Parshas Pinchas
16 Tamuz 5768

July 19, 2008
Daf Yomi: Gitin 8

 

Guest Author:
Rabbi Yonah Gross

Young Israel of Phoenix, Arizona

 

 

 

 

The Tortoise and the Hare

 

At first glance, the connection between the parsha of Pinchas and the haftorah seems easy to understand. In the Torah reading, Pinchas is a holy zealot who was distraught over the reprehensible act being carried out by the Jewish prince (nasi) Kazbi with the Midianite princess Zimri. While the leaders of Israel sobbed helplessly, Pinchas acted and slew them both. This action halted the plague that was decimating Israel.

 

The haftorah has a similar plot. There was a drought throughout Israel caused by widespread idol worship. After a period of suffering, Elijah the prophet calls for a showdown with the priests of Baal (a type of idol). At this showdown, Elijah brings fire down from heaven to consume his sacrifice. It immediately begins raining fire and the people accept G-d in an impromptu mass ceremony.  The Yalkut Shimoni (Pinchas 771) makes the connection even stronger when the Midrash posits that Pinchas and Elijah are the same person.

 

Another common aspect to both the parsha and the haftorah is that the Torah seemingly leaves out the climatic portion of both stories. The haftorah only picks up in the aftermath of the showdown with the priests of Baal. Our haftorah begins by telling the story of the threats made to Elijah by the idol worshiping Queen Jezebel after Elijah humiliated her along with her husband, King Ahab, and priests of Baal. It is the story of Elijah fleeing from threats and of his asking G-d to take his life.

 

This is also seen in the story of the zealous actions of Pinchas which takes place in last week’s parsha. It is the last few verses of last week’s section that deal with Pinchas’s heroic actions. The parsha of Pinchas only deals with the aftermath. Why compare two zealots and not even mention either of their signature actions?

 

The answer may be found in the response that G-d gives to Elijah’s request that his life be ended. Elijah is shown visions of powerful winds, earthquakes, and fires, but nowhere in those visions was G-d to be seen. Rather, G-d is found in a “kol demamah dakah,” a slow thin sound. The message to Elijah was that you may have put on the greatest show of divine might to the Jews and you expected that, as a result, they would immediately all turn around and become righteous? It doesn’t work like that. G-d is not only found in the explosiveness of an earthquake or in a one-time performance. Rather, G-d is also found in the slow consistent tone.

 

This idea explains Jezebel’s strange message to Elijah in the beginning of the haftorah. She sent a message to Elijah that at this time tomorrow “you will die.” Why wait until tomorrow? Why not have the messenger kill Elijah as soon as he meets him?

 

The answer is that Jezebel knew the message of the one time show versus consistency. She knew that today, the day that Elijah brought fire down from the heavens and the day that witnessed the Jews collectively accepting the yolk of heaven, was not a day that she would get away with killing Elijah. She also realized that peoples’ memories are short. Jezebel realized that she would have to wait for another day, after the excitement and pandemonium subsided and things were back to normal. It was only then that Jezebel felt she would be capable of killing Elijah because she knew the excitement of the moment wouldn’t last.

 

This message of consistency explains why this is the haftorah for the parsha of Pinchas even though the story of Pinchas takes place in the previous parsha. Perhaps it isn’t trying to focus on the heroism and zealotry of Pinchas, but rather on the aftermath of Pinchas’ actions: How one powerful and unifying act is then incorporated into the rubric of the Jewish people. Therefore, we see that, not only can we get inspiration from the grand breath-taking moments of life, but also from our mundane daily lives. 

 

Perhaps one can suggest that the haftorah is also connected to the end of the parsha when the parsha tells us of the different karbanot (sacrifices).  The Torah tells us “One lamb you should take in the morning and one more you should take in the afternoon.” Of all the sacrifices that are brought throughout the year, the first ones mentioned are those sacrifices that are brought everyday. The Torah here is showing us, again, that the real goal is to build a model of consistency that will be with us even when no earthquakes, lightning, or fire is coming from the heavens ─ not even a mass acceptance of G-d. Thus, the goal for everyone is to always be able to recognize the reason and the purpose for our everyday life, which is to achieve a connection to our creator.

 

Shabbat Shalom.

 

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