http://learn.jtsa.edu/topics/parashah/jp...
Haftorah: 1 Kgs18:46-19:21 JPS
http://learn.jtsa.edu/topics/parashah/jp...
Aliyot:
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1. Nr 25:10-26:4
2. Nr 26:5-51
3. Nr 26:52-27:5
4. Nr 27:6-23
5. Nr 28:1-15
6. Nr 28:16-29:11
7. Nr 29:12-30:1
OVERVIEW:
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At the end of Parasha Balak, the Israelites become involved in pagan sexual worship of Baal Peor with a little help from Bilaam. Since he can't curse them, he corrupts them. Opening Pinchus, Pinchus nails Zimri, a Simeonite with Cozbi, a Midianite woman, having sex in public with one javelin toss. A plague descends upon the Israelites as punishment for idolatrous worship. A second census is taken on anticipation of entering the Promised Land. Zelophehad, a descendent of Menasseh had five daughters and no sons. They petition Moses for the inheritance of land. The women win. Moses is called up Mount Abarim to confront his death. He asks God to know his successor. Joshua is deputized. The parasha closes with record of sacrifices and festivals.
IN FOCUS
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"Let the Lord, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community, who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in, so that the Lord's community shall not be like sheep that have no shepherd."
Nr 27:17
"Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole community, and commission him in their sight. Invest in him with some of your authority, so that the whole Israelite community may obey."
Nr 27:19-20
FOLLOW THE LEADER
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Moses is at the end of his mission. The Israelites are near the border of the Promised Land, but Moses is called up Mount Abiram to confront his death. He inquires regarding his successor. In contrast to Aaron, his leadership will not be passed onto his sons, but transfer to somoeone within the camp. The parasha opens with the zealotry of Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron the High Priest. When Bilaam found himself unable to curse the the Israelites, he connived with King Balak to weaken Israel through corruption. Through intermariage and the adoption of idolatry, Israel faces assimilation into a pagan nation, forgetting the new covenant with God made at Sinai.
The Israelites became involved with the idol worship of Baal Peor, the paragon of perverse worship and human degradation. In other religions, flowers or food are offered to idols, but sexual orgy and defecation marked the worship of Baal Peor. Pinchas reaction against the public secual exhibition of Zimri and Cozbi in is relative to the offensive degrading pagan behavior. Zimri was not a nobody, but a prince among the Simeonites, descended from Simeon, one of the eldest brothers of Joseph. Traditionally, the leadership should have gone to Reuben, Levi and then Simeon, but Genesis 34 relates the story of Dinah with the subversive attack of Simeon and Levi on Schechem. As a result, the leadership of the brothers skips to Judah (Genesis 49) through the Blessing of Jacob is recorded. Simeon and Levi are cursed for their bloodthirsty attack.
