As individuals, as communities, as a people, we learn from the stories of our past – sometimes in ways that help us, sometimes in ways that set us up to expect the same outcome, rather than imagining a new future.
In this week’s Torah portion, Matot-Masei, we hear a story of a group of Israelites, the tribes of Gad and Reuben, who ask to stay on the other side of the Jordan River with their families, rather than joining the rest of their people in settling the land of Israel. Rabbi Tali Adler connects this story with a much earlier story in the Torah, the story of Avram and his uncle lot. Genesis 13 describes these two brethren going separate ways, because the land could not support their flocks, hers, and large families. This split is painful, and Torah describes the two as “brothers,” reflective of the closeness of their relationship, if not the biological reality. This story is a moment of disconnection, and their two families take distinct paths forward.
The episode in our Torah portion also uses this word “brothers,” in an accusatory way, as Moses accuses the tribes of Reuben and Gad of abandoning their brothers, the rest of the Israelites, at their time of need. Moses assumes that family history is repeating itself, as part of the family decides to go their own way, looking out for their immediate material interests rather than the greater good. However, the tribes of Gad and Reuben have different intent. They do not plan to abandon their nation, rather, they commit to fighting not only with the rest of the Israelites as they settle the land, but leading the way.
It’s possible to tell a different story. We do not need to merely repeat the stories of the past, casting ourselves, our family members, our neighbours, in the same roles that we’ve always taken. This applies on a communal level as well. Dr. Rachel Mikva writes about how “the abiding relevance of scripture transforms historical tensions into eternal enmity.” The stories of our tradition, the stories of our lives, always bear reexamining with a critical eye. Those stories that help us to live better lives, to make the world a better place, to live more meaningful Jewish lives – these are the stories we should cherish and pass onto the next generation.
