Parshas Pinchos opens with the culmination of the saga that began in last week's portion, when Pinchas, Aaron's grandson, slew the prince of the tribe of Shimon as he publicly engaged in a licentious act. G-d rewards Pinchas with the Covenant of Peace and the priesthood. Pinchas's quick response stops a plague that had broken out in the Jewish camp. Moshe then counts the Jewish nation. A leader is a  shepherd of his flock; just as a  shepherd counts the herd before  returning it to its owner, Moshe counts the Jews before his death and figuratively returns the Jewish flock to G-d.        

 The portion recounts the story of the daughters of Tzelaphchad. Tzelaphchad died leaving five daughters who feared that they would lose their family's share of land in Israel because there was no male heir. They go to Moshe to plead their case. Moshe asks G-d, who affirms that the daughters of Tzelaphchad have a right to inherit their father's land. The Torah then sets forth the laws of inheritance, detailing who has first priority, then second, etc.

G-d shows Moshe the Land of Israel from the top of a mountain, although he is not to enter it. This symbolizes to Moshe that his mission of teaching the Jews is complete. They are now ready to live by the Torah’s teachings in the Holy Land.  Moshe then passes the mantle of leadership to his trusted disciple, Joshua, who will lead the Jews into the Promised Land.

The Torah portion concludes with a lengthy description of the communal offerings that were brought in the Temple. Two offerings were brought each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon (the morning and evening prayers today correspond to those offerings). A supplemental offering, called mussaf, was brought on Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh (the first day of the lunar month), and on festivals throughout the year: Passover, Shavuos, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Succos. The extra mussaf prayer we recite on these holidays corresponds to this offering.