44 Pinchas

  פִּינְחָס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵן הֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־חֲמָתִי מֵעַל בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקַנְאוֹ אֶת־קִנְאָתִי בְּתוֹכָם וְלֹא־כִלִּיתִי אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִנְאָתִי׃

“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal

This week’s Torah portion, Pinchas (Pinehas), frames like no other Parasha the problem of biblical relationship to violence, particularly zealotry and attentiveness as in Num. 25:11... God credits Pinchas with saving the people from extermination by plague and grants him and his future as a leader of the people through the office of the High Priest. All of this is wrapped within a Covenant of Shalom between God and Pinchas.Pinchas showed devotion to his soul’s limit and was rewarded with a "pact of Shalom" between him and God, for the name of Abba is Peace, as it is written (Judges 6:24): "... called it A-donai-shalom." For the same reason Pinchas also received a pact of priesthood for all time, to minister before the Lord.
Besides Pinchas we have a moment of heroism in Parashat Pinehas, it is when the daughters of Zelophahad stand before Moses. Living in the patriarchal world of biblical Israel, they arrive at a defining juncture. Their father, Zelophahad, dies, leaving no sons to inherit or perpetuate his name. While the daughters could have simply accepted the reality of patriarchal inheritance, they bravely choose another path. Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah approach Moshe explaining, Num. 27:4 Let not our father’s name be lost to his clan just because he had no sons! Give us a holding among our father’s kinsmen.
God’s decision inspires hope for a better future—not only for the daughters but for all women (and men!) who will come after them and find themselves in the same position.