Pinchas

Parashas Pinchas

Numbers 25:10 – 30:1

Please pray

This Prayer

Before reading

Prayer

In the name of Yahushua

Our Messiyah,

I pray for the Spirit of Understanding

The Spirit of Knowledge and

The Spirit of Wisdom

As I read through this Parasha

That the Truth of Torah may

Come forth. Amen

Torah Portion Pinchas is the 41 portion of the Torah cycle. In this Portion as if out of nowhere, the Torah gave us the name of two sinners: Kozbi the daughter of Tzur, and a prince of Midian, and Zimri benSalu, a leader of the tribe of Shimon.

The Torah Portion Balak concludes with the story of a man and a woman who committed a forbidden sexual act in public, but does not mention their names. The Yisraelites were already suffering from a terrible plague brought upon them by the Creator, angered by their harlotry with the daughters of Moad, and their sacrifice to their gods.

To stop the plague, Pinchas took a spear and slew the man and the woman, but not before 24,000 people had died. Now that we have learned about the importance of Korach and of Balaam, it come as no surprise to hear of the spirit of Kozbi and Zimri as they relates to the development of our soul.

Although Pinchas is the central tzadik righteous person of this portion that bears his name, this Portion supplies us with some unusual lessons. As we have seen, to be able to understand the spiritual significance of a story, we need to take a step back. When two soul who are unequally yok together they will be like Kozbi and Zimri, they will bring each other down.

The difference between perfection and death, between “bila hamavet lanetzach” and the pain and suffering of this world, lay in our ability to say no. On the surface Adam and Eva seems ok, Eva was the help mate of Adam, and they should be together forever. But they needed to restrict and wait until the appointed time to eat of the Trees in the Garden. Adam like most men today never knew how to tell his wife no. Adam, Kozbi, you and some of us never learn how to tell women no. Part of the correction of every man soul is the ability to tell women no.

On this Sabbath, we can draw on the Light from the Soul of Pinchas, and learn how to tell women no, a soul so full of love, a soul so willing to sacrifice to help other souls with their correction, that the Creator asked Pinchas to remain in this world forever.

It is the man’s responsibility to assist the woman with the correction of her soul, as it is the Messiyah’s responsibility to help the Messiyanic Assemble with its spiritual connection.

Torah tell us that the woman desire or ego is to rule over the man, but we must not allow that to happen, man should show dominion over the woman. The Spirit of Pinchas should be in every man on this Sabbath, it is the ability to be the head of the Family. The head look after the welfare of the body.

The spirit of Pinchas is to slay the weak minded men along with the spirit of Jezebel in Yisrael. As we connect to the spirit of Pinchas a man that was made a Priest for his actions, let us hold fast to this consciousness and be like Job when dealing with our other half.

Num 25:10 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying - This word “saying” in the Hebrew usually introduces a statement that is to be repeated to others, indicates that יהוה wanted the entire nation to know that Phinehas had saved them from calamity and had earned for himself the reward specified in this chapter.

Num 25:11 “Pineḥas, son of Elʽazar, son of Aharon the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Yisra’ĕl, because he was ardent with My ardour in their midst, so that I did not consume the children of Yisra’ĕl in My ardour. – Son of Aaron the Kohen. Phinehas had put an end to a devastating plague that had taken 24,000 lives in retribution for the orgy of immorality with the Moabite and Midianite women. Today's women has the spirit of Moabite and Midianite, which is the spirit of Liberation.

Instead of applauding him, however, some accused Phinehas of murder, and protested that this grandson of someone who had fattened calves to be sacrificed to idols had the gall to kill a prince of Yisrael. Phinehas father was married  to a daughter of Jethro, a former Midianite priest, who was called Putiel “one who fattened for a god”. In response, יהוה declared that, Phinehas actions was far from murder, he had committed an act that had saved countless lives.

Indeed, יהוה called Phinehas a descendant of Aaron, who was distinguished for his love of mankind and the pursuit of peace. What was more, יהוה rewarded him by appointing him a Kohen, which denoted a covenant of peace, not death.

By acting on behalf of יהוה, Phinehas had put an end to the plague, by which יהוה punished the rampant immorality. Had it not been for Phinehas, the plague would have continued.

In this situation, El יהוה used to bring out of the chosen peoples the content of their heart. Phinehas had it in his heart to be zealous for יהוה. This situation was just the trigger needed to bring out the zealousness of Phinehas heart. Every situation, every life experience is design for such a reason. What is the trigger in your life for a time just like this.  

Num 25:12 “Therefore say, ‘See, I am giving him My covenant of peace - My covenant of an eternal priesthood was given as a demonstration of the gratitude and good will towards Phinehas. The pledge of My Covenant should be seen as  the greeting one send to a person to whom one is indebted. Alternatively, this covenant of peace was a pledge that Phinehas would be protected from the ire of Zimri’s kingmen and supporters. This actions seems to imply that when we stand up against a particular sin, we will be given the covenant of peace over that temptation.

