PARSHAT: Pinchas
21 Tamuz 5770 / 7/3/2010
DAF YOMI: Shevuos 6
GUEST AUTHOR
Rabbi Yitzchak Rabinowitz
Associate Member, Young Israel Council of
Rabbis
“Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the Kohen, turned back My anger from upon the Children of Israel when he zealously avenged Me among them, so I did not consume the Children of Israel in My vengence. Therefore say: Behold! I give him my covenant of peace” [Bamidbar 25:11-12].
To fully appreciate what Pinchas did, we need to consider the circumstance that surrounded him. In last week’s parsha [Balak 25:4], HaShem says to Moshe, “Take all the leaders of the people. Hang them (the people that worshipped the idol Ba’al Peor) before HaShem against the sun.” Rashi explains that Moshe was to convene courts with these leaders and pass judgment and punish the sinners. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch comments that HaShem commanded the convening of these special courts because, according to conventional Jewish law, a court can only become involved if witnesses first warn a person against sinning and, if their warning is ignored, then the witnesses themselves are to bring the sinner to the Beit Din. In this case, however, no one was getting involved! No one was trying to stop the idol worship from being performed. Therefore, HaShem instructed Moshe and the leaders to convene a special Beit Din/Court and to punish the sinners without the standard halachic procedures. As we know from last week’s parsha, the idol worship was accompanied and inspired by immoral behavior with the Moabite women.
In the midst of all this, Zimri, the prince of the tribe of Shimon, takes a Midianite woman and outdoes the rest of the sinners by sinning with her in front of Moshe and the leaders. At this point, when Pinchas considered punishing Zimri, he must have looked all around him and realized that society would not support his actions.
But Pinchas took a lesson from a halacha in Shulchan Aruch. In Hilchot Treifot, the Shulchan Aruch deals with the injuries that render an animal unfit to eat (see Yorah De’ah 58). To check a bird for a broken limb, it must either walk or swim. But swimming can only determine that a bird is fit only if the bird is able to swim against the current. A lame animal can be carried along with the flow. Pinchas understood that to be spiritually sound, one must be ready to swim against the current of society. Pinchas wouldn’t allow the corruption, nor the apathy, of the surrounding society to stop him.
There is another point to consider. At this point, Pinchas held no special status within his people. On the other hand, Zimri was a nasi, the prince of the tribe of Shimon, which dictates that he had to have been a great person. Furthermore, many commentaries state that Zimri had sincere and even sublime intentions in what he did. How then did Pinchas justify to himself the decision to kill a leader of the Jewish people?
The answer is that he first consulted with his rebbe. The Gemarah in Sanhedrin 82a states that, when Pinchas saw what Zimri was doing, he remembered a halacha, turned to Moshe, and said: “Did you not teach me that if one commits such an act with a gentile, a zealous one may slay him?” Even those who are willing to stand up for the honor of HaShem cannot take things into their own hands. They first must seek guidance from their rebbe.
The Yalkut Me’am Loez asks an interesting question. How did Pinchas know how to use a spear? After all, he didn’t come from a family of warriors. From where did he gain the ability to use a spear so well that in one act he speared two people at the same time? The Yalkut answers that, once he began the mitzvah and was willing to sacrifice himself by performing it, Pinchas received Siyata D’Shmaya, Divine assistance, to complete his task successfully.
Pinchas had no experience using a spear. But he knew that he had to do this mitzvah, as difficult as it may have been. So he took the spear in hand trusting that HaShem would grant him the ability to accomplish the task. The Yalkut Me’am Loez concludes that this holds true for every mitzvah. Once a person begins a mitzvah, although it may be difficult, HaShem sends Siyata D’Shmaya to bring it to success.
Shabbat Shalom.
* * * * *
THE WEEKLY SIDRA- PINCHAS
Rabbi Moshe Greebel
When it comes to voting political leaders into office, it is usually safe to say, “We’d all like to vote for the best man, but he’s never a candidate.”
The modern Rome in which we live, is rife with the corruption of our political leaders. How many elected politicians inhabit office, primarily for their own good, rather than for the good of their constituents? How many scandals, infractions, and even instances of breaking of the law, have been perpetrated by our elected leaders? Most assuredly, the numbers are staggering.
However, when it comes to a true Torah leader, none of the above applies. For a Manhig HaDor (Torah leader of the generation) must not be one who sought his office, but rather, one whom the office sought. He must not assume this austere authority for his own benefit, even in the slightest manner. Rather, all his thoughts, words, and actions must be for his flock, for the Jewish nation.
In this week’s Sidra, we are given a glimpse into the appointment of Y’hoshua Bin Nun to lead the B’nai Yisroel. Seeking assistance in this appointment from HaShem, Moshe stated:
“Let HaShem, the G-d of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation. Who may go out before them, and who may go in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of HaShem be not as sheep which have no shepherd for them.” (Bamidbar 27:16-17)
In the text K’hilas Yitzchak, we are introduced to one Rav Ya’akov, who was appointed Maggid Meisharim (preacher) in Vilna in 5643, some 127 years ago to this writing. In his very first official D’rasha (sermon), he posed the following question. Instead of writing ‘that the congregation of HaShem be not as sheep which have no shepherd for them,’ why did the Torah not utilize a shorter form, which would have read ‘that the congregation of HaShem be not as sheep without a shepherd’?
