[Par-reg] for Parshat Pinchas

Wed Jul 11 11:57:30 EDT 2012

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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]

          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag

     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag

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                 PARSHAT PINCHAS

     Should Chumash end with Parshat Pinchas?

     Obviously not, yet in the middle of this
week's Parsha we

find the story of Moshe Rabbeinu's 'death'
and the transfer of

his leadership to Yehoshua (see 27:12-23).

     Furthermore, a careful study of Parshat
Pinchas reveals

that almost all of its topics seem to belong
elsewhere in

Chumash.

     In this week's shiur, we attempt to
understand why.

INTRODUCTION

     Up until Parshat Pinchas, the narrative
of Sefer Bamidbar

has followed in a very logical
(chronological) order.

However, towards the beginning of Parsha
Pinchas, we uncover a

serious problem in relation to the story of
the war against

Midyan.

     Even though God's command to avenge the
Midyanim is

recorded towards the beginning of Parshat
Pinchas, the details

of that battle are not recorded until several
chapters later

in the middle of Parshat Matot.  In the
'interim', Parshat

Pinchas discusses several events that are not
only unrelated,

but also appear to have taken place at a
later time!

     After explaining this problem in a bit
more detail, our

shiur will attempt to explain the reason for
what otherwise

seems to be a very strange progression of
parshiot.

    [Before we begin our shiur, a note of
convention:

          Parsha - with a capital 'P - refers
to Parshat

HaShavua,

    parsha  (or parshia) - with a small 'p' -
refers to

    'parshiot' ['ptuchot' or 'stumot'] - the
paragraph-

    like divisions in Chumash, denoted by a
wide blank

    space on the line .]

DEFINING THE PROBLEM

     Review 25:1-15, noting how Parshat
Pinchas begins by

completing the story of Bnei Yisrael's sin
with the daughters

of Midyan (from the end of Parshat Balak).
First, Pinchas is

rewarded for his zealous act (that saved Bnei
Yisrael from a

harsher punishment/ 25:10-15); and
immediately afterward God

commands Moshe to avenge the Midyanites:

  "And God spoke to Moshe, saying: Attack the
Midyanites

  and defeat them, for they attacked you by
trickery..."

  (25:16-18).

     Logic would dictate that Chumash should
continue at this

point with the story of that battle.  But
that's not what

happens!  Instead, the details of that battle
are recorded

only some five chapters later -in the middle
of Parshat Matot:

  "And God spoke to Moshe, saying: Avenge the
Israelite

  people on the Midyanites...[then] Moshe
spoke to Bnei

  Yisrael: Choose men for battle, and let
them attack

  Midyan to avenge God's anger with
Midyan..." (see

  Bamidbar 31:1-2 / compare with 25:16-18).

     In the interim (i.e. chapters 26-30), we
find several

unrelated topics, as summarized in the
following table:

Chapter  Topic

26:1-65        A census of the entire nation

27:1-11        The story of 'bnot Tzlofchad'

27:12-14       Moshe Rabbeinu's 'final day'

27:12-23       The transfer of leadership
from Moshe to

Yehoshua

28:1-30:1 Laws of korbanot - tmidim and
musafim

30:2-17        The laws of nedarim (vows)

     This problem usually goes unnoticed for
a very simple

reason.  When the census begins in chapter
26, it appears to

be directly connected to this commandment to
avenge the

Midyanim:

  "And God spoke to Moshe, saying: Attack the

  Midyanites..."    (see 25:16-18)

  "And it came to pass after the plague, God
told Moshe...

  take a census of Bnei Yisrael from the age
twenty and up

  - by their ancestral houses, all who are
able to bear

  arms"    (see 26:1-2).

     This juxtaposition leaves us with the
impression that

this census is necessary as part of the
preparation for the

ensuing battle against Midyan.  However, by
the time the

details of that census are completed (some 60
verses later) it

becomes quite clear that this "mifkad" has
nothing to do with

that battle.  Rather, its purpose is stated
explicitly:

  "... This is the total number of Bnei
Yisrael: 601,730.

  And God spoke to Moshe saying:  To these
[counted people]

  shall the land be apportioned - according
to the listed

  names, the larger the group the larger the
share..." (see

  26:51-54).

     In other words, this census will form
the basis for the

partition of the Land after its conquest.
This observation

explains why this specific census is
conducted "l'beit avotam"

[lit. by their ancestral houses / see 26:2] -
hence it

includes the specific the names of the
official family units,

as the land will be apportioned according to
the size of these

family units (see 26:52).

