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From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 1997 12:20 AM To: Parasha-Page List Subject: Torah Weekly - Pinchas Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 18:07:27 -0200 Reply-to: ohr@virtual.co.il From: "Ohr Somayach" <ohr@virtual.co.il> To: " Highlights of the Torah weekly portion" <weekly@virtual.co.il> Subject: Torah Weekly - Pinchas X-To: weekly@virtual.co.il
* TORAH WEEKLY *
Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion
with "Fatherly Advice" Tidbits from The Ethics of our Fathers
Parshas Pinchas
For the week ending 21 Tammuz 5757
25 & 26 July 1997
===========================================================================
Jewish Educational Extensions
Ohr Somayach's First College-Level course via the Internet
Lessons For The Ages: Struggles and Achievements of Abraham The Patriarch
A Textual Study of Torah and Classical Commentaries
Registration for this course is taking place now at
http://www.ohr.org.il/jee
Course begins Sunday, October 26, 1997
===========================================================================
The 17th of Tammuz, the Three Weeks and Tisha B'Av are almost here...
Check out what Ohr Somayach has to say on them:
http://www.ohr.org.il/special/9av/index.htm
===========================================================================
Overview
Hashem tells Moshe to inform Pinchas that he will receive Hashem's
"covenant of peace" as reward for his bold action -- executing Zimri and
the Midianite princess Kozbi. Hashem commands Moshe that the people must
maintain a state of enmity with the Midianim 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
Tzlofchad file a claim with Moshe: In the absence of a brother, they
request their late father's portion in the Land. 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 enter. 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.
===========================================================================
Insights
When Broken Is Whole
"I am giving him My covenant of peace" (25:12)
"Nothing is as whole as a broken heart." Thus wrote the Kotzke Rebbe.
Nothing is as complete in its devotion to the Creator as a contrite spirit.
When we see ourselves as perfected, as completed, then we are a million
miles from Hashem because we have made ourselves the center of our own
illusory, perfect universe. When our hearts are broken and our spirits
humbled, it is then that we are able to come close to our Father in Heaven.
If you look in a Sefer Torah, you will see that when the Torah writes about
Pinchas, "I (Hashem) am giving him My covenant of shalom," the letter vav
in the word shalom is broken in the middle. The letter vav is like a
person. It is a straight vertical line. It looks like someone standing
upright. The numerical equivalent of vav is six. Man was created on the
sixth day.
The letter vav is `broken.' This hints to us that in order to be truly
shalem (whole), a person has to be `broken' -- contrite and humble in
spirit.
Keeping Up With The Goldbergs
"...because he showed zealousness for His G-d" (25:13)
Why are the Ten Commandments written in the singular? If they were given
to the Jewish People as a whole, shouldn't they be written in the plural?
The Ten Commandments are written in the singular so that we should feel
they were given to each one of us alone. Each person is responsible for
keeping the Torah, no matter what others are doing.
In life, there is a great temptation to set our level of self-expectation
by the standards of other people. We look around us and think: "Well, Mr.
Goldberg gives only $10,000 to charity, and he earns the same as me. Why
should I be frumer (more pious) than him?"
The Ten Commandments were written in the singular to teach us that we
shouldn't look at what others are doing -- or not doing.
Pinchas saw Moshe and Aaron and the seventy elders standing and watching
Zimri committing a grave sin, and none of them lifted a finger. He could
certainly have said to himself, "Moshe and Aaron aren't doing anything.
Why should I be frumer than them?"
However, Pinchas picked up his spear and avenged the honor of Heaven
without a second thought and without reference to what others were doing or
not doing.
It is for this reason that the Torah writes "he showed zealousness for his
G-d." Pinchas acted as if Hashem was his G-d, and that there was no one
else in the world to do the job.
War and Peace
"...My covenant of peace" (25:12)
Pinchas' reward for avenging the honor of Heaven by executing Zimri and
Kozbi was "My covenant of peace."
