In Brief

The name of the Parshah, “Pinchas,” refers to Phineas, who avenged G‑d’s name (Numbers 25:11). Pinchas means “mouth of brass”.

Aaron’s grandson Pinchas is rewarded for his act of zealotry in killing the Simeonite prince Zimri and the Midianite princess, Cozbi who was his paramour: G‑d grants him a covenant of peace and the priesthood.

A census of the people counts 601,730 men between the ages of twenty and sixty. Moses is instructed on how the Land is to be divided by lottery among the tribes and families of Israel. The five daughters of Tzelafchad petition Moses that they be granted the portion of the land belonging to their father, who died without sons; G‑d accepts their claim and incorporates it into the Torah’s laws of inheritance.

Moses empowers Joshua to succeed him and lead the people into the Land of Israel.

The Parshah concludes with a detailed list of the daily offerings, and the additional offerings brought on Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh (first of the month), and the festivals of Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret.

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The Census

Reuben, Israel’s firstborn:

• The descendants of Reuben were:
  • the family of the Hanochites from Hanoch;
  • the family of the Paluites from Palu,
  • the family of the Hezronites from Hezron,
  • and the family of the Carmites from Carmi.
    • These were the families of the Reubenites,
      and they numbered 43,730

//
The sons of Palu were Eliab. The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. They are Dathan and Abiram, the chosen of the congregation who incited against Moses and Aaron in the assembly of Korah, when they incited against the Lord.

Korah’s sons, however, did not die.

Q Who were Korach’s sons who did not die? (This is new. For it says in the original occurrence, that Korach, Dathan and Abiram and all the members of their families died… However, upon closer reading it says: Dathan and Abiram went out standing upright at the entrance of their tents together with their wives, their children, and their infants.)

• The descendants of Simeon according to their families:

  • the family of the Nemuelites from Nemuel,
  • the family of the Jaminites from Jamin,
  • the family of the Jachinites from Jachin,
  • the family of the Zerahites from Zerah,
  • the family of the Shaulites from Shaul.
    • These were the families of the Simeonites
      and they numbered 22,200

• The descendants of Gad according to their families:

  • the family of the Zefonites from Zefon,
  • the family of the Haggites from Haggi,
  • the family of the Shunites from Shuni,
  • the family of the Oznites from Ozni,
  • the family of the Erites from Eri,
  • the family of the Arodites from Arod,
  • the family of the Arelites from Areli.

• These were families of Gad
  according to those of them counted, 40,500

// The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

• The descendants of Issachar according to their families:
  • the family of the Tolaites from Tola,
  • the family of the Punites from Puvah,
  • the family of the Jashubites from Jashub,
  • the family of the Shimronites from Shimron.
  • These were the families of Issachar
    according to those of them counted: 64,300

• The descendants of Zebulun according to their families:
  • the family of the Sardites from Sered,
  • the family of the Elonites from Elon,
  • the family of the Jahleelites from Jahleel.
  • These were the families of Zebulun
    according to those of them counted, 60,500

• The descendants of Judah according to their families:
  • the family of the Shelanites from Shelah,
  • the family of the Perezites from Perez,
  • the family of the Zerahites from Zerah.
    • The descendants of Perez were:
      • the family of the Hezronites from Hezron,
      • the family of the Hamulites from Hamul.
  • These were the families of Judah
    according to those of them counted, 76,6500

• The descendants of Benjamin according to their families:
  • the family of the Belaites from Bela,
  • the family of the Ashbelites from Ashbel,
  • the family of the Ahiramites from Ahiram,
  • the family of the Shuphamites from Shupham,
  • the family of the Huphamites from Hupham.
    • The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman;
      • the family of the Ardites [from Ard],
      • the family of the Naamites from Naaman.
  • These were the descendants of Benjamin according to their families,
    and those of them counted were 45,600

• The descendants of Dan according to their families:

  • the family of the Shuhamites from Shuham.
  • These were the families of Dan.
    • All the Shuhamite families
      according to those of them counted, 64,400

• The descendants of Asher according to their families:

  • the family of Jimnah from Jimnah,
  • the family of the Ishvites from Ishvi,
  • the family of the Beriites from Beriah.
    • The descendants of Beriah:
      • the family of the Heberites from Heber,
      • the family of the Malchielites from Malchiel.

• // The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah.

• These were the families (of the descendants) of Asher

  • according to those of them counted, 53,400

• The descendants of Naphtali according to their families:
  • the family of the Jahzeelites from Jahzeel,
  • the family of the Gunites from Guni,
  • the family of the Jezerites from Jezer,
  • the family of the Shillemites from Shillem.
• These were the families of Naphtali according to their families,
  • and those of them counted were 45,400

• The descendants of Joseph according to their families:

  • Manasseh and Ephraim.

  • The descendants of Manasseh:

    • the family of the Machirites from Machir
      • and Machir’s son was Gilead;
      • the family of the Gileadites from Gilead.
        • These were the family of the descendants of Gilead:
          • The family of the Iezerites from Iezer,
          • the family of the Helekites from Helek,
          • the family of the Asrielites from Asriel,
          • the family of the Shechemites from Shechem,
          • the family of the Shemidaites from Shemida,
          • the family of the Hepherites from Hepher.
          • // Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters, and the names of Zelophehad’s daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.

  • These were families of Manasseh,

    • and those of them counted were 52,700

  • These were the descendants of Ephraim according to their families:

    • the family of the Shuthalhites from Shuthelah,
    • the family of the Bachrites from Becher,
    • the family of the Tahanites from Tahan.
      • And these were the descendants of Shuthelah:
        • the family of the Eranites from Eran.

  • These were the families of the descendants of Ephraim

    • according to those of them counted, 32,500
• these were the descendants of Joseph according to their families.