Beth HaDerech; Messianic Jewish Congregation, Toronto, Canada

Raising the Lowly on High

Weekly Sidra: Phinehas (Pinchas) Torah Portion: Bamidbar/ Numbers 25:10-30:1 Haftorah: Melachim Alef / I Kings 18:46-19:21 Bamidbar 25:11: Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aaron the Kohen turned My anger away from the Children of Israel, in his zealousness is My zeal, from among them, so I did not consume the Children of Israel in My jealousy. Pinchas ben Elazar is a relatively unknown character in the Torah until this point.  We find he was only mentioned once before in Shemot 6:25 naming him as a son of Putiel or Yitro.(Sotah 43a)[1]   His lineage is discussed in the Gemara as being from Yoseph or Aaron as is stated in this parasha.  ‘Phinehas’ was the [priest] Anointed for Battle; ‘with the vessels of the sanctuary’ i.e., the ark and the tablets [of the decalogue] which were in it; ‘and the trumpets for the alarm’ i.e., the horns. — A Tanna taught: Not for naught did Phinehas go to the battle [against Midian] but to exact judgment on behalf of his mother's father [Joseph]; as it is said: And the Midianites sold him into Egypt etc. Is this to say that Phinehas was a descendant of Joseph? But behold it is written: And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; [and she bare him Phinehas]!Is it not to be supposed, then, that he was a descendant of Jethro who fattened [pittem] calves...