Parshas Pinchas
Words in bold represent changes to the traditional translation based on the Aramaic translation/commentary attributed to Onkelos the Ger.
Parshas Pinchas
Rishon
10. Hashem spoke with Moshe, saying,
11. “Pinchas, son of Elazar son of Aharon the priest, has turned (back) My wrath from upon the children of Israel through his zealotry for My vengeance among them, and I didn’t destroy the children of Israel in My vengeance.
12. Therefore, say behold, I decree for him My covenant of peace.
13. It will be for him and for his descendants after him an eternal covenant of priesthood, because he was zealous before his God and he atoned upon the children of Israel.”
14. And the name of the Israelite man who was killed, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, leader of a paternal house of the house of Shimon.
15. The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Tzur; he was national head of a paternal house in Midian.
16. Hashem spoke with Moshe, saying,
17. “Trouble the Midianites and kill them,
18. because they troubled you through their plot that they planned against you, on the matter of Peor and on the matter of their sister Cozbi, daughter of a leader of Midian, who was killed on the day of the plague on the matter of Peor.”
Chapter 26
1. It happened after the plague (that) Hashem said to Moshe and to Elazar son of Aharon the priest, saying,
2. “Obtain an accounting[1] of the entire congregation of the children of Israel from the age of 20 years and up according to their fathers’ house(s), all in Israel who can go out in the army.”
3. Moshe and Elazar the priest spoke, saying to count them in the plains of Moav, on the Jordan of Jericho, saying,
4. from the age of 20 years and up, as Hashem commanded Moshe. And the children of Israel who went out from the land of Egypt (were):
Sheini
5. Reuven, Yisroel’s first-born. The sons of Reuven: Chanoch, the Chanoch[2] family; of Palu, the Palu family;
6. of Chetzron, the Chetzron family; of Karmi, the Karmi family.
7. These are the families of Reuven. Their counted (were) 43,730.
8. The sons of Palu: Eliav.
9. And the sons of Eliav: N’muel, and Dasan and Aviram – this is Dasan and Aviram, who would meet (for) the congregation, who assembled[3] against Moshe and against Aharon in Korach’s gathering when they assembled against Hashem,
10. and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korach when the assembly died, when the fire consumed the 250 men, and they became an example.[4]
11. And the sons of Korach didn’t die.
12. The sons of Shimon according to their families: of N’muel, the N’muel family; of Yamin, the Yamin family; of Yachin, the Yachin family;
13. of Zerach, the Zerach family; of Shaul, the Shaul family.
14. These are the families of Shimon: 22,200.
15. The sons of Gad according to their families: of Tz’fon, the Tz’fon family; of Chagi, the Chagi family; of Shuni, the Shuni family;
16. of Ozni, the Ozni family; of Eiri, the Eiri family;
17. of Arod, the Arod family; of Areili, the Areili family.
18. These are the families of the sons of Gad according to their count: 40,500.
19. The sons of Yehuda: Eir and Onan. Eir and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
20. The sons of Yehuda according to their families were: of Sheilah, the Sheilah family; of Peretz, the Peretz family; of Zerach, the Zerach family.
21. The sons of Peretz were: of Chetzron, the Chetzron family; of Chamul, the Chamul family.
22. These are the families of Yehuda according to their count: 76,500.
23. The sons of Yisachar according to their families: (of) Tola, the family of Tola; of Puva, the family of Puva;
24. of Yashuv, the Yashuv family; of Shimron, the Shimron family.
25. These are the families of Yisachar according to their count: 64,300.
26. The sons of Zevulun according to their families: Of Sered, the Sered family; of Eilon, the Eilon family; of Yachl’eil, the Yachl’eil family.
27. These are the families of Zevulun according to their count: 60,500.
28. The sons of Yoseif according to their families: Menashe and Efraim.
29. The sons of Menashe: of Machir, the Machir family. Machir fathered Gilad; of Gilad, the Gilad family.
30. These are the sons of Gilad: (of) Iezer, the Iezer family; of Cheilek, the Cheilek family;
31. (of) Asrieil, the Asrieil family; (of) Shechem, the Shechem family;
32. (of) Sh’mida, the Sh’mida family; and (of) Cheifer, the Cheifer family.
33. Tz’lofchad son of Cheifer didn’t have sons, only daughters. The name(s) of Tz’lofchad’s daughters were Machla, Noa, Chagla, Milka and Sirtza.
34. These are the families of Menashe, and their counted: 52,700.
35. These are the sons of Efraim according to their families: of Shuselach, the Shuselach family; of Becher, the Becher family; of Tachan, the Tachan family.
36. And these are the sons of Shusalach: of Eiran, the Eiran family.
37. These are the families of the sons of Efraim according to their numbers: 32,500. These are the sons of Yoseif according to their families.
