Matos-Masei: Hidden Gems

By Judah Graber

One of the fundamental lessons we all learn in elementary school and come to implicitly

believe over time is that every story, verse, and word in the Torah is essential and necessary. We

were all taught the maxim, "There is no extra letter in the Torah." This principle becomes evident

as we delve into Tanach and explore the insights of the Malbim, Netziv, and other great

mefarshim who extract meaning from seemingly superfluous stories, words, or even individual

letters. Additionally, our understanding is reinforced through Torah Shebal Peh. Each page of the

Gemara exemplifies this notion, emphasizing that every word within the stories is crucial to the

understanding of Torah and הלכה as we darshin every word. Nevertheless, as time goes by, each

of us (like myself) may encounter moments in our lives where we find ourselves in need of

chizzuk for this yesod, especially in such a detailed oriented parsha as ours.

Towards the end of מטות , the Torah lists all the cities conquered from סיחון and עוג on the

east side of the Yarden.

עֲטָר֤וֹת וְדִיבןֹ֙ וְיַעְזֵ֣ר וְנִמְרָ֔ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם וּנְב֖וֹ וּבְעֽןֹ׃

Rabbeinu Bechaya (the one on the Torah, pronounce and spell as you please) asks why

the Torah repeated all of these names instead of just saying something like “The cities God

conquered.” Why specify all of their names? He answers with the exact yesod discussed above,

that every verse, word, and letter in the Torah, contains deep meaning. I wont be able to explain

the kabbalstic meaning fully, but at least we can see what he writes and what he extrapolates

from here. He says that the nine cities listed correspond to the nine “Va-yomers” contained in the

bereshis story. These nine “Va-yomers” with which Hashem created the raw material of the

world are further subdivided into three groups of three, with each conveying a unique meaning in

the creation story. Similarly, he explains that the kabbalistic reason of the mishna in Rosh

Hashanah 33b of why we have Shofar blowings in three sections ( מלכיות, זכרונות, שופרות ) is also

to draw a parallel to the 3 levels of Bereshis (he doesn't explain what this has to do with Rosh

Hashanah per say but maybe its because Rosh hashanah is commemorating the creation of the

world just like Bereshis?). Finally, he connects it back to our pasuk of the nine cities by pointing

out that the gemara in Brachos 8a when introducing the inyan of Shnyim Mikra specifically

quotes this pasuk and says even this pasuk you must say 3 times (2 mikreh and 1 targum). He

says that when you learn something 3 times each time you learn it you understand it on a deeper

level whether it's the deep secrets of bereshis, the shofar blasts, or even the 9 cities on the other

city of the Yarden. He says that the Torah hints to this idea, the developing depth in learning, by

connecting all of these ideas. He then goes on to explain each city and its significance. While I

won’t go into those meanings, what we see is that every letter in the Torah is significant and has

a profound understanding beneath the surface.

The Rambam, in Moreh Nevuchim 3:50, addresses a similar type of question in a

different context. He examines why the beginning of Masei (33:1-49) extensively details every

place where Bnei Yisrael encamped during their journeys. The Rambam explains that every story

found in the Torah serves a crucial purpose within religious teaching. He writes that it either

establishes a fundamental principle of faith or guides our actions to prevent wrongdoing and

injustice among people. He writes

דע כי כל סיפור שתמצאהו כתוב ב׳תורה׳ הוא לתועלת הכרחית בתורה, אם לאמת דעת שהוא פינה מפינות התורה, או לתיקון מעשה מן המעשים, עד שלא יהיה בין בני אדם עול וחמס.

The Rambam goes on to explain that while those who personally experienced the

miraculous events and existence in the desert may not have needed these pesukim as evidence,

they serve an indispensable purpose for future generations who were not present during that

time. He suggests that without the detailed account of Bnei Yisrael’s stops and travels, people

could falsely claim to have survived the forty years in the desert by camping near big cities,

much like another Arab tribe residing in the desert near a civilization. By meticulously recording

each stop and journey, the Torah solidifies our faith and dispels any doubt. It demonstrates that

Bnei Yisrael were indeed far from civilization, enduring scorching temperatures and inhospitable

conditions, making it seemingly impossible for such a large nation like Bnei Yisrael to survive

for forty years without divine intervention. Thus, the Torah emphasizes their miraculous

existence and the מסעות serve as a testament to the divine providence that sustained them. We see

from the opposite spectrum, the philosophical רמבם also holding dearly onto to the idea that

everything in the Torah is essential and deep. This shabbos may we michzek ourselves in the idea

that every letter of Torah is precious and requires us as the students of Torah to extrapolate the

gems contained within them.