CTeenConnection

By Gabrielle Sharbin

Yesterday, we read Parshat Pinchas! In this Parsha, Aaron’s grandson whose name was Pinchas was rewarded for killing the Simeonite prince Zimri, and the Midianite princess who was his paramour mistress. Hashem then grants him with covenant of peace, and the priesthood.

A census then occurs, and counts 601,730 men between the ages of 20 and 60. Moshe is then told that all the land should be divided up to tribes and families of Israel by a lottery.

The five daughters of Tzelafchad argue (to Moshe) that they should receive their father’s land, since he died without any sons. G-d accepts this claim, and it is incorporated into the Torah’s laws of inheritance.

Moshe empowers Joshua to succeed him, and Joshua will lead the Jewish people into the Holy land, Israel.

Parshat Pinchas, concludes with a list of daily offerings, and other special offerings for Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Shemini Atzeret.

On a similar note, there are many laws, which apply to writing a Torah. The sofer must write the Torah, with a certain type of ink, on a certain type of parchment paper, etc… The list goes on and on. Another rule is that all of the letters in the Torah must be whole. Not one can be cut.

But, (as my Rabbi would say there is always a but in Judaism) there is one time where this rule does not apply. In fact this letter must be cut, and this occurs in this Parsha. In the first Torah reading for Parshat Pinchas, the vav in the word shalom must be cut.

Many sages have come to the conclusion that this is because you can never have a full peace, or shalom. There is always some hatred some atrocity, which interferes. And that honestly could not be more relevant to our lives right now.

This has been an unbelievably hard month, and especially a terribly hard week for all of us. The horrendous actions of Hamas have caused all of us to fall asleep in fear and wake up the same way. We are all terrified for our brothers and sisters in Israel.

But let’s make a pledge, to each do a mitzvah in honor of what’s going on in Israel. Let’s make a pledge to pray for the people of Israel and I’m sure together we can make an enormous impact.

Moshiach now!