השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל
He turned back My wrath from upon Bnei Yisrael. (25:11)
The Gaon, zl, m’Vilna, observes that the word machatzis (ha’shekel, the half-shekel coin which all Jews were obligated to give to the Mishkan) is spelled: mem, ches, tzadik, yud, saf. The middle of the five letters is the tzadik. The two letters closest to the tzadik (on its right and left) are the ches and yud – chai. The two outside letters are the mem and saf, spelling the word, meis. The tzadik is the first letter (rosh teivah) of the word tzedakah, charity. This, explains the Gaon, alludes to the maxim tzedakah tatzeil mimaves, charity saves one from death. (The letters mem and saf are on the outside, the letters most distant from the tzadik.) Charity begets life; therefore, the letters ches and yud, which spell chai, are next to the tzadik.
Pinchas manifested the epitome of tzedakah, when heishiv, he returned chamasi, My wrath, mei’al Bnei Yisrael, from Bnei Yisrael. What did he “return”? Chamasi. In the word chamasi, the letters ches and yud, which spell chai, are on the outside, while the mem and saf, spelling meis, are in the center. This alludes to the idea that the nation was destined to die by the plague. Pinchas “returned” chamasi, with his act of tzedakah, transforming – chamasi to machatzis – life.
לכן אמר הנני נתן לו את בריתי שלום
Therefore, say: Behold! I give him my covenant of peace. (25:12)
At times, taking a stand for what is right requires enormous courage. Taking a stand, acting boldly to uphold Divine will, requires that one be an authentic yarei Shomayim, G-d-fearing Jew. Many “talk the talk,” but, when the situation demands that he “walk the walk,” his feet suddenly begin to hurt. Two individuals, (Tzelafchad’s daughters were actually five) Pinchas and Bnos Tzelafchad, went against the prevailing spiritual current, and either took decisive action or spoke up when it was not popular, and Hashem rewarded them. Why did they do it? Because it was the ratzon Hashem, Divine will. Let us delve into their actions, so that they inspire and impact our lives, allowing for the ratzon Hashem to serve as our lodestar in navigating the peaks and valleys of life. Our guiding question should be: What does Hashem want me to do?
Bnei Yisrael encamped at Shittim. Sadly, it was a place in which the pagan nations were able to lead them to inappropriate behavior, including idolatry with the Moavite women. The moral lapse led to a punishment – a severe plague that decimated the guilty participants. Zimri ben Salu, the Nasi of the tribe of Shimon, sought to make a point. He took Cozbi, a Moavite princess, and publicly committed a despicable, immoral act. He dared Moshe Rabbeinu to do something about it. [Incidentally, during our history, one despot has always existed who cannot tolerate the influence the gedolim, righteous Torah leaders, have over the nation. They attribute their control to personal ambition, when, in fact, the Torah leaders are only following Hashem’s directive. The “influence” is the Torah.] Pinchas saw the outrage and took decisive action – killing them both. His act of zealotry put a halt to the plague. The message was clear: Moshe was the leader of the Jewish People – handpicked by Hashem. Pinchas displayed his unwavering commitment, putting his life and reputation in danger, because, after all, it was the ratzon Hashem. Divine will trumps personal interest.
Bnos Tzelafchad, the five daughters of Tzelafchad, faced the prospect of their father’s name and legacy being lost, as he had no sons. Halachah favors male descendants. Demonstrating remarkable courage and faith, they approached Moshe requesting their deceased father’s portion in the Holy Land. Moshe brought their case to Hashem, Who responded affirmatively, stating that their claim was just, thereby establishing a precedent that daughters would inherit when the father had no son.
The Netziv's Explanation
The Netziv explains that the timing of their request is crucial to understanding the psak, halachic ruling. It followed the slanderous reports of the meraglim, spies – who, although punished for their insidious speech, nonetheless left a negative taste for the nation to absorb. They were led to believe that Eretz Yisrael was a land that “devours its inhabitants” and whose present dwellers were a strong, unconquerable nation.
Both narratives exemplify individuals, who, guided by their faith and understanding of the ratzon Hashem, acted decisively, despite personal risk and being contrary to societal norms. Pinchas’ zealotry and Bnos Tzelafchad’s advocacy highlight the significance of standing up for what is right – if, according to the Torah, it is right and just. Thus, both Pinchas and Bnos Tzelafchad turned to Moshe for guidance. We must act in alignment with Divine principles – even if it is not popular in the environment that surrounds us.
Story of the Maggid Shiur
Horav Yechiel Tzuker, Shlita, relates the story of a popular maggid shiur, who under no circumstances permitted his students to leave in middle of seder. As far as he was concerned, everything could wait – post office, dentist/doctor’s appointments, parents – everyone could wait until after seder, and they had better return on time. This was an affable Rebbe who was easy to get along with, highly respected and admired – but, with regard to Torah study, he accepted no compromise, offered no flexibility whatsoever.
