Pinhas (Num 25:10-30:1)

My Heroes Had the Heart

            Pinhas is named for a priest, who plays an integral role in saving the Israelite people from themselves. Though the parasha starts out at chapter 25, verse 10, one must begin at the beginning of chapter 25 to get the gist. The Israelites have begun having relations with the Moabite women, which led to the worship of a Moabite god. The L-rd called for the guilty heads of Israel to be impaled. An Israelite man brought a Midianite woman into his chamber in front of everyone. Pinhas then kills both the man and woman. 24,000 died in the plague, but because of Pinhas’ bravery, the Israelites were not wiped out. Readers, sometimes we have to be the change we want to see in the world.