Can we do תפילות prayers for:
Rabbi Zweig and Torah.org?
So that through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?
|
|  |
|
|
| To sponsor an edition of the Rabbi Zweig on the Parsha e-mail list, click here |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Parshas Pinchas
A Dove Amongst Eagles
"Attack the Midianites and kill them" (25:17)
Rashi points out that Hashem commanded Moshe to decimate the
Midianites and not the Moabites, although they were more instrumental
than the Midianites in enticing Bnei Yisroel to sin[1]. The Midrash
explains that since Ruth, the great grandmother of King David, was
destined to descend from Moav, Hashem refrained from destroying them.
If, in fact, Moav deserved to be destroyed, why could Hashem not have
orchestrated a scenario by which the majority of the nation is killed,
but Ruth's existence is assured from the few who survive?
Since Ruth was the progenitor of the Davidic dynasty, it was
imperative that she herself descend from aristocracy and nobility; Ruth
was the daughter of Eglon, King of Moav[2]. In order for this to occur,
the nation had to be preserved. If the nation had been decimated, Ruth
would have stemmed from surviving refugees, making it impossible for her
to be born into a family of nobility.
The benefits gained by Ruth stemming from aristocracy are twofold:
From the perspective of the Jewish nation, the genetic base of monarchy
has already been established through her own personal standing. From a
universal perspective, the Moshiach who will stem from the Davidic
dynasty, will influence and teach all of mankind; having the infusion of
a non-Jewish monarchy into the Davidic dynasty will allow for a greater
universal impact.
1.25:17
2.Rashi Megillas Rus 1:2
All's Well That Ends Well
"...so I did not consume the Children of Israel..." (25:11)
The final verse in last week's parsha records that twenty-four
thousand Jews perished from the plague that was wrought upon Bnei
Yisroel[1]. Recording the verse at this juncture would appear to violate
a requirement in the laws of "reading from the Torah" which states that an aliya should not begin nor end with a verse containing tragedy that befell Bnei Yisroel[2].
The solution to this problem is found in this week's parsha. The Torah
states that due to the actions of Pinchas, Hashem did not destroy the
entire nation of Israel - "velo chilisi es Bnei Yisroel". The
implication is that were it not for Pinchas' actions, all of Bnei
Yisroel would have been destroyed by the plague. Therefore, stating that
only twenty-four thousand were killed is, in essence, proclaiming that
the decree to kill all of Bnei Yisroel had been rescinded. Consequently,
this too can be viewed as a positive statement.
1.24:9
2.Shulchan Aruch 38:1, See the glosses of the Rama
In Search Of Motive
"Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aharon the Kohein..."(25:11)
Although Pinchas' genealogy was mentioned at the end of last week's parsha, the Torah
repeats the fact that he was a descendant of Aharon the Kohein. Rashi
explains that after Pinchas had killed Zimri ben Salu, a prince from the
tribe of Shimon, Bnei Yisroel scorned him, accusing him of murder. They
protested that Pinchas, the grandson of Yisro (Pinchas' father married
Yisro's daughter) who fattened livestock for idol worshipping purposes,
had no right to wantonly kill a prince of Israel. Regarding this
accusation, the Torah responds that on the
contrary, Pinchas' zealous act saved Bnei Yisroel, and although he was
descended from an idol worshipper on his mother's side, he descended on
his father's side from Aharon Hakohein, an exemplary lover and pursuer
of harmony[1]. What does the fact that Pinchas descended from idol
worshippers have to do with his actions, and if, in fact, his actions
were impacted by his genealogy, how were they counteracted by the fact
that he desc
ended from Aharon Hakohein?
The rationale for Bnei Yisroel's criticism of Pinchas is based upon
what is known as the "reformed smoker syndrome"; very often, the most
rabid anti-smoker is a reformed smoker. In an attempt to rid himself of
some negative habit or trait, a person may react very negatively to
others who exhibit the same trait. This person's reaction is fueled by
the fear that seeing others exhibiting the same negative trait which he
once exhibited, will rekindle his own connection to it.
