Pinchas: literature and fate

This week's chapter (re)unifies the book of Bamidbar ( Numbers)  and evokes the beginning and the end of the story: from Exodus to Deuteronomy. Pinchas was (re)introduced in the last chapter, when his lethal, redeeming action - killing the transgressive couple (identified in this week's chapter) - saves the Israelites from the wrath of Gd. Now, that action is identified as redemptive and Pinchas is given the heritable reward of  (High) Priesthood. 

Bamidbar begins with a census, which is repeated in this week's chapter, followed by a division of the Levites into subtribes with specific tasks. The election of Pinchas as the forefather of future (high) priests complements and completes that picture. Pinchas is elevated from his former status as a Levite. 

The repeat census that follows the elevation of Pinchas ties the beginning of Bamidbar to this section more securely.  The second census, after the 40 year travail, reveals the intention of the first. The distribution of the population is fluid; tribes rise and fall. Along the way heroes (e.g. the daughters of Zelophchod)  and villians  (e.g. Dathan and Aviram) emerge.  

Depravity (unlike glory?) is not inherited ( 26;11: 

בְנֵי־קֹ֖רַח לֹא־מֵֽתוּ׃ {ס}         

The sons of Korah, however, did not die.

In fact, the prophet Samuel is a descendant of Korach. 

The first mention of Pinchas is actually  in Exodus. Exodus 6:14-28  gives a broad outline of the characters that are key to most of the subsequent story. It is a list that makes no sense... until we arrive here,  toward the end of Bamidbar. This list of the dramatis personae, the characters that will play put the action, ends with: 

וּבְנֵ֣י קֹ֔רַח אַסִּ֥יר וְאֶלְקָנָ֖ה וַאֲבִיאָסָ֑ף אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַקׇּרְחִֽי׃ 

The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. Those are the families of the Korahites. 

וְאֶלְעָזָ֨ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֜ן לָקַֽח־ל֨וֹ מִבְּנ֤וֹת פּֽוּטִיאֵל֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד ל֖וֹ אֶת־פִּֽינְחָ֑ס אֵ֗לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַלְוִיִּ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃ 

And Aaron’s son Eleazar took into his [household] as wife one of Putiel’s daughters, and she bore him Phinehas. Those are the heads of the ancestral houses of the Levites by their families.

Korach and Pinchas are anticipated from the very beginning of the story. 

I am interested in this literary structure for two reasons. The incontrovertible point is: this is a demonstration of how literature works. Each artform appeals to a sense: music - hearing, painting - vision, dance - position.  Literature appeals to memory. Delight comes from the recollection of a character and the realization of that character's significance. The delight is one aspect that preserves the text. 

The metaphysical implication of an earlier allusion to the characters is that the story has an element of inevitability/fate. From the time that Moses confronted Pharaoh, 40 years ago in the storyline, the conflict with Korach and the zealotry of Pinchas was pre-ordained. Although the rational explanation  of the text is that the story, told after the facts had occurred, was edited in that manner; the reader can see the text unfolding as a sequence, making the actions predicted. 

The parsha, however, is filled with surprises. The unexpected happens. Joshua will lead the people into the land, even though Caleb, Moshe's nephew, was the first to advocate adherence to Gd's command - enter the land despite the obstacles - (Joshua joined that small contingent). Moshe's offspring would not be the leaders, even though the honor bestowed upon Pinchas  had removed the possible disqualification  of a Midianite mother. 

Most dramatically, the daughters of Zelophehad, WOMEN, are heard and, because of their assertiveness, the laws of inheritance will not exclude women (completely). These daughters of Zelophehad present such a compelling case that Moses must consult Gd! And Gd comes through for them.

Fate is a component of  history; most of the future unfolds beyond human control. But surprises occur  and maybe fate can be adjusted.