Every word in Hebrew has a specific and unique meaning, even when it seems to be synonymous with another.
What can we learn from the fact that the name of the parasha, Matot, referring to the twelve tribes of Israel, means staffs? Why isn't the parasha named Shevatim, the more commonly used word for "tribes"? In this short video, Rabbi Eli Silberstein discusses the differences between twigs and staffs, and explains the deeper meaning to the game known as "hide-and-seek."
