This week's portion begins with the story of Pinchas, who stopped a plague and appeased God's anger by killing an Israelite prince and a Midianite woman who had been fornicating openly in public, causing despair to the people.
There is a lesson here about sexual morality -- which is bad in private, but far worse, and socially destructive, if carried out in public, in defiance of norms and leaders who are trying to point people in the right direction.
Pinchas and his descendants are rewarded by being able to join the priesthood. The portion goes on to describe the descendants within the tribes, and the special sacrifices offered by the Jewish people on each holiday in the calendar.
There is a special story about the daughters of Zelaphchad, who study the law and use reasoned argument to defend their right to inherit land in Israel. Moses, to his credit, listens to them and incorporates their circumstances into the law.
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495776/jewish/Pinchas-Torah-Reading.htm
This is the portion that all journalists should love: the Torah tells the story of the 12 spies, only two of whom tell the truth when the other ten shade it in a negative away (perhaps to suit a political agenda that is opposed to Moses).
It's not that the ten "lying" spies misconstrue the facts about the Land of Israel; rather, they interject their opinions that the land is impossible to conquer, which strikes unnecessary terror into the hearts of the people.
We have many examples of such fake news today -- from the Iranian propaganda outlets spreading false claims that they are winning the war, to California politicians spreading false horror stories about ICE raids in L.A.
The people realize, too late, that they have been fooled, and once they are condemned to die in the desert, they try to rush into Israel -- only to be defeated by the inhabitants, as the spies predicted that they would be.
But as consolation, God gives the people new commandments -- focused on things they must ...
This week's portion discusses the procedure for lighting the menorah, the holy seven-branched lamp, in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple). It also describes an episode where the people crave meat, and God punishes them by giving it to them in excess. We also read the story of Miriam, Moses's sister, who is punished with the spiritual skin blemish of tzara'at for speaking about her brother, thus violating the prohibition against lashon hara (evil tongue).
I heard a fantastic sermon this week about the lighting of the menorah: that while only the priests were qualified to clean and purify the menorah, anyone could light it. A reminder that each of us can inspire others along the way.
This week we study the vow of the Nazirite; a reminder that sometimes trying to be too holy is excessive, and the best we can do is to be the best that we are.
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495720/p/complete/jewish/Naso-Torah-Reading.htm
