Getting Priorities Right
As the Children of Israel approached the Promised Land, the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh; each heavily laden with livestock, approached Moshe with a proposition to remain behind to settle land which they thought more appropriate for their needs:
The tribes of Reuven and Gad owned cattle in very great numbers, noting that the land of Yazair and Gilad were a region suitable for cattle, the tribes of Gad and Reuven came to Moshe, Elazar the priest and the chieftains of the community… The land that the Lord has conquered for the children of Israel is cattle country and your servants have cattle… If we find favor in your eyes… if this land were given to your servants as a holding; do not move us across the Yarden (Jordan river)” (Numbers 32:1-5)
Moshe lambasted them for their desire to abandon their brethren and God’s mission. As a result, these tribes agreed to participate in the conquest of the God-promised land, while leaving their families behind to settle the land which they had chosen. Still, their choice weighed heavily not only on the leaders of the desert generation, but also on the sages of the rabbinic tradition as well, who found other grave “universal” human flaws in their decision-making process.
The following midrash captures these concerns:
And much cattle (Numbers 32:1) [We interpret this verse in light of the following verse:] “A wise man’s heart is to his right,” (Ecclesiastes 10:2) – this refers to Moshe; “but a fool’s heart is to his left” (Ibid.) – this refers to the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad, who made what is most important, secondary, and that of lesser importance, primary. Why? Because they loved their possessions more than they loved themselves. As they said to Moshe: “‘We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks’ (Numbers 32:16), first, and only afterwards, ‘and towns for our children.’ (Ibid.)” Moshe said to them: “Do not do like this. Do what is most important first; ‘build towns for your children,’ and afterwards ‘sheepfolds for your flocks’ (Numbers 32:24).” Hence, “A wise man’s heart is to his right,” that is Moshe; “but a fool’s heart is to his left,” that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “You loved your money more than your souls. By your lives, there is no blessing in this… (adaped from Midrash Tanhuma Matot 7)
The author of this midrash discerned a difference in the order of how the leaders of the tribes described the building of their new settlement and Moshe’s response, seeing in it a reflection of their misguided priorities, namely, their valuing property over life. The sages used this contrast to remind us of this all too human character flaw, urging us to remember that in all things, human life comes first.