38. The sons of Binyamin according to their families: of Bela, the Bela family; of Ashbeil, the Ashbeil family; of Achiram, the Achiram family;
39. of Sh’fufam, the Sh’fufam family; of Chufam, the Chufam family.
40. The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: (of Ard,) the Ard family; of Naaman, the Naaman family.
41. These are the sons of Binyamin according to their families, and their count: 45,600.
42. These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shucham, the Shucham family. These are the families of Dan according to their families.
43. All (the) Shucham families according to their count: 64,400.
44. The sons of Asher according to their families: of Yimna, the Yimna family; of Yishvi, the Yishvi family; of B’riah, the B’riah family.
45. Of the sons of B’riah: of Chever, the Chever family; of Malkieil, the Malkieil family.
46. And the name of Asher’s daughter was Serach.
47. These are the families of the sons of Asher according to their count: 53,400.
48. The sons of Naftali according to their families: of Yachtz’eil, the Yachtz’eil family; of Guni, the Guni family;
49. of Yeitzer, the Yeitzer family; of Shileim, the Shileim family.
50. These are the families of Naftali according to their families, and their count: 45,400.
51. This is the count of the children of Israel: 601,730.
Shlishi
52. Hashem spoke with Moshe, saying,
53. “To these you shall divide the land in inheritance, according to the number of names.
54. To the numerous ones increase their inheritance and to the few ones reduce their inheritance. Each (literally, a man) will be given his inheritance according to its count.
55. But the land will be divided by lottery; they will inherit according to the names of their fathers’ Tribes.
56. According to[5] the lottery their inheritance will be divided, whether for the numerous ones or for the few ones.
57. And this is the count of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the Gershon family; of Kehos, the Kehos family; of M’rari, the M’rari family.
58. These are the families of Levi: The Livni family, the Chevron family, the Machli family, the Mushi family, the Korach family. And Kehos fathered Amram.
59. And the name of Amram’s wife was Yocheved daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. She delivered Aharon and Moshe and their sister Miriam to Amram.
60. To Aharon were born Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Isamar.
61. Nadav and Avihu died when they offered a strange fire before Hashem.
62. Their count was 23,000 – all males from the age of a month and up – because they were not counted among the children of Israel, since an inheritance was not given to them among the children of Israel.
63. These is the count of Moshe and Elazar the priest who counted the children of Israel in the plains of Moav, on the Jordan of Jericho.
64. And in these there was not a man of those counted by Moshe and Aharon the priest when they counted the children of Israel in the Sinai wilderness,
65. because Hashem had said of them, “They will surely die in the wilderness.” No man remained of them except for Kaleiv son of Yefuneh and Yehoshua son of Nun.
Chapter 27
1 The daughters of Tz’lofchad, son of Cheifer son of Gilad son of Machir son of Menashe of the family of Menashe son of Yoseif, drew near. These are the names of his daughters: Machla, Noa, Chagla, Milka, and Sirtza.
2. They stood before Moshe and before Elazar the priest, and before the leaders and the entire congregation, (at the) entrance of the Tent of Meeting, saying,
3. “Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not one of the congregation that assembled against Hashem in the assembly of Korach. Rather, he died in his own sin and he had no sons.
4. Why should our father’s name be lost among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers!”
5. Moshe brought their judgment before Hashem.
Revii
6. Hashem said to Moshe, saying,
7. “The daughters of Tz’lofchad have spoken well. Surely give them a hereditary possession among their father’s brothers. Pass their father’s inheritance to them.
8. And speak with the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and he has no son, pass his inheritance to his daughter.
9. And if he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.
10. And if he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.
11. And if his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to his relative closest to him from his family, and he will inherit it.’ This will be a decreed law for the children of Israel as Hashem commanded Moshe.”
12. Hashem said to Moshe, “Ascend this Mount Avarim[6] and see the land that I have given to the children of Israel.
13. When you have seen it, you will also be gathered to your people, like your brother Aharon was gathered.
14. Like you rebelled against My word[7] in the wilderness of Tzin when the congregation argued, to sanctify Me through the water before their eyes – those were the waters of the dispute at Rekam,[8] (in the) wilderness of Tzin.
15. Moshe spoke before Hashem, saying,
16. “Let Hashem, God of the breaths of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,
17. who will go out before them and who will come (in) before them, and who will take them out and who will bring them (in), and Hashem’s congregation won’t be like sheep that have no shepherd.”
18. Hashem said to Moshe, “Take for yourself Yehoshua son of Nun, a man (who has the) spirit of prophecy in him, and lay your hand upon him.
