Pinchas – Peninim on the Torah

אשר יצא לפניהם ואשר יבא לפניהם ואשר יוציאם ואשר יביאם

“Who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall take them out and bring them in.” (27:17)

Moshe Rabbeinu presents what appears, at first glance, to be redundant qualifications for his successor – Klal Yisrael’s next leader. The proposed leader “shall go out before them and come in before them.” He should lead them in battle, remaining at the forefront every time the nation went to war. Is this not the way that Moshe led the nation? Then Moshe asks that the leader take them out and bring them in. Is this any different from his first criteria which states that the leader shall go out before them? Horav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg, zl, explains that these requests…

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יפקד ד' אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר איש על העדה. אשר יצא לפניהם ואשר יבא לפניהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5775

“May Hashem, G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the assembly, who shall go out before them and come in before them.” (27:16,17)

Moshe Rabbeinu asked Hashem to appoint his successor, hoping that his own son would be the one to succeed him as the nation’s leader. Hashem had other plans: “Yehoshua, who has never departed from the (your) tent, deserves to be granted leadership over the nation.” As Shlomo Ha’melech says (Mishlei 27:18) Notzer t’einah yochal piryah, “He who watches over the fig tree should eat its fruit.” Rashi, who cites the above Chazal, indicates that Yehoshua was selected as a result of his devotion to the ohalah shel Torah, incredible diligence in not leaving the tent of Torah. Lo yamush mitoch…

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פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את את חמתי מעל בני ישראל... לכן אמור הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5775

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen, turned back My wrath from upon Bnei Yisrael… Therefore, say: “Behold! I give him My covenant of peace.” (25:11,12)

Concerning Pinchas’ right to reward, Chazal express themselves strongly: B’din hu she’yitol s’charo; “It is by right (halachically axiomatic) that he (Pinchas) should take his reward.” Such an act of zealousness on behalf of Hashem warrants an exemplary reward. Far from belittling Pinchas’ right to reward, it seems inconsistent with the halachic maxim, S’char mitzvah b’hai alma leka, “The reward for mitzvah performance is not rendered in this world.” Simply, this is a physical world, a world of the mundane; mitzvos are spiritual in nature, given to us by Hashem for the purpose of our spiritual advancement and as a…

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אשר יצא לפניהם ואשר יבא לפניהם ואשר יוציאם ואשר יביאם

“Who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall take them out and bring them in.” (27:17)

יפקד ד' אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר איש על העדה. אשר יצא לפניהם ואשר יבא לפניהם

“May Hashem, G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the assembly, who shall go out before them and come in before them.” (27:16,17)

פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את את חמתי מעל בני ישראל... לכן אמור הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen, turned back My wrath from upon Bnei Yisrael… Therefore, say: “Behold! I give him My covenant of peace.” (25:11,12)

YEARS

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