Pinchas – Peninim on the Torah

“He (Moshe) took Yehoshua and stood him before Elazar the Kohen and before the entire assembly.” (27:22)

The Yalkut describes the scene in which Yehoshua was “handed over” to the assembly, as Moshe Rabbeinu presented his successor to the nation. Moshe and the people lifted their heads to listen to Yehoshua. What did Yehoshua say? He said, “Blessed is Hashem Who gave the Torah to His Nation, Yisrael, through Moshe Rabbeinu.” We all know that a leader’s inauguration address sets the tone for his administration. His remarks are carefully weighed and articulated in the best possible manner. Ostensibly, Yehoshua was no different. He meticulously prepared his first major address, his acceptance speech, with care and deliberation. Why…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5769

“Harass the Midyanim and smite them.” (25:17)

Hashem commanded Moshe Rabbeinu to do battle with Midyan because of that nation’s malicious attempt to destroy Klal Yisrael’s spiritual standing. Their attempt to corrupt the Jewish People warranted their destruction. This punishment is different than that which was meted out against the Egyptians. The Torah in Sefer Devarim 23:8 insists that the Egyptians not be rejected. Is this equitable? One would think that the nation that tried so hard to destroy us physically would deserve a more severe punishment than the Midyanim, who “merely” attempted to corrupt us. Chazal have a different perspective than we have. They view a…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5769

“And it shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal priesthood, because he took vengeance for his G-d, and he atoned for the Bnei Yisrael.” (25:13)

It is a well-known maxim that Hashem remunerates middah k’neged middah, measure for measure. This pasuk raises many questions. First, what is the relationship between Pinchas’ act of zealousness and the blessing of eternal priesthood for his descendants? Second, when the Torah says “Pinchas saw,” it seems to imply that Pinchas saw what no one else saw. Were they not all there to witness the dastardly act committed by Zimri? The previous Gerrer Rebbe, Horav Pinchas Menachem Alter, z.l., cites the Baal Shem Tov, who relates in the name of the Arizal, that Hashem shows a person only that which…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5769

“When he zealously avenged My vengeance among them.” (25:11)

Defining the word kinah, jealousy, righteous indignation, Rashi writes, “Any form of the word kinah in the Torah refers to the individual who settles a score to avenge the vengeance of a matter.” Rashi is teaching us a profound lesson. The fact that all of the references in the Torah to the word kinah refer to vengeance, settling a score, implies that even when one person is jealous of another, when one neighbor has a nicer car than another, it is not just simple jealousy; rather, it is vengeance. How are we to understand this? What did my neighbor do…

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“He (Moshe) took Yehoshua and stood him before Elazar the Kohen and before the entire assembly.” (27:22)

“Harass the Midyanim and smite them.” (25:17)

“And it shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal priesthood, because he took vengeance for his G-d, and he atoned for the Bnei Yisrael.” (25:13)

“When he zealously avenged My vengeance among them.” (25:11)

YEARS

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