19. Stand him before Elazar the priest and before the entire congregation, and command him before their eyes.
20. Give of your radiance[9] on him so that the entire congregation of the children of Israel will listen.
21. And before Elazar the priest he shall stand; he shall inquire for him the judgment of the Urim before Hashem. According to his word they shall go out, and according to his word they shall come in – he and all the children of Israel with him, and the entire congregation.”
22. Moshe did as Hashem commanded him. He took Yehoshua and stood him before Elazar the priest and before the entire congregation.
23. He laid his hands upon him and commanded him as Hashem had spoken through the hand of Moshe.
Chapter 28
Chamishi
1. Hashem spoke with Moshe, saying:
2. Command the children of Israel and say to them: My offering, My bread that is arranged for My offerings,[10] to be accepted with favor,[11] you shall be careful to offer before Me at its appointed time.
3. Say to them: This is the offering that you shall offer before Hashem: unblemished yearling lambs – two per day (as) a continual burnt offering.
4. One lamb you shall make in the morning, and the second lamb you shall make in the evening.
5. And one-tenth of three seah[12] of fine flour as a flour offering, that is mixed with a quarter-hin of beaten oil.
6. The continual burnt offering that was made at Mount Sinai to be accepted with favor, an offering before Hashem.
7. And its libation: a quarter-hin for each[13] lamb, it shall be poured on the holy as a libation of aged wine[14] before Hashem.
8. The second lamb you shall make at twilight; you shall make like the flour offering of the morning and like its libation – an offering to be accepted with favor before Hashem.
9. On the Sabbath day, two unblemished yearling lambs and two-tenths (of an ephah) of fine flour (as) a flour offering that is mixed with oil, and its libation,
10. a Sabbath burnt offering that is to be made on Sabbath, aside from the continual burnt offering and its libation.
11. On your new moons[15] you shall offer a burnt offering before Hashem: two young bulls, one ram (and) seven yearling lambs, (all) unblemished.
12. And three-tenths (of an ephah) of fine flour (as) a flour offering, that is mixed with oil, for each bull; and two-tenths (of an ephah) of fine flour (as) a flour offering, that is mixed with oil, for each ram.
13. A tenth (of an ephah) of fine flour (as) a flour offering, that is mixed with oil, for each lamb: a burnt offering to be accepted with favor, an offering before Hashem.
14. And their libations: half a hin shall be for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter-hin for a lamb – wine. This is the burnt offering of the new moon upon its renewal, so for all the new moons of the year.[16]
15. And one young goat as a sin offering before Hashem shall be made aside from the continual burnt offering and its libation.
Shishi
16. And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, (it shall be) Passover before Hashem,
17. and on the fifteenth day of this month, a festival. (For) seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.[17]
18. On the first day, a holy occurrence;[18] you shall not perform all labor of work.
19. You shall offer an offering – a burnt offering before Hashem: two young bulls, and one ram, and seven yearling lambs. They shall (all) be unblemished to you.
20. And their flour offering – fine flour that is mixed with oil – you shall make three-tenths (of an ephah) for a bull and two-tenths for a ram,
21. and make one-tenth for each lamb, so for the seven lambs,
22. and one sin-offering goat to atone on you.
23. You shall make these aside from the morning burnt offering that is[19] the continual burnt offering.
24. Like these, you shall make daily (for) seven days, bread, an offering that is accepted with favor before Hashem. You shall make (this) aside from the continual burnt offering and its libation.
25. And on the seventh day, it shall be a holy occurrence for you; all labor of work you shall not perform.
26. On the day of the first fruits, when you offer new grain before Hashem, on your (Feast of) Gatherings,[20] it shall be a holy occurrence for you; all labor of work you shall not perform.
27. You shall offer a burnt offering to be accepted with favor before Hashem: two young bulls, one ram (and) seven yearling lambs.
28. And their flour offering – fine flour that is mixed with oil – three-tenths (of an ephah) for each bull, two-tenths for each ram,
29. and one-tenth for each lamb of the seven lambs.
30. (And) one young goat to atone on you.
31. You shall make (them) aside from the continual burnt offering and its flour offering; they shall (all) be unblemished to you, and their libations.
Chapter 29
1. And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, it shall be a holy occurrence to you; all labor of work you shall not perform. It shall a day of staccato[21] to you.
2. You shall make a burnt offering to be accepted with favor before Hashem: one young bull, one ram (and) seven yearling lambs, (all) unblemished.
3. Their flour offering – fine flour that is mixed with oil: three-tenths (of an ephah) for a bull, two-tenths for a ram,
4. and one-tenth for each lamb, so for the seven lambs;
5. and one young goat (as) a sin offering to atone on you,
6. aside from the burnt offering of the month and its flour offering, and the continual burnt offering and its flour offering, and their libations as is fitting for them,[22] to be accepted with favor, an offering before Hashem.
