Parashas Mattos - Masei

Our Parsha this Shabbos is a double Sedra Mattos-Masei just into the new month of Av in the nine days,leading up to Tisha B'Av .
It being Rosh Chodesh Av today just before the Shabbos,we remember today the birth of and passing of Aharon HaKohein who was Moshe's brother and served as Kohein Gadol for our people in the Wilderness.May he forever be at peace with HaShem ,as a man of peace who loved Hashem.
Our Parsha Mattos-Masei as I said is a double Parsha,with Mattos starting out as an instruction by Moshe to the 'Tribes' -'Mattos'of Israel about the making of vows and oaths and continues with the fight with Midyan and Kashering of utensils as well as the request by Reuvain and Gad to take land on the East side of the Jordan. Parashas 'Masei' -'Journeys,' talks of all the places we traveled and dwelt , in the Wilderness from the time we left Mitzraim until we came to the Jordan bordering Canaan and continues defining the borders of Eretz Yisrael and the cities of the Levites as well as the 'Arei Miklat' the 'Cities of Refuge,' which included six cities,three within Israel and three on the other side of the Jordan for an unintentional murderer to go till the death of the present Kohein Gadol where the unintentional murderer could gain spiritual holiness from the Levites around in that city of refuge,which were Levite cities and also where the unintentional murderer could be safe from the 'Goel Hadam,' the 'Redeemer of the Blood' -who was a family member of the murdered person,who may seek revenge.- for a murdered person's blood seeks rest by the punishment of the murderer.Then murder is discussed and the Parsha and fourth Book of the Torah Bamidbar ends with the Laws of Tribal marriage.
These two Parshas being put together shows a deep lesson.The first Parsha Mattos that discusses the Commandments to the leaders of the Tribes of making vows and oaths shows the importance of us to to rule our own mouths and be careful what we speak and say.Life and death are within our mouths and how we speak. The word 'Mattos,' which means 'Tribes,' has within it the word,'Meit,' which means,'die,' and also has within it the word 'Mateh,' which means 'Headquarters or Rod,' showing that we must be the leaders and headquarters of what we speak and keep a Rod on our mouths to control the words that exit our mouth.The Parsha 'Masei,' - 'Journeys,' has within it the words 'Masah,' -'March or Travel or Move' and the word 'Mas,' which means 'Duty.'So ,within the Journeys of Israel in the Wilderness,we 'Moved' closer to HaShem which is the duty of every living soul.
Thus putting together the two Parshas,we learn that it is through what we say and learn and how we act toward HaShem and others, that moves us forward toward HaShem .All things around us are there for us to use as a pathway to G-D . We are the leaders of ourselves,we are our own 'Mattos' - 'Tribes' that can be the Rod of direction that we choose to travel on.Life and death are within us and the choices we make.If we journey toward a Holy path of G-D then our Movement will be a Holy one that will lead us to Shamaim.If we watch what we say and keep our words kind and soft and holy, then we will journey toward HaShem.
The word Masei is an interesting one for it can be put as the word and letter 'Masah' and a Yud , for the word Masei is the word Masah with a Yud at the end.The Yud is a letter in HaShem's Name so when we 'Massah Y' we journey toward HaShem . The use of the word 'Masei,' can also be interpreted as Journeying with the 'Yud' which means that in every step we take in life, HaShem travels with us.What HaShem was Humbly trying to tell us in talking of the Journeys 'Masei,' was that HaShem was with us in our Journeys through the Wilderness and remembers with love, all the places HaShem shared in closeness with us.
This is the same when we went into Galus exile and even today.No matter what we go through ,HaShem carries us.All we need to do is follow Him and His Laws , being the 'Mattos' the tribal leader of our own destiny by our own choice to follow HaShem .
In times when things feel really bad, we need to remember that HaShem never leaves us . One is reminded of the beautiful story called Footprints where a man comes to the end of his life and comes up to G-D and asks G-D that when he looks back at the tracks of his life,he only sees one set of footprints in the sand - his own and he wonders to G-D where G-D was at the difficult times of his life and where were G-D's Footprints next to him . G-D Tells him that G-D was always there with him not walking next to him, but carrying him .
This is the truth with us all . No matter how things are, HaShem carries us always with love even when we lose Emuna and turn away , G-D Never does ,for the very fact that we live and breath the life that HaShem Gives us , proves that. we are never alone through the 'Masei'- 'Journeys' of our life .We just need to remember that we must be the 'Mattos,' Tribal leaders of ourselves and keep our mouths and words and actions , toward G-D and His Holy Torah .
The Yud at the end of the word 'Masei,' can also refer to the number ten for Yud is the tenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and has the value of ten in Gematriah.This Yud and it's number ten reminds us of the Ten Commandments which must be our Masei - our Journey along the pathway of HaShem's Commandments .This reminds us of Har Sinai on which the Ten Commandments were given .The area was originally called 'The Wilderness of Sin (pronounced in Hebrew as Seen or Sien) but after the Ten Commandments were given on a mountain in that Wilderness,its historical name became Har Sinai with a Yud at the end to commemorate the great miracle there of the giving of the Ten Commandments.
So it is with the pathway of HaShem's Commandments that we are to Journey toward HaShem , making ourselves the leaders of our own actions , leading ourselves step by step toward G-D and so , G-D will carry us and be with us on each step of our journey in happiness.Only we can direct the direction of the journey we take in our own personal lives and for this journey to be a journey of life and living , the direction of that journey can only be toward HaShem . May we all travel the sweet journey in holiness toward HaShem by following HaShem's Commandments and be the leaders of ourselves to the most beautiful Destination possible and that is HaShem .
With deepest and most special love to HaShem , I wish HaShem with all my love , a sweet and special beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all , a sweet and special beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.