Pinchas Bamidbar (Numbers) 25-30
Torah Portion: Pinchas (Bamidbar) Numbers 25:10-30:1
HafTorah: I Kings 18:46-19:21
NT Matt 26:1-30, John 2:13-22, Acts 2:1-21
In this Torah portion we see another census being taken of the men 20 years old and up, who can go to war. In fact this census takes up Numbers 26:1-65, an entire chapter. For your information if we look at the census in Numbers 1 and compare it to this one at the end of their journey we notice the total number stays almost the same. Chapter I total was 603,550 and here in chapter 26 it is 601,730. Not much change in the total. However, when we look closer we see that seven of the 12 tribes went up in population and five went down. But the tribe of Shimon went from 59,300 to 22, 200. This is a drop of over 60%. What could have caused such a drop? Sages believe it may be connected with the sin of Zimri. The story of Zimri precedes this census. He belonged to the tribe of Shimon. Whatever the reason it began the fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy in Genesis 49:7. The tribe of Shimon was eventually be absorbed by the other tribes of Israel.
Bo (Come) Exodus 10:1-13:16
Torah Portion: Bo (Come) Exodus 10:1-13:16
HafTorah: Jeremiah 46:13-28
New Testament: Luke 2:22-24; John 19:31-37; Acts 13:16-17; Revelations 8:6-9:12; 1-21
I would like us to cover a few things from this Torah section. The first being the issue of the new moon and the first month found in Exodus 12:2. This is the first commandment given to Israel as a people. Why do you think G-d chose this to be the first thing to relate to Israel and what can it teach us?