Num 25:13 and it shall be to him and to his seed after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was ardent for his Elohim, and made atonement for the children of Yisra’ĕl.’ – Up to this time, only Aaron and his sons had been anointed as Kohanim, and any future offspring born to that family would be a Kohanim from birth. Phinehas who had already lived, was not included in the appointment, so that he had remained a Levite up to this time. With this appointment he became a Kohen.

Levite had their status changed by slaying their brothers, Phinehas had his status change also by slaying Zimri and his harlot. The Spirit of Pinchas was the spirit of overcoming the flesh, for we slew the flesh with a vengeance.

Num 25:14 And the name of the Yisra’ĕlite who was killed, who was killed with the Miḏyanite woman, was Zimri, son of Salu, a leader of a father’s house among the Shimʽonites. – Yisrael could not be overcome by its enemy in war, except when they disobey YAHVEH direction. Yet, it take a women to bring them to a point where they were overcome. The Devil did not overcome Adam in the Garden until Eve came along, that the Devil got to Adam through Eve. Sampson the strongest man, was brought to defeat by a woman. If Adam had only  stand up to Eve and said YAHVEH forbid me to eat of this tree he would not have sinned.

Today most men lived a defeated lives, because their wives wear the pants in the family. Isa 3:12  As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

Num 25:15 And the name of the Miḏyanite woman who was killed was Kozbi the daughter of Tsur. He was head of the people of a father’s house in Miḏyan. – The midyanite woman was the daughter of a prince, but their high status did not deter Phinehas from doing what had to be done, Her identify also testifies to the degree of the Midianites hatred of the Yisraelites, even a prince did not hesitate to sacrifice his daughter to harlotry in order to destroy the Yisraelites.

Num 25:16 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Num 25:17 “Distress the Miḏyanites! And you shall smite them, - Two commandment are contained in this passage. The first is to consider the Midianites as enemies, and to express this by constantly harassing them and causing them distress.

The infinitive form of the word, to harass, implies the constancy of this commandment. Therefore, it implies an ongoing state of mind towards them, rather than instructions to do something tangible and final.

The second commandment, and smite them, implies actual warfare. Indeed, the Yisraelites were later dispatch to attack the Midianites to avenge what they had done and the plague that they had caused.

The deeper purpose of these commands was not simply revenge. The fellowship with Midian, a lust for immoral pleasure, and a desire for the worship of Peor “women worship” had been introduced into the community. Such desires are very hard to eradicate, as the lust of the flesh, is in constant danger of re-emerging.

The way to deal with such a danger is to make the people understand that what they think of as a tempting pleasure is in reality an enemy, a threat to their very existence. In the case of the Midianites, who had insinuated their debauchery and idolatry into the Hebrew people, Yisrael had to become convinced that they had nothing to learn from them; that the Midianites were hateful and should be despised. This is why the Torah calls for a continual spiritual warfare against them, until it is destroyed.

Num 25:18 for they distressed you with their tricks with which they deceived you in the matter of Peʽor and in the matter of Kozbi, the daughter of a leader of Miḏyan, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because of Peʽor.” – The midianites committed two offenses: They engineered the plot to cause Yisrael to commit idolatry, the matter of Peor; and they accomplished this through such uninhibited lewdness that they even sent one of their princesses to take part in it, an indication of their extreme hatred.

Whatever draws a believer to sin should be a vexation to us, as a thorn in the flesh. The mischief which the Midianites did to Yisrael by enticing them to whoredom must be remembered and punished with as much severity as that which the Amalekites did in fighting with them when they came out of Egypt. יהוה will certainly reckon with those that do the devil’s work in tempting men to sin.

Chapter 26

This book is called Numbers, from the numberings of the children of Yisrael, of which it gives an account. Once they were numbered at Mount Sinai, in the first year after they came out of Egypt, which we have an account in chapter 1 and 2.

Now a second numbering was done in the plains of Moab, just before they entered into Canaan, and we have an account of in this chapter.

We have,

1.                 Orders given to do so, verse 1 – 4.

2.                 A register of the families and numbers of each tribe, verse 5 – 50.

3.                 The sum total in verse 52 – 56.

4.                 The families and numbers of the Levites by themselves, verse 57 – 62.

5.                 Notice taken of the fulfilling of the threatening in the death of all those that were first number verse 63 – 64, and to this there seems to have been a special regard in taking and keeping of this account.

Num 26:1  And it came to be, after the plague, that יהוה spoke to Mosheh and Elʽazar, son of Aharon the priest, saying -  Notice carefully that Moses did not number the people but when יהוה commanded him. David in his time, did it without a command, and paid dearly for it. יהוה was Yisrael’s King, and he would not have this act of authority done but by His express commands. Moses, perhaps, by this time, had heard of the blessings with which Balaam was constrained, sorely against his will, to bless Yisrael, and particularly the notice he took of their numbers.

Moses was sufficiently pleased with that general assessment given by Balaak to Yisrael strength and honor, though he knew not their number. Now, יהוה appointed Moses to take a census of the people.

Eleazar was asked to join in the commission as Aaron had been before him. This was a way of validating his position as High Priest.