The answer to this question, continued Rav Ya’akov, lies in the understanding between two forms of a shepherd- one who grazes the sheep of others for free, as an act of kindness, and one who grazes his own flock. Now, the one who grazes his own flock must make certain that his animals are healthy, well fed, and well watered. He constantly searches for good pasture and water for his flock. But consider. Since his livelihood is to come from these sheep in his charge, his concern with keeping his flock healthy is more for himself, than it is for the actual sheep.
Not so, is the shepherd who freely grazes another’s flock. For, since he performs an act of kindness for his fellow man, his only concern is for the flock’s well being- not for himself.
Now, continued Rav Ya’akov, Moshe Rabbeinu, approaching the end of his life, was well aware that the B’nai Yisroel could not be without a leader. Of course, he was certain of finding many candidates who would be very willing to accept such a lofty position, candidates who would anticipate good incomes, financial security, authority, and honor, desiring their position more for themselves, than for the B’nai Yisroel.
Therefore, Moshe pleaded with HaShem to help him avoid such inappropriate candidates, who are ‘not as sheep which have no shepherd for them.’ That is, there is no shepherd for them (sheep), but, there is a shepherd for himself. A leader of this sort, who is only concerned for himself, is not a leader. Thus, in order to teach this lesson, the Torah opted to utilize the longer language of ‘no shepherd for them’ instead of a shorter form of ‘without a shepherd.’
Continuing with this theme, Rav Ya’akov instructed that a Dayan (Rabbinical judge) is as well a position of leadership, where the only concern should be for the constituency, not for the Dayan himself. This can be seen in the flowing Passuk (verse):
“Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself in all your gates…..” (D’varim 16:18)
From here, it is evident that Moshe instructed the B’nai Yisroel to always appoint judges who are ‘for yourself’- for the nation of Jews, and not for themselves.
Such true Manhigei HaDor of course, cannot be compared to the corrupt public officials who say anything, promise anything, and do anything that is necessary to maintain office. Once elected, their true concern is apt to turn from the public who voted for them, to themselves. Such leaders eventually cause their own destruction, and the destruction of their constituencies. Only a true Torah ‘shepherd’ cares solely for his flock, first and last.
The following narrative, concerning the Chafetz Chayim (Rav Yisroel Meir HaKohain Kagan 1838-1933) of blessed memory, was brought down in the texts Hamagid M’daber and the Yalkut Lekach Tov, and illustrates how the concern of a real Manhig HaDor is only for his flock.
In the city of Radin, lived a married Talmid (disciple) of the Chafetz Chayim, who it seemed, developed a very serious illness. The prognosis of the physicians he consulted was not a promising one, they informing their patient that there was little that could be done. These tidings of course, upset the husband and wife exceedingly, and they decided that the husband should immediately confer with the Rosh Yeshiva, the Chafetz Chayim.
“Perhaps, there is a way for you to be completely cured,” began the Chafetz Chayim, “but, only on the condition that under no circumstances, are you ever to tell anyone of this conversation- under no circumstances!”
After the Talmid agreed, the Chafetz Chayim went on, saying, “In a certain village, lives a very great Talmid Chacham (Torah scholar) by the name of so and so. You will undertake a journey to visit with him. He will bestow upon you a B’racha (blessing), and by the grace of HaShem, you will be healed.”
The Talmid journeyed to the distant village, received a B’racha from the Talmid Chacham, and returned to Radin. Shortly thereafter, something quite amazing took place. The Talmid recovered completely from his malady. Husband and wife were overjoyed.
At some point, for whatever reason, the Talmid, his wife, and children uprooted from Radin, and relocated to another city. Some twenty years passed, and to everyone’s surprise, the Talmid’s sister-in-law developed the exact same disease from which he suffered years ago.
The wife, remembering her husband’s visit to the Chafetz Chayim and the cure shortly thereafter, thought that perhaps, whatever the Chafetz Chayim told her husband, would also cure her sister. But, after posing this question to her spouse, he would not say a word about it, as promised all those years back.
“But, how can you keep still,” questioned the wife, “when my sister is so ill? What did the Chafetz Chayim tell you?”
After so many pleas from his wife and sister-in-law, and after considering that he kept his word for over twenty years, the Talmid finally gave in, and disclosed to them what the Chafetz Chayim said. But, to the shock of all, something terrible soon took place. The Talmid again became ill with the same disease. Directly, he journeyed all the way to Radin, to confer once more with the Chafetz Chayim.
“Regrettably,” began the Chafetz Chayim, “there is nothing I can do for you. Years ago, when you first consulted me, I was a younger man, and was able to undertake forty fasts for your recovery. But, now that I am much older, and weaker, I am unable to fast for you.”
And, so ends the narrative, from which we see the true essence of a Manhig HaDor. For, not only did the Chafetz Chayim fast forty days for just one of his Talmidim, but, he also modestly concealed his powers of healing the ill, by distracting his Talmid to a certain Talmid Chacham in a far away village. Such a true Manhig HaDor, never thinks of his own self aggrandizement, only of his flock. May the Manhigei HaDor of these times, follow such glorious predecessors of days past.
May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times. Good Shabbos.
The National Council of Young Israel's Divrei Torah Bulletin is a weekly newsletter. If you'd like to receive our weekly e-newsletter with the Parshat Hashavua, Click here to sign up!