In order to kill Zimri without due process, Pinchas had to invoke
the law known as "kana'im pogim bo" - "the zealous may kill him". This
law allows for a person who witnesses Hashem's name being desecrated by
certain public transgressions to kill the perpetrator without due
process[2]. Invoking this law requires that a person's motivations be
completely for the sake of heaven. If a person has any bias or
proclivity which spurs his action, it is considered murder.
The Talmud states that the most intimate form of idol worship is
cohabiting with a gentile, the transgression for which Pinchas killed
Zimri[3]. Since Pinchas was connected to idol worship through his
grandfather, Bnei Yisroel maintained that it was this sensitivity which
brought on his outrage and prompted him to kill Zimri. However, the Torah
is attesting to the fact that Pinchas' motives were pure; he had within
him the outstanding trait of Aharon Hakohein, "oheiv verodeif shalom" -
"lover and pursuer of harmony". True harmony can only be achieved by a
person who has no agenda of his own, but sees everything from the other
person's perspective. Similarly, Pinchas' action was not prompted by his
own need to eradicate negative feelings within himself, rather his
complete, unabashed sensitivity to the desecration of Hashem's honor.
1.Rashi 25:11
2.Sanhedrin 81b
3.ibid 82a
|
|
|
|
Questions or comments? Email feedback@torah.org.
Join the Jewish Learning Revolution! Torah.org: The Judaism Site brings this and a host of other classes to you every
week. Visit http://torah.org or email learn@torah.org to get your own free copy of this mailing.
Permission is granted to redistribute, but please give proper attribution and copyright to the author and Torah.org.
Both the author and Torah.org reserve certain rights. Email copyrights@torah.org for full information.
|
|
|
Please Say Yes to Abba Yahweh and His Laws special in
this time when Abba Yahweh is 'testing' us:
Hab 1:12 Art thou not mikedem
(‘everlasting’
also said of Moshiach, indicating Moshiach’s eternal divine nature: Dan 7:14 And there was given Him (Moshiach) dominion,
and honor, and sovereignty, that all people, Goyim, tongues, should
pey-lammed-chet. [1] (worship as deity) (see Dan 3:12, serve, reverence as
deity Him (Moshiach). His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not
pass away, and His (Messianic) Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.] see Michah
5:1[2];)
Yahweh
Elohai (my Elohim) Kedoshi (my Holy One)? We shall not die. Yahweh, Thou hast
appointed them (these Chaldean) for mishpat (ordinance); O Tzur, Thou hast
ordained them (these Chaldean) for reproof.
(Please
read the whole book of HaNavi Habakuk?)
Please take it serious what Abba Yahweh is telling us in:
Deu 18:15 Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohim) will raise up unto thee a Navi
(prophet) from among thee, of thy achim (bretheren), kamoni (like me.....
Exo 32:30 The next
day Moshe said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin. Now I
will go up to Yahweh; maybe I will be able to atone for your sin."); unto
him ye must listen;
Deu 18:16 According to all that thou
desired of Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohimin) Chorev (to be burnt dried up,
ruined, wasted) in the Yom HaKahal (day of the congregation), saying, Let me
not hear again the voice of Yahweh Elohav (your Elohim), neither let me see
this eish hagedolah (‘great fire’) any more, that I die not.
Deu 18:17 And Yahweh said unto me, They
have well-spoken that which they have spoken.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Navi
(prophet) from among their achim (brethren), like unto thee, and will put My
words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Joh
10:18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have samchut
(authority) to lay it down, and I have samchut to receive it again. This
mitzvah I received from HaAv (the Father).
Deu 18:19 And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever will not listen unto My words which he shall speak Bishmi (in My
Name), I will require it of him.
Joh 8:28 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech
HaMoshiach said to them, When you perform the hagbah (lifting up) of
the Ben HaAdam, you will have da'as (knowledge) that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH
41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], and from myself I do nothing, but as HaAv (the Father)
of me taught me, these things I speak.
[1]
Dictionary of the Talmud. M. Jastrow p. 1178 פלח
No comments:
Post a Comment