At the end of the yeshivah year, the bochurim all came to say good-bye and receive the Rebbe’s warm blessing for a restful, productive summer bein ha’zmanim. One thing gnawed at them: their Rebbe was a very easy person who had many friends and was loved by his students. Why was he so impossibly inflexible with regard to seder? He explained with the following story:
“I was once a single bachur in yeshivah. I was considered a top student and was blessed to find my bashert, Heavenly-designated match, in no time. My father and future father-in-law took it upon themselves to purchase an apartment for us at a reasonable price – one to which they were both in agreement. As the date of our wedding approached and still no apartment, I decided to take things into my own hands. I decided to close my Gemorah, take off time from yeshivah, and go apartment hunting.
“I met a real estate broker who showed me an apartment that fit our criteria exactly. I said I would speak with my future father-in-law. When I described the apartment to him, my father-in-law said that he had seen a “for sale” sign for this apartment on the shul’s bulletin board. We proceeded to the seller and made the deal. It was then that the agent became livid, claiming that he had shown me the apartment first, and, as such, deserved his customary fee as a broker. I replied that I had taken the apartment because my father-in-law had seen the sign in shul. It made no difference. This man was bent on extracting his fee from me. He took me to court where I was obligated to pay him 25,000 shekel, which was a considerable amount of money. As a result, we were compelled to cut back on the furniture and appliances that were important to us. We had just lost a considerable amount of money – because had I closed my Gemorah one day to go apartment hunting.
“The story is not yet over. There is more. After this fiasco, I made a firm decision to prioritize my Torah learning, and that, under no circumstances, would I take a break/close my Gemorah to pursue a mundane objective that was not life-threatening. Torah was paramount.
“Ten years passed, and I was approached by a friend whom I knew from my early days at the yeshivah. He had an investment for me to consider. I was interested; after all, before I would realize, my children would grow up and weddings, apartments and kollel support would become a way of life. A maggid shiur’s salary could not compensate for such expenses. Apparently, the city of Ashkelon was selling parcels of land. His goal was to put together a Torah-oriented shechunah, neighborhood. His strategy was to purchase the land at bargain-basement prices, and, within a year, the price of the real estate would double. This was one of those “you have nothing to lose and all to gain – too good to be true” ventures. He needed 25,000 dollars (four times the amount of shekalim which he had lost ten years earlier). I explained that I did not carry that sum in my pocket. I would have to make a loan from the bank, where my credit was good. I added that now is the time for second seder in the kollel where I learn. I could go to the bank only during bein hasedarim. The bank’s hours did not coincide with my schedule. They were open bein ha’sedarim: once a week on Wednesday. Today is Sunday; I will go on Wednesday.
“That Wednesday, as I prepared to go to the bank, my young son fell, requiring a trip to the doctor and stitches. By the time I returned, I barely made it to seder on time. I had missed the bank. Needless to say, my friend was beside himself. We had no alternative but to wait until the following week. The following week, I went to the bank, took out a loan and immediately went to my friend’s home to share the good news. By now, you can imagine what happened. The entire deal from beginning to end was a sham, the workings of a disreputable real estate broker, who made away with the life’s savings of many an unsuspecting investor – of which my friend was one. Apparently, he was so taken in by the broker that he had convinced his parents, many family members and friends – who all lost every penny they had invested. His friend was afraid to leave his apartment for fear of what the investors he had convinced would do to him.”
The maggid shiur looked at his talmidim for a few moments, allowing the story to sink in. He then said, “When I closed my Gemorah the first time, I lost 25,000 shekalim. When I refused to close it and refrained from taking time off from seder – I saved 25,000 dollars. Now you know why I will not compromise on Torah study – mine, or yours.”
לכן אמור הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום
Therefore, say: “Behold! I give him My covenant of peace.” (25:12)
Pinchas saw an outrageous act of moral turpitude and took decisive action, meting out the ultimate punishment to the two perpetrators. He was rewarded with the Kehunah, Priesthood, the covenant of peace. Upon taking a closer look at the reward, a striking contrast is evident between Pinchas’ response to the sin and the reward that he received. To act zealously, risking one’s life, demands a strong element of the middah, attribute, of gevurah, strength/discipline and strict judgment. The reward of a covenant of peace is reflective of the attribute of chesed, kindness. Why would an act of zealousness be rewarded with peace? How does gevurah align with chesed?
Simply, true peace can only be achieved once evil is expunged. If unchecked, corruption spreads, causing great harm. By acting decisively, Pinchas restored harmony to Klal Yisrael. This explains how gevurah is used to achieve chesed. The Nesivos Sholom explains that actually Pinchas’ zealotry was an act of chesed – not gevurah.