  [Note how this detail of "le-beit avotam"
is the primary

  difference between the census here, and the
census in

  Bamidbar chapters 1-2.  There, we don't
find these

  individual family unit names!]

     Further proof that this census is
totally unrelated to

the war against Midyan comes from the details
of that battle

in Parshat Matot.  Review 31:4-6, noting how
God instructs

Moshe to conscript only one thousand soldiers
from each tribe.

If only 12,000 soldiers are needed to fight
Midyan, then there

is certainly no need for Moshe to conduct a
comprehensive

census of over 600,000 soldiers!

     Conclusive proof that the census in
chapter 26 is taken

for the sole purpose of apportioning the land
(and has nothing

to do with the ensuing battle against Midyan)
is found in

chapter 27, where we find the story of how
the daughters of

Tzlofchad complained that they would not
receive a 'nachala'

[a portion of the land].  Certainly, this has
nothing to do

with the war against Midyan, but everything
to do with

inheriting the Land!

  [The final topic of chapter 27, i.e. the
appointment of

  Yehoshua to succeed Moshe, also relates to
the topic of

  inheriting the land, as it will become
Yehoshua's

  responsibility to conquer and then oversee
the inheritance

  of the land according the tribal families.]

  ]

     Finally, chapters 28 thru 30 describe
numerous laws

regarding korbanot and nedarim [vows].  These
laws as well

certainly have no direct connection to the
war against Midyan.

     Only in chapter 31, Sefer Bamidbar
finally returns to the

details of the battle against Midyan that
began back in

chapter 25.

     The following chart summarizes our
discussion thus far

and illustrates how the natural flow from
chapter 25-31 is

interrupted by topics A-F:

CHAPTER              EVENT / TOPIC

=========      ===============

* 25 ==> GOD'S COMMANDMENT TO ATTACK MIDYAN

A) 26          The Census of the people who
will inherit the

Land

B) 27:1-11     The story of bnot Tzlofchad

C) 27:12-14    Moshe Rabbeinu's final day

D) 27:12-23    The transfer of leadership
from Moshe to

Yehoshua

E) 28->29 The laws of korbanot - tmidim and
musafim

F) 30          The laws of nedarim (vows)

* 31 ==> THE BATTLE AGAINST THE MIDYANIM

     Clearly, none of these topics relate
directly to

'milchemet Midyan'.  Nonetheless, the Torah
records them here

in Parshat Pinchas.

     To understand why, we must first
determine where each of

these parshiot (i.e. A-F) does belong.

A)  THE CENSUS - MIFKAD HA-NACHALOT

     As we explained above, the census (in
chapter 26) was

taken to enable the leaders to properly
apportion the land

Therefore, it's rather easy to identify where
this section

'belongs', for the last three chapters of
Sefer Bamidbar

discuss the topic of inheriting the land (see
33:50 till the

end of the book).  In fact, we can pretty
much pinpoint where

this unit belongs by noting a rather obvious
textual (and

thematic) parallel.  Simply review once again
the concluding

psukim of the census:

  "Among these shall the land be apportioned
as shares,

  according to the listed names, with larger
groups

  INCREASE the share, with smaller groups
REDUCE the share.

  Each is to be assigned its share according
to its

  enrollment..." (see 26:52-54).

     The note how we find almost the
identical commandment in

Parshat Mas'ei, when God charges Bnei Yisrael
with the mission

of conquering the land:

  "When you cross the Jordan into the Land of
Canaan... you

  shall take possession of the land and
settle it..."

  "You shall apportion the land among
yourselves... with

  larger groups INCREASE the share, with
smaller groups

  REDUCE the share... You shall have your
portions

  according to your ancestral tribes..."
(see 33:50-55)

          [Note CAPS in both quotes to
highlight parallel]

     Review these psukim once again, noting
how this

commandment in Parshat Mas'ei is almost
identical to the

commandment recorded at the conclusion of the
census in

Parshat Pinchas (see above 26:52-54)!

     Furthermore, Parshat Mas'ei continues
with numerous other

commandments concerning inheriting the land.
[For example,

the borders of Eretz Canaan that are to be
conquered (see 34:1-

15), the tribal leaders who will apportion
the land (see 34:16-

29), the cities of the levi'im and the cities
of refuge (see

chapter 35), etc.]

