פִּינְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן הֵשִׁיב אֶת חֲמָתִי מֵעַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקַנְאוֹ אֶת קִנְאָתִי בְּתוֹכָם וְלֹא כִלִּיתִי אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִנְאָתִי. (כה יא)
Pinchas, the son of Elazar the son of Aaron Hakohen, has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal.
Tragedy's Aftermath
At the end of last week's Parashah, the Torah recalls the tragic episode of בְּנוֹת מִדְיָן, the daughters of Midyan. Just before Bil'am was to go back home, he advised Balak of a devious scheme by which to cause Bnei Yisroel to sin with the Midyanite women. Indeed the Midyanite women caused many Yidden to sin and eventually stumble in the Avoda Zara of Pe'or.
As a result for this terrible incident, a plague broke out, costing the lives of twenty-four thousand Jews. This crisis came to a peak when Zimri ben Salu, who was the Nasi of Shevet Shimon, was lured into this grave immorality with Cozbi, a Midyanite princess. Upon witnessing this, Pinchas ardently reacted by killing both of them.
This zealous act called for tremendous bravery from Pinchas as he endangered his life through doing so. The Gemara (סנהדרין פב.) enumerates ten miracles that occurred to Pinchas at that time. Consequently, due to this courageous deed, the plague ended.
This week's Parsha begins with Hashem promising eternal reward to Pinchas for his heroic actions: לָכֵן אֱמֹר הִנְנִי נֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם (כה יב). Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of peace." Additionally, he was rewarded with the position of כְּהֻנָּה for himself and his descendants; he and his further generations would now have the privilege of serving as Kohanim in the Beis Hamukdash.
Further, the Torah commands us, צָרוֹר אֶת הַמִּדְיָנִים וְהִכִּיתֶם אוֹתָם... - You shall despise the Midyanites and smite them. With this, we are commanded to take revenge against this nation for they have caused so many to sin so gravely.
Upon learning this parshah, one ponders 'How is it possible that such great people stumbled and fell to such a spiritual low? How did Hashem let such a tragedy befall His beloved children?' While we cannot aim to grasp fully that which is concealed from us, we can still glean some insight from what the seforim hakdoshim offer in response to these questions.
Living Again
A stunning revelation by the רמ"ע מפאנו sheds some light on this story as well as other events in our history.
In Parashas Vayishev the Torah tells us the horrific tragedy that befell Yaakov Avinu when Shechem ben Chamor coaxed Dinah to marry him. Cunningly, her brothers Shimon and Levi deceived Shechem by saying that they would agree to him marrying Dinah. However, they stipulated, he along with his entire city of Shechem, must carry out Bris Milah on themselves prior to this, to which Shecehem agreed. This condition was set forth with a plan of action in mind - on the third day after the Milah, Shimon and Levi killed the entire city population, who didn't have the energy to fight back due to their current state.
After that, Shechem asked Hashem that he and the people of his city be rewarded for having performed Bris Milah. Hashem decreed that they will all need to be reincarnated at a later time, along with other Jewish neshamos. The Seder Hadoros quotes the Rema MiPanu that they all came down into this world again during the time that Klal Yisrael were in the Midbar.
The soul of Shechem was reborn within the neshama of Zimri ben Salu who then stumbled with the Midyanite princess, while the people of his city were reincarnated in the 24,000 Yidden who died in the plague that followed. Since they were still not deserving of being rewarded, they all came down to this world again many years later. Shechem's neshama was later reincarnated again within the neshama of the holy Tana Rabbi Akiva and his twenty-four thousand students had the souls of the residents of the city Shechem. (עשרה מאמרות מאמר אם כל חי ח"א סימן ג)
Additionally, the Gemara (קידושין מ:א) relates a very intriguing event with the Amorah רַב כָּהֲנָא. Rav Kehana would sell handbaskets in which women would keep their tools for knitting. Once, he was confronted by a gentile noblewoman who enticed him, thus being faced with a test similar to the nisayon of Yosef HaTzaddik. To save himself, he jumped off the roof, endangering his life. At that moment, Elyiahu HaNavi appeared to save him.
Once again, the רמ"ע מפאנו says that Rav Kehana was a gilgul of Zimri, and the woman who tried to entice him was a reincarnation of Cozbi. Hence, Eliyahu HaNavi was the one who came to his rescue since Chazal tell us that פִּנְחָס זֶה אֵלִיָּהוּ, Pinchas eventually went on to lead Klal Yisroel as Eliyahu HaNavi.
Nothing is Happenstance
The Chasam Sofer offers a fascinating insight as to why Pinchas, specifically, became Eliyahu HaNavi, through citing an interesting incident related by Chazal. The Gemara (חגיגה ד:ב) relays that the Amorah רַב בִּיבִי בַּר אַבַּיֵּי once heard that the Malach Hamaves instructed his messenger to bring him the soul of מִרְיָם מַגְדְּלָא דַרְדְּקֵי, Miriam who mothered children.
By some mistake, however, the messenger brought the soul of מִרְיָם מַגְדְּלָא שַׂעַר נְשַׁיָּא, Miriam who braids women's hair. Rav Bivi asked the Malach Hamaves, since מִרְיָם מַגְדְּלָא שַׂעַר נְשַׁיָּא still had many years to live because she died before her time, what happens with all her 'spare' years? The Malach Hamaves replied that those years are given to a talmid chochem who is מַעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו, he forgoes his dignity and doesn't retaliate or bear a grudge on others who slight him.
