parashah Mattot Masei

For Mattot Masei parashah we choose to do an open air project. 

The descendants of Reuven and Gad had an abundance of livestock very numerous and they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock.

We took some plastic animal toy, a little tree, a fence and put them outside on real grass to represent the land est of the Yarden.

The tribes of Reuven and Gad (later joined by half of the tribe of Menashè) ask for the lands east of the Jordan as their portion in the Promised Land, these being prime pastureland for their cattle.

  

Then we built an house made of stones and wood sticks found on the place to make the tribes of Reuven and Gad buildings.

Moshè is initially angered by the request, but subsequently agrees on the condition that they first join, and lead, in Israel’s conquest of the lands west of the Jordan.