It was right after the plague that this account was ordered to be taken, to show that through יהוה had in justice contended with them by that sweeping pestilence, yet he had not made a full end, nor would he utterly cast them off.

יהוה  Yisrael will not be ruined, though it be several rebuked. They were to go by the same rule that they used in the first census, counting only those that were able to go to war, for this was one of their main goal before them as they went into the Land.

   

Num 26:2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, everyone going out to the in Yisra’ĕl.” -  EL YAHVEH commanded Moses and Elazar to conduct a census, as Moses and Aaron had done thirty-nine years earlier.

The reason for this are several: Like a shepherd who counts his flock after it has been ravaged by wolves, YAHVEH wanted to count HIS Children who had survived the plague. Since the land were to be divided according to the size of each tribes, their numbers had to be determine. In preparation for the impending battle to conquer the Land, the number of eligible fighting men had to be determined.

Num 26:3 So Mosheh and Elʽazar the priest spoke with them in the desert plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo, saying, - It was presently after the plague that this account was ordered to be taken, to show that though YAHVEH had in justice contended with them by that sweeping pestilence, yet he had not made a full end, nor would he utterly cast them off. YAH’s Yisrael shall not be ruined, though it be severely rebuked.

Num 26:4 “Take a census of the people from twenty years old and above, as יהוה commanded Mosheh and the children of Yisra’ĕl who came out of the land of Mitsrayim.” - This is the register of the tribes as they were now enrolled, in the same order that they were numbered in ch 2.

The account that is recorded of the families of each tribe, which must not be understood of such as we call families, those that live in a house together, but such as were the descendants of the several sons of the patriarchs, by whose names they were called, in honor of them, their posterity distinguished themselves and one another.

The families of the twelve tribes were numbered: Of Dan but one, for Dan had but one son, and yet that tribe was the most numerous of all except Judyah. Its beginning was small, but its latter end greatly increased. Zebulun was divided into three families, Ephraim into four, Issachar into four, Naphtali into four, and Reuben into four; Judyah, Simeon, and Asher, had five families apiece, Gad and Benjamin seven apiece, and Manasseh eight. Benjamin brought ten sons into Egypt (Gen. 46:21), but three of them, it seems either died childless or their families were extinct, for here we find seven only of those names preserved, and that whole tribe none of the most numerous; for Providence, in the building up of families and nations, does not tie itself to probabilities. The barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children has waxed feeble, 1 Sa. 2:5. 

Num 26:5 Re’uḇĕn, first-born of Yisra’ĕl, sons of Re’uḇĕn: of Ḥanoḵ, the clan of the Ḥanoḵites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites; -  

Num 26:6 of Ḥetsron, the clan of the Ḥetsronites; of Karmi, the clan of the Karmites. -  

Num 26:7 These are the clans of the Re’uḇĕnites, and their registered ones were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. -  

Num 26:8 And the son of Pallu: Eliyaḇ. - 

In the account of the tribe of Reuben, mention is made of the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, who were of that tribe, in confederacy with Korah a Levite.

Num 26:9 And the sons of Eliyaḇ: Nemu’ĕl, and Dathan, and Aḇiram. This Dathan and Aḇiram, were the called ones of the congregation, who contended against Mosheh and against Aharon in the company of Qoraḥ, when they contended against יהוה - Though the story had been largely related a few chapters before, yet here it comes in again, as if had to be remembered and thought of by posterity. Whenever they looked into their pedigree and pleased themselves with the antiquity of their families and the glory of their ancestors, that they might call themselves a seed of evil doers. Two things are here said of them:- That they had been famous in the congregation.  The second is seen in verse 10.

Num 26:10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Qoraḥ when that company died, when the fire consumed two hundred and fifty men. And they became a sign  - Probably they were remarkable for their ingenuity, activity, and fitness for business: That Dathan and Abiram that might have been advanced in due time under  and Moses; but their ambitious spirits put them upon striving against YAHVEH and Moses, and when they quarreled with the one they quarreled with the other. And what was the issue? Those that might have been famous were made infamous: they became a sign.

Num 26:11 but the sons of Qoraḥ did not die. - They were made monuments of divine justice; יהוה, in their ruin, showed himself glorious in holiness, and so they were set up for a warning to all others, in all ages, to take heed of treading in the steps of their pride and rebellion.

Notice is here taken of the preservation of the children of Korah. they died not, as the children of Dathan and Abiram did, doubtless because they kept themselves pure from the infection, and would not join, no, not with their own father, in rebellion.

If we partake not of the sins of sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues. These sons of Korah were afterwards, in their posterity, eminently serviceable to the Assembly, being employed by David as singers in the house of YAHVEH; hence many psalms are said to be for the sons of Korah: and perhaps they were made to bear his name so long after, rather than the name of any other of their ancestors, for warning to themselves, and as an instance of the power of יהוה, which brought those choice fruits even out of that bitter root.

The children of families that have been stigmatized should endeavor, by their eminent virtues, to roll away the reproach of their fathers.