Pro-Life Torah Pinchas

The Torah portion, Pinchas: Numbers 25:10-30:1, opens as God expresses great pleasure with Pinchas for his courageous actions against shameless indecency within the community. Though Pinchas has his critics, God rewards him for showing initiative and self sacrifice sufficient to stop a plague that is decimating the population. In addition to this plague that kills 24,000, only Caleb and Joshua remain from the original emigrants from Egypt nearly 40 years ago. God orders another headcount to facilitate territory possession in the Promised Land, along with divinely determined lots and equity of inheritance for men and women. Joshua assumes the leadership position over the Jews, and the portion closes with a detailed account of the ritual sacrifices that will be required once the people are settled in their new home.

Times of great confusion and existential threat require unconventional remedies. Pinchas acted to stop seriously egregious, life threatening practices as religious leaders and trusted elders stood by doing nothing. Not only did he act against a very powerful family who could exact retribution upon him, he also acted against prevailing social, political, and legal parameters. Though viewed by his peers as a zealous, unbalanced deviant, God judged him to be a righteous, fearless defender of holiness, blessing him and his descendants with the priestly mantle.

Jewish civilization regularly faces external threats to its survival; however, internal moral collapse poses the greatest danger. Pinchas recognized the menace and saved Jewish society from itself. Our biblical tradition enumerates many periods marked by indecency, idolatry, and immorality, with prophets warning us and calamitous events befalling us. This danger also exists in our lifetime. Modern Jewish culture suffers from a myriad of anomalies, departures from Torah principles that put us in grave spiritual and demographic peril. Redefined as progressive, tolerant, and fair, a majority of our Jewish brothers and sisters barely remember, recognize or practice the holy virtues given to us by Moses at Mt. Sinai. 

Judaism was the first religion in human history to prohibit child sacrifice. Now, 83% of us believe that abortion is morally acceptable at all stages of pregnancy, a reasonable form of birth control, and a necessary healthcare provision. This presents an existential threat to Judaism’s moral foundation, demographic continuity, and spiritual survival. Thousands of Jewish babies die by painful abortion every year, their mothers exploited, manipulated, and damaged, their fathers deprived of responsibility and the joy of parenthood.

At best, our community and religious leaders say nothing; at worst, they encourage it. We understand the intimidating obstacles they will encounter should they attempt to stop the insanity. Retribution as cancel culture and loss of social and professional standing endanger lifelong careers, financial security, and donor support for cherished projects.

In the face of these hazards, we provide much needed pro-life education, pregnancy care, adoption referrals, and post abortion help. Many Jewish abortion advocates view our work as outside the normal parameters of Jewish outreach. Our critics find fault with our foray into the sacred territory of Jewish abortion activism. Nevertheless, we bring a healing, life saving message into Jewish circles inculcated in the death culture, compromised by progressive ideologies that deny the reality of God and pre-born human dignity and worth. 

The Haftorah portion for Pinchas, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, showcases the undeniably valuable human being in the womb. When Jeremiah objects to his prophetic appointment, God reassures him, saying, “When I had not yet formed you in the womb, I knew you, and when you had not yet emerged from the womb, I had appointed you; a prophet to the nations I made you.” 

Throughout his lifetime, Jeremiah prophesied that moral decline within the nation of Israel would end with national disintegration and destruction. Ignored, demonized, and persecuted, he was jailed as a traitor for daring to warn against idolatry and chid sacrifice, as in Jeremiah 7:30. “For the Children of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight, saith the Lord; they have set their detestable things in the house whereon My name is called, to defile it. And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire which I commanded not, neither came it into my mind.”  When Jerusalem falls and the Jews are exiled to Babylon, Jeremiah encourages them to maintain fidelity to God and Torah, promising redemption for past errors, renewed protection and care from Heaven, and a return to holy worship in Israel.

We do, too.

Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.