Isn't it ironic that the reward for a violent killing should be a "covenant
of peace"?
The Hebrew word "shalom" means more than just peace; it also denotes
completeness and perfection. Any peace which lacks completeness and
perfection is not really peace.
If something is perfect, it means that it can only be perfect in one way --
the way it is. If it could also be perfect in another form, then the
perfection itself is lacking.
There can only be One Completeness and One Perfection, and thus there can
only be One real Peace -- Hashem's peace, for only "He who makes peace in
His exalted realms, He will make peace for us and for all of Israel."
Appeasement is not peace and never leads to peace. However, an act of
zealousness divorced of pure intentions can be a crime in itself. For this
reason the Torah points out that Pinchas acted "for his G-d" -- i.e., he
had no motivation whatsoever other than to do the will of the Almighty.
Only when our intentions are entirely pure can zealousness lead to "a
covenant of peace."
===========================================================================
Haftorah: Yirmyahu 1:1-2:3
The three Haftorahs which are read in the Three Weeks (between 17th Tammuz
and 9th Av) are called the "three of affliction." They detail the dire
consequences that will befall Israel if they the Jewish People do not
return to Hashem. Nevertheless, each of these three Haftorahs end on a
note of optimism, expressing the confidence that Hashem never forgets His
people even in the deepest and darkest exile.
Bad Company
"Thus says Hashem: `I remember for your sake the kindness of your youth,
the love of your bridal days, your following after Me in the wilderness in
a land not sown.' Israel is sacred to Hashem, the first of his grain; all
who devour him shall bear his guilt, evil shall come upon them -- the word
of Hashem." (2:2,3)
Once there was a sensitive lad, who spent all his days in study and
refining his character. While still at a tender age, he was captured by
bandits and forced to live amongst them. At first, he was repulsed by
their coarseness, and clung to his original demeanor. However, as the
weeks lengthened into years and no sign of rescue came, slowly but surely
he began to degenerate to the level of his captors, and eventually he
became indistinguishable from them.
When the Jewish People are finally redeemed from exile, the nations that
have oppressed them will be held to account, not just for their own
misdeeds against Israel, but also for Israel's transgressions; for had it
not been for the company the Jewish People kept in exile, they would still
be on the same spiritual level that they were on when they were in the
desert.
That is the meaning of these verses: "I remember for your sake the
kindness of your youth, the love of your bridal days, your following after
Me in the wilderness in a land not sown." I remember, says Hashem, how you
were when you followed after Me through the wilderness, before you were
exiled amongst the nations. At your root you are holy, and if you have
sinned it is because of the atmosphere you have imbibed during the long
night of exile.
(Kochav M'Yaakov in Mayana shel Torah)
===========================================================================
Sources:
o When Broken Is Whole - Rabbi Menachem Zvi Goldbaum, Darchei Mussar,
Moser Derech
o Keeping Up With The Goldbergs - Chomas Aish
o War And Peace - Ohr Yoel
===========================================================================
Fatherly Advice
tidbits from the Ethics of the Fathers
traditionally studied on Summer Sabbaths
What is the proper path for a person to follow?
To consider the future implication of his actions.
What is the wrong path which a person must avoid?
To be a borrower who does not repay.
Rabbi Shimon, Avos 2:9
In response to the challenge of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai, four of his five
great disciples offered a positive approach as the proper path and its
opposite as the wrong path. (Good heart -- evil heart; good friend -- evil
friend, etc.) Only Rabbi Shimon broke this pattern. He did not suggest
that one who fails to anticipate the consequences of his actions will
necessarily meet with failure, since there is a possibility that he will be
capable of improvising a solution. But one who loses his credit by failing
to repay debts is definitely doomed, because he will find no one to lend
him money in his moment of abject need.