     Hence, we conclude that the census in
Parshat Pinchas

actually 'belongs 'in Parshat Mas'ei!

B)  BNOT TZLOFCHAD

     Note how this incident (see 27:1-11) is
recorded

immediately after the census [read 27:1
carefully], and most

probably that is exactly when it took place.
After all, the

daughters of Tzlofchad's complaint stems from
their worry that

their father's inheritance (as promised in
the census) will be

lost, for they have no brothers.

     Clearly, this story can be considered a
direct

continuation of the "mifkad ha-nachalot"
(i.e. chapter 26),

for it too deals with laws concerning
inheriting the Land.

Therefore, it too should have been recorded
in Parshat Mas'ei.

[In fact, the story of bnot Tzlofchad
actually continues in

Parshat Mas'ei - see chapter 36!]

C)  MOSHE RABBEINU'S FINAL DAY

     In the next parsha (27:12-14), God
commands Moshe to take

a final glance of the Promised Land prior to
his death:

  "And God told Moshe: Ascend Mount Eivarim
and view the

  land which I am giving to Bnei Yisrael,
then you will be

  gathered unto your people, just as Aharon
was..." [ i.e.

  the time has come for Moshe to die (see
27:12-13).

  Obviously, this commandment should have
been recorded at the

very end of Sefer Bamidbar, or even at the
end of Sefer

Devarim - prior to Moshe's death; surely not
in the middle of

Parshat Pinchas!  [To verify this, simply
compare it to

Devarim 34:1-6.]

     Furthermore, even if this story
'belongs' in Sefer

Bamidbar, it most definitely should have been
recorded after

"milchemet Midyan", for that story begins
-stating explicitly:

  "And God spoke to Moshe: Avenge the
Midyanites...

  afterward you shall be gathered to your
nation" (31:1).]

D)  APPOINTING YEHOSHUA AS THE NEW LEADER

     The next parshia (27:15-23) is simply
Moshe's reaction to

this commandment (that he must die).
Therefore, Moshe

requests that God appoint a leader in his
place.  Clearly,

both of these parshiot [(C) and (D)] form a
unit, but it would

have made more sense to records this unit
somewhere towards

the end of Chumash; but definitely not in the
middle of

Parshat Pinchas!

     In fact, considering that this story
includes the

appointment of Yehoshua as the new leader,
this unit could

have formed a very appropriate conclusion for
the entire

Sefer.

E)  KORBANOT TMIDIM U-MUSAFIM

     The next two chapters (28->29)
constitute a schedule of

the various korbanot musaf that are offered
on special

occasions in 'addition' [= musaf] to the
daily tamid

sacrifice.

     Obviously, this entire unit doesn't
belong here, for it

has nothing to do with the ongoing narrative.
Rather, it

should have been recorded in Sefer Vayikra,
most probably in

Parshat Emor, together with the other laws of
korbanot and

holidays (see Vayikra chapter 23, noting how
the phrase: 've-

hikravtem isheh la-Hashem..' relates to the
complete details

found in Bamidbar chapters 28-29]

F)  PARSHAT NEDARIM

     In chapter 30 we find a commandment
regarding the laws of

"nedarim" [vows]; yet another parshia of
mitzvot (as opposed

to narrative).  These laws could be
understood as a direct

continuation of the previous section -
because the final pasuk

of the "tmidim u'musafim" section states that
these korbanot

were brought 'in addition to their
nedarim...' (see 29:39!).

  Based on this analysis, it becomes clear
that the Torah has

intentionally 'interrupted' the story of the
war against

Midyan with several unrelated parshiot!  The
obvious question

is: why?

DIVIDE & CONQUER

     To answer this question, we must first
group these six

topics (i.e. A-F above) into two basic
categories.

I.  PREPARATION FOR ENTERING ERETZ CANAAN
(26-27)

     A.  The census for dividing the land -
mifkad ha-nachalot

     B.  The complaint of bnot Tzlofchad re:
their inheritance

     C.  Moshe's death

     D.  The transfer of his leadership to
Yehoshua.

II.  MITZVOT THAT BELONG IN SEFER VAYIKRA
(28-30)

     E.  The laws of tmidim u-musafim

     F.  The laws of nedarim

     These two categories can help us
pinpoint where each of

these two units belong.

