 Parashat Pinchas A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem... Here's one of those weeks again. Too late to remind anyone about Kiddush L'vana. Too early to talk about the blessing of the next month. So let's look at something else. Parshat Pinchas is sometimes read before the Three Weeks, and sometimes on its first Shabbat. It will have a different Haftara whichever side of the 17th of Tammuz it is. And which side will depend upon Matot and Mas'ei. 10.6% of the time, Matot and Mas'ei will be read separately, and Pinchas will be before the Three Weeks.This last occurred in 5744 and will happen next in 5765. 79.5% of the years (this year, last year, next year included) Matot and Mas'ei are read combined and Pinchas is the first Shabbat of the Three Weeks. If you've been keeping track, you know there are another 9.9% of the time when we separate M&M and it is read combinedin Chutz LaAretz. That's happened last in 5752 and 5755, and next in 5776. In those years, not only do we and Chutz LaAretz read Pinchas on diferent Shabbatot, but we each read a different Haftara for it. So works the Jewish Calendar. Not easy - but fun. Good riddle material here. [The Pinchas Homepage]
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