Parshat Matot-Masei: Hidden Agendas
by Rabbi Lobel

(Numbers; Chapter 31, Verses 1 - 2) "G-d spoke to Moses, saying, 'Take vengeance for the Children of Israel from the Midianites; afterward you will be brought in to your people."

Moses is commanded to destroy Midian for joining Moab in turning the Jewish nation astray. The Jews acted promiscuously and sinned with the Moab women based on Midian's advice.

Moses was nearing the end of his one hundred and twenty year life. One of his last orders as leader was to defeat Midian. The latter half of the verse, "afterward you will be brought in to your people", is referred to Moses' death. Moses was told by G-d when he was to die.

The Medrash Rabba (24:6) comments on a verse in Joshua. G-d told Joshua, Moses' successor, (Joshua 1) "just as I (G-d) was with Moses, so I will be with you." This meant that Joshua was to live one hundred and twenty years, like Moses. However, Joshua's life was shortened by ten years. Joshua was punished because he delayed the wars and conquest of Israel . (Joshua 11) "Many days did Joshua, with all these kings, make war." Joshua knew that he would die after the conquest, so he delayed it. G-d, in turn, cut his life short. As the verse in Proverbs (19) says, "many plans are in man's heart, but the counsel of G-d will prevail."

The Medrash explains that after Moses was told to conquer Midian, knowing he would die afterwards, he acted immediately, without hesitation or reservation, and in the quickest fashion. Joshua did not do so, he delayed his conquest.

Surely, the righteous Joshua, the man appointed by G-d to succeed Moses and lead Israel in the conquest of the Promised Land, was not selfish. Surely, he had a reason for delaying the conquest. But G-d commanded Joshua to act and Joshua delayed. He did not conquer the Land of Israel as soon as possible.

Hidden agendas are dangerous things. Once we don't perform a mitzvah solely for its own sake, we risk doing our will in place of G-d's will. It is obvious that underneath Joshua's "good ntentions" there was the smallest personal hidden agenda to extend his life.

One must be very afraid of "good intentions". They are usually hiding our personal and selfish hidden agendas.