7. On the tenth (day) of this seventh month it shall be to you a holy occurrence. You shall afflict your souls; all labor you shall not perform.
8. You shall offer a burnt offering before Hashem to be accepted with favor: one young bull, one ram (and) seven yearling lambs. They shall (all) be unblemished to you.
9. And their flour offering – fine flour that is mixed with oil: three-tenths (of an ephah) for a bull, two-tenths for the one ram,
10. (and) one-tenth for each lamb, so for the seven lambs.
11. (And) one young goat (as) a sin offering, aside from the atonement sin offering and the continual burnt offering and its flour offering, and their libations.
Shevii
12. And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, it shall be a holy occurrence to you; all labor of work you shall not perform. (For) seven days you shall celebrate a festival before Hashem.
13. You shall offer a burnt offering, an offering that is accepted with favor before Hashem: 13 young bulls, two rams, 14 yearling lambs; they shall (all) be unblemished.
14. And their flour offerings – fine flour that is mixed with oil: three-tenths (of an ephah) for each bull for the 13 bulls, two-tenths for each ram for the two rams,
15. and one-tenth for each lamb for the 14 lambs.
16. And one young goat (as) a sin offering aside from the continual burnt offering, its flour offering and its libation.
17. And on the second day, 12 young bulls, two rams (and) 14 yearling lambs, (all) unblemished;
18. and their flour offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, in their numbers as is fitting;
19. and one young goat (as) a sin offering, aside from the continual burnt offering, and its flour offering and their libations.
20. And on the third day: 11 bulls, two rams (and) 14 yearling lambs, (all) unblemished;
21. and their flour offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, in their numbers as is fitting;
22. and one sin offering goat, aside from the continual burnt offering, and its flour offering and its libation.
23. And on the fourth day: ten bulls, two rams (and) 14 yearling lambs, (all) unblemished;
24. (and) their flour offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, in their numbers as is fitting;
25. and one young goat (as) a sin offering, aside from the continual burnt offering, its flour offering and its libation.
26. And on the fifth day: nine bulls, two rams (and) 14 yearling lambs, (all) unblemished;
27. and their flour offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, in their numbers as is fitting;
28. and one sin offering goat, aside from the continual burnt offering, and its flour offering and its libation.
29. And on the sixth day: eight bulls, two rams (and) 14 yearling lambs, (all) unblemished;
30. and their flour offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, in their numbers as is fitting;
31. and one sin offering goat, aside from the continual burnt offering, its flour offering and its libation.
32. And on the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams (and) 14 yearling lambs, (all) unblemished;
33. and their flour offerings and their libations, for the bulls, for the rams and for the lambs, in their numbers as is fitting for them;
34. and one sin offering goat, aside from the continual burnt offering, its flour offering and its libation.
35. And on the eighth day you shall be gathered for yourselves;[23] all labor of work you shall not perform.
36. You shall offer a burnt offering, an offering that is accepted with favor before Hashem: one bull, one ram (and) seven yearling lambs, (all) unblemished;
37. their flour offerings and their libations for the bull, for the ram and for the lambs, in their numbers as is fitting;
38. and one sin offering goat, aside from the continual burnt offering, its flour offering and its libation.
39. These you shall make before Hashem in your seasons, aside from your vows and your donations, for your burnt offerings, and for your flour offerings, and for your libations, and for your holiness offerings.
Chapter 30
1. Moshe spoke to the children of Israel according to all that Hashem commanded Moshe.
[1] Literally, “raise the head.”
[2] Rather than “the Chanochi family” or “the Chanochite family,” and similarly throughout.
[3] Rather than “agitated.”
[4] Literally, “a sign.”
[5] Literally, “by the mouth of.”
[6] Onkelos Aramaicizes this word, suggesting that he may not consider it a proper noun.
[7] Chumash: “mouth.”
[8] Rather than “Kadeish.”
[9] Referring to the glow on Moshe’s face, rather than the Chumash’s “glory.”
[10] Rather than “My fire offerings.”
[11] As opposed to “a pleasant aroma for Me.”
[12] Rather than “a tenth of an ephah.”
[13] Literally, “one.”
[14] Rather than “strong drink.”
[15] Rosh chodesh – literally, “head of the month” – is typically translated as “new moon” despite the fact that the term has a different astronomical meaning in English.
[16] Chumash: “a month in its month for the months of the year.”
[17] Onkelos changes this word from plural to singular.
[18] Rather than “a holy gathering.”
[19] Onkelos omits “for.”
[20] Rather than “(Feast of) Weeks.”
[21] Rather than “a day of (the shofar) blast.”
[22] As opposed to “according to their laws.”
[23] Rather than “it shall be a cessation to you.”
© Copyright 2022 Rabbi Jack Abramowitz