The Liberator and the Zealot
Jul 18, 2025 By Eliezer B. Diamond z”l | Commentary | Pinehas
In his recently published book,The Zealot and the Emancipator: John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, and the Struggle for American Freedom, H.W. Brands contrasts the attitudes of Brown and Lincoln toward slavery, and the methods used by each to end it. In doing so, he makes the case that the terms 鈥渓iberator鈥� and 鈥渮ealot鈥� accurately encapsulate the role of each in abolishing slavery.
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Making Space for Life
Jul 26, 2024 By Joel Alter | Commentary | Pinehas
It鈥檚 not for nothing, this reputation God has for consuming anger. The Torah itself makes the case. Our parashah opens with yet another instance of God hovering at the brink. God is prepared to wipe us out in a rage over our incessant violations of the inviolable. We read inNumbers 25:10-15that God grants Pinehas a 鈥渃ovenant of peace鈥� for having leapt into action (at the end of last week鈥檚 parashah), publicly slaying two people who grossly violated sacred boundaries before the entire people. 鈥淧inehas,鈥� God explains, 鈥渉as turned back My wrath from the Israelites by displaying among them his passion for Me, so that I did not put an end to the Israelites through My zeal.鈥� (25:11)
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Life After Moses
Jul 7, 2023 By Alisa Braun | Commentary | Pinehas
In chapter 27, God announces Moses鈥檚 impending death and Joshua is appointed successor. Like his brother Aaron before him, Moses is instructed to ascend a mountain and view the Promised Land. Moses too will not enter the land because of a transgression (in his case the striking of the rock). But there is one key difference in God鈥檚 announcements to the brothers of their impending deaths. To Aaron, God explicitly commands the passing of the priesthood to his son Eleazar, a process marked by the stripping of Aaron鈥檚 priestly garments and their transfer to his son. But Moses must initiate the appointment of his successor. Why would God announce a successor to Aaron and not Moses? Did God not have a plan for Moses to hand over the reins?
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The Liberator and the Zealot
Jul 22, 2022 By Eliezer B. Diamond z”l | Commentary | Pinehas
In his recently published book, The Zealot and the Emancipator: John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, and the Struggle for American Freedom, H.W. Brands contrasts the attitudes of Brown and Lincoln toward slavery, and the methods used by each to end it. In doing so, he makes the case that the terms 鈥渓iberator鈥� and 鈥渮ealot鈥� accurately encapsulate the role of each in abolishing slavery.
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In the Face of Violence, a Covenant of Peace
Jul 2, 2021 By Marc Gary | Commentary | Pinehas
Karen Armstrong, the scholar of religion and popular author of such works as The History of God, relates that wherever she travels, she is often confronted by someone鈥攁 taxi driver, an Oxford academic, an American psychiatrist鈥攚ho confidently expresses the view that 鈥渞eligion has caused more violence and wars than anything else.鈥� This is quite a remarkable statement given that in the last century alone, tens of millions of people have been killed in two world wars, the communist purges in the Soviet Union and its satellites, and the Cambodian killing fields of the Khmer Rouge, none of which were caused by religious motivations.
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The Courage to Not Know
Jul 10, 2020 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Pinehas
If there is a moment of heroism in Parashat Pinehas, it is when the daughters of Zelophahad stand before Moses. Living in the patriarchal world of biblical Israel, they arrive at a defining juncture. Their father, Zelophahad, dies, leaving no sons to inherit or perpetuate his name. While the daughters could have simply accepted the reality of patriarchal inheritance, they bravely choose another path. Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah approach Moshe explaining, 鈥淟et not our father鈥檚 name be lost to his clan just because he had no sons! Give us a holding among our father鈥檚 kinsmen!鈥� (Num. 27:4). The reader of Torah cannot help but embrace this gesture with a sense of awe. What trepidation鈥攁nd gumption鈥攎ust have been involved in the decision to bring their case before the leader of the fledgling nation of Israel!
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In the Face of Violence, a Covenant of Peace
Jul 26, 2019 By Marc Gary | Commentary | Pinehas
Karen Armstrong, the scholar of religion and popular author of such works as The History of God, relates that wherever she travels, she is often confronted by someone鈥攁 taxi driver, an Oxford academic, an American psychiatrist鈥攚ho confidently expresses the view that 鈥渞eligion has caused more violence and wars than anything else.鈥� This is quite a remarkable statement given that in the last century alone, tens of millions of people have been killed in two world wars, the communist purges in the Soviet Union and its satellites, and the Cambodian killing fields of the Khmer Rouge, none of which were caused by religious motivations.
First and second haftarot of rebuke
Jul 6, 2018 By Jan Uhrbach | Commentary | Masei | Mattot | Pinehas | Tishah Be'av
Chapters 1 and 2 of Jeremiah constitute the first two haftarot of 鈥渃alamity鈥� or rebuke. In them, the prophet anticipates disorienting but necessary societal upheaval; he is called 鈥渢o uproot and pull down, destroy and overthrow,鈥� and also 鈥渢o build and to plant.鈥�
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