Parshat Devarim: Menashe and Love of Eretz Yisrael

On the list of events that are repeated in Sefer Devarim is the request of Reuvan and Gad to settle the land conquered by the Jewish people before they formally entered Israel proper. As we know, Moshe, assuming they sought to benefit from the war waged by their brothers without offering to assist with the conquest of Israel, demanded they take a neder that they would join the Jews’ conquest of the land before retuning to these cities.

Of particular interest, Menashe is not included in the exchange or in the neder between Moshe, Reuvan and Gad. Moshe does not admonish Menashe. And yet, somehow half of their shevet is included in the land to the east of the Yarden.

It is even more confusing. Back in Bamidbar:

(לט) וַיֵּלְכוּ בְּנֵי מָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה גִּלְעָדָה וַיִּלְכְּדֻהָ וַיּוֹרֶשׁ אֶת הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ. (מ) וַיִּתֵּן מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַגִּלְעָד לְמָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהּ. (מא) וְיָאִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה הָלַךְ וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת חַוֺּתֵיהֶם וַיִּקְרָא אֶתְהֶן חַוֺּת יָאִיר. (מב) וְנֹבַח הָלַךְ וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת קְנָת וְאֶת בְּנֹתֶיהָ וַיִּקְרָא לָה נֹבַח בִּשְׁמוֹ.

So not only did Menashe receive half their portion outside of Israel proper, but they also needed to conquer their own land whereas Reuvan and Gad had the other tribes fight for them. Also, Yair and Navoach are the son and grandson of Menashe, presumably they had passed away at least a hundred years prior to this episode, why does the passuk imply that they were the ones who conquered the land?

Talmid of Rav Saadia Gaon suggests that Menashe’s lands discussed here were ones that the sons of Menashe had conquered back when Yosef was the second in command in Egypt. Here they did not request a new portion of the land of Israel, rather they simply requested what they had already conquered.

This does not respond to a more fundamental point. Moshe was clearly upset and disturbed by the request of Reuvan and Gad. Imagine, this man was the one who begged God to let him enter the land and would have done anything to be allowed to enjoy the atmosphere of the Holy Land is now hearing from two tribes that they have no interest in entering the land and would prefer to stay on the outskirts. If so, how is Menashe’s request any better than Reuvan and Gad, irrespective of where they conquered previously they were still not living within the boundaries of the Chosen Land?

The Netziv suggests that Moshe chose Menashe to live near Reuvan and Gad because he was hoping that they would serve as a religious model for them. The Netziv proves that Menashe had renown Torah scholars and therefore he wanted them to live close to Reuvan and Gad.

The explanation still leaves us wanting more. It does not refer back to the fact that they had previously already conquered this land nor does it explain a fascinating variant of the territory of Menashe. Namely, that Menashe had half their inheritance on the east side of the Yarden and half on the west side, in proper Israel.

I would argue that it was precisely because of Shevet Menashe’s roots that Moshe wanted them to live near Reuvan and Gad. The other shevatim were all originally bnei tzion, people who were raised primarily in Israel. While in Egypt they were in Galut and were awaiting the opportunity to come back home. But they did nothing. They sat and waited for someone to come save them.

Menashe was different. Menashe had never stepped foot in Israel. He was born a foreigner in a strange land and never saw Israel. But when he was given he opportunity his son went as close as he could to Israel and conquered some of the adjoining land. Perhaps he knew that only a direct messenger of God could allow the Jewish people to reconquer the land of Israel. He knew that he would not be allowed to settle Israel proper. But it was of no matter. Given the opportunity to even come close, he conquered a land overlooking Israel. He came as close as he could.

Moshe chose a Shevet with that passion of tzion to live next to Reuvan and Gad. To admonish them and more importantly to remind them, the true love of the land of Israel. It is also why half of Menashe was within Israel proper. Moshe wanted to ensure that they maintain that love and emotional connection to the Holy Land. And so he ensured that their cousins were next-door.

Moshe was not just ensuring that they had hardened Zionists live near them, Moshe was demonstrating a model to all the Jewish people of how to live in Galut. Ensure that you maintain close proximity to Talmidi Chachamim and get as close as you can to the Land of Israel.

We are approaching Tisha B’Av, the day we commemorate the loss of the Bati Mikdash and of the beginning of the Galut. We do not live in Israel. We are bnei galut. We must therefore ask ourselves, really reflect, how do we ensure we follow the model set by Menashe?

Do we plan our vacations so that we travel to Israel when we can? Even as there is no Beit Hamikdash, do we at least try to be near in the land where it once stood? Do we think of and sympathize with those who do sacrifice their children who are drafted to protect our brothers and sisters? Do we truly appreciate that we are in galut?

Do we maintain our strong religious identity by engaging and pursuing opportunities to learn Torah? Do we dedicate time in our daily schedules to make sure that we do not allow a single day to pass without having learned some Torah? Do we seek opportunities to not only learn by ourselves but also attend shiurim where we have the opportunity to learn Torah we may have otherwise never studied?

As we begin the last few days prior to Tisha B’Av, let us not forget the model Menashe provided us. Let us ensure that Israel is always in the back of our mind and that Torah is always in the front.