Parashat Mattot (Numbers 30:2-32:42)

Luke Ford writes: This week we study Parashat Mattot (Numbers 30:2-32:42).

* This week’s Torah portion is concerned with vows. It doesn’t like people making vows. The Torah enforces all sorts of restrictions about vows. The Torah lets men feel in charge because they have 24 hours to revoke a wife or daughter’s vow. I think this is more about a man feeling in charge of his domain than actually giving men power. It is similar to the Torah’s approach to slavery — evolutionary not revolutionary. The Torah makes slavery difficult. It makes it difficult to annul the vows of his wife and daughter, giving him but 24 hours.

* Do modern men need to man up and take charge of their households? I was raised to believe that the man has the final vote in the home. He’s the one in charge because he is more rational and less ruled by his emotions. I had this modern atheist Jewish girlfriend who said to me, “You are so afraid to set limits on me, but when you do, I’m just a meek little lamb.”

Women don’t respect it when you let them do what they want. They only respect you and only feel safe if you step up at the right times and protect them from their worst enemy — themselves. I remember I had this girlfriend who wants speaking back to the cops for giving her a ticket for letting her dog run loose in West Hollywood, and I had to calm her down and wind her down. 

I discuss the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Rabbs every Monday at 7pm PST on my live cam and on YouTube. Facebook Fan Page. This past week we studied Parashat Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1).