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Shabbat Pinhas: Num. 25.10-30.1. 

Special Haftorah:  Jeremiah 1.1-2.3. 

In return for his act of zealousness at the end of last Shabbat’s Torah Reading, Pinchas is appointed as a Kohein. Since he was a grandson of Aharon, he was not included in the original selection of Kohanim. With this, the succession of Kohanim as being male-only decedents of Aharon is now established.

Moshe is told to do battle against the Midianites in retaliation for the incident at Baal Peor. Moshe takes a census of B’nai Yisrael in preparation for entering The Promised Land. The total number of men over 20 years old, not including the Leviim, is 601,730. This is 1,820 fewer then was counted 40 years earlier. Including all men, women and children, the total is around three million. This does not include perhaps another three million who tagged along who were not B’nai Yisrael.

Moshe divides B’nai Yisrael through a lottery that miraculously matched each tribe to its proper portion. The Leviim are then counted.

Motivated by the Shayla, or the question of Tzelofechad’s daughters whose father died without leaving any sons, the laws of inheritance are discussed.

Moshe is told to prepare for his death, and Yehoshua is officially appointed to be his successor.

The remainder of the Parasha details the various public sacrifices offered throughout the year: daily, Shabbat, Musaf, Rosh Chodesh, and every Yom Tov. In fact, on Rosh Chodesh and each Festival we read parts of this as our Maftir portion.