Pinchas – Peninim on the Torah

וסמכת את ידך עליו

And lean your hand upon him. (27:18)

Part of the transference of leadership from Moshe Rabbeinu to Yehoshua was semichas yadayim, whereby Moshe placed his hands on Yehoshua. Clearly, much more than simple symbolism is involved here. Horav Moshe Feinstein, zl, suggests that it was meant to symbolize that Yehoshua should be attached — and subordinate to — Moshe throughout his life, so that he should direct his mind and focus on the truth that Moshe received from Hashem Himself. Throughout the generations, Rebbe to talmid has conferred semichah, which we translate as ordination, but has a deeper significance. A chain of Torah transmission of the Mesorah…

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פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5786

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen turned back My wrath from upon aBnei Yisrael, when he zealously avenged My vengeance among them. (25:11)

With his remarkable act of zealotry in killing the two profligate perpetrators – Zimri and Cozbi — Pinchas turned the tide of blatant immorality and saved the nation from destruction. His proactive stand earned him a place in the Priesthood, such that eventually every Kohen Gadol would descend from his lineage. A leader is generally expected to be calm, deliberate, patient and decisive, reflecting deep sensitivity and empathy for the needs and emotions of every individual. Pinchas was less-than-passive, responding to the flagrant desecration of Hashem’s Name and Moshe’s leadership with deliberate decisiveness. This was a moment of urgency when…

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והיתה לו ולזרעו אחריו ברית כהונת עולם

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5785

And it shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal Priesthood. (25:13)

Preceding Pinchas’ act of zealotry, the only anointed Kohanim were Aharon and his sons, with every male child born afterwards immediately entering into the family as a Kohen. Pinchas, however, was already alive at the time that Aharon and his sons (of whom one was Elazar, Pinchas’ father) were designated as Kohanim. Only after Pinchas acted decisively to preserve the honor of the nation, and to glorify Hashem’s Name, Hashem designated him as a Kohen. In an alternative explanation, Hashem promised that all Kohanim Gedolim would descend from Pinchas. The Sefarim HaKedoshim explain that it was for good reason that…

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לכן אמור הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5785

Therefore, say: “Behold! I give him My covenant of peace.” (25:12)

Pinchas saw an outrageous act of moral turpitude and took decisive action, meting out the ultimate punishment to the two perpetrators. He was rewarded with the Kehunah, Priesthood, the covenant of peace. Upon taking a closer look at the reward, a striking contrast is evident between Pinchas’ response to the sin and the reward that he received. To act zealously, risking one’s life, demands a strong element of the middah, attribute, of gevurah, strength/discipline and strict judgment. The reward of a covenant of peace is reflective of the attribute of chesed, kindness. Why would an act of zealousness be rewarded…

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לכן אמר הנני נתן לו את בריתי שלום

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5785

Therefore, say: Behold! I give him my covenant of peace. (25:12)

At times, taking a stand for what is right requires enormous courage. Taking a stand, acting boldly to uphold Divine will, requires that one be an authentic yarei Shomayim, G-d-fearing Jew. Many “talk the talk,” but, when the situation demands that he “walk the walk,” his feet suddenly begin to hurt. Two individuals, (Tzelafchad’s daughters were actually five) Pinchas and Bnos Tzelafchad, went against the prevailing spiritual current, and either took decisive action or spoke up when it was not popular, and Hashem rewarded them. Why did they do it? Because it was the ratzon Hashem, Divine will. Let us…

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השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5785

He turned back My wrath from upon Bnei Yisrael. (25:11)

The Gaon, zl, m’Vilna, observes that the word machatzis (ha’shekel, the half-shekel coin which all Jews were obligated to give to the Mishkan) is spelled: mem, ches, tzadik, yud, saf. The middle of the five letters is the tzadik. The two letters closest to the tzadik (on its right and left) are the ches and yud – chai. The two outside letters are the mem and saf, spelling the word, meis. The tzadik is the first letter (rosh teivah) of the word tzedakah, charity. This, explains the Gaon, alludes to the maxim tzedakah tatzeil mimaves, charity saves one from death….

