Shabbat Shalom - 21 Tammuz

This evening, at 8:00 PM we will observe our annual Fourth of July Shabbat celebration with original music appropriated from inappropriate places and some special prayers and food to aid the festivities. Carole Fefferman will be generally in charge, with assistance of some of the usual suspects. As always for summer services, we will be in the Garfein wing; park in back. Who knows? With a little encouragement and some great weather, we might even go outside for services.

Tomorrow morning’s Shabbat Services will begin at 10:00 AM. Carole Fefferman will lead the services; Nikki Cummings will be the Cantorial Soloist, and Barry Bayer will read from the Torah.

The Parasha is Pinchas, Numbers 25:10 - 30:1. We begin with the end of the story of Pinchas’s summary execution of Zimri and Kozbi the erstwhil;e interfaith lovers. Pinchas, for his zeal in defense of the Loard gets a covenant of eternal priesthood for his lineage, and G-d tells Moses to crush the Midianites. We then have another census, and its results, but tribe and clan.

Next a judgment in the matter of Zelophehad’s estate. Zelophehad died without male issue, and his five daughters wanted to inherit, although females just don’t inherit from their fathers in the usual scheme of things. G-d decides that the cause of the daughters is just, and orders that Zelophehad’s hereditary property go to the girls. (But keep this decision in mind; we’ll soon be hearing about it again.)

Next G-d tells Moses to set up Joshua ben Nun as his successor after Moses dies.

The Parasha ends with a listing of sacrifices and offerings required to be given to G-d on various of the holidays.