* TORAH WEEKLY * Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion Parshas Pinchas For the week ending 23 Tamuz 5754 1 & 2 July 1994 ========================================================================= This issue is dedicated in the memory of D. Bernard and Pearl Klepner O.B.M. ========================================================================= Summary Hashem tells Moshe to inform Pinchas that he will be the recipient of Hashem's "covenant of peace" as reward for his bold action. Hashem commands Moshe that the people must maintain a state of enmity with the Midianites because they allured the Jewish People to sin. Moshe and Elazar are told to count the Jewish People. The Torah lists the names of the families in each of the Tribes. The total number of males eligible to serve in the army is 601,730. Hashem instructs Moshe how to allot the Land of Israel to the Bnei Yisrael. The number of the families of the Levites is recorded. The daughters of Tslofchad file a claim with Moshe: they request their late father's portion in the Land, in the absence of a son. Moshe asks Hashem what the ruling is in this case, and Hashem tells him that the daughters' claim is just. The Torah teaches the laws and priorities which determine the order of an inheritance. Hashem tells Moshe to ascend a mountain and view the Land that the Jewish People will soon enter, although Moshe himself will not. Moshe asks Hashem to designate the subsequent leader of the people, and Hashem selects Yehoshua bin Nun. Moshe ordains Yehoshua as his successor in the presence of the entire nation. The Parsha concludes with special teachings of the service in the Beis Hamikdash. ========================================================================= Commentaries "Behold I give to him My covenant of peace" (25:11). The wicked Turnusrufus once asked Rabbi Akiva: "If your G-d loves the poor, then why doesn't He support them?" Answered Rabbi Akiva: "So that we may be spared from the punishment of Gehenom [by our charity to the poor]." From this response we see that at certain times Hashem allows a person to perform a task that should seemingly be done by Him, in order for that person to receive reward. Similarly, a child may ask to help his mother by carrying a package, and she will give him a small and easy-to- carry item. Although the mother derives no substantive benefit from this "help," she receives great pleasure because her child wants to please her. When Pinchas punished the wrongdoers he did something that should seemingly have been done by Hashem. However, Hashem allowed Pinchas the opportunity to step forth and demonstrate his desire to do Hashem's will -- and thereby receive a reward of such magnitude. (Rabbi Moshe Feinstein) "Kuzbi the daughter of Tsur" (25:15). Rashi points out that Tsur was the most prominent of the five Midianite kings. Yet, later on in chapter 31 he is listed in lowly third place. This is a punishment for him for having degraded himself by allowing his daughter to behave immorally. Although Tsur was already dead by the time this slight to his honor was written in the Torah, this contempt of him is nevertheless a formidable punishment. When one dies, his soul retains all perceptions it had when he was alive -- but to a greater degree. If being mentioned third is felt as a painful insult in this world, then the pain in the spiritual world will be felt even more intensely. The limitations of the human experience prevent us from understanding the spiritual world's reward and punishment. Tsur, however, understands it quite well. (Rabbi Y.L. Bloch in Yalkut Lekach Tov) "Harass the Midianites and smite them" (25:17). When one person causes another person to sin, he is doing something more detrimental than if he had murdered him. A murder victim loses his life in this world, but he may still receive a portion in the World to Come. A sinner loses his life in this world (i.e., death penalty and excision), and loses his life in the World to Come. The Midianites incited the Jewish People to sin. It is for this reason that Hashem commanded the Jewish People to take such harsh measures against them. (Based on the Midrash) "One lamb you shall offer in the morning and the second lamb you shall offer at dusk" (28:4). The ongoing daily sacrificial service consisted of two lambs and the accompanying wine libations. The lamb offered in the morning served as an atonement for the sins committed by the people during the night. This is symbolized by the fact that this lamb was slaughtered in the western section of the Sanctuary, corresponding to the sun setting in the west -- the beginning of night. The lamb offered toward evening served as an atonement for the sins committed during the day. For this reason it was slaughtered in the eastern section, corresponding to the sun rising in the east -- the beginning of day. (Kli Yakar) ========================================================================= Haftorah: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 This is the first of three Haftorahs about the "churban" (the destruction of Jerusalem and the onset of the exile from Eretz Yisrael). These Haftorahs are read during the three weeks between the 17th of Tamuz and Tisha b'Av. These Haftorahs are selected from Jeremiah and Isaiah because they were the major Prophets of the churban. In this first of Jeremiah's prophecies Hashem shows him an almond stick and a boiling pot which is bubbling strongly on its northern side. Hashem explains that just as the almond tree flowers quickly before any other tree, so too He will quickly fufill His decrees. The boiling pot symbolizes the destruction that will descend from the north, from Babylon and its neighbors who will lay siege to Jerusalem as punishment for Israel's idol worship. Hashem warns Jeremiah not to be afraid of relating his prophecies to the people. The Haftorah concludes with Hashem telling Jeremiah to make the following announcement to the people: Hashem wants to forgive them if they will only repent; for He remembers the good deeds from the past -- their following Him into the desert -- and He will also punish the nations of the world who harm Israel. ========================================================================= Perek Thought - Chapter 1 "Be a disciple of Aharon -- one who loves peace, one who pursues peace, one who loves people and who brings them closer to Torah" -- Hillel, Pirkei Avos 1:12 Whenever Aharon met a sinful person as he walked along his way, he would greet him. The next day the same fellow, contemplating a sin, would say to himself: "If I do this, how will I face Aharon? I'd be so ashamed after the greeting he gave me." Due to this, a person would refrain from sinning. When two people had a dispute Aharon would approach each of them separately and say to him: "Look what's doing with your friend. He's pounding his chest, tearing his clothes and saying `Woe to me for how can I look at my friend's face; I am so ashamed because it was I who wronged him'." Aharon would continue in this way until he had completely removed all hostility from him. The two unsuspecting quarrelers would subsequently meet in the street, embrace each other, and resume their friendship. Avos of Rabbi Nosson 12:3 ========================================================================= Ohr Somayach Institutions is proud to present: A WAYWARD RAM A collection of thoughtful, heartfelt, witty and bittersweet songs, written and sung by Chaim Salenger The complete lyrics for the album are availble for the first time on-line! 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