Kohen - First Aliya - 16 p'sukim - 30:2-17
[P> 30:2 (16)] "And Moshe spoke to the leaders of the Tribes of Israel..." The first principle of the topic of Nedarim (vows & oaths) is that a person must fulfill the terms of a vow and it is prohibited to "profane one's word" [407,L157 30:3].

On the other hand, built into the Torah's laws are procedures for release from vows. These procedures also constitute a mitzva, known as HAFARAT N'DARIM [406,A95 30:3]. A girl (12-12˝ yrs. old - officially called a NAARA) who vows can have her vows nullified by her father (only on the day he hears of them). Similarly (but with differences), a wife's vows can be nullified by her husband. (In this case, only some vows, those which affect the husband are subject to his nullification.)
MitzvaWatch
In addition to HAFARAT N'DARIM, the nullification of a wife's or daughter's vow by husband or father, there is another aspect of this mitzva, known as HATARAT N'DARIM. This is the nullification of one's vows (those that halachically CAN be nullified) by a Rav-expert in the laws of N'darim or a panel of three dayanim (even laymen).

Hatarat N'darim is a rare example of a mitzva that is considered Torah law, although there is no clear supporting text in the Written Word. The Mishna in Chagiga assures us that Hatarat N'darim is no less a Torah concept because of the lack of a written source. This is but another in a long series of demonstrations of the absolute necessity of defining Torah as BOTH the Written Word and the Oral Law and Tradition.

An important point to keep in mind is that Hatarat Nedarim is not the inferior step-sister of the command to keep one's word and not to profane one's word. It sometimes takes second place, but it is sometimes preferred.

For example, if a person promises to visit the Kotel once a week, then it would seem that the person is obligated to do exactly that. He promised he would. So he must. The Torah says he must do "all that came out of his mouth". The Torah forbids him to profane his words. At the same time, the halacha allows the person to appear before a Beit Din (or Rav who is an expert in the laws of Nedarim) and ask that he be unbound from his promise. He needs a rationale upon which HATARA (unbinding) can be based. Okay, he explains to the Beit Din or Rav that when he made the promise, he lived close to the Old City and had easy access to the Kotel. Now he moved away and/or changed jobs with different hours from his previous one, and it is very difficult to keep his promise. The Beit Din or the Rav asks him if he would have made such a promise, if he foresaw the difficulties in keeping it. He say that he would not have. On that basis, he can be released from his promise. The nullification is retroactive to the time he first made the promise. Of course, he can go to the Kotel as often as he likes. But he is no longer bound by a promise to go once a week.

If the promise was motivated by a tragedy or difficult situation, then the person should try hard to maintain the terms of the promise and break the Neder. If it becomes difficult to continue the deed in question, then one should be Matir Neder but try to continue the deed as often as possible.

If the promise involved a mitzva matter - commitment to a certain amount of text of learning, specific acts of chessed, a Chumra perhaps - then Hatarat Nedarim should not be used to stop doing the mitzva, but only to remove the burden of the Neder.

If the matter at hand is mundane, then it is praiseworthy to undo the Neder (if possible) to avoid an unnecessary "sin-trap". (Made up term. We have enough opportunities to sin without violating our own Neder being added to the list.

Levi - Second Aliya - 12 p'sukim - 31:1-12
[P> 31:1 (12)] G-d next commands Moshe to do battle against Midyan, and then to prepare to take leave of this world. Moshe drafts 1000 men from each tribe for the task.

SDT Commentaries point out that the People were reluctant to comply because they knew that Moshe would die shortly after successful completion of the battle. Moshe, on the other hand, enthusiastically complies with G-d's command, his personal interests to the contrary, notwithstanding. The Chatam Sofer notes that when G-d commands the battle against Midyan, He calls it NIKMAT BNEI YISRAEL, a revenge for Israel's sake. When Moshe calls the people to battle, he refers to revenge for G-d's honor. If the people would be fighting for their own honor, they might forgo the battle, not to hasten Moshe's end. But to avenge G-d's honor, they dare not refuse.

Pinchas is sent as "chaplain". The 12,000 strong army succeeded in killing all male Midyanites including 5 kings and Bil'am. The women, children, herds, flocks, and possessions of Midyan were taken as booty. The cities and palaces were destroyed. The army returned to the Israelite camp at Arvot Moav.

Note: There is confusion among commentaries as to whether the tribe of Levi sent a contingent to fight this war or not. If they did, did Menashe and Efrayim combine as the tribe of Yosef, thereby keeping the total number at 12000, or were there actually 13000 who fought. Levi's probable involvement is due to the fact that the war was NOT for the purpose of conquest of territory; had it been, Levi would not be directly involved. If so, Menashe and Efrayim probably fought as the tribe of Yosef in this war against Midyan.

Shlishi - Third Aliya - 12 p'sukim - 31:13-24
[S> 31:13 (8)] Moshe, Elazar, and the tribal leaders went out to greet the returning army. Moshe was angry that the officers kept the women of Midyan alive since it was they who were instrumental in the downfall of Israel in the Pe'or affair and the consequent plague. The women and male children were killed; the girls remained captive. The soldiers were told to remain outside the camp for seven days because of their ritual impurity as a result of the war. So too were their garments and certain vessels Tamei.

