במדבר, פרק ל״ב, פסוק ל״ג

The allocation of lands on the eastern side of the Jordan River marks a major turning point in the Israelites' settlement process. Following the conquest of the kingdoms of Sihon and Og, Moses officially grants these vast territories to specific tribes, establishing a permanent Israelite presence east of the river. He grants them this property immediately [מלבי״ם], agreeing to their request in order to prevent any disputes from arising among the people [ספורנו].

However, a central mystery in this event is the sudden inclusion of a portion of the tribe of Manasseh. This tribe was never mentioned as participating in the original request made by Gad and Reuben to receive land outside the primary borders of the Promised Land. Commentators offer several approaches to explain how Manasseh became involved. From a practical standpoint, when Moses assessed the conquered territory, he realized the area was far too large for just two tribes and sought volunteers to settle alongside them [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, רש״ר הירש]. It is likely that individuals from Manasseh, who also owned large herds of livestock, found these conditions appealing and stepped forward [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, the settlement may have unfolded in stages. After Moses approved the initial request of Gad and Reuben, families from Manasseh independently went out, fought, and captured the Gilead region. The record simply reflects the conclusion of this event, with Moses retroactively approving their settlement [רמב״ן, שד״ל, ברכת אשר על התורה].

Conversely, others suggest that Manasseh's settlement was not driven by their own request at all, but was rather a deliberate initiative by Moses [העמק דבר, חומש קה״ת]. Moses granted them the kingdom of Og, which was part of the original land promised to Abraham, to strengthen Israelite control over the region. The lineage of Manasseh as the children of Joseph is emphasized here because Joseph and his descendants were known for their fierce love for the Land of Israel. Moses strategically placed them on the eastern side to serve as a spiritual anchor. By planting a tribe deeply committed to the land and the Torah among Gad and Reuben, Moses ensured that those eastern tribes would not culturally or spiritually disconnect from their brothers on the western side of the river, thereby preserving the unity of the nation [ברכת אשר על התורה, חומש קה״ת]. In stark contrast to these strategic views, another perspective frames the splitting of Manasseh as a historical punishment. The tribe was divided across the two sides of the Jordan River because their ancestor, Joseph, caused his brothers to tear their clothes in anguish during the incident with the silver goblet [חזקוני, ברכת אשר על התורה].

Although described as half the tribe, the group of Manasseh that remained in the east did not represent an exact mathematical split. The tribe consisted of eight main families, and only two remained on the eastern side, while the remaining six crossed westward. Therefore, the description refers to a specific faction or portion of the tribe rather than an equal division [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך]. Finally, the actual division of this vast territory was defined by the cities and their surrounding borders, including areas that had not yet been settled [רש״ר הירש, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because the region was so massive relative to the size of the two and a half tribes, Moses did not meticulously divide the agricultural fields into equal shares, as would later be done in the land of Israel proper. Instead, he established the territorial boundaries based simply on the geographic layout of the cities [העמק דבר].