Parshat Pinchas
19 Tammuz 5763
July 19, 2003

Daf Yomi: Zevachim 40

Guest Author:
Rabbi Donald Bixon
Young Israel of Miami Beach, FL

 

The Bris Shalom is usually interpreted as the "reward" that HaShem gave to Pinchas after the slaying of Kozbi and Zimri, at the end of the previous parsha. "Therefore tell him that I have given him My covenant of peace." (Bamidbar 25:12). However, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin (Netziv) explains in the Hamek Davar, that the Bris Shalom was not necessarily a reward, but was given to Pinchas to mitigate the psychological damage that may have been caused by the bloodshed.

Albeit, Pinchas' decision was sanctioned under the halacha of kanaim pogim bo (permissible act of zealotry, see Sanhedrin 82b), still aggression takes its toll on the human psyche and on a person's persona. Even though times do arise when we must kill or devastate (the Netziv uses the example of the commandment in Sefer Devarim to tear down an ir hanidachas - a city that worshipped idols), the caustic nature of annihilation can erode the personality, even when killing is a mitzvah! The Bris Shalom was a bracha from HaShem, that Pinchas, a descendant of Aharon, would be untouched by the hostility of the events and would remain a peace-loving individual.

In practice, the Jewish people are not a nation that seeks war or violence, quite the contrary. We are all aware that King David was disqualified from building the Beis Hamikdash (a institution that represents the ways of HaShem) because he was a soldier with blood on his hands. Nevertheless, in times of great trouble we are allowed to - or forced to - respond with fighting (Rambam Hilchos Melachim uMilchamos, & Devarim Chapt. 20). Often times, I am sure we are torn about how to respond when we are attacked.

This tension between war and peace manifests in the form of a paradox on the night of the Seder. In one way, we diminish our happiness by decreasing the amount of wine in the second cup when we read about the ten plagues. This is based on the Gemera in Megillah 10b. When the Egyptians were drowning in the Yam Suf, HaShem prohibited the angels from singing shira. Even though those drowning were our persecutors, we still can not have complete simcha, a full cup of wine.

However, at the end of the Seder, we pronounce shfoch chamascha el hagoyim, pour out Your wrath unto the nations (Tehilim 79:6). In the course of the same evening, we demonstrate great compassion and yet demand such violence against our enemies as well. Perhaps this contradiction can be resolved by understanding the relationship between shfoch chamascha and Eliyahu HaNavi. Before reciting shfoch chamascha, we first pour the kos shel Eliyahu, the cup of Eliyahu. It is called Kos shel Eliyahu because it eludes to the fact that Eliyahu HaNavi will come and alleviate all doubts in Jewish law and, specifically, the doubt about the halachic question as to whether we drink five cups of wine or only four, at the seder.

I would like to suggest that a reason shfoch chamascha follows the kos shel Eliyahu is because in addition to eliyah coming and resolving our halachic disputes, he will also put an end to our other conflicts. As it is written, "he (Eliyahu) will bring back the hearts of parents to their children and hearts of children to their parents" (Malachi 3: 24). Radak says this means Eliyahu will do away with discord and tension between parents and children.

The resolution described in this pasuk can also be telling us what the Rambam describes at the end of Hilchot Malachim. In the Messianic era (which is heralded by Eliyahu), the nations of the world will recognize the glory and sovereignty of the Jewish people. Conflict and tension between the Jewish people and other nations will end. Kos Eliyahu and shfoch chamascha come in juxtaposition with each other to show that although we look forward to the day when there is no persecution of the Jewish people, we realize that until that day comes, we must say shfoch chamascha el hagoyim; not, because we derive pleasure from it or because we want to, but because we have to. As we declare aggression toward our enemies, we keep in mind the perspective of Eliyahu: what we really want and what we wait for is peace. That is our bris shalom.