===========================================================================
Do you link to us? Let everyone know about the Ohr Somayach Home Page by
dropping the following text into the HTML document of YOUR home page:
<A HREF="http://www.ohr.org.il" TARGET="_top">
The Ohr Somayach International Home Page</A>
===========================================================================
SUBSCRIBE!
to one of the many weekly "lists" published by Ohr Somayach Institutions:
ohrnews - Keep up-to-date with the Ohr Somayach Web Site
weekly - Summary of the weekly Torah portion
dafyomi - Rav Mendel Weinbach's insights into the Daf Yomi
ask - The Rabbi answers YOUR questions on Judaism
parasha-qa - Challenging questions on the weekly Torah portion
os-special - All the SPECIAL publications produced by Ohr Somayach
os-alum - "B'Yachad" - the Ohr Somayach Electronic Alumni Newsletter
judaismo - Spanish-Language newsletter on the Parsha & Judaism
month - Seasons of the Moon - The Jewish Year through its months
Ohr Somayach NEVER charges for any of the above lists.
To subscribe, send the message: subscribe {listname} {your full name}
mailto:listproc@virtual.co.il
===========================================================================
Dedication opportunities are available for Torah Weekly.
Please contact us for details.
===========================================================================
Written and Compiled by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
===========================================================================
Jewish L EEEEEEEE Prepared by the Jewish Learning Exchange of
J L E Ohr Somayach International
J L E 22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103
J L Exchange Jerusalem 91180, Israel
J L E Tel: 972-2-581-0315 Fax: 972-2-581-2890
J J L E Mailto:ohr@virtual.co.il
JJJJ Learning EEEEEEEE http://www.ohr.org.il
===========================================================================
(C) 1997 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved.
This publication may be distributed to another person intact without prior
permission. We also encourage you to include this material in other
publications, such as synagogue newsletters. However, we ask that you
contact us beforehand for permission, and then send us a sample issue.
******************************************************************************
To educate, train and equip for study both the Jew and Non-Jew
in the Rich Hebraic Heritage of our Faith.
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int'l
----------
From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 1997 12:20 AM
To: Parasha-Page List
Subject: Torah Weekly - Pinchas
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 18:07:27 -0200
Reply-to: ohr@virtual.co.il
From: "Ohr Somayach" <ohr@virtual.co.il>
To: " Highlights of the Torah weekly portion"
<weekly@virtual.co.il>
Subject: Torah Weekly - Pinchas
X-To: weekly@virtual.co.il
* TORAH WEEKLY *
Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion
with "Fatherly Advice" Tidbits from The Ethics of our Fathers
Parshas Pinchas
For the week ending 21 Tammuz 5757
25 & 26 July 1997
===========================================================================
Jewish Educational Extensions
Ohr Somayach's First College-Level course via the Internet
Lessons For The Ages: Struggles and Achievements of Abraham The Patriarch
A Textual Study of Torah and Classical Commentaries
Registration for this course is taking place now at
http://www.ohr.org.il/jee
Course begins Sunday, October 26, 1997
===========================================================================
The 17th of Tammuz, the Three Weeks and Tisha B'Av are almost here...
Check out what Ohr Somayach has to say on them:
http://www.ohr.org.il/special/9av/index.htm
===========================================================================
Overview
Hashem tells Moshe to inform Pinchas that he will receive Hashem's
"covenant of peace" as reward for his bold action -- executing Zimri and
the Midianite princess Kozbi. Hashem commands Moshe that the people must
maintain a state of enmity with the Midianim 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
Tzlofchad file a claim with Moshe: In the absence of a brother, they
request their late father's portion in the Land. 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 enter. 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.
===========================================================================
Insights
When Broken Is Whole
"I am giving him My covenant of peace" (25:12)
"Nothing is as whole as a broken heart." Thus wrote the Kotzke Rebbe.
Nothing is as complete in its devotion to the Creator as a contrite spirit.
