Combined Parshiyot: Mattot / Masei

We read two Torah portions this week so we can get through the entire Torah by the end of the year

Mattot (Tribes), Numbers 30:2-32:42
Moses speaks to the heads of the tribes about the laws of vows and oaths. It also speaks of a war of vengance against Midian, and counting the booty. It concludes by discussing the tribes of Reuben and Gad's desire to stay in the land across the Jordan, rather than the Promised Land, and this was allowed only if they agreed to help the other tribes claim the Promised Land.

Masei, Numbers 33:1-36:13
An itinerary of the travels of the Children of Israel from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land, with talk of the coming conquest of the Land and a description of the boundaries, to assign cities for the Levites and cities of refuge, and further handling of the inheritance of daughters of Zelophehad: they may inherit their father's holdings but only if they marry within their tribe, so the holdings will not move to another tribe with their children.

The haftarah is for 2nd Haftarah of Admonition, Jeremiah 2:4-2:28; 3:4. This is the second of three Haftorahs of Admonition, from the 17th of Tammuz when the walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans to the 9th of Av when the Second Temple was destroyed. Jeremiah criticizes the People for forsaking G-d, which leads to their coming conquest.

In synagogues using the Sephardic tradition, the Haftarah is Jeremiah 2:4-2:28; 3:4; 4:1-4:2.