     The first unit (I.) contains parshiot
that detail Bnei

Yisrael's preparation for entering the land.
As we explained

above, these parshiot belong in Parshat
Mas'ei.  To illustrate

this point, the following table shows the
progression of

parshiot from the story of milchemet Midyan
until the end of

Sefer Bamidbar:

CHAPTER         TOPIC

31:1-54        The war against Midyan

32:1-42        The inheritance of Reuven &
Gad in Transjordan

33:1-49        Summary of B.Y.'s journey
through the desert

33:50-56   *   The commandment to conquer &
inherit the Land

34:1-15      * The precise borders of Eretz
Canaan.

34:16-29   *   The tribal leaders who are to
apportion the

Land

35:1-18     *  The cities of the Levites for
their

inheritance.

35:9-34      * The cities of refuge to be set
up in the land.

36:1-13      * Laws of inheritance relating
to inter-tribal

marriages

     This table illustrates how the final
topic of Sefer

Bamidbar is preparation for entering Eretz
Canaan (i.e. 33:50-

36:13).  Considering that chapters 26-27 in
Parshat Pinchas

discuss this very same topic, we conclude
that they actually

'belong' at the end of Sefer Bamidbar.

     The second unit, containing the laws of
tmidim u-musafim

and nedarim, clearly belongs in Sefer
Vayikra.  However, this

phenomenon should not surprise us, for there
are many other

instances in Sefer Bamidbar where we find
'insertions' of a

set of laws that seem to belong in Sefer
Vayikra.

  [See our Introductory shiur to Bamidbar,
where this topic

  was discussed in detail.  Later in our
shiur, we will

  suggest a reason why specifically these
mitzvot were

  'transferred' from Vayikra to Bamidbar.]

CUT AND PASTE?

     Based on this distinction, we can now
redefine our

question: Why does the Torah 'cut' these
parshiot (i.e.

chapters 26 & 17) from Parshat Mas'ei (where
they seem to

belong), and 'paste' them instead in Parshat
Pinchas - after

the story of Bnei Yisrael's sin with bnot
Midyan, but before

they avenge the Midyanim?

     Before we offer a thematic explanation,
we should note a

small technicality that can support our
conclusions thus far.

     Using a Tanach Koren (or similar), take
a careful look at

the opening pasuk of chapter 26, noting how
there is a parshia

break smack in the middle of this pasuk!

  "Va-yehi acharei ha-mageifa" - when the
plague was over -

  SPACE , [i.e. a parshia break in the middle
of the pasuk]

  ...and God told Moshe...Take a census of
Bnei Yisrael..."

  (see 26:1-2)

     This strange 'parshia break' in the
middle of the pasuk

may reflect this 'interruption' of the
narrative, which takes

place precisely at this point, in the middle
of this pasuk!

  Now that we have established that the
census in chapter 26

'belongs' at the end of the book, we must now
search for a

reason why the Torah intentionally inserted
this unit

specifically at this point in Sefer Bamidbar,
i.e. after the

plague that followed Bnei Yisrael's sin with
'the women of

Moav & Midyan'.

     We will suggest a reason for this
juxtaposition by

considering the overall theme and structure
of Sefer Bamidbar.

THE LAST PLAGUE

     Recall how the narrative of Sefer
Bamidbar began as Bnei

Yisrael prepare for their journey from Har
Sinai towards the

Promised Land.  Ideally (i.e. had Bnei
Yisrael not sinned),

Sefer Bamidbar would have continued with the
story of the

conquest and settlement of the Land.

     Even though everything seems to be going
fine in the

first ten chapters - i.e. up until the psukim
of "va'yhi bnsoa

ha'aron" (see 10:35-36) - as soon as Bnei
Yisrael begin their

journey (in chapter 11), everything seems to
go wrong.

Instead of describing what should have been,
Sefer Bamidbar

becomes the story of how and why Bnei Yisrael
do NOT make it

to the land of Israel.

  Note how just about every story in Sefer
Bamidbar from

chapter 11 thru chapter 25 describes a
rebellious act of Bnei

Yisrael, followed by a terrible punishment.

  [For example, the "mitonnim", the
"mitavim", the "meraglim",

  Korach and his followers, "mei meriva", the
"nachash

  nechoshet" incident, and "chet bnot
midyan".]

  The sin of the "meraglim" (in chapter 13)
was so severe that

God swore that the first generation must
perish in the desert.

