Halakhah su Numeri 25:24

Preface:
As we look into a Seifer Torah we become aware of gaps and spaces in the text. This, as many of the laws and traditions concerning the writing of Sifrei Torah, has been handed down to us from generation to generation, originating from the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Each of these text-breaks denotes the completion of a chapter. (This should not be confused with the numbered chapters and verses that are found in the printed Scriptures, for these are attributed to non-Jewish sources).⁴¹The notations … שֵׁנִי, שְׁלִישִׁי, רְבִיעִי do not constitute halachic parshios.
There are two kinds of text-breaks: 1) פְּתוּחָה pesuchah—"open" i. e. the text ends in mid-line and the remainder of the line is left open with the text resuming at the beginning of the next line. 2) סְתוּמָה sesumah —"closed" i. e. the text ends in mid-line and after the gap, the text resumes on the same line, in effect "closing the line."
Paragraph 20 concerns precautions taken to avoid the impression that less than three verses may ever be read for any one oleh.
The one who reads the Torah must not conclude [his reading] at a place from where there will not remain a minimum of three verses,⁴³So that anyone who might leave the synagogue just then, not leave with the impression that the next reading would contain only two verses. from there until the end of that parshah,⁴²See preface to this paragraph. that is a pesuchah⁴²See preface to this paragraph. or a sesumah. If the oleh had already recited the last berachah after [the reader] completed [the reading] with less than three verses left to the end of that parshah, then the following reading need not begin with the preceding verse,⁴⁴It is too late to correct any false impressions. but should start where the previous one left off, and continue to read with him at least three more verses in the following parshah. If a parshah only has two verses, it is permitted to end there. If there is a parshah-break in mid-verse, as there is in the beginning of Parshas Pinchos,⁴⁵Numbers 25:19. the reading may end even at the very next verse.⁴⁶Because no one could possibly think that one verse was read for an oleh.

Although the prohibition is not expressly formulated in Scripture, the action of Phinehas, described in Numbers 25:6-8, serves to establish that cohabitation with a non-Jewess is proscribed, at least under some circumstances. The concept of "kana'im poge'im bo" is one which is well known to students of Halakhah. Halakhah prescribes that, subject to certain limitations, a Jew who is apprehended in flagrente delicto in the act of cohabiting with a non-Jewess may be executed summarily. Translated literally, "kana'im poge'im bo" means that zealots may take justice into their own hands and may execute the transgressor on the spot. There are, to be sure, many halakhic fences which serve to limit implementation of this principle. First, punishment may be meted out only while the act is actually in the course of being performed. According to some authorities, the usual hatra'ah or warning must be administered.¹Rabbi Moses Feinstein, Iggerot Mosheh, Even ha-Ezer, I, no. 38, citing Rashi, Sanhedrin 81b, and the reported view of R. Shlomoh Heiman, declares that such action is permitted only to “zealots,” defined as kesherim whose motives are entirely noble and whose intentions are exclusively for the sake of Heaven. Most significantly, the rule which applies is: "Halakhah ve-ein morin ken"; while the punishment is justified, no one may be instructed to carry it out. Nevertheless, a person who acts in accordance with this principle acts in accordance with Halakhah. The Gemara, Sanhedrin 82a, describes Phinehas' action with regard to Zimri as having been based upon this principle. Zimri was engaged in an act of fornication with a Midianite woman and, while yet in the midst of the coital act, was executed by Phinehas.

Several commentaries, by virtue of their answers to the query presented by Tosafot, indicate that, in their opinion, there is no obligation whatsoever to resurrect the dead. The Shitah Mekubezet parallels the previously cited view of Maimonides in stating that the child was not dead but merely in a swoon. Rosh,²³Quoted by Shitah Mekubeḥet, Baba Meẓi‘a 114b. Radbaz,²⁴Vol. V, no. 2203. and Abarbanel²⁵Commentary on the Guide, I, 42. Puzzling is the parallel cited by Abarbanel concerning the slaying of Zimri and Cozbi by Phineas (Num. 25:6–8), a deed which necessarily involved the latter’s defilement. The rabbinic view is that since Phineas was born before the consecration of Eliezer, he was not a priest by virtue of genealogical descent and, accordingly, required personal consecration to achieve priestly status. Rabbinic tradition views the verse “Behold I give him my covenant of peace” (Num. 26:12) as recording that this status was accorded him as a reward for his zeal in the matter of Zimri. Thus, at the time of the slaying, Phineas had not yet attained the status of a priest and was not bound by the priestly prohibition regarding defilement (See Zevaḥim 101b). all state that Elijah's act was a form of hora'at sha'ah—an action having express divine sanction limited to the specific case at hand—and from which no normative halakhic practice can be deduced.

