10
COMMENTARY
Fruits of Torah	Torah Resource	Hebrews for Christians
Ardelle -ver1	Matot-1 Massei-1	Matot-TTT Massei-TTT
	Matot-2 Massei-2	Sanctity of our Words
	Massei-3	Words of the Heart
AUDIO COMMENTARY (Nehemia's Wall)
Portion	Torah Pearls	Prophet Pearls
Mattot
Massei