War and Peace, Israel, Women’s Rights

Reflections from Parsha Pinchas

While scrolling through my Facebook feed, I stumbled upon a post that caught my attention. It mentioned how Judaism is thousands of years old, while Zionism is merely a hundred years old, suggesting a distinction between the two. However, I feel compelled to highlight how deeply intertwined Judaism and the land of Israel are, a relationship that dates back to the earliest stories of the Bible.

This week’s Parsha Pinchas offers a poignant example. In the story of the daughters of Zelophehad, these daughters approach Moses to ask for their inheritance in the land of Israel after their father dies without a male heir. This narrative is not an isolated incident but part of a broader tapestry throughout the Bible, from Exodus to the various conquests of Israel. The journey to Eretz Yisrael, the land of Israel, is a central theme that underscores the Jewish people’s historical and spiritual connection to the land.

Summary of Parsha Pinchas

Parsha Pinchas, a significant portion found in the Book of Numbers (Bamidbar), chapters 25:10-30:1, unfolds a series of profound events and commandments that shape the Israelite journey.

1. Pinchas’ Reward: The Parsha begins with God rewarding Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron the priest, for his zealous act of killing an Israelite man and a Midianite woman who were flagrantly defying God’s commandments. This act ended a plague that had broken out among the Israelites. God grants Pinchas a “covenant of peace” and an everlasting priesthood.
2. Census of Israel: A new census is taken of the Israelite men aged twenty and above, excluding the tribe of Levi. This census prepares the nation for the upcoming Canaan conquest and its land distribution.
3. Inheritance of the Land: The daughters of Zelophehad (Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah) approach Moses to request an inheritance since their father died without sons. God instructs Moses that they should indeed receive their father’s inheritance, setting a precedent for the inheritance rights of daughters in cases where there are no sons.
4. Joshua as Successor: God tells Moses to appoint Joshua as his successor to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Moses publicly commissions Joshua, laying his hands upon him and giving him a portion of his authority.
5. Sacrificial Offerings: Detailed instructions regarding the daily, Sabbath, and festival offerings are given. These include the offerings for Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Shemini Atzeret.

Parsha Pinchas underscores themes of leadership, inheritance rights, and the unbroken continuity of the Israelite journey, instilling a sense of connection and belonging to our religious heritage.

Credit for this Summary: Chat GPT

Insights from Rabbi Abraham Kook

Rabbi Kook, a profound thinker on the interplay of war and peace, believed that great wars accelerate the arrival of the Messiah and the Redemption of Israel. His writings during World War One reflect a vision where the upheaval of tyrants and the triumph of good over evil prepare the world for a brighter future. He argued that true peace (Shalom) can only be achieved when the nation of Israel is united and guided by Torah.

Rabbi Kook’s perspective highlights the paradoxical idea that sometimes, the pursuit of peace necessitates war, not out of a desire for violence but to ultimately end all wars. As he wrote: “Great wars quicken the footsteps of Mashiach and advance the Redemption of Israel. The uprooting of tyrants and the triumph of good over evil prepare the world for the great light of Israel.”

Rabbi Kook’s essays during World War One reflect a prophetic vision of the rebirth of the Jewish nation in Israel, a miracle that began to unfold in the aftermath of the war. He also emphasised that modern Western culture, with its immorality and falsehoods, will be replaced by the holy culture of Israel. True Shalom can only be achieved when Israel is united and guided by Torah.

Reflection on the Interconnectedness of Judaism and Zionism

The Bible is a testament to this history and our claim to Israel. It’s disheartening when people try to create a division between Judaism and Zionism. In reality, the two are intrinsically linked. To deny this connection is to overlook a significant aspect of Jewish identity and heritage. Anti-Zionism, in many instances, becomes a guise for anti-Semitism, attempting to delegitimise Jewish claims to their ancestral homeland.

Moreover, the story of Zelophehad’s daughters reveals a progressive aspect of Jewish law: the recognition of women’s rights. These women were granted the right to inherit land, a radical notion in ancient times. This starkly contrasts Western history, where the first American woman received a passport in her own name only in 1890, nearly 3,000 years after the Torah established such rights. The Torah’s acknowledgement of women’s rights, along with its humane treatment of slaves, predates Western society’s slow recognition of these fundamental human rights by millennia.

Western civilisation has taken a long time to overcome various prejudices, including those against women and black people. Yet, there remains one prejudice that persists: anti-Semitism. The recognition that “Jewish lives matter” and “Israeli lives matter” is the next crucial step in our global journey toward justice and equality. For 3,000 years, anti-Jewish sentiment has been ingrained in many societies, and it is high time we address and dismantle this final bastion of prejudice.

In light of this, a recent open letter signed by 94 former U.S. military generals and admirals underscores the importance of a strong Israel to the United States. These leaders highlight how Israel’s security is vital not only for its survival but also for the interests of the U.S. against common enemies like Iran and its terrorist proxies. Their support reaffirms America’s strategic and moral imperative to stand with Israel.

The Role of Leadership

Today’s world, marked by moral decline and global conflicts, cries out for leadership that understands and embodies the divine mission for humanity. As Rabbi Sacks eloquently put it: “Creation, revelation, and redemption represent the three basic relationships within which Judaism and human life are set. Creation is God’s relationship to the world. Revelation is God’s relationship with us. When we apply revelation to creation, the result is redemption: the world in which God’s will and ours coincide.”

Conclusion

Religion should catalyse a better and fairer world, recognising our vulnerabilities and mistakes and striving for Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) under God’s guidance. While challenging and complex, the story of Pinchas invites us to reflect deeply on the means and ends of achieving peace, both in ancient times and in our contemporary world.

In the quest for peace, we must navigate the delicate balance between justice and mercy, war and reconciliation, always aiming to align our will with humanity’s divine purpose.

Cover Photo – is of Ben Brown, a young lone soldier who was severely injured a few days ago in Har Dov from Hezbollah rockets. He is currently fighting for life with shrapnel in his brain. War is cruel,  sad and personal. The photo was shared with my wife’s work colleague, Sarah, his aunt.

Here is the report of the incident.

The cover Video – titled “F’or 2000 Years The World Thinks The Jews Are There To Be Slaughtered”, which was filmed during the Yom Kippur War, validates the themes this blog