Weekly Newsletter

TGIS: Thank G-d It’s Shabbat
Pinchas
22 Tammuz / 23 Tammuz 5785
18 July / 19 July 2025
morasha
  • PARASHAT PINCHAS

    Covenant & Conversation – Rabbi Jonathan Sacks with Rabbi Daniel Rose

    The Israelites began mixing with Moabite women and we soon worshipping their g-ds. A plague raged and 24 000 Jewish men died. A leading Israelite, Zimri, brought a Midianite woman, Kozbi, and sinned with her in full view of Moshe and the people. It was the most shameless act of rebellion against G-d. Pinchas took a spear and killed them both, and the plague immediately ended.

     

    Was Pinchas a hero or a murderer? On the one hand, he saved countless lives: no more people died from the plague. On the other hand, did he know that in advance? To any onlooker, he might have seemed like a man of reckless violence, caught up in anger. In our parasha G-d announces: “Pinchas, son of Elazar, son of Aharon the priest, has turned back My anger from the Israelites by being zealous among them on My behalf, so that I did not wipe out the Israelite people in My zeal. Therefore … I am making with him My covenant of peace” (Bemidbar 25:11 – 12).

     

    G-d declared Pinchas a hero. He had saved the Israelites from destruction by showing passion for G-d that was the antidote to the people’s faithlessness, and as a reward, G-d honoured him. Pinchas acted correctly in G-d’s eyes.

     

    The Rabbi’s of the Talmud tell us that the halakha sees things differently. Firstly, they rule that if Zimri had turned and killed Pinchas in self-defence, he would declared innocent in a court of law. Secondly, they rule that if Pinchas had killed Zimri and Kozbi just before or after they were engaged in the sin, he would have been guilty of murder. Thirdly, had Pinchas checked with a beit din as to whether he should act as he did, the answer would have been no. This is one of the rare cases where we say, “Halakha ve’ein morin kein” – “It is the law, but we do not teach people to act like this.” While the Torah gives us an answer about Pinchas’s act, rabbinic halakha teaches us that this is not the kind of behaviour we can follow.

     

    But G-d was pleased with Pinchas, so why do the Rabbis criticise his actions? How can he have been both right and wrong? It helps to look at the story from two different perspectives. From an individual, moral perspective, Pinchas should not have done what he did. He took the law into his own hands. But from a political perspective, he showed true leadership and protected his people – he stopped the plague and was blessed by G-d.

  • Announcements | Pinchas

    Announcements | PINCHAS |

    The Executive and Committee wish you Shabbat Shalom.

    The Executive and Committee wish you Shabbat Shalom.

    Rabbi Sam Thurgood will officiate over Shabbat and will be our Baal Koreh

    Please note our shul cellphone and WhatsApp number is 060 764 6017.

    As from this Sunday 20th July, weekday Mincha moves to 17:45.

    We thank our brocha ladies on duty this Shabbat Peta Feldman and Bev Shrand.

    Upcoming Events:

    Rabbi Shalom Hammer will be with us over Shabbat Hazon, Devarim and Tisha B’ Av.

    Yeshiva of Cape Town Community Shabbaton 8-10 August 2025. Please see poster for more information.

    Please note that Morasha welcomes sponsorships towards our Kiddush Brachot.

    Junie Punie” Children’s service (ages 1-6) takes place at 10h15 on Shabbat Morning.

    Dream Team Activities” Older kids and early teens activities are from 10h15 – 11h00 on Shabbat Morning

    Toddler Time” For the Tiny Tots on Shabbat at 17h30pm. Please bring your kids and have some fun!!

    Morasha Wi-Fi code is “Morasha Guest”, and the password is We@rehome31

  • Torah Reading Pages | Pinchas
    Parashat Balak Artscroll Steinsaltz Living Torah Hirsch
    Torah 876 883 798 686
    Maftir 896 903 822 698
    Haftarah 1192 1247 1212 710
  • Shabbat Pinchas
    Earliest Candle Lighting 16:54
    Latest Candle Lighting 17:40
    Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat 17:30
    Shacharit 08:45
    Latest time for morning Shema 10:20
    Mincha 17:00
    Shabbat Ends 18:34

     

  • Weekday Davening Schedule
    Shacharit | Monday and Thursday 06:40
    Shacharit | Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 06:50
    Shacharit| Sunday and Public Holidays 08:00
    Shacharit| Rosh Chodesh, Fast Days and Chol HaMoed 06:40
    Mincha | Sunday – Thursday 17:30
  • Weekly Learning
     Day Time Topic Speaker Place
    Shabbat Morning Shiur after Brocha Rabbi Sam Thurgood Shul
    Shabbat Mincha / Seuda Shiur and Quiz Rabbi Sam Thurgood Shul
    Monday After Shacharit 25/30 Minute Parsha To be advised Shul
    Sunday Pre Mincha 25 Minute Halacha/ Gemara To be advised Shul

     

    Please be so kind as to return siddurim, chumashim and library books to our bookshelves.

  • Yahrzeits

    Please take note: The Yahrzeit begins the evening before the date listed below

    Name Yahrzeit for Date
    Glenda Galansky Father Saturday 19 July
    Karen Kellmann Grandfather Sunday 20 July
    Marian Mirvish Marks Aunt Sunday 20 July
    Gillian Cress Aunt Sunday 20 July
    Zane Lynton Lurie Grandfather Monday 21 July
    Jillian Chipkin Husband Monday 21 July
    Zillah Kudo Husband Monday 21 July
    Ross Kudo Father Monday 21 July
    Sharon Mamulis Father Monday 21 July
    Hyman Kestan Sister Monday 21 July
    Tarna Klitzner Mother Tuesday 22 July
    Benjamin Friedman Mother Tuesday 22 July
    Phillip Weinstein Mother Tuesday 22 July
    Stan Miller Brother Wednesday 23 July
    Adrian Chiger Father Thursday 23 July
    Joan Zieff Aunt Thursday 23 July
    Jeff Scher Mother Friday 24 July
    Muriel Levin Father Saturday 25 July
    Joan Fisher Father Saturday 25 July
    Larry Forman Grandfather Saturday 25 July
  • Anniversaries & Birthdays
    Anniversaries
    Birthdays
    Lara Greenblatt Saturday 19 July
    Coby Kudo Saturday 19 July
    Dion Levin Saturday 19 July
    Adaya Naomi Landau Sunday 20 July
    Natan Michael Landau Sunday 20 July
    Yair Elkanah Landau Sunday 20 July
    Amnon Melzer Sunday 20 July
    Tristan Jake Goldstein Monday 21 July
    Nadia Saban Tuesday 22 July
    Joseph Melzer Wed 23 July
    Stan Miller Wed 23 July
    Reuven Silberstein Wed 23 July
    Sharon Mamulis Thursday 24 July
    Liam Amsdorf Friday 25 July
    Selwyn Furman Friday 25 July
    Talya Bachmann Saturday 26 July
    Yanir Grindler Saturday 26 July
    Kim Kapeluschnik Saturday 26 July
    Leora Sternberg Saturday 26 July
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