|
Pinchos / פנחס
Pinchos / פנחס
Rashi explains that
the possuk relates
the lineage of
Pinchos to Aaron
because the people
insisted on
referring to him as
the grandson of
Yisro who had served
idols. The "Yad
Shaul" has a unique
approach for
explaining this.
Since Moshe, Aaron
and Yehoshua were
all present at the
time of the incident
and the only one to
act was Pinchos, the
people assessed it
as a careless act
and traced it to his
other lineage.
Therefore, the Torah
clearly points out
that, on the
contrary, his was an
act that even
outshines the
Tzadikim that were
present at the time.
In the tfila of
Mussaf l'Shabbos we
say, "to bring the
Korbon Mussaf
Shabbos properly"
The word properly
seems to be
unnecessary for
don't we offer all
the Korbonos
properly? The "Be'er
Yosef" explains and
extracts a great
lesson. We know that
although a Korbon
must be processed
only in the daytime,
however, the fats
and such, which are
burnt on the "mizbeach",
are allowed to be
burnt even in the
nighttime. If so, it
would seem logical,
that the Shabbos
Korbon, which is the
Mussaf, would be
burnt after Shabbos
to avoid chillul
Shabbos. However, we
learn otherwise. So
great is the
obligation to
perform a mitzva
immediately and not
to delay that the
Mussaf was done
"properly" with no
delay, even the
fats, etc., were
offered on the
mizbach.
We find two
different
personalities
mentioned in the
parsha of Balak. One
is Bilam and one is
Pinchos after whom
this week’s parsha
is named. The
difference between
them is in the idea
of truth. The donkey
scolded Bilam "why
are you hitting me"?
Bilam responded, "I
should really kill
you." Now what was
the meaning of the
dialogue between
them? The donkey had
crushed Bilam's foot
against the wall.
The donkey was
impressing upon
Bilam "you are the
cause of your
problems, your
willingness to
travel with your
feet to curse the
Jewish people, you
have to be honest
with yourself".
Bilam was obviously
much more satisfied
to throw all the
blame on the donkey
who certainly was
not to blame.
Pinchos, on the
other hand, had
every excuse not to
act. The man was a
prince of his tribe.
Moshe, Aaron and
Yehoshua were all
standing there, not
able to react. And
yet Pinchos placed
the burden upon
himself. This
honesty came from
his ancestor, Yosef
HaTzaddik. Yosef
could have easily
rationalized and
said, "nobody is
here, nobody cares,
nobody will know."
Yet he did not; he
was honest and did
not give excuses or
place blame on
someone else. The
medrash in reference
to the brothers and
Yosef says, "woe is
to the day of
judgement, the day
of debate and
reproach." The "Madregas
HaOdom" asks, should
it not be the
reverse " the day of
debate and reproach
and then the day of
judgement? He
answers - mankind
always harbors this
idea that even after
the judgement he
will be able to give
excuses and
rationalize his
actions. In one
split second, the
brothers realized
that all their
excuses as to why
they conducted
themselves with
Yosef the way they
did were useless.
This then is the
greatest obligation
of a person to be
honest with himself.
That is the meaning
- the day of
judgement and then
the day of debate -
the debate will be
to no avail.
The “vuv” of Shalom
is severed. This
could be explained
by the extensive
life history of
Pinchos. Chazal say
that Pinchos is the
same person as the
prophet Eliyahu. If
so, the beginning of
his existence was a
display of a
promotion of peace
as is described in
the Parsha relating
to Pinchos. Also the
future holds in
store a similar feat
of returning the
hearts to their
Father in heaven.
However, in the
middle we find
criticism of Pinchos
in the time of the
Shoftim and, in
fact, he is blamed
for various
catastrophes which
befell the Jewish
People at that time.
He should have waged
a war of protest but
he didn’t. (Tanah
B’Eliyohu 11) If so,
then the “vuv” of
Shalom indicates
this sequence. The
beginning and the
end are complete but
in the middle it is
broken. (M’Shulchan
Gevoah).
Previous Parshos
Tazria
Metzora
Achrei Mos
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukosai
Bamidbar
Shavuos
Naso
Behalosicha
Shilach
Korach
Chukas-Balak
Pinchos
Matos-Masei
Devorim
Voeschonon Ekev
Reah
Shoftim
Ki Seitzei
Ki Savo
Nitzovim
- Vayelech Rosh
HaShana Haazinu-Yom
Kippur Sukkos V'zos
HaBrocha
Breishis
|
