The portion of Phinehas discusses the bold act of Phinehas, who took the life of the prince of the Israelite tribe of Shimon and his paramour, a Midianite princess, who attempted to lure the prince to idolatry. Through the act of Phinehas, a plague that had broken out in the camp was terminated and Phinehas was rewarded with the covenant of peace and the priesthood for his heroism. The Torah states:[1]
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of pea… Read More »
In the portion of Balak, the king of Moav, Balak, hires the non-Jewish prophet Balaam to curse the Jewish people. Instead of cursing, impressed by the virtues of the Jewish people who don’t follow sorcery and future telling, uphold lofty morals, as well as the forgiveness of all sins by G-d, Balaam only finds reason to praise the Jewish people and bless them. One of the praises that Balaam extols the Jewish people for is expressed in a verse that has also been incorporated as the opening to the morning prayers.
The Torah portion of Chukat discusses the laws of the red heifer, relating to a person who came in contact with a dead corpse, the process of purification of which involves sprinkling of ashes of the red heifer mixed with spring water. This law was taught for the first time at the time of the inauguration of the tabernacle on the second day of the Hebrew month of Nissan, to purify Israel for the bringing of the Paschal offering in the newly erected sanctuary. It was subsequently recorded in the Torah in the portion of Chukat, after the rebellion of Korach that saw many of the people of Israel fall in a plague.
The Torah portion of Korach discusses the rebellion of Korach and two hundred and fifty men against Moses for having chosen himself as king, his brother Aaron as High Priest and his nephew Eltzafan ben Uziel – the youngest of the four sons of Kehot - as prince over the family of Kehot, as opposed to Korach, the first born of Yitzhar, the second oldest son of Kehot.