Excerpted From a Ma’amar by the Tolna Rebbe שליט"א
I have often mentioned something I was privileged to hear from the Beis Yisrael זיע"א, an insight which he introduced by telling me, איך וועל דיך זאגען א וואז'נע זאך – “I’m going to tell you something important.” He had heard this insight from Reb Shloimele Kotzker z”l, who was among the distinguished chassidim of Ger. Reb Shloimele cited the Rebbe of Kotzk זיע"א as commenting on Moshe’s request in Parshas Pinchas that HKB”H appoint איש על העדה – a leader who would succeed him after his passing.
The Kotzker Rebbe explained that after Moshe saw Pinchas’ act of zealotry, killing Zimri and Kozbi, he was very impressed. He therefore asked HKB”H to name איש על העדה – an allusion to Pinchas, whom Moshe deemed the most suitable for the role of leader. In the words of the Beis Yisrael: משה רבינו האט געלייגט אן אויג אויף פינחס, דער יונגערמאן איז איהם געפאלען . – “Moshe Rabbeinu set his eye on Pinchas — he was impressed by the young man.” (See also Sheim Mi’Shmuel, Pinchas 5673.)
HKB”H responded to Moshe’s request by commanding him to appoint Yehoshua, איש אשר רוח בו (“the man who has the [divine] spirit within him” – 27:18). The Beis Yisrael explained: האט דער אייבעשטער עהם גיענפערט, א קנאי קען קיין מנהיג נישט זיין – “Hashem answered him: A zealot cannot be a leader.” Pinchas’ quality of kannaus (zealotry) did not qualify him for the position of leader; to the contrary, it disqualified him.
The Beis Yisrael added that the Kotzker Rebbe was known for his kannaus, for his fervent, unyielding insistence on the absolute truth. And yet, he himself noted that a Jewish leader cannot be a zealot, and for this reason, it was Yehoshua, not Pinchas, who succeeded Moshe Rabbeinu as leader.
This insight sheds light on the story told by the Gemara (Sanhedrin 82a) of the events that led up to Pinchas’ act of kannaus. The Gemara relates Pinchas remembered the halacha that Moshe had taught after receiving the Torah at Har Sinai: הבועל את הנכרית קנאין פוגעין בו – zealots are permitted to kill somebody who has a public relationship with a gentile woman.
Moshe replied, קריינא דאיגרתא איהו ליהוי פרוונקא – “He who wrote the letter is the one who should be its messenger.”
And earlier, the Gemara established, הבא לימלך אין מורין לו – one who consults as to whether he should kill the בועל ארמית is not instructed to do so.
The phrase אין מורין לו can be understood as alluding to the fact that the מורי הדרך – the leaders and teachers of Am Yisrael cannot be the ones to commit the acts of kannaus, as these acts are reserved for the zealots, and leaders are not zealots.
We have already said many times that each and every one of us is a leader on some level, a leader for his children, his students, his acquaintances, and all the people who are under his influence and learn from him. We must strengthen our love and affection for all Jews, particularly for our children, students and all those whom we influence, and constantly look out for their wellbeing. The more we increase our love for our fellow Jew, our אהבת חנם – “baseless love” for all, we will hasten the arrival of our final redemption, may it come speedily and in our times, amen.
In memory of Sidney Teichman, אלכסנדר סנדר דניאל בן שמואל ז"ל, a close chasid of the Rebbe שליט"א
Delivered on Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Balak, 5774 (2014). Adapted into English by David Silverberg.
Rav Yisrael Alter, fourth Rebbe of Ger, 1895-1977.
Rav Menachem Mendel Morgenstern, 1787-1859.
Rav Shmuel Borenstein of Sochatchov, grandson of the Kotzker Rebbe, 1855-1926.