When we see ourselves as perfected, as completed, then we are a million
miles from Hashem because we have made ourselves the center of our own
illusory, perfect universe. When our hearts are broken and our spirits
humbled, it is then that we are able to come close to our Father in Heaven.
If you look in a Sefer Torah, you will see that when the Torah writes about
Pinchas, "I (Hashem) am giving him My covenant of shalom," the letter vav
in the word shalom is broken in the middle. The letter vav is like a
person. It is a straight vertical line. It looks like someone standing
upright. The numerical equivalent of vav is six. Man was created on the
sixth day.
The letter vav is `broken.' This hints to us that in order to be truly
shalem (whole), a person has to be `broken' -- contrite and humble in
spirit.
Keeping Up With The Goldbergs
"...because he showed zealousness for His G-d" (25:13)
Why are the Ten Commandments written in the singular? If they were given
to the Jewish People as a whole, shouldn't they be written in the plural?
The Ten Commandments are written in the singular so that we should feel
they were given to each one of us alone. Each person is responsible for
keeping the Torah, no matter what others are doing.
In life, there is a great temptation to set our level of self-expectation
by the standards of other people. We look around us and think: "Well, Mr.
Goldberg gives only $10,000 to charity, and he earns the same as me. Why
should I be frumer (more pious) than him?"
The Ten Commandments were written in the singular to teach us that we
shouldn't look at what others are doing -- or not doing.
Pinchas saw Moshe and Aaron and the seventy elders standing and watching
Zimri committing a grave sin, and none of them lifted a finger. He could
certainly have said to himself, "Moshe and Aaron aren't doing anything.
Why should I be frumer than them?"
However, Pinchas picked up his spear and avenged the honor of Heaven
without a second thought and without reference to what others were doing or
not doing.
It is for this reason that the Torah writes "he showed zealousness for his
G-d." Pinchas acted as if Hashem was his G-d, and that there was no one
else in the world to do the job.
War and Peace
"...My covenant of peace" (25:12)
Pinchas' reward for avenging the honor of Heaven by executing Zimri and
Kozbi was "My covenant of peace."
Isn't it ironic that the reward for a violent killing should be a "covenant
of peace"?
The Hebrew word "shalom" means more than just peace; it also denotes
completeness and perfection. Any peace which lacks completeness and
perfection is not really peace.
If something is perfect, it means that it can only be perfect in one way --
the way it is. If it could also be perfect in another form, then the
perfection itself is lacking.
There can only be One Completeness and One Perfection, and thus there can
only be One real Peace -- Hashem's peace, for only "He who makes peace in
His exalted realms, He will make peace for us and for all of Israel."
Appeasement is not peace and never leads to peace. However, an act of
zealousness divorced of pure intentions can be a crime in itself. For this
reason the Torah points out that Pinchas acted "for his G-d" -- i.e., he
had no motivation whatsoever other than to do the will of the Almighty.
Only when our intentions are entirely pure can zealousness lead to "a
covenant of peace."
===========================================================================
Haftorah: Yirmyahu 1:1-2:3
The three Haftorahs which are read in the Three Weeks (between 17th Tammuz
and 9th Av) are called the "three of affliction." They detail the dire
consequences that will befall Israel if they the Jewish People do not
return to Hashem. Nevertheless, each of these three Haftorahs end on a
note of optimism, expressing the confidence that Hashem never forgets His
people even in the deepest and darkest exile.
Bad Company
"Thus says Hashem: `I remember for your sake the kindness of your youth,
the love of your bridal days, your following after Me in the wilderness in
a land not sown.' Israel is sacred to Hashem, the first of his grain; all
who devour him shall bear his guilt, evil shall come upon them -- the word
of Hashem." (2:2,3)
Once there was a sensitive lad, who spent all his days in study and
refining his character. While still at a tender age, he was captured by
bandits and forced to live amongst them. At first, he was repulsed by
their coarseness, and clung to his original demeanor. However, as the
weeks lengthened into years and no sign of rescue came, slowly but surely
he began to degenerate to the level of his captors, and eventually he
became indistinguishable from them.
