The Incredible Shrinking G-d

Moshe’s Disappointment

Kerias HaTorah

Since Parshas Pinchas includes all the maftir readings of the holidays, and also the reading of Rosh Chodesh…

Transferring the Scepter of Leadership

Elijah and the Still, Small Voice

To preserve tradition and at the same time defend those others condemn is the difficult, necessary task of religious leadership in an unreligious age.

Love-Based Zealousness

The main story in this week's Torah portion is how G-d blessed Pinhas for stabbing to death two public sinners, in his zeal to protect G-d's name from desecration. This blessing is particularly noteworthy, for the Torah specifically mentions that Pinhas was the grandson of man-of-peace par excellence Aharon HaKohen. Do peace and zeal truly come together?

How to Mend Tears to Reach Unity

A harsh conflict, which reached its apex with the sale of Yosef, split the family of Yaakov. Between the two leaders of their respective mothers’ parts of the family, Yehuda and Yosef.

Pinchas' Law

At times and as proven by Pinchas, an act of violence or war is justified and necessary, to make peace. If the Allied Forces had not intervened and declared war against Nazi Germany and Japan, can anyone imagine our lives today, if at all we would have survived?

Justifiable Homicide

There are those amongst us who abhor violence at all costs, in all circumstances. Apparently, these murmurings against Pinchas,were so strong that the Lord had to "intervene" to defend Pinchas and highlight the justification and necessity of his act.

Name That Hero

The name of this week’s protagonist, Pinchas, is quite fascinating, for it contains within it another well-known name: Noach. What is the connection between the two?

Lessons of a Leader

The Parsha of Pinchas contains a masterclass on leadership, as Moses confronts his own mortality and asks God to appoint a successor. In the case of Moses, the Sages sensed a certain sadness at his realisation that he would not be succeeded by either of his sons.

Tirtza – The Story of a Forgotten Capital City

The daughters of Tzlofchad, discussed in the parasha, are symbols of righteous women, in whose merit Bnei Yisrael left Egypt and arrived in Eretz Yisrael. One of the five daughters was Tirtza. Tirtza was also the name of the capital city of the northern Kingdom of Israel.

The "Son" of the "Sun"

Will Women Bring Redemption?

Israel National Torah

A look in this week's Torah reading Pinchas to understand why Jewish women usually get it right with regards to bringing Redemption...and why Jewish men so often don't.

Who Are the Moshlim?

Pinchas

Moral v. Political Decisions

The Haftarah for Pinchas

Patience and Politics

Proper and Improper Zealotry