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Rishon
- Pinchas is blessed with priesthood:
- Hashem said: The vengeance Pinchas took [against Zimri and Kozbi] has calmed my anger and prevented me from destroying the Jewish people in my vengeance. In reward for the above act, Pinchas is granted a covenant of eternal Kehuna/priesthood for him and all his offspring.
- The identification of those slain by Pinchas: The name of the slain Israelite who was slain together with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu, the head of the tribe of Shimon. The name of the woman was Cozbi the daughter of Tzur, who was the head of the people of Midian.
Moshe is commanded to take vengeance against the Midianites:
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- Hashem commanded Moshe to antagonize the Midianites and destroy them for conspiring against Bnei Yisrael and causing them to stumble with Baal Peor and with Kozbi.
- The Jewish people are counted for the census:
- After the plague, Hashem asked Moshe and Elazar to take a census of the Jewish people. Every [male] person of recruitment age, above age twenty, was counted.
๐ Rashi Q&A โ Bamidbar 25:10โ26:4
25:10โ11 โ Pinchas Praised
Q1. Why is Pinchasโ lineage mentioned?
A. To defend him from criticism and show he descends from Aharon, a man of peace.
Q2. What were people saying about him?
A. They mocked him as the grandson of someone connected to idolatry (Yitro), implying cruelty.
Q3. What does โืืงื ืื ืืช ืงื ืืชืโ mean?
A. He acted zealously to avenge Hashemโs honor.
Q4. What was the result of his action?
A. He stopped the plague and saved Israel.
25:12 โ Covenant of Peace
Q5. What is โืืจืืชื ืฉืืืโ?
A. A covenant from Hashem granting peace to Pinchas as a reward.
Q6. Why is this called a โcovenantโ?
A. It expresses Hashemโs lasting favor and gratitude toward him.
25:13 โ Priesthood
Q7. What reward did Pinchas receive?
A. A covenant of eternal priesthood.
Q8. Why is this significant?
A. He was not originally included in the ืืืื ื and only received it after this act.
Q9. What does โืืืืืืืโ mean?
A. He acted for the sake of his God.
25:14 โ Zimri Identified
Q10. Why is Zimri named?
A. To emphasize his disgrace, just as Pinchasโ lineage was praised.
Q11. What is surprising about him?
A. He was a prince of a major family in Israel.
Q12. What does this show?
A. Pinchas acted boldly even against a high-ranking leader.
25:15 โ Kozbi Identified
Q13. Why is Kozbiโs identity given?
A. To show how much Midian hated Israel, sending a princess to cause sin.
Q14. Who was her father?
A. A leading king of Midian.
Q15. What does this teach?
A. Even leaders degraded themselves to lead Israel astray.
25:17โ18 โ Command Against Midian
Q16. What does โืฆืจืืจโ mean?
A. To continuously harass and oppose the Midianites.
Q17. Why punish Midian?
A. Because they deliberately caused Israel to sin with Peโor.
Q18. Why not Moav as well?
A. Because Ruth would later come from Moav.
๐ Bamidbar 26:1โ4 โ The Census
26:1 โ After the Plague
Q19. Why is a census taken now?
A. Like a shepherd counting after losses, to see how many remain.
Q20. What is another reason?
A. Moshe is preparing to hand over the nation, returning them by number.
26:2 โ Who is Counted
Q21. Who is included in the census?
A. Men aged 20 and over who can go to war.
Q22. Why โby their fathersโ housesโ?
A. Tribal identity follows the father, not the mother.
26:3 โ Instruction to the People
Q23. What did Moshe and Elazar do?
A. They informed the people about the command to be counted.
26:4 โ Age Requirement
Q24. What is emphasized again?
A. Only those 20 and older are counted.