He prohibited us from marrying heretics. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "And you shall not marry them" (Deuteronomy 7:3). And he explained what marriage is - "do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons." And in the explanation (Avodah Zarah 36b), they said, "The Torah forbade [it when it is] by way of marriage." And there are distinctions about the punishment of one who transgresses this negative commandment. And that is that when the one who has sexual relations with an Aramean has sexual relations in public - anyone who kills him while he is clinging to the sin has carried out the punishment, as Pinchas did to Zimri (Numbers 25:6-8). And they said (Sanhedrin 81a), "One who has sexual relations with an Aramean, zealots may attack him" - but with the conditions that we mentioned. And that is that he has relations with her in public, and [that the punishment is meted out] at the time of the act - like the story that happened (with Pinchas and Zimri). But if he did not do this in public or he [already] separated and the zealots did not attack him, he is liable for excision. However this excision is not made clear in the Torah: They said, "[When] zealots did not attack him, what is [the law]?" And it is explained that it is excision (cutting off), from His saying, "for Judah has profaned what is holy to the Lord - what He loves - and espoused daughters of alien gods. The Lord will cut off from the man that does this all living offspring" (Malachi 2:11-12). [This] implies that it is with excision. However when it becomes confirmed about a man - with witnesses and a warning - that he had sexual relations with an Aramean, he is lashed, by Torah law. And know this. (See Parashat Vaetchanan; Mishneh Torah, Forbidden Intercourse 12.)

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sanhedrin 81a) that zealots would attack one who has sexual intercourse with an Aramean (gentile) publicly in the eyes of ten or more Israelites. And the proof of the thing is the story of Pinchas and Zimri. But the zealot is nonetheless only permitted to attack him at the time of the promiscuous act, and like in the story that happened; as it is stated (Numbers 25:8), "and the woman through her belly." But if he separated [from her], we do not kill him, but [rather] bring him to the court and they administer lashes [upon] him, since he did the act publicly. [If] the zealots did not attack him and the court did not administer lashes [upon] him, we know from the words of tradition that he is [punished] by excision, as it is written (Malachi 2:11-12), "and he who husbands (read here as, who has sexual intercourse with) the daughter of a foreign god. The Lord will excise the man that does it." And a gentile who has sexual relations with an Israelite - if she is a married woman, he is killed over her; but, if not, he is not killed. But a Jew who wantonly has sexual relations with a gentile woman - even [if it is] by way of harlotry - she is nonetheless killed, since a mishap happened to an Israelite through her, like the law of an animal. And this thing is explicit in the Torah, as it is stated (Numbers 31:16-17), "They were the ones that were with the word of Bilaam against the Children of Israel, etc. and any woman that could know a man sexually they killed." [This] and the rest of its details are elucidated in Avodah Zarah and Yevamot and Kiddushin (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of Forbidden Intercourse 2).

To give the foreleg, the jaw and the maw to the priest: That Israel was commanded to give the foreleg, the jaw, and the maw from all pure, slaughtered animals to the priest. And about this was it stated (Deuteronomy 18:3), "This shall be the statute of the priests, etc." The Sages, of blessed memory, already said (Chullin 134b) about the reason for this commandment that it was in the merit of Pinchas, their father - who was zealous on behalf of his God with regard to the matter of Kozbi, and [was prepared to] surrender his life for the sanctification of [God's] name, to kill a prince from a tribe of Israel - that his children, the priests, merited this present from God forever: The foreleg - corresponding to, "and he took a spear" (Numbers 25:7); the jaw - in the merit that he prayed for the anguish of Israel, as it is written, "And Pinchas stood up and prayed" (Psalms 106:30); and the maw - corresponding to, "and the woman into her stomach" (Numbers 25:8). And we learn from this that one who openly sanctifies the name of Heaven - he and his descendants attain merit in this world, aside from his merit which is kept eternally for his soul in the World to Come.

To give the foreleg, the jaw and the maw to the priest: That Israel was commanded to give the foreleg, the jaw, and the maw from all pure, slaughtered animals to the priest. And about this was it stated (Deuteronomy 18:3), "This shall be the statute of the priests, etc." The Sages, of blessed memory, already said (Chullin 134b) about the reason for this commandment that it was in the merit of Pinchas, their father - who was zealous on behalf of his God with regard to the matter of Kozbi, and [was prepared to] surrender his life for the sanctification of [God's] name, to kill a prince from a tribe of Israel - that his children, the priests, merited this present from God forever: The foreleg - corresponding to, "and he took a spear" (Numbers 25:7); the jaw - in the merit that he prayed for the anguish of Israel, as it is written, "And Pinchas stood up and prayed" (Psalms 106:30); and the maw - corresponding to, "and the woman into her stomach" (Numbers 25:8). And we learn from this that one who openly sanctifies the name of Heaven - he and his descendants attain merit in this world, aside from his merit which is kept eternally for his soul in the World to Come.

