Although we generally post an article about the Parsha, due to the current situation in the Holy Land, Rabbi Yitzi has asked to publish an article written in July of 2014, at the onset of the Gaza War.
Looking at this week’s Parsha, Pinchas, you can’t help but think about Israel.
Our Parsha talks about the laws of inheritance of the land of Israel.
Then, Moshe appoints Yehoshua to be the next leader. The one who would lead the Jewish people into the land of Israel.
It talks about the sacrifices brought at different times in our Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Israel.
The strange thing is that this Parsha begins in the middle of a story about Pinchas and how he killed two people, thereby stopping a plague that took the lives of 24,000.
For this, Hashem gave him the title of Kohen, priest, for him and all his future descendants and the namesake of our parsha, Pinchas.
What are we meant to learn from Pinchas about the land, the leaders, and the temple service of Israel?
There are times that we are faced with a dilemma: Do what is right or do what is popular?
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to stand against what is popular because “What will people say?” “Everybody is doing it” and “they won’t like me.”
Pinchas was faced with this dilemma. No one was ready to stand up and do the right thing. In the face of that, he stood up, did what was necessary, and saved the day. Stopped the plague and was rewarded with the priesthood.
The same is true for the leadership of Israel. The whole world is against you, but you need to do what is right. It is very difficult to be like Pinchas, but ultimately, that’s what stops our people from dying. That’s how we inherit our land. That’s leadership.
The same is true for each of us. Hashem chose us because we have it in us to stand up for what is true and what is right. If we do what Hashem wants in the face of what is considered popular, we too earn our title of a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” and we will merit to have our temple, the Beis Hamikdash, in Jerusalem.
Let’s daven that Hashem strengthen the leadership of Israel, that He keep our brothers and sisters there safe, and that He protect our soldiers from harm.
