From TorahVort.com
Pinchas
The Parshah starts off by continuing the story of Pinchas. After he slew Zimri and Cozby, the plague that had killed more than 24000 Jews as they were committing idolatry and being immoral stopped. Pinchas was given a covenant of peace by Hashem, because it was his heroic quick thinking that stopped the plague as everyone learned how bad it is in G-d’s eyes to be immoral and commit idolatry!! The parshah progresses as Hashem orders Moshe to go to war with Midyan and defeat them and also not give them a chance in war. As the Midyanites were cruel to the Jews by masterminding the plan of getting the Jews to sin. G-d even ordered Moshe to tell the Jews to provoke war with Midyan. The parshah then continues relating another Census that took place in the wilderness in the fortieth year. This census showed a change in the population due to the fact that Korach and his friends died, the spies and many of the Jews had died and also the deaths of the people from the different plagues in the wilderness due to their own sins. The tribe of Shimon suffered the most casualties as there were only 22,000 left compared to the near 60000 figure forty years prior. The Torah relates that the land was to be divided into 12 different portions, one portion respectively for each tribe. The portions of land was calculated through the use of a divine lot. Next up the parshah discusses the episode about Tzelafchad’s daughters. Tzelafchad was a man who passed away during the 40 year stay in the wilderness. Tzelafchad had 5 righteous daughters. Each were not married, as they wanted a worthy spouse. As they were all women, they were convinced that as they had no brothers, they would each share the inheritance of their father; each daughter would get a fifth each. Moshe had forgotten the law and asked Hashem, then Hashem reassured that the daughters were correct. The parshah then describes how Moshe ascended up the Mount Nevo to look at the land of Israel. Moshe went up and observed all the tribes boundaries, in turn also showering the land with a radiant blessing. Moshe, knowing that he was not going to enter with the Jews in to the land of Israel, requested a successor. Moshe requested a future leader that would be as good as he was; hoping secretly that one of his sons would become leader. However, Hashem stated that Joshua was to become his successor; Joshua wanted the most to become great in Torah with his enthusiasm about Torah and Mitzvot. Joshua loved Israel as we learned about his favourable report on the land in Parshat Shelach, when the spies went in with him; we also learn how he battled for the Jews against Amalek in parshat Beshalach. He was also Moshe's prime servant, waiting by Mount Sinai for Moshe to reappear during his three forty day spells in the heavenly realms as we learned in Parshat Yisro and Ki Tisa. The Parshah then continues relating the laws on sacrifices, and the respective sacrifices that had to be brought for each festival. The Torah relates information on the daily Tamid Sacrifices, as related in parshat Tetzaveh. The reading then discusses the Mussaf Sacrifice for Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh (New Month) and then the sacrifices brought on Pesach and Shavuot. Two bulls, one ram and seven lambs were brought as elevation offerings on these days. We learn on Shavuot that two wheat loaves were offered, it is a festival also known as the festival of first fruits. The parshah then discusses the Mussaf sacrifice of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Relating how it is a mitzvah to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashana, and how blowing it reminds Hashem of the merit of Yitzchak when Abraham took him up to the alter. Yom Kippur is also known as the day of judgement. The fast kept on Yom Kippur and the prayers in the days of Ellul and start of Tishrei can gain atonement from past sins during the year. The parshah then discusses the Mussaf sacrifice for Sukkot. We learn that in the seven days of Succot a total of seventy bullocks are offered, this alludes to the Jews requesting blessing for the seventy nations. This shows the kindness the Jews show the other nations. In Chapter 109 in the book of Tehillim (psalms) a verse states, ‘master of the universe, the gentiles ought to befriend us for our efforts on their behalf. Instead they hates us, as it says, ‘In return for my love they hate me, while I offer up prayer.’ A total of 98 lambs are also sacrificed, indicating that the 98 sacrifices shield us from 98 curses mentioned in Parshat Ki Savo. The parshah concludes relating the sacrifices on Shemini Atzeret, a festival also known as ‘the festival of withholding.’ The natural Haftorah for this weeks reading comes from Chapter 18 and 19 of the book of Kings. Relating stories about Eliyahu the prophet. A man also believed to be Pinchas. The Haftorah for this week will be from chapter 1 and 2 of the book of Jeremiah. As the parshah is being read during the three weeks.
