Pinchas

Hi,

This week's Torah portion is Pinchas.

Pinchas begins where last week’s portion left off. The Jews had been ensnared by an unconventional Moabite assault: Instead of fighting a war, Moav sent out their daughters to seduce the Jews. The approach succeeded in leading the Jews toward abandonment of Judaism, until a man named Pinchas killed a major Jewish leader, Zimri, who had been participating in the public adultery and idolatry.

Gd promised the zealous vigilante, Pinchas, a great reward for his role. Pinchas received a promise of Shalom (peace) from Gd; Gd would protect him from reprisal. Further, Pinchas was made into a Kohen. (Although he was already a grandson of Aharon, he was not a Kohen, as he was born before Aharon was made into a Kohen. Now, though, he would qualify as a Kohen, as would his descendants.)

The Torah does not generally reward vigilante justice (see Yaakov's rebuke of Shimon and Levi), and so the commentators wrestle with the question of why Pinchas was not only protected, but even rewarded for his actions.

Gd then instructed Moshe to count the Jewish people, in preparation for war against the nation of Midian. The Torah records the census of each family.

Following the census, Moshe began to instruct the nation in the way they would divide up the land of Israel. Under Jewish law, land is inherited by males so as to keep the land within the tribe. However (as noted in the Talmud in Ketuvot), the sons must provide for their sisters; in the event that there isn’t enough to provide for both the sons and daughters, the daughters get everything.

The daughters of a man named Tzelafchad came forth with a problem – their father had died, and left only daughters. Who would inherit the land? Would it go to the broader tribe? Moshe was stumped, and he brought this question to Gd. Gd responded that the daughters of Tzelafchad were correct; in the absence of sons, the land would go to the daughters.

After this incident, Gd told Moshe to climb Mount Avarim, from which he could see Israel before his death. Moshe asked that Gd appoint a proper leader in his stead. Moshe wanted a leader who would put himself on the line, leading the nation to war rather than sitting behind the lines. Gd responded that Yehoshua (Joshua) would lead the nation, and Moshe ordained Yehoshua.

The Torah portion concludes with a list of various offerings which are brought on various holidays through the year.

Have a great day,

Mordechai