History

Phinehas was brazenly zealous when he slayed Zimri, the licentious leader of the tribe of Simeon.

“Why should our father’s name be eliminated from his family because he had no sons? Give us a landholding among our father’s brothers!”

In 1165, an agonizing question confronted Moroccan Jewry. A fanatical Muslim sect, the Almohads, had seized power and were embarked on a policy of forced conversion to Islam. The Jewish community was faced with a choice: to affirm Islamic faith or die.

Pinchas' deed evokes many associations -- courage, decisiveness and religious passion are several that come to mind -- but peace hardly seems one of them. Pinchas, after all, killed two people. So why does the Torah describe him as a man of peace? To unde...

Criticizing politicians, statesmen, and religious leaders is in vogue. In the prevailing courtroom of public opinion, people are judged guilty until proven innocent. At least that's what the cynics say…

The division of land was so essential that G-d fully invested Himself in its process. It was a visual and auditory experience for the nation, one that perhaps left a life-long imprint...

Confronted with Phinehas' heroism, the people felt challenged: Why hadn't any of them stepped up as Phinehas had? Why hadn't they objected and acted with bravery?

At the very last moment, as the dramatic denouement drew to a close, they had a fleeting moment of remorse. And that was enough to deliver them from their fate.

On which choices will we focus? The “big” ones, over which we have no control, or the “small” ones, which are entirely in our hands?

What is the most effective method to ensure that our children follow the path we wish for them to follow? The daughters of Zelophehad lead us to a compelling answer.