Pinchas B’midbar (Numbers) 25:10-30:1

Torah Portion: Pinchas B’midbar (Numbers) 25:10-30:1

Haftorah Readings: I Kings 18:46-19:21

Today we cover the Torah portion Pinchas. This portion is named for the man who stopped the plague that had already killed 24,000 people. The plague was a result of Israel’s sin. However, I want to begin with the story of the five daughters of Zelophehad and their request they brought to Moshe.

I would like us to look first at verse 27:4. This verse reads, “Give us a possession in the midst of the brothers of our father.” Remember, at this time in Israel’s history any inheritance a man left when he died went to his sons. If he had no sons then it went to his closest male relative. In effect, if he had no sons, his inheritance would be lost and any daughters he might have would have no inheritance.

Pinchas Numbers 25:10-30:1

Torah Portion: Pinchas Numbers (B’Midbar) 25:10-30:1

HafTorah: I Kings 18:46-19:21

This week we read the Torah section named Pinchas. In it we read the end of the story from last week where Pinchas stopped the plague of G-d by killing Zimri and Cozbi who were blatantly sinning before G-d. In this weeks section we read where G-d says that Pinchas was zealous with the zeal of G-d. Numbers 25:11. In I Kings 19:10 we see Elijah saying that he was zealous for the L-rd. Because of this use of the word zealous, the Rabbis picked this reading in I Kings 18:46-19:21 to be read along with the Torah portion named Pinchas. What motivated Pinchas to this zeal that he displayed in B’Midbar? I would like to suggest that possibly it could have been his love of G-d and his brothers and sisters who were dying around him because of G-d’s plague.