THE TORAH READING FOR 23 TAMUZ 5781 JULY 2-3, 2021
JULY BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, AND SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
Mazal Tov – Mazal Bueno to all those celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or significant event during the Month of July. If we were together at Temple Kol Hamidbar, we would extend a Tallit over you, recite a special prayer for you, and recite the following blessing (cf Num. 6:24-26):
- May the Eternal One bless you and protect you!
- May the Eternal One deal kindly and graciously with you!
- May the Eternal One bestow favor upon you and grant you peace!
KËIN YEHI RATZON (Let it be so!)
PARSHA
From Reform Judaism https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/pinchas
PINCHAS (פִּינְחָס — Hebrew for “Phinehas”, a name) – Numbers 25:10−30:1
The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying, “Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the Israelites by displaying among them his passion for Me, so that I did not wipe out the Israelite people in My passion.” – Numbers 25:10-11
SUMMARY
- Pinchas is rewarded for killing the Israelite and the Midianite woman who cursed God. (25:10–15)
- Israel fights a war against the Midianites. (25:16-18)
- A second census is taken. (26:1–65)
- The daughters of Zelophehad force a change in the laws of property inheritance. (27:1–11)
- Joshua is chosen to be Moses’ successor. (27:15–23)
- The sacrificial ritual for all festival occasions is described in detail. (28:1–30:1)
HAFTARAH
Jeremiah 1:1-2:3
From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinechas_(parashah)
[When the parashah falls after the Seventeenth of Tammuz, as it does during most years, the haftarah is from Jeremiah.] The first of three readings of admonition leading up to Tisha B’Av, the haftarah admonishes Judah and Israel in Jeremiah 1:13-19. And then in Jeremiah 2:1-3, the haftarah concludes with consolation. The Gemara taught that Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations, and as Jews read Lamentations on Tisha B’Av, this probably accounts for why a selection from Jeremiah begins the series of haftarot of admonition.
STRUGGLING WITH TORAH
From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinechas_(parashah)
PINCHAS (פִּינְחָס — Hebrew for “Phinehas”, a name) – Numbers 25:10−30:1
[The parashah] tells of Phinehas’s killing of a couple, ending a plague, and of the daughters of Zelophehad’s successful plea for land rights…. [T]he parashah sets out laws for the Jewish holidays, Jews also read parts of the parashah as Torah readings for many Jewish holidays.
[The triennial reading is Numbers 26:52-28:15. It includes a second census for dividing the land, (the first, for military service, was at the beginning of Numbers); Zelophehad’s daughters asking for their father’s inheritance as their due; Joshua’s appointment to be Moses’ successor; and the sacrifices for all festival occasions.]
REFLECTION – FROM “THE TORAH / A WOMEN’S COMMENTARY”
Excerpts from “Contemporary Reflection” by Silvina Chemen, pp.985-986
“The achievement of Zelophehad’s daughters was a landmark in women’s rights regarding the inheritance of land, from those days up to now. In addition, however, the story of these five women offers a compelling lesson for all those who believe that their destiny is fixed or that divine justice has abandoned them. It encourages us to think differently – and provides a message of hope for all those faced with obstacles.”
“Perhaps the most important legacy of Zelophehad’s daughters is their call to us to take hold of life with our own hands, to move from the place that the others have given us – or that we have decided to keep because we feel immobile – and to walk, even to the most holy center, to where nobody seems to be able to go. After all, nothing is more sacred than life itself and the fight for what we believe is worthy. Thus, this parashah inspires us to discover that we too have the ability to know what is right for ourselves and what our rights ought to be….”
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur”
WEEKDAY T’FILAH p.86
Sound the great shofar to proclaim our freedom,
raise a great banner for our oppressed
and let the voice of liberty be heard in the four corners of the earth.
Blessed are You, the Eternal One, who redeems the oppressed.
FOR OUR COUNTRY p.516
THUS SAYS ADONAI, This is what I desire: to unlock the fetters of wickedness, and untie the cords of lawlessness; to let the oppressed go free, to break off every yoke. Share your bread with the hungry, and take the wretched poor into your home. When you see the naked, give clothing, and do not ignore your own kin.
O GUARDIAN of life and liberty, may our nation always merit Your protection. Teach us to give thanks for what we have by sharing it with those who are in need. Keep our eyes open to the wonders of creation, and alert to the care of the earth. May we never be lazy in the work of peace; may we honor those who have [served, suffered or] died in defense of our ideals. Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance. May they govern with justice and compassion. Help us all to appreciate one another, and to respect the many ways that we may serve You. May our homes be safe from affliction and strife, and our country be sound in body and spirit. Amen.
FOR HEALING
We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, brutality, conflicts, fear, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence especially against all minority communities including us, and war; for all those at home alone or lonely; for all those in need of physical, emotional, and mental healing. “R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!
YAHRZEITS/ANYOS
We say KADDISH YATOM for those of our friends and families who have died and been buried this last week; those in the period of Sh’loshim (30 days since burial); those who have died in the last year; and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of brutality, conflict, disease, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds, and war.
This coming week, the 23rd through the 29th of Tamuz, we lovingly remember:
Joseph Gorman
TKH Memorial Board and father of Pam Elder
Those victims of the Sho’ah (Holocaust) who died at this time of year.
“ZICHRONAM LIV’RACHAH” – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE FOR BLESSING.
TORAH STUDY AND SHAZOOM
We will meet as usual at the regular times for Torah Study and Shazoom this evening, Friday, July 2, 2021.
Zoom continues updating its security and performance features. Making sure you have the latest version of Zoom, please join us online this evening:
Topic: Torah Study – Triennial Reading Num. 26:52-28:15
Time: July 2, 2021 06:00 PM Arizona
and/or
Shazoom – Erev Shabbat Service
Time: July 2, 2021 07:30 PM Arizona
To join the Torah Study and/or Shazoom click on the following link [you may need to copy it into your browser]: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/72510500854?pwd=Z3VQZWF4U1BBZytNYmh3aHFTWkFDZz09
Meeting ID: 725 1050 0854
Passcode: 4NrMk0
Hint: The last character of the password is the number zero.
Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat!
-Ruben
PS – Happy Independence Day!