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ובני אליאב נמואל ודתן ואבירם הוא דתן ואבירם קרואי העדה אשר הצו על משה ועל אהרן

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5784

And the sons of Eliav: Nemuel and Dasan and Aviram, the same Dasan and Aviram who were summoned by the Assembly, who contended against Moshe and Aharon. (26:9)

The Torah seems to find it necessary to once again introduce the reader to Moshe Rabbeinu’s arch nemeses, Dasan and Aviram. One would think that these two evildoers would be remembered for their continued evil throughout the nation’s nascency. Indeed, their first incursion took place in Egypt when they argued with Moshe and followed up by informing on him to Pharaoh. They told Pharaoh that the Jews had left Egypt, and they later broke the rule not to leave over the manna that descended from Heaven to the next day. They led the charge of Nitnah rosh v’nashuvah Mitzraimah, “Let…

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פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5784

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen has turned my anger away from Bnei Yisrael by his zealously avenging Me through them. (25:11)

Pinchas saw an outrageous act of moral turpitude, and he immediately acted with extreme courage to eradicate the sinners. Was it his actions in killing Zimri and Cozbi that earned him the accolades, or was it his clarity of vision to discern right from wrong, evil from good? Veritably, every kannai, zealot, who sincerely acts for Heaven’s sake requires both qualities: unabashed clarity of vision; and extreme courage. The reason is that, unlike the zealot who sees clearly, those around him who stand observing with folded hands do not. Furthermore, some are so myopic that they brand the zealot as…

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“Take to yourself Yehoshua bin Nun, a man in whom there is spirit, and lean your hand upon him.” (27:18)

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5783

קח לך את יהושע בן נון איש אשר רוח בו וסמכת את ידך עליו

In his commentary, Rashi notes the difference between Hashem’s instructions to Moshe Rabbeinu as to the manner of semichah, leaning/placing his hand on Yehoshua, and the actual performance in which Moshe placed both hands upon Yehoshua. Rashi writes: “He leaned his hands” – generously, much more than he had been commanded. For Hashem said to him, “And lean your hand, and he leaned with both hands – like a vessel which is full and brimming over and filled him generously with his wisdom.” Rashi clearly writes that Moshe gave extra wisdom of his own to Yehoshua. The Talmud (Bava Kamma…

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אשר יצא לפניהם ואשר יבא לפניהם

Sruly Schnair In Pinchas, 5783

Who shall go out before them and come in before them. (27:17)

Moshe Rabbeinu asked Hashem to appoint his successor – one who would seamlessly move into the position of leadership, both in the practical sense in his ability to address the spiritual needs of the Jewish nation. Among the criteria which Moshe suggested was that the leader be one who would lead from the front – leading the men into battle and successfully leading them home. It is understandable that a leader be at the fore front in the battlefield to encourage his men, letting them know that he, too, is fighting alongside together. Why is it necessary for the leader…

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וסמכת את ידך עליו

And lean your hand upon him. (27:18)

פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen turned back My wrath from upon aBnei Yisrael, when he zealously avenged My vengeance among them. (25:11)

והיתה לו ולזרעו אחריו ברית כהונת עולם

And it shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal Priesthood. (25:13)

לכן אמור הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום

Therefore, say: “Behold! I give him My covenant of peace.” (25:12)

לכן אמר הנני נתן לו את בריתי שלום

Therefore, say: Behold! I give him my covenant of peace. (25:12)

השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל

He turned back My wrath from upon Bnei Yisrael. (25:11)

ובני אליאב נמואל ודתן ואבירם הוא דתן ואבירם קרואי העדה אשר הצו על משה ועל אהרן

And the sons of Eliav: Nemuel and Dasan and Aviram, the same Dasan and Aviram who were summoned by the Assembly, who contended against Moshe and Aharon. (26:9)

פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם

Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen has turned my anger away from Bnei Yisrael by his zealously avenging Me through them. (25:11)

“Take to yourself Yehoshua bin Nun, a man in whom there is spirit, and lean your hand upon him.” (27:18)

קח לך את יהושע בן נון איש אשר רוח בו וסמכת את ידך עליו

אשר יצא לפניהם ואשר יבא לפניהם

Who shall go out before them and come in before them. (27:17)

YEARS

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