When the Jewish People are finally redeemed from exile, the nations that
have oppressed them will be held to account, not just for their own
misdeeds against Israel, but also for Israel's transgressions; for had it
not been for the company the Jewish People kept in exile, they would still
be on the same spiritual level that they were on when they were in the
desert.
That is the meaning of these verses: "I remember for your sake the
kindness of your youth, the love of your bridal days, your following after
Me in the wilderness in a land not sown." I remember, says Hashem, how you
were when you followed after Me through the wilderness, before you were
exiled amongst the nations. At your root you are holy, and if you have
sinned it is because of the atmosphere you have imbibed during the long
night of exile.
(Kochav M'Yaakov in Mayana shel Torah)
===========================================================================
Sources:
o When Broken Is Whole - Rabbi Menachem Zvi Goldbaum, Darchei Mussar,
Moser Derech
o Keeping Up With The Goldbergs - Chomas Aish
o War And Peace - Ohr Yoel
===========================================================================
Fatherly Advice
tidbits from the Ethics of the Fathers
traditionally studied on Summer Sabbaths
What is the proper path for a person to follow?
To consider the future implication of his actions.
What is the wrong path which a person must avoid?
To be a borrower who does not repay.
Rabbi Shimon, Avos 2:9
In response to the challenge of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai, four of his five
great disciples offered a positive approach as the proper path and its
opposite as the wrong path. (Good heart -- evil heart; good friend -- evil
friend, etc.) Only Rabbi Shimon broke this pattern. He did not suggest
that one who fails to anticipate the consequences of his actions will
necessarily meet with failure, since there is a possibility that he will be
capable of improvising a solution. But one who loses his credit by failing
to repay debts is definitely doomed, because he will find no one to lend
him money in his moment of abject need.
===========================================================================
Do you link to us? Let everyone know about the Ohr Somayach Home Page by
dropping the following text into the HTML document of YOUR home page:
<A HREF="http://www.ohr.org.il" TARGET="_top">
The Ohr Somayach International Home Page</A>
===========================================================================
SUBSCRIBE!
to one of the many weekly "lists" published by Ohr Somayach Institutions:
ohrnews - Keep up-to-date with the Ohr Somayach Web Site
weekly - Summary of the weekly Torah portion
dafyomi - Rav Mendel Weinbach's insights into the Daf Yomi
ask - The Rabbi answers YOUR questions on Judaism
parasha-qa - Challenging questions on the weekly Torah portion
os-special - All the SPECIAL publications produced by Ohr Somayach
os-alum - "B'Yachad" - the Ohr Somayach Electronic Alumni Newsletter
judaismo - Spanish-Language newsletter on the Parsha & Judaism
month - Seasons of the Moon - The Jewish Year through its months
Ohr Somayach NEVER charges for any of the above lists.
To subscribe, send the message: subscribe {listname} {your full name}
mailto:listproc@virtual.co.il
===========================================================================
Dedication opportunities are available for Torah Weekly.
Please contact us for details.
===========================================================================
Written and Compiled by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
===========================================================================
Jewish L EEEEEEEE Prepared by the Jewish Learning Exchange of
J L E Ohr Somayach International
J L E 22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103
J L Exchange Jerusalem 91180, Israel
J L E Tel: 972-2-581-0315 Fax: 972-2-581-2890
J J L E Mailto:ohr@virtual.co.il
JJJJ Learning EEEEEEEE http://www.ohr.org.il
===========================================================================
(C) 1997 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved.
This publication may be distributed to another person intact without prior
permission. We also encourage you to include this material in other
publications, such as synagogue newsletters. However, we ask that you
contact us beforehand for permission, and then send us a sample issue.
******************************************************************************
To educate, train and equip for study both the Jew and Non-Jew
in the Rich Hebraic Heritage of our Faith.
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int'l