Vayaar Pinchas – Pinchas saw – the degradation and utter humiliation of the Jewish people. Zimri’s public violation of the moral code disgraced, not only himself, but Klal Yisrael as well. Our people are a holy nation, and, when we display such an act of defilement publicly, it impugns our sanctity. Pinchas could not tolerate the shame that was heaped on Klal Yisrael, so he risked his life to stop the blatant chillul Hashem, disgrace of Hashem. By doing so, he was able to revitalize Klal Yisrael’s esteem. His sense of caring, his empathy, his pain over the nation’s plummeting to an unprecedented level of shame, was an expression of a pure and loving heart. He loved Klal Yisrael. Thus, it hurt him to see them like this. As a result, Pinchas’ act was one of chesed, kindness, manifested in order to save the nation from the abyss into which they had descended. Thus, the Torah underscores his lineage back to Aharon HaKohen, who personified chesed in his relationship with the nation. On the surface, Pinchas appeared to be gevurah – motivated. Hashem intervened and informed the nation that Pinchas’ actions exemplified chesed at its apex.
The Rebbe adds that Pinchas is Eliyahu HaNavi, who is the symbol of chesed, the one who always seeks to defend and advocate merit on behalf of Klal Yisrael. How does one (so to speak) achieve malach, angel, status? Pinchas/Eliyahu lived for others, which is what chesed is all about. One who self-abnegates in order to help others, divests himself of self, resulting in a spiritual persona, albeit in physical form. Thus, Hashem awarded Pinchas the covenant of peace.
והיתה לו ולזרעו אחריו ברית כהונת עולם
And it shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal Priesthood. (25:13)
Preceding Pinchas’ act of zealotry, the only anointed Kohanim were Aharon and his sons, with every male child born afterwards immediately entering into the family as a Kohen. Pinchas, however, was already alive at the time that Aharon and his sons (of whom one was Elazar, Pinchas’ father) were designated as Kohanim. Only after Pinchas acted decisively to preserve the honor of the nation, and to glorify Hashem’s Name, Hashem designated him as a Kohen. In an alternative explanation, Hashem promised that all Kohanim Gedolim would descend from Pinchas. The Sefarim HaKedoshim explain that it was for good reason that Pinchas was not initiated into the Kehunah, Priesthood, prior to slaying Zimri. Had he been a Kohen, he would have been disqualified from service in the Mishkan, since a Kohen who takes a life may no longer serve. Thus, when Pinchas punished Zimri, he was a Yisrael.
The Bais Yisrael, zl, wonders why this would transform his status. Whether he was a Kohen or not – he was a murderer – and one who takes a life is disqualified from serving even if he “becomes” a Kohen after the fact. The Rebbe explains that, in effect, transitioning from a Yisrael to a Kohen transformed Pinchas into a new person. He was no longer the same person he was when he ended Zimri’s life. The Rebbe related a story which supports this idea.
A young married avreich, Torah student, approached Horav Boruch, zl, m’Medzhbizh, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov. He was shocked that the Rebbe ignored him. Receiving a “royal” snub from such a big tzaddik can be disheartening – to say the least. Apparently, this young man had allowed his Torah study and knowledge to go to his head, leading him to act somewhat arrogantly. A talmid chacham – or anyone for that matter – must realize that arrogance is one of the most self-destructive character traits. This young man was basically a decent, devout ben Torah who had gotten carried away with his success. It happens. When he saw the Rebbe had ignored him, he sat outside, silently contemplating what he could have done that might catalyze such a reaction from the holy Rebbe. It finally dawned on him that he was acting in a haughty manner. He decided to return, to attempt to beg the Rebbe’s forgiveness.
How shocked he was that the Rebbe came out to greet and welcome him in like a long-lost son. The Rebbe’s three-year old grandson witnessed the entire “before” and “after” transformation, whereby the Rebbe first ignored the young man only to later greet him lovingly. “Zaidy, is he not the same person whom you ignored earlier. What happened?” The Rebbe replied, “You are mistaken. He is not the same man who was here earlier. He is a new and different person.” Teshuvah does that.
Often, a sinner refrains from performing teshuvah, believing that repentance cannot transform his past. “What is the point?” he wonders. “Even if I do teshuvah, I will still carry the stigma and shame of my earlier deeds.” This erroneous belief paralyzes him, chaining him to his former self. What he fails to understand is that, in Hashem’s eyes, teshuvah does not merely cleanse – it recreates. Through sincere teshuvah, the sinner is refashioned into a briah chadashah, new creation.
This is not mere poetry; it is reality in the Heavenly sphere. The sinner that was – is no longer. His misdeeds belong to someone else. A new identity emerges – one forged not by perfection, but by brokenness, struggle, and a yearning for closeness to Hashem. Thus, the question is not, “How can I live with my past?”, but rather, “Am I not ready to begin anew?” In His infinite mercy, Hashem grants each and every one of us the ability to press “reset” and become an entirely different person.