Then, even in the fortieth year, we find
additional incidents

where Bnei Yisrael sin (and are punished).
For example, note

the story of the 'nachash nechoshet' (see
21:4-10) and 'chet

bnot Midyan' (see 25:1-6).

     Even though chapters 11 thru 25 of Sefer
Bamidbar are

replete with stories of rebellion,
punishment, and death; from

chapter 26 and onward, the primary topic of
Sefer Bamidbar

changes once again.  Instead of stories of
rebellion, now we

find stories of conquest and preparation for
entering the

land.  The following table summarize this
division of the

narrative of Sefer Bamidbar into three
distinct sections:

I.    1->10    Preparation at Har Sinai to
travel to Israel

II,  11->25    What went wrong, i.e. why
first generation

failed

III. 26->36    Preparation for entering the
land [new

generation]

     From this perspective, the act of
Pinchas, which stopped

the plague in the aftermath of the sin with
"bnot Mo'av"

constitutes an important milestone in Sefer
Bamdbar- for this

incident was the last punishment in the
desert.  Hence, those

who survived that plague are now destined to
become the first

inheritors of Eretz Canaan!

     With this background, we can suggest
that the Torah's

'insertion' of the census specifically at
this point in the

Sefer emphasizes precisely this point - that
the tragic events

in the desert have finally come to an end.
Those who survived

this plague are now worthy of inheriting the
Land.

     This interpretation is supported by the
final statement

of that census, recorded after the levi'im
are counted:

  "These are the persons counted by
Moshe...Among these

  there was not one of those counted by Moshe
& Aharon in

  Midbar Sinai (chapters 1-2) ... For God had
said of them:

  They shall die in the wilderness, not one
of them

  survived, except Kalev ben Yefuneh and
Yehoshua bin Nun"

  (26:63-65).

     Further support is found in Sefer
Devarim, in Moshe

Rabbeinu's opening address to the nation.  In
Moshe's

introductory speech (before he begins his
main speech that

reviews the various laws that Bnei Yisrael
must keep once they

enter the land / see 5:1, 5:28, 6:1 etc.),
note his emphasis

on this very same point:

  "Your very own eyes have seen what God has
done to Ba'al

  Pe'or, for anyone who had followed Ba'al
Pe'or [i.e. chet

  bnot Mo'av] - God has destroyed him from
your midst [via

  the 'mageifa'].  But you - who have
remained loyal to

  your God - are standing here alive to
today!" (see

  Devarim 4:3-4).

    [Did you realize that this is the context
of the pasuk

    "v'atem ha'dvakim b'Hashem Elokeichem"
(that we often

    quote in our daily tefilla)?]

FROM CENSUS TO LEADERSHIP

     In a similar manner, we can explain why
this census is

followed by God's commandment to Moshe to
ascend Har HaEivarim

to die, and the story of how his leadership
is transferred to

Yehoshua.  Considering that this census will
become the basis

for the 'inheritance' of the Land of Israel,
we mention

immediately afterward this transfer of
leadership, for it will

become Yehoshua's duty to lead the new
generation to conquer

and inherit the Land.  [See further iyun
section for a

discussion of how Rashi relates to this
point.]

TMIDIM U-MUSAFIM - WHY HERE?

     Now that we have explained why the Torah
moves the unit

of chapters 26-27 from Parshat Mas'ei to
Parshat Pinchas, we

must  also explain why the Torah moves
chapters 28-30 (the

second category) from Sefer Vayikra to
Parshat Pinchas.

     As we explained in our introductory
shiur, Sefer Bamidbar

contains numerous mitzvot that 'could have
been' recorded in

Sefer Vayikra.  Here we find yet another
example.

     However, as was the case in the other
instances, we must

look for a thematic connection between those
laws and the

ongoing narrative.  In other words, we must
ask - what is the

connection between the laws of tmidim
u-musafim and Bnei

Yisrael's preparation for entering Eretz
Canaan?

     Once again, we return to the theme of
Sefer Bamidbar to

suggest an answer.

     Recall that the first ten chapters of
Sefer Bamidbar

describe Bnei Yisrael's preparation for their
journey from Har

Sinai to the Promised Land.  Those chapters
emphasize the

intrinsic connection between the camp of Bnei
Yisrael and the

mishkan.  Bnei Yisrael must travel with the
mishkan, and thus

the 'Shchina' (the Divine presence), at the
center of the camp

(see shiur on Parshat Bamidbar).

