21. Don't be Comfortable!

Today we read the story of Reuven and Gad asking Moshe Rabbeinu for permission to stay on the greener side of the Yarden, instead of entering Eretz Yisroel.

They had a great reason for their request!

Reuven had lots of cattle because they were the oldest and received a double portion. Gad had lots because their shevet loved eating the _mon_ so much that they didn't eat anything else. They saw that the land outside of Israel was ideal for grazing and so they wanted their inheritance there. 

But Moshe was still very angry with them. 

He called then sinners and compared them to the spies who didn't want to enter Eretz Yisroel. He was upset that they didn't love the Land enough; that they had other calculations that were more important to them.

In the end Moshe agreed when they promised to first join the Yidden in crossing, and to fight in the front lines in all the battles.

But what about that 1/2 of shevet Menashe who also wanted to live on the other side of the Yarden? Where are they in this picture? Why are they not mentioned in this story?

Because they are in a completely different story! Their reason for splitting their shevet and living on 2 different sides of the Yarden wasn't because they didn't love Israel enough or because they didn't get along.

They split their shevet because they didn't want to get too comfortable in Golus! They had mesiras nefesh to split their family because they wanted to remember that even though they're entering Israel now and it all feels great, this is not the ultimate complete Israel yet!

(Hashem had promised 10 lands - 3 lands on the East side of the Yarden, and 7 lands on the West. Meanwhile He gave only 7, but in the future, HaShem will spread Eretz Yisroel eastern, to include both sides.)

Their reason for wanting to live on both sides was to have a taste of the Future and to always remember their desire for the complete Geulah, and of course Moshe Rabbeinu was very pleased! 

Because what we do is not nearly as important as _why_ we are doing it. 

Sometimes we can say all the same words and do all the same actions, but when HaShem sees that our intentions are truly from our desire for Moshiach, He will surely redeem us immediately!

(Based on sicha Tzav, mem hay)