One of the most common phrases used to introduce a topic in the Torah is ’G-d spoke to Moses saying, speak to the children of Israel..’. Thus Moses serves as G-d’s conduit to the Jewish people, imparting the commandments that they should follow. For this reason the Bible and Jewish tradition often refer to the Torah as ‘the Torah of Moses’. Yet there are other phrases, less common, that posit a different role for Moses. One can be found in this week’s Parshah. When the daughters of Tzelophchad ask to be given the inheritance of their father, it is written that ‘Moses brought their case before G-d’. We here have Moses in the opposite role to the one normally assigned him. Rather than representing G-d to the people, he is representing the people before G-d. Rather than imparting G-d’s mitzvot to the nation, Moses brings the nation’s suggestion for laws before G-d. In this and a few other places in the Torah, therefore, we see a Halakhic interaction that goes both ways. Rather than Torah being only G-d’s dictates to the Jewish people, the people have a role in seeking to influence what the Halakha will be. These sections of the Torah are therefore a precursor to the rabbinic interpretation we take for granted today. Yet they are something more, and have great relevance for how we relate to the Jewish tradition, the Halakhic system and the role of the Rabbi. We see, in these various episodes in the Torah, how the people were not afraid to challenge G-d as to the effect of the law on their lives. The daughters of Tzelophchad, for example, challenged the rule of male inheritance, seeing it as unfair in their case. We notice also how Moses, the same Moses who brought G-d’s commandments to the people, was not afraid to bring the people’s concerns about those laws to G-d. We also notice that G-d listened and as it were ‘changed the Halakha’. What does all this mean for our relationship to Judaism? It is surely necessary to accept and love the Jewish tradition and the Halakhic system. Yet is it not also sometimes necessary to challenge that system where we feel it is failing or to seek to expand its boundaries where we feel it is unfair? Rabbis should certainly, like Moses, be expounders and defenders of the Jewish tradition to the Jewish people. But should they not also, like Moses, be willing to challenge that tradition on behalf of the people? We have no lack of religious leaders today who are zealous in bringing G-d’s word to the people. What we need more of are those willing to bring the people’s case before G-d.

ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS

Rishon	Pinchas is rewarded by G-d for his zeal. The command to deal harshly with the Midianites.
Sheni	The census of the new generation.
Shelishi	The census of the Levites. The daughters of Zelophad ask for their father’s portion in the Land.
Revi’i	Their request is granted. Moses is informed of his impeding demise and is told to appoint Joshua as leader.
Chamishi	The daily Shabbat and Rosh Hodesh sacrifices.
Shishi	The additional sacrifices for Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Shevi’i	The sacrifices of Succot.
Haftorah	Jeremiah: 1;1-2;3: Jeremiah reluctantly agrees to be a prophet to his wayward people.

 

Sidra Statistics

Parshat Pinchas

 

·               has 168 verses;

·               is the  8th  in Numbers,  41st  in the Torah

·                2nd longest in Numbers,  2nd  longest  in the Torah  

·                has 6 pos  mitzvot.