     Now, forty years later, as the Torah
describes Bnei

Yisrael's preparation for entering the
Promised Land, Chumash

may be emphasizing this very same point once
again - by

recording the laws of tmidim u-musafim in
Parshat Pinchas.

     One can suggest two thematic reasons:

1)The korban Tamid, the daily collective
offering on the

  mizbeiach, together with the additional
musaf offering on

  the holidays, is purchased with the
'machatzit ha-

  shekel', collected from each member of Am
Yisrael when

  taking the yearly census!

2) The tamid offering is a symbolic daily
reminder of

  Ma'amad Har Sinai.  Recall (from our shiur
on Parshat

  Tetzaveh) our definition of the Shchina
unit in Shmot

  chapters 25-29 (the commandment to build
the mishkan).

  That unit began with the purpose of the
mishkan:

    "And they shall make for Me a mikdash,
ve-shachanti

    betocham - that I should dwell in their
midst" (25:8).

     That unit concluded with the commandment
to offer the

daily korban tamid, whose purpose was to
perpetuate the

Shchina which dwelled on Har Sinai:

  "Olat tamid for all generations, at the
entrance of the

  ohel mo'ed...  for there I will meet with
Bnei Yisrael...

  v-shachanti - and I will dwell among Bnei
Yisrael, I will

  be their God..."

                (see Shmot 29:42-45 compare
Bamidbar 28:1-6).

     A similar phrase is found in the
presentation of the

korban tamid in Parshat Pinchas:

     "Olat tamid, which was instituted at Har
Sinai..."

(28:6).

     Thus, the korban tamid may symbolize the
special

connection between God and Bnei Yisrael that
must crystallize

as Bnei Yisrael prepare to conquer and
inherit their Land.

     From this perspective, this korban tamid
may reflect both

the collective nature of Am Yisrael's
relationship with God

['korban tzibbur'], together with the value
of the

contribution of each individual [machatzit
ha-shekel].

`    As Yehoshua prepares to lead Bnei
Yisrael into a new era,

these principles of the 'avodat tamid' -
collective purpose,

individual responsibility, and daily routine
- must serve as a

guiding light for the entire nation.

                    shabbat shalom,

         menachem

=======================

FOR FURTHER IYUN

A.  The interpretation presented in the above
shiur can

explain why Rashi (26:1) quotes two Midrashim
to explain why

this parsha of the census is located here.

     1)  The first Midrash he quotes,
relating to the

connection between the plague and the census,
explains that

Bnei Yisrael are so dear to God that He
counts them after

every tragedy, just as the shepherd counts
his sheep after

they have been attacked.

          However, this approach is
difficult, for it does not

take into account the Torah's explicit
explanation that this

census is to determine who will inherit the
land (see 26:53).

Furthermore, in the other instances when Bnei
Yisrael are

smitten by plagues, the Torah never records
God's command

Moshe to take a census.  Why should this
plague be any

different?

     2)  Therefore, Rashi quotes a second
Midrash comparing

Moshe to a shepherd: Moshe, like a shepherd,
when he took Bnei

Yisrael out of Egypt he counted them, now
that he is about to

die, he must return the sheep to their owner.
Therefore, he

must count them once again.

          While the first Midrash focuses on
the connection

between the plague and the census, the second
Midrash focuses

on the connection between the census and the
transfer of

leadership from Moshe to Yehoshua.]

B.  Note the Ramban's explanation why the
parsha of Moshe's

'death' is written at this time (in Parshat
Pinchas).

     What issue led Ramban to this
conclusion?

C.  The story of Bnei Gad & Reuven (chapter
32) could be

considered part of the nachala section.

1.  Explain why.

2.  Explain why it isn't, and why it actually
continues to the

story of milchemet Midyan.

Pay attention to the opening words of perek
32.

     How does this relate to milchemet
Midyan?

3.  How does this story relate to other
events in the desert,

such as chet ha-meraglim for example.  (See
the Netziv on this

issue.)

D.  Use our explanation of the importance of
the korban tamid

to explain why each korban musaf in Parshat
Pinchas concludes

with the phrase 'milvad olat ha-tamid .'.

E.  Compare the names of the family groups in
the census in

Parshat Pinchas [le-beit avotam...] to the
names of the

original seventy members of Yaakov's family
who went down to

Egypt (see Breishit 46:8-27).  Can you find
the significance

of this parallel?

     [To whom was this land first promised?]

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