Hebrew Word of the Week

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Hebrew Word of the Week

Based on the Weekly Torah Portion

The Hebrew word of the week is Pinchas (Phineas), the hero who delivered Israel from the plague of death mentioned at the end of parashat Balak. The name Pinchas may be derived from the word pey (mouth) and nachash (serpent), which harkens back to parashat Chukat and the Nechash Nechoshet (bronze serpent that Moses lifted up on a pole to deliver the people from the venom of death).

Pinchas is also mentioned in the second verse of parashat Pinchas, in Numbers 25:11:

Scripture Passages:

Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him (i.e., Pinchas)
my covenant of peace(Num 25:12)

Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. And that was counted to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever. (Psalm 106:28-31)

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