“The order of the reading of the Torah and of circumcision on Yom Kippur” - Containing six paragraphs.
We take out (from the ark) two Torah scrolls.¹⁶⁸Two Torah scrolls are taken out on the festivals because portions from two separate sections of the Torah are read. The Torahs can be set before hand so that they can be opened to the correct portion without the necessity of rolling the scroll from one portion to the next. In the first Torah six men read from the portion “אחרי מות”, (Leviticus 16:1-18:30) until “and he did as the Lord commanded (Moses)”, (Leviticus 16:34). But if (Yom Kippur) falls on Shabbat, seven (men read from the first Torah), and the Maftir¹⁶⁹Maftir, מפטיר, means literally "one who concludes". It is the name given to the man who is the last to read in the Torah and he also usually reads the haftarah (see footnote 170), the section of the prophets that corresponds to the Torah reading. Maftir is also the name given to the three or more concluding verses of the regular weekly Torah portion as well as to the final verses read on festivals and public fast days.
Editorial Staff, E. J., v. 11, p. 685. (the last reader) reads from the second (Torah scroll) from the portion, Pinḥas, (Numbers 25:10-30:1), the section “and you shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month”, (Numbers 29:7-11). The Maftir (the Haftarah section from the Prophets¹⁷⁰The Haftarah, הפטרה, is a portion from the Prophets section of the Bible read after the Torah is read on Sabbaths, festivals, and fast days. On Sabbaths and festivals the haftarah is read during the Morning, Shaḥarit Service (see footnote 17), but on fast days it is read only during the Afternoon, Minḥah Service (see footnote 40). The exception to this is Yom Kippur and Tishah be-Av (see footnote 102) where there is a haftarah after the Torah reading in both the Morning and the Afternoon Service.
The Torah in its regular portions is read straight through during the year but such is not the case on festivals and some special Sabbaths. The haftarot are selected in parts from both the Former and Latter Prophets. Only two prophetic books are read in their entirety as haftarot, the Book of Obadiah which has only twenty-one verses and is read after the Torah portion Va-Yishlaḥ (Genesis 32:4-36-43) according to the Sephardi rite, and the Book of Jonah which is the haftarah for the Minḥah Service on Yom Kippur (see the Shulḥan Arukh, Oraḥ Ḥayyim 622:2).
Haftarot were usually selected so there would be some similarity in content between the Pentateuchal and the Prophetic portions, but often this did not happen and haftarot were chosen because of historical events or because of some special date. Special haftarot are read on special Sabbaths and the haftarah for each festival is based on the nature of the festival.
When the custom of reading the haftarah got started is not known for sure, but it is thought that it began during the persecutions of the Antiochus Epiphanes which preceded the Hasmonean revolt. The Torah was not permitted to be read by the Jews during the persecution for it was felt that the reading of it kept the Jews together and gave them a special strength. As a substitute for the Torah reading, sections form the Prophets were chosen that would remind the Jews of the corresponding Torah portion. Appearantly when the ban against reading the Torah was lifted, the practice of reading the haftarah continued. The first mention of the practice of the reading of the haftarah is found in the New Testament. Acts 13:15 states, "after the reading of the law and the prophets". Haftarot are also discussed in the Talmud as to which are to be read at specific times and festivals. In Mishnaic times different communities read different haftarot, and a set order was probably not established until talmudic times. Some haftarot today differ from those recorded in the Talmud, and there are differences in the Sephardi and Ashkenazi rites.
The maftir, the one who reads the haftarah also reads the last part of the weekly portion, (i.e., the Torah reader reads it for him). On the Sabbath, after the seventh reader from the Torah, the maftir usually rereads the last three verses of the weekly portion. On festivals and the four special Sabbaths, the maftir reads the special section from the second scroll which is usually a short description of of the festival found in the Torah. Before the haftarah is read (or chanted) the maftir precedes the haftarah with two blessings and after he ends the haftarah he recites three blessings to which a fourth one is added on Sabbaths and festivals. This fourth blessing changes with the nature of the day. The Sabbath haftarah usually has a minimum of twenty-one verses while the festival has at least fifteen verses. Lately it has become the custom for the Bar Mitzvah boy (a man upon reaching the age of thirteen) to chant the haftarah to display his ability with a Hebrew text.
Louis Isaac Rabinowitz, E. J., v. 16, pp. 1342-44.) comes from Isaiah, “and shall say, cast you up, cast you up, prepare the way” until “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it”, (Isaiah 57:14-58:14).