Parshat Pinchas

Numbers 25:10–30:1

The name of the Parshah, "Pinchas," refers to Phineas, who zealously avenged G‑d’s name, and it is found in Numbers 25:11.

Aaron’s grandson Pinchas is rewarded for his act of zealotry in killing the Simeonite prince Zimri and the Midianite princess who was his paramour: G‑dgrants him a covenant of peace and the priesthood.

A census of the people counts 601,730 men between the ages of twenty and sixty. Moses is instructed on how the Land is to be divided by lottery among the tribes and families of Israel. The five daughters of Tzelafchad petition Mosesthat they be granted the portion of the land belonging to their father, who died without sons; G‑d accepts their claim and incorporates it into the Torah’s laws of inheritance.

Moses empowers Joshua to succeed him and lead the people into the Land of Israel.

The Parshah concludes with a detailed list of the daily offerings, and the additional offerings brought on Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh (first of the month), and the festivals of Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkotand Shemini Atzeret.

Haftorah Reading

I Kings 18:46-19:21.

The prophet Elijah is the main protagonist of this week's haftorah. According to tradition, Elijah shared the same soul as Pinchas, the hero of this week's Torahportion. They also both zealously fought on G‑d's behalf, while disregarding the dangers involved.

Following the showdown with the Baal prophets at Mount Carmel, which led to the execution of the Baal priests, the evil Queen Jezebel issued a death sentence for Elijah. Elijah fled to the Judean desert and asked G‑d to take his life. While he slept, an angel awoke him and provided him with food and drink. Reenergized, Elijah went for forty days until he arrived at Mount Horeb (Sinai), and he slept in a cave on the mountain. And the word of G‑d came to him and asked him for the purpose of his visit. "And [Elijah] said: 'I have been zealous for G‑d, the Lord of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant. They have torn down Your altars and they have killed Your prophets by the sword, and I have remained alone, and they seek my life to take it."

Elijah was instructed to leave the cave and stand on the mountain: "Behold! G‑d's Presence will pass." There was a great and strong wind splitting mountains and shattering boulders, but Elijah realized that G‑d was not in the wind. Then came an earthquake followed by fire, but again Elijah understood that not in the earthquake nor the fire was G‑d. After the fire there was a subtle silent voice, and Elijah realized that the Divine Presence had appeared.

G‑d asked Elijah again for the purpose of his visit, and Elijah repeated his earlier response. G‑d instructed Elijah to go to Damascus and anoint Hazael as king of Aram and Jehu as king of Israel and to anoint Elisha as a prophet in his stead. These three would continue Elijah's battle against the Baal.

Elijah followed the instructions and he immediately found Elisha and recruited him as his aide and eventual successor.

Nutshell for "Divrei Yirmiyahu" Haftorah (Three Weeks)

When Shabbat Parshat Pinchas falls out during the Three Weeks of mourning for Jerusalem, between the fasts of 17 Tammuz and 9 Av as is the case this week, we read a special haftorah which is the first of a series of three "haftorotof affliction" instead of the above one.

Jeremiah 1:1-2:3.

Jeremiah recounts how G‑d appointed him as prophet — despite his initial reluctance to accept the task — and tells of the encouragement G‑d gave him to fulfill his crucial mission. 

He then describes two prophetic visions he was shown. The first featured an almond tree branch. G‑d explained to Jeremiah that just like an almond tree is very quick to blossom, so too G‑d will carry out his plan — to punish the Jews for their sins — in due haste. 

The second vision was that of a boiling pot whose foam was directed northward. G‑d explained that this was an allusion to the afflictions the Jewish people would suffer at the hands of the people from the north of the Holy Land, namely Babylon. G‑d will cause the kingdoms of the north to lay siege on Jerusalem and Judea and He will pass judgment on the Jewish people due to their abandonment of G‑d's ways and their idol worship. 

G‑d then encouraged Jeremiah to deliver the prophecy and not to fear the Jewish populace who would certainly not take kindly to such harsh words.

The haftorah ends with a reassuring prophecy to the people: "Go and call out in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: so said G‑d: 'I remember to you the loving-kindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials, your following Me in the desert, in a land not sown. Israel is holy to G‑d, the first of His grain; all who eat him shall be guilty, evil shall befall them, says G‑d.'"