Parashat Pinchas – Erev Shabbat 27 July 2024
Week of 21-27 July 2024
Torah portion: Numbers 25:10-30:1 Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3
Theme: God requires virtues to guide His people
Dear friends and readers, Shalom from Israel-Jerusalem!
I do not intend to comment on the Parasha that our Jewish brothers and sisters will live on the next Shabbat. I will quickly reflect on the content that the Synagogal liturgy celebrates around the Word of God. Firstly, it is necessary to say that our Christian practice and ears are not used to following a long text. And precisely one Parasha follows the previous Shabbat and usually contains within it several topics as an expression of the Word of God addressed to the people, that is, the Word to be heard, explained, understood, transmitted and applied. The Parasha of this Shabbat is called Parashat Pinchas. In fact, it is Pinchas who ends the Parasha of the previous Shabbat and who begins this one.
In this Parasha we also contemplate the great descent–practice of the children of Israel. In the sequence we then have a change in inheritance criteria; where there are no male children, female daughters inherit. The cause was brought by the daughters of Zelophehad. The issue goes through reflection between the representatives of the community of Israel and Moses and even reaches God who gives reason to the daughters of Zelophehad and, therefore, a new principle is established. From Chapter 28 onwards we have the establishment of sacrifices in the Temple and all the festive days starting with Shabbat, the beginning of the month and all the festivals, from Easter to Sukkot.
As said before, we learn many important themes in this Parasha: Firstly, we have the action of Pinchas who is compensated by God for having acted out of zeal for the name of God. This action is considered exceptional. We can say that his action escapes the traditional framework of justice. God makes a covenant of peace with Pinchas and perpetuates the priesthood for him and his descendants. However, we learn that Pinchas’ heroic gesture is not the permanent model of human action. In the sequence of the text, God reveals to Moses that he will not enter the Land of Israel and he must choose a man to continue to guide the people. Pinchas will not be chosen, his model does not meet all the criteria necessary to lead His people, but rather, God chooses Joshua. God asks for someone to imitate Him in His perfect virtues, those of mercy, clemency, moral rectitude and respect for justice: “A man who goes out and comes in at the head of the community and makes it go out and come in, so that the Lord’s community is not like a flock without a shepherd” (27:17).
The leader must not be an inaccessible horizon, charting the course alone in front and leaving the people behind. He must also not look “down” on his people, nor abrogate to himself a moral magisterium which places him above his fellows: he must remain immersed in his people, advance at their pace, and guide them step by step in the long march towards independence and autonomy.
For Reflection and Discussion:Â 1. Do you find it strange or not, that God does not choose a zealous priest as a leader to follow Moses. If yes, what might be the reason for this, do you think? Â Â 2. What qualities do you admire in good leadership in our shepherds in the Church?
Bibliography: McKenzie, J.L. Dictionary of the Bible (New York: 1965)
This week’s Parasha Commentary was prepared by
Elio Paseto, Nds Israel. Director of ISPS-Ratisbonne
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