Torah Study Questions
Matot and Masei
Bamidbar (Numbers) 30:2 - 36:13
Mark R. Ensign, Adot Adonai, Amarillo, Texas

These two parashot are almost invariably study together on the same Shabbat.
So I have combined them for purposes of the questions but have divided them
below.

Introductory questions -- Brief answers, not for extended discussion:

1. At what point in history does this parsha unfold?

2. Where does this parsha take place geographically?  What are the setting
and environment?

3. Who are the primary actors in the parsha and what role or roles does each
play?  What is the significance of each role?  Who are the secondary actors
and what roles do they play?  What is the significance of their roles?

4. What is the overall theme of this parsha?  What are the subdivisions, if
any?


Parsha Specific Questions -- for extended discussion:

Matot - Staffs - Bamidbar (Numbers) 30:2 - 32:42 (English Bible Numbers
30:1)

Chapter 30

What instruction did Moshe transmit to the men of Bnei Yisrael regarding
making vows or swearing and oath?  What is the Hebrew word for vow and what
are the two categories?  What were the instructions regarding the neder made
by a young woman still living in her father's home?  What were the
instructions regarding the neder made by a married woman?  What were the
instructions regarding the neder made by a widow or a divorcee?

Does the statement of Yeshua in Matthew 5:33-37 prohibit all neder (vows and
oaths)?  Why or why not?  How did the actions of Rav Sha'ul reported in Acts
21:23-24 support the concept of neder?  How did he demonstrate his support
for the Torah?

Chapter 31

What did YHVH instruct Moshe to do before he died?  How many men were chosen
from each tribe and what was the total that made up the Legion?   Who and
what accompanied the Legion to battle? In their battle against Midyan, who
did they kill?  Who is probably the most important one killed and why?  Who
and what was taken captive?  What was done to the cities and the palaces?
What did the Legion do with the captives and the spoils?   What was Moshe's
response?  Why was he so angry?  Who did Moshe instruct the Legion to kill
and who were spared?  What was required of the Legion before they could
enter the camp?  What was required of those who had killed a person or
touched a corpse?  They were purified on the third day and on the seventh
day with the waters of purification made from the ashes of the Red cow.
What else required purification by the water mixed with the ashes of the Red
heifer?

What instructions did Elazar the Kohen give to the men of the Legion for
purification of the spoils they retained?  What were the instructions
regarding the purification of the men of the Legion?  What instructions did
YHVH give to Moshe regarding the division of the spoils?  What portion of
the half that went to the men of war was designated to YHVH and given to
Elazar the Kohen?  What portion of the half that went to Bnei Yisrael was
designated to YHVH and given to Elazar the Kohen?  What was the total count
of the spoils for each of the following categories: the flock, the cattle,
the donkeys, and the young women?  What did the commanders of the Legion
report to Moshe?  What did the commanders offer as an atonement for their
souls to YHVH for this miracle? What was the total weight of these items?
What did Moshe and Elazar the Kohen do with this tribute?

Chapter 32

What two tribes had abundant livestock?  What land did they particularly
like and why?  Who did they approach and with what proposal?  What was the
initial response of Moshe?  What story did Moshe recount to these people of
Reuven and Gad?  What punishment of YHVH did Moshe remind these leaders of?
What was the proposal and promises they responded with?  What was Moshe's
response and what conditions did he expect them to fulfill?  What did Moshe
warn them would happen if they did not meet these conditions?  What was the
response of the children of Gad and Reuven?  What instructions did Moshe
give Elazar the Kohen and Yehoshua and the heads of the tribes of Yisrael?
What kingdoms did the children of Gad and the children of Reuven receive?
What other tribe was added to these two to possess this land as their
heritage?  As there is no report that any of the tribe of Menashe had asked
for land on the east bank of the Yarden, why did Moshe include them with Gad
and Reuven?  What lessons can be learned from the negotiations with YHVH
that Gad and Reuven undertook through Moshe?


Masei - Journeys - Bamidbar (Numbers) 33:1 - 36:13

Chapter 33

What is recorded in this chapter?  Who wrote this record and who directed
the journeys?  What place is listed as the beginning of the journeys; on
what date did they leave Egypt and after what event?  In what place and on
what date did Aharon die?  What was the final location of Bnei Yisrael?  How
many places are listed?  What two important reasons does Rabbi Rashi give
for this lengthy listing?
What instructions did YHVH give to Moshe for Bnei Yisrael regarding their
conquest of the land of Cana'an?  What warning did he give them?  Looking
back on the history of Bnei Yisrael, what did they do and what did they fail
to do?  What portion of the warning is still being fulfilled today?  What
important lesson can Torah-observant believers learn for today?

Chapter 34

What does YHVH delineate for Bnei Yisrael in this chapter?  Who determines
the boundaries of nations and who has allotted to Yisrael its place in the
world?  How would Rashi respond to the objections of the world to the
possession of Eretz Yisrael by Bnei Yisrael?  Why is chapter 34 a critically
important legal document for Bnei Yisrael?  What are the Eastern and Western
borders?  What is the "maximalist" opinion of the Northern border and the
Southern border?  What does the story of Gad and Reuven in the previous
parsha indicate about the border?  What was the Eastern border as defined in
B'reshit 15:18-20?  So precisely what are the dimensions and boundaries of
the Promise Land?

Among those who were designated to be the leaders of the people as they took
possession of the land, who was the leader of the tribe of Yehuda?  What was
his ancestry and what tribe or people did he come from?  What is significant
about his not being from the tribe of Yehuda and being a Kennizite?

Chapter 35

What did YHVH give to the Levi'im as their inheritance in the land?  How
many cities were set aside for the Levi'im?  How many of these were set
aside as cities of refuge?  For whom were the cities set aside as a refuge?
From whom were they a refuge for this unintentional killer?  What were the
five specific examples of intentional murder given in the Torah for which
the murderer would be killed by the avenger?  What were the examples of
unintentional killing for which the killer could seek refuge from the
avenger?  What were the two essential factors proving an unintentional
killing?  Who would decide between the killer and the avenger of blood and
on what basis?  What was done with the killer if the killing was found to be
unintentional?  How long did he dwell there and what would happen then?
What would happen to the killer if he left the city of refuge and the
avenger of blood found him?  How many witnesses were required to testify
regarding a death to prove guilt?  What eternal principle is confirmed here?
What was not permitted to be paid by a killer?  What would bring guilt upon
the land and what would make atonement for it?  What did the death of the
Kohen HaGadol and the release of an accidental killer from his city of
refuge foreshadow?

Chapter 36

What further question arose from the inheritance by the daughters of
Tzlofchad of their father's inheritance because he had no son?  Why was this
a problem?  What was the solution that YHVH decreed?  How did this solve the
problem?

What may be the most important lesson from this parsha and the book of
Bamidbar?


Closing Questions:

What were G-d's purposes and objectives in preserving this portion of the
Scriptures to this day?  What benefit do these Scriptures have for Torah
observant believers today?

What other insights has the Ruach HaKodesh given you in your study of this
portion that you would like to share with the group?

What questions from this portion have you had that have not been answered by
the group study?

For personal introspection -- What impact do you think the study of the
words from your Father in this portion will have on your life?  How do you
plan to implement his instructions in this parsha in your life?

Silently ask the Ruach HaKodesh to implant these words of our Father like
seeds, to nurture their growth in your heart, and to enable you to respond
fully as they do.