Parasha Pinchas (פינחס) — Bamidbar 25:10 – 30:1. Read on Shabbat, July 24, 2027.
Summary of Parasha Pinchas
G-d announces that Pinchas, son of Elazar, son of Aharon, has turned His anger away from the children of Israel through his zeal, and grants him His covenant of peace, as well as an everlasting priesthood for his descendants. The Torah names the man and the woman who were put to death: Zimri, son of Salu, head of a father’s house of the tribe of Shimon, and Kozbi, daughter of Tzur, a prince of Midian. G-d commands that Midian be treated as an enemy. A new census is taken in the plains of Moav, by tribes and by families, for a total of 601,730 men; the land will be divided among them by lot, according to their numbers. The Levites are counted separately. Of those who had been counted at Sinai, only Kalev and Yehoshua remain. The daughters of Tzelofchad, whose father died without sons, ask to receive his share of the inheritance; G-d rules in their favor and establishes the laws of inheritance. G-d commands Moshe to go up the mountain of Avarim to see the land. Moshe asks G-d to appoint a leader over the congregation, so that it will not be like a flock without a shepherd; Yehoshua is chosen, and Moshe lays his hands upon him before Elazar and all the people. The parasha then details the daily sacrifices and the additional offerings of Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh and the festivals.
The Themes
- Pinchas’s covenant of peace
- The daughters of Tzelofchad
- Passing the leadership on to Yehoshua
Rav Raphaël Benizri’s Lectures on Pinchas
There are no lectures by the Rav on this parasha yet. Find all the available lectures on the Weekly Parasha page.
A Question for the Shabbat Table
The daughters of Tzelofchad dare to ask for what seems just to them: how can one voice a request with both respect and courage?
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Summary by the Pensées Juives editorial team. The Rav’s teachings are found in his lectures, linked above.