![]() ![]() In a Torah scroll, the word shalom is written like this: "Behold, I am giving to him my covenant of peace." However, there is a strange exception to these rules regarding the Vav that appears in the word "shalom" Numbers 25:12: Soferut (i.e., the laws concerning the scribal arts of writing Sefrei Torah) requires that all Hebrew letters be "well-formed" - that is, no letters can touch other letters and no letters can be malformed, broken, or otherwise illegible. When Pinchas risked his life by killing Zimri the nassi (prince) of the tribe of Simeon, the LORD rewarded him by making him a kohen (priest) and promising him a "covenant of peace." The LORD further promised him - and his descendants after him - brit kehunat olam, a "covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement (kafar) for the people of Israel." This is a clear picture of Yeshua the Mashiach and His greater priesthood (i.e., His descendants of whom He is Firstfruit). However, since his grandson Pinchas had already been born, he did not automatically receive this honor, especially since his father Eleazar (the son of Aaron) was married to a Gentile bride (i.e., Eleazar married a Midianite daughter of Jethro as mentioned in Exod. When Aaron received the promise of the priesthood from the LORD, it meant that his children and their descendants would be part of the Kohanim (priestly) class. This week's parashah begins with the LORD rewarding Pinchas by granting him a "covenant of peace" ( בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם) and brit kehunat olam, the covenant of perpetual priesthood.Īnd the LORD said to Moses,"Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. On account of Pinchas' zeal, God stopped the plague and Israel was delivered from destruction. Last week's reading ( Balak) introduced us to Pinchas (Phinehas), the son of Eleazar the priest (and grandson of Aaron), who, during the rebellion at Baal Peor, zealously removed evil from Israel by driving a spear through a tribal prince who was fornicating with a Midianite princess. ![]() Click on the links to display the Scriptures: ![]()
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