The Glue that Holds Us Together
As Bnei Israel encamped near the borders of the Promised Land, two tribes, Gad and Reuven, approached Moshe to see if they could inherit the lands of the Transjordan instead of on the western side of the Jordan River. After seeing their pure intentions, Moshe acquiesced, and granted Gad and Reuven the lush lands and pastures of the Transjordan. Then Moshe did something completely unexpected. Not only did he award this property to Gad and Reuven; he also gave a portion to half of the tribe of Menashe (32:33). The Menashe tribe is not listed as part of the group who had petitioned Moshe for this land (from 32:2 and onward).
Why did Moshe choose to give this property to them if they hadn’t asked for it? Furthermore, why split up the tribe of Menashe, leaving half of them on one side of the Jordan, and the other half on the other? Did the Menashe clan present a threat or commit some crime to warrant being split up?
Perhaps we should look at Menashe from a different angle. Seeing that the Jewish people were now going to be divided geographically by a river that could potentially splinter the Jewish people, Moshe wanted to create some kind of glue which, despite the geographic divide, would keep all twelve tribes together and cohesive. He chose one tribe which he felt would be most propitious for this task of keeping all the Jews together, and so divided them across both sides of the Jordan to act as that glue that would hold the two parts of Bnei Israel together.
Menashe the Interpreter
But why Menashe? What’s so special about this tribe? I believe that the answer lies in looking back at the original story of Yoseph and his first-born son, Menashe. The Torah relates that when the brothers first came to Yoseph in Egypt to acquire provisions, Yoseph pretended to be an Egyptian. He set up an interpreter, a “Melitz (מליץ),” to translate their Hebrew into Egyptian (Gen. 42:23). The Midrash (quoted by Rashi) makes a point of identifying this interpreter, standing between Yoseph and his brothers, as Menashe.
This supports our claim that the original Menashe had something about him that could hold the family together. He was the “go-between” in a literal sense between Yoseph and his brothers. We also note that the word “Melitz” doesn’t just mean an interpreter, but also means an advocate (this is why we say about a family member who has passed away, “May he/she be a “Melitz yosher,” a proper advocate, for the family).
What personality trait did Menashe possess? Let us look at his name. Yoseph named his first-born Menashe, because, as the Torah quotes him (Gen. 41:51): “כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי:” – “For Elokim has allowed me to forget my entire travail and the whole household of my father.” What was Yoseph saying? Is it virtuous to forget your family?! Yoseph was reflecting on all of his torment at the hands of his brothers. He must have harbored bitterness and resentment. But now, after having been liberated from prison, rising to the top of Egyptian society and building his own family, he was able to “let go” of the past and move on. He could forego all of his resentments after seeing how everything had turned out for the best.
Credit Where Credit is Due
Furthermore, Rav S.R. Hirsch understands the word “נַשַּׁ֤נִי” in the verse as more than just Hashem allowing Yoseph to “forget.” The Hebrew word derives from “נשה”, which, in other biblical contexts, means a creditor. That is, Yoseph was reflecting upon how, although in the past he had viewed his brothers as having been a liability, his destiny in Egypt demonstrated that in reality, they had provided him a great “credit” and benefit instead. Had it not been for them, he never would have ended up as the viceroy of Egypt.
The point is that Menashe possessed this ability to forgive and forget, to move on from the past and to view everything, even the adversities that one has suffered at the hands of others, to be part of the Divine plan and ultimately of benefit to oneself. This is probably the most important trait that one needs in order to be a bridge-builder and reconciler. One has to look past previous offenses and transgressions in order to create reconciliation and peace between two factions. This is why Menashe was chosen to be the tribe to create the bridge between both sides of the Jordan.
Letting Go Of the Baggage
Rabbeinu Bechaye provides a fascinating etymology to the term “בי נשא”. This is a phrase found in some versions of the ketubah, describing how the bride has come from her parents’ home. He suggests that this term is of the same root as the name Menashe, meaning to forget. When a man and woman get married, they need to put a certain amount of their past behind them in order to build a present and future with their spouse. This is certainly so when dealing with family and other loved ones. We must learn to put aside the acrimony and “baggage” of the past in order to properly build a healthy present and future.
I would suggest that there is no greater lesson for today, as we embark on the Nine Days of Av leading up to Tish’a B’Av. Let’s learn from the tribe of Menashe to be bridge-builders. Hopefully, with these lessons taken to heart, we can rebuild the Temple in time for Tish’a B’Av. May we see it, bb”a.