Parshas Massei: A Soap Opera?

Rules for murderers, heirs and heiresses, and a long and harrowing journey coming to an end.

Sounds like a modern day soap opera. But in fact, it is our parsha of the week: Parshas Massei.

Parshas Massei reflects on the journey of the Jews from Egypt to Caanaan (Israel). To be more specific it reflects on the expedition from the Exodus to their arrivalat the plains of Moav. The Children of Israel camped in 42 different places during their forty years of wandering in the desert.

It also reflects on the division of land at Canaan among the ten leaders (one for each tribe other then Reuven and Gad.) Each tribe was given its lot in proportion to the tribe's size. The Levites were not given separate land, but instead granted 48 cities on both sides of the Jordan. Six of these cities (three on each side of Jordan) were designated to be "cities of refuge" in addition to the other 42 minor "cities of refuge.

Six of these cities (three on each side of Jordan) were designated to be "cities of refuge" in addition to the other 42 minor "cities of refuge." These "cities of refuge" provided a safe haven for someone that committs an accidental murder so that he/she can escape the rath of the victim's relatives. If the murder was unplanned and without evil intent, the murderer could stay in one of these cities, deemed Orei Miklot, until the death of the Kohane Gadol (high priest) at which time he was free to go home.

If the murder was ruled to be intentional, he was given over to the victim's relative. Anyone who committed a pre-meditated was put to death. But even a willful murderer couldn't be condemned to death unless two witnesses incriminated him. The willful murderer couldn't change his death sentence. The accidental murderer couldn't escape the Orei Miklot using money.

Leaders from the Gilad family (from the tribe of Menasseh) raised the problem of land inherited by daughters. (In this case, Zelophchad's daughters.) If they if they married into another tribe, the property rights would go to the other tribe, reducing her former tribe's holdings. This was solved by a special ruling during that generation only---an heiress should marry within her own tribe.

In case you're wondering, Zelophchad's daughters who married their own cousins.

A soap opera doesn't teach a lesson. Fortunately for us, the Parsha of this week teaches us many--and in my opinion, its still just as entertaining.