In the first reading of the parsha, we read in Numbers 25:10–26:4 - G-d announced that because Phinehas had displayed his passion for G-d, G-d granted Phinehas G-d's pact of friendship and priesthood for all time.  G-d then told Moses to attack the Midianites to repay them for their trickery luring Israelite men to worship Baal-Peor.

​When we display our passion for the L-RD by rejecting what is wrong and do what is right, execute godly judgment in accordance to the commandments of G-D even when it is unpopular to the people, we save others as well. ​

The Parsha sets out the decree of corpse contamination (tumat hamet) and purification with the water of lustration prepared with the red heifer (parah adumah). The children of Israel arrive at the wilderness of Zin. Miriam dies and is buried there. It also narrates the failure of Moses at the Waters of Meribah.  This happened when the people complain that they have no water and Moses strikes the rock to get water for them, which displeased the L-RD. G-d tells Moses and Aaron they will not enter the Land of Israel.