QUESTIONS AND COMMENTARY ON PARASHAT PINCHAS
1. The daughters of Zelophehad - Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah - approach Moses and the elders of the community after their father dies (Numbers 27:1-11). There is no male heir to inherit his property, and no legislation concerning daughters. These five women recognize that the Law of Moses has made no provision for their inheritance and decide they should be next in line to carry on their father's name (property). Their actions result in changes in the Torah. There are three other places in the Torah where actions of people (passive and active) result in changes in the Law as well, can you recount them?
Deborah
The daughters of Zelophehad's case is the last of four cases in the Torah in which changes are made to the Law; the other two are in Numbers and one is in Leviticus:
1. The first one is a story about a blasphemer found in Leviticus 24:10. A man whose mother was Israelite and father Egyptian got into a fight with an Israelite-the Israelite pronounced the name of God in blasphemy and was taken into custody until it was decided by God (through Moses) what to do: a new law resulted - no pronouncing the name of God. He was then stoned.
2. The second case is found in Numbers 9:6: Some men wanted to know whether they could present the Passover sacrifice because they were unclean due to contact with a corpse. They stood by as Moses inquired of God on this matter. God allowed it and makes a law confirming it. At the same time God adds that those who are clean and do not offer a sacrifice will be cut off from their kin.
3. The third case involves a Sabbath violator and can be found in Numbers 15:32. A man was gathering wood on the Sabbath while the children of Israel were in the wilderness. It says that those who found him brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to the whole congregation; "They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him." God commanded that he be put to death and the entire congregation stoned him.
Only one of these cases had a positive outcome: the one where the unclean men consider their situation and wisely approach the leadership to see what God would say on something not yet legislated. Those involved in the two other cases did not contemplate their situation, or bother to approach the lawmakers for advice-this resulted in their death. The daughters of Zelophehad followed the model of the wise men who asked first before assuming to take the law into their own hands. As a result God blessed them with an inheritance (with some conditions-that they marry within their clan (see Numbers 36)).
2. After God told Moses that his death was immanent, Moses asked God to "appoint a leader over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd" (Numbers 27:12, 16-17). According to Rashi & Nachalat Ya'akov, Moses asked that his sons would be appointed as his successors. God however chose Joshua to lead the people? For what reasons? What leadership principals do we learn from this passage? What type of leaders does Messianic Judaism need in order to inspire and develop the next generation?
Jason
Moses demonstrated both wisdom and love for Israel by asking God to raise up a new leader for Israel before his death. Rashi writes, "When the righteous take their leave from the world, they put aside their own concerns and deal with matters of public concern." Thus Moses wanted to make sure that his family, the Jewish people, would have a shepherd to guide them in spiritual matters and lead them into the Promise land.
Furthermore, Nachalat Yaakov tells us that Moses desired that the next leader come from among his children. God however had other plans and chose Joshua to lead the people. Why did the Lord deny Moses' request? Why was Joshua a better choice then the sons' of Moses? Rashi provides us with a brief answer to these questions when he writes,
The blessed Holy One, said to Moses, "This is not what entered my mind. Joshua is worthy of taking reward for his service for (as Exodus 33:11 says) ‘he would not depart from the tent.' And this is what Solomon referred to when he said in Proverbs 27:18, ‘He who guards the fig tree shall eat its fruits."
Thus according to Rashi, God chose Joshua because he was the one who "did not depart from the tent." But what does this seemingly vague statement mean? The Midrash elucidates Rashi commentary when it states, "God said to Moses, ‘The one who guards the fig tree eats the fruit.' Your sons sat around and did not busy themselves with Torah study. (Numbers Rabbah 21:14).'"
From this Midrash, we learn that Joshua demonstrated two of the essential traits of a great leader. The first is to be a student of Scripture. Joshua was an individual who engrossed himself in the words of the Torah. One reason why Joshua did not leave the tent was because he was busy sitting and studying Torah. Clearly Joshua was a person who practiced the words he preached to Israel in Joshua 1:8 where he says, "Do not let this Book of the Torah depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."
The second mark of a great leader is being a true servant. As the Midrash continues,
But Joshua served you with devotion and showed you much respect. Morning and evening he was the one who set up the benches in your academy and spread carpets over them. He served you to the best of his ability, so it is appropriate that he should serve the Jewish people and not lose his reward.
Numbers Rabbah 21:14
Joshua not only spent his time studying in "the tent" but also serving Moses who was teaching and leading Israel in the path of the Torah. Moses' sons however did not demonstrate the same level of zeal for talmud (study of) Torah or for serving in the tent of learning. We need to follow in the footsteps of Joshua and Messiah Yeshua by becoming the servant of all if we ever hope to be great leaders like them.
Learning 
