The Torah: A Modern Commentary, W. Gunther Plaut, ed., pp.1194-1215 For the week beginning July 12, 1998 Cycle 1
SUMMARY
At the end of last week's parasha (see Family Shabbat Table Talk, Parashat Balak), we were introduced to Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron, who killed a defiant Israelite, Zimri and a Midianite woman, Cozbi. Their deaths stopped the plague which God sent as a punishment for the reckless behavior of the Isralites. Pinchas provides the name for this week's Torah portion.
At the border of Moab near Jericho, God instructs Moses and Eleazar, the priest, to conduct a census of all male Israelites over the age of twenty, and thus eligible for military service. God tells Moses that the land of Canaan will be divided among the male members of each tribe as counted according to the census. Only the Levites are counted separately because, dedicated to lifelong Temple service, they are both ineligible for military service and ownership of land
Five women, Mahlah, Noa, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, the daughters of Zelophehad come before an assembly of Moses, Eleazar, the chieftains, and the Israelite community to protest that no land would be given to their family since their father died and he had no sons. Adonai counsels Moses that the plea of the daughters is just and that they should be given land.
The laws of inheritance are then established. Moses states that property is to be inherited as follows: sons inherit first, if there are no sons then daughters, if there are no children, the inheritance goes to the man's brothers, if there are no brothers, the nearest relative shall inherit. God tells Moses to go up into the mountains of Abarim to see the land promised to the Israelites. Moses is reminded that he will not live to enter the Land. Moses requests that God appoint a successor to lead the people. God tells Moses that Joshua son of Nun is to be the next leader. Moses is told to place his hand upon Joshua, in the sight of all the people and to transfer his authority to Joshua.
COMMENTARY
Moses was not the only leader of the Israelites. In this week's Torah portion we witness the daughters of Zelophehad who display courage and leadership in their protest for equal treatment and the right to have a portion in the Promised Land. The midrash tells us that when the daughters of Zelophehad heard that the Land was about to be divided only among the male members of the tribes, they gathered together to discuss the situation. They decided that the mercy and goodness of human beings is not like the mercy and goodness of God. Human beings are more likely to be more merciful and show more favor to males than to females, but God is different; God treats males and females alike. The proof text for this attitude is found in Psalms 145:9, "Adonai is good to all, and God's tender mercies are over all God's works." The daughters then felt justified to approach Moses with their petition.
Another midrash teaches that the daughters of Zelophehad were wise women What shows their wisdom? They spoke at the appropriate moment, while Moses was speaking about inheritances saying, "Unto these the land shall be divided (Numbers 26:53)."
The midrash also teaches that the women of Israel were more tenacious than the men. The daughters of Zelophehad said, "Give us a possession" (Numbers 27:4). Rabbi Nathan said: Women's tenacity is stronger than men's. The men of Israel, being willing to give up the Land, said: "Let us make a leader and let us return to Egypt" (Numbers 14:4). But Israel's women insisted, "Give us a possession.
The midrash also explains that the five daughters shared responsibility in their petition to Moses. Each of the five daughters presented one of the five pleas. Numbers 27:3 can be broken into four phrases or pleas. The first daughter said, "Our father died in the wilderness," the second daughter said, "He was not part of Korah's rebellion," the third said, "But he died for his own sin," and the fourth said, "and he has left no sons." The fifth daughter then concludes with, "Why should our father's name be lost to his family?" (Numbers 27:4).
In another show of leadership, Moses asks God to appoint a new leader for the Israelites before his death. The midrash teaches that Moses said, "...appoint someone over the community, who shall go out before them and come in before them,... that the congregation of Adonai not be like sheep that have no shepherd (Numbers 27:16-17)." To whom may Moses be compared? To a faithful shepherd. When the owner of the flock said to him, "Remove yourself from my flock, " he replied, "I will not remove myself until you tell me whom you will set as shepherd in my place."
TABLE TALK
According to the midrashim in the commentary section what qualities did the daughters of Zelophehad demonstrate? How did the daughters organize themselves? What did they do to prepare before they went to Moses In what ways did their behavior benefit their cause?
Are rules in your family ever changed to fit new circumstances or needs? If you feel a rule needs to be changed how do you go about making it happen? What can you learn from the behavior of the daughters of Zelophehad when they sought to change a rule? In what ways could you apply how they approached their problem with problems you face?
The midrash says that the women were tenacious. What does tenacious or tenacity mean? Have you ever been tenacious? What were the circumstances and how did you show your tenacity?
Moses is again told in this parasha that he will not live to enter the land because of his actions at the waters of Meribah. In getting water for the people he struck the rock instead of speaking to it and took credit for getting the water rather than crediting God (for more on this incident see Family Shabbat Table Talk for Parashat Chukat). Consider the following: are there ever actions that you cannot undo or apologize for? Have you ever gotten very angry at someone or something and behaved in a way that you later regretted? What feelings were you left with? What did you do? How does this apply to Moses and his actions at Meribah?
DID YOU KNOW...Shabbat celebrates the remembrance of the act of creation- zecher l'mah'asay v'raysheet. The first act of creation was the creation of light. On Shabbat we imitate God's first act of creation by creating light ourselves when we kindle the Sabbath candles.
This week's Table Talk was written by Barbara Binder Kadden, who demonstrates her tenacity in completing Family Shabbat Table Talk every other week.
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