[S> 31:21 (4)] Elazar HaKohen sets down the laws of purification of vessels. Many of the details of "kashering" and "toveling" of vessels are derived from here.

R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 17 p'sukim - 31:25- 41
[S> 31:25 (30)] G-d tells Moshe to order a counting of the spoils of war. The booty is to be divided equally between the soldiers on the one hand and the People on the other. Taxes of 1/500 were imposed upon the soldiers. The tax was to be given to the kohanim. The tax from the share that the people receive is 1/50. Their tax was to go to the Leviyim.

The Torah tells us that Moshe and Elazar did as G-d had commanded.

The tally comes to 675,000 sheep (and/or goats). 72,000 cattle. 61,000 donkeys.

The count of young girls was 32,000.

The Torah now tells us the tally of the half that went to the army. (If anyone has an idea as to why the Torah spells all this out, please let us know. Consider this another Parsha Point to Ponder.)

Because the Torah gives the numbers, they are being included in the Sedra Summary here. And seeing the numbers will underscore the question as to why the Torah included all these details.

The army's half was 337,500 sheep (and goats). The tax (1/50) from the TZON was 675 animals. 36,000 cattle; tax of 72 animals. 30,500 donkeys; tax of 61 donkeys.

And 16,000 young girls (for what purpose?); tax of 32 (for what purpose)

Wlazar received all of the MECHES, as G-d had commanded.

Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 13 p'sukim - 31:42-54
And then the half that went to the people is itemized. The question still (or again) is why repeat the numbers.

337,500 TZON, 36,000 BAKAR, 30,500 donkeys. 16,000 people (young girls).

A tax of 1/50 was given to the Leviyim. (Another question: Why this time are the 1/50 amounts not spelled out like the 1/500 were above?)

The officers approach Moshe with more gifts of gold (vessels, jewelry) in thanks to G-d for not losing even one person in battle. The total amount of gold came to 16,700 shekel.

Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 19 p'sukim - 32:1-19
[P> 32:1 (4)] Next the Torah tells us that the tribes of Reuven and Gad were heavily laden with flocks and that they noticed that the lands of Ya’zeir and Gil’ad were particularly suited for raising livestock. The came before Moshe, Elazar, and the leaders of the People and they “mentioned” that the territory was good for animals and that they happened to have many animals.

Note the unusual pasuk, 32:3, in which each of its 9 words is the name of a city.

[S> 32:5 (11)] They then requested permission to settle on the east bank of the Jordan River, Moshe's initial reaction is intense anger, fearing that the request of the two tribes would discourage the People of Israel from wanting to proceed into the Land, repeating the experience of the "spies" of almost 40 years earlier. Moshe is very descriptive and passionate in retelling what happened 40 years earlier.

[S> 32:16 (4)] The key objection on Moshe's part seems to be the potential negative effect on the rest of the People. To this, the tribes replied that they would be prepared to settle their animals and families “here” and they would surely accompany their brethren into Eretz Yisrael and not return to the east bank until all is settled in the Land.

SDT In addition to the main "dressing down" that Moshe gives Reuven and Gad, there is a more subtle rebuke on another issue. The tribes offer to build corrals for their flocks and homes for their children. Later, when Moshe gives them permission to establish themselves on the east bank, he tells them to build homes for their children and accommodations for their animals. Your children go first. Then your property.

Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 23 p'sukim - 32:20-42
[P> 32:20 (23)] Moshe's response is the administration of an oath (many details of the proper form of "conditions" are derived from this famous oath of the 2˝ tribes) agreeing to the request to settle on the east side of the Jordan iff (if and only if) the 2˝ tribes fight side by side with the other tribes of Israel.

The Torah describes the cities that the 2˝ tribes established to settle their families and flocks prior to their crossing the Jordan.

Perhaps the seemingly unnecessary details give us the message that we are dealing with part of Eretz Yisrael, and not just something extra territorial.

Haftara - 22 p'sukim - Yirmiyahu 1:1-2:3
The first of the three HAFTAROT OF TRAGEDY. When Matot and Mas'ei are combined, this is the haftara for Parshat Pinchas. When they are separated - as they are this year - it is the haftara for Matot.

The haftara consists of the opening words of the book of Yirmiyahu. Aside from the personal exchange between G-d and Yirmiyahu, we are told of his visions of an almond tree (which blooms early in the year, a sign that G-d's judgment is coming soon) and the "boiling pot", representing the enemy from the north (Bavel) who will come to destroy Jerusalem. This prophecy of destruction, because of idolatry and unfaithfulness, sets the tone for the 3 Week mourning period for the Beit HaMikdash and for the main part of the book of Yirmiyahu. The concluding pasuk of the haftara tell of the promise that G-d will punish those who rise against Israel, for Israel - despite its sins - is holy and special to HaShem.

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