This story appears perplexing; how could the Malach Hamaves have taken someone's life before their time? Indeed, the meforshim offer various approaches to explain this seeming 'error', ultimately making it clear that nothing happens without Heavenly decree.
The Chasam Sofer, however, derives another point from this Gemara. Based on the fact that the Malach Hamaves told Rav Bivi that the remaining years of מִרְיָם מַגְדְּלָא שַׂעַרָא are not forever lost, and are instead given to a Talmid Chochom who is מַעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו, the Chasam Sofer suggests the following:
When Moshe Rabeinu davened that he should be allowed into Eretz Yisrael, Hashem turned down his request, saying that his time in this world is up. Meaning, he had completed his lifespan of one-hundred and twenty years which was predestined for him, and he therefore could not live on to merit entering Eretz Yisrael. Still, Moshe asked that he be granted the years of all the מֵתֵי מִדְבָּר, those who died young in the desert. They lived only until sixty instead of the 120 years designated to each person. Thus, there were still many years "remaining" for Moshe Rabeinu to live - sixty years from the lives of six hundred thousand people which equals a staggering 360 million.
However, since Moshe Rabeinu had said to the Yidden by the story of Mei Meriva "שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים", on his lofty level he could no longer be considered a מַעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו, one who forgoes his honor, and therefore he could not benefit from the 'spare' years of those who perished in the midbar.
There was, however, someone who could be given all those years. Chazal tell us that the Shevatim mocked Pinchas while he performed the heroic act of קִנְאוֹת by killing Zimri. They exclaimed "did you see this descendant of the 'stuffer' - his mother's father would stuff-feed calves to fatten them in order to sacrifice for idol worshiping - and now he went and killed a Nasi of a Shevet of Yisroel!" Still, Pinchas kept silent, allowing himself to be put to shame by their mockery. This afforded him the true status of being מַעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו. It is for this reason that he merited to become Eliyahu HaNavi who, as we know from Chazal, ascended to Gan Eden alive, continuing to live for eternity. As a result of forgoing his honor in order to do what he deemed right, and ignoring the spiteful comments being aimed at him, Pinchas was rewarded with all their "leftover" years. (תורת משה פרשת נח)
Rectifying Bil'am's Damage
We find another fascinating detail regarding the repercussions of Bil'am's actions. Chazal tell us that Bil'am died at the age of thirty three. (סנהדרין קו:ב). The Yismach Moshe records the following dream he had one year on Motzei Shavuos. In the dream it was revealed to him that the Arizal, by descending onto this world, had saved Klal Yisrael many years of harsh decrees and cruelty by the Goyim. Astoundingly, the Yismach Moshe points out that the Arizal lived for same number of years as Bil'am. His life was destined, and indeed dedicated, to rectify the damage caused by Bil'am. Through living on this world thirty-three years, corresponding Bil'am's lifespan, he restored the honour of Hashem and filled the world with kedusha. (ישמח משה פר' בלק)
The Generation of The Midbar in Later Generations
The following amazing story was related by Rav Chaim Dovid Weiss of Antwerp, regarding Reb Shmuel Kraus, who was a great tzaddik and renowned mashpia, and his brother Reb Shlomo Arye ztz"l. Rav Shmuel was a student of Rav Yehoshua Buxbaum ztz"l Hy"d, the Rav of the Hungarian city Galante, where he stood at the helm of an illustrious Yeshivah. Rav Buxbaum was especially known for his unique, close bond with each of his Talmidim who reciprocated with great devotion and love toward their revered Rebbe.
During the war, Reb Shmuel was in the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. One day an SS guard rounded up a group of fifty people and told them they were being punished. Apparently, one of them had done something 'wrong' and they were all being held responsible for allowing it to happen. They were to be shot dead, Hashem yerachem. Reb Shmuel was among those fifty people, but miraculously, he was saved from this terrible fate. The bullets flew over his head, narrowly missing him by a few millimetres. His brother, Reb Shlomo Arye, noticed him amid the group being shot, therefore assuming that he is no longer among the living. Subsequently, Reb Shlomo Arye began reciting Kaddish for his brother. He also decided that once the war ended he would testify in Beis Din that his brother had died so his wife could remarry.
Later that day, to Reb Shlomo Arye's utter surprise, he saw his brother Reb Shmuel walking around, alive. At first, he was afraid it might be a ghost or his imagination. Eventually, though, Reb Shmuel managed to reassure his brother that it was actually him, thereafter describing how he had managed to survive the shooting.
At first, he said, the bullets flew above his head. From the impact of the shooting, though, he fell to the ground in a barely conscious state. When the guard saw him lying among the corpses, he assumed that he too was dead, and left him alone. While lying on the ground, his Rebbe Rav Yehoshua Buxbaum ztz"l suddenly appeared to him, and said; "What are you doing here, lying among dead people? It was decreed that you should live. Stand up and continue living!" Hearing these words from his Rebbe, he immediately rose to his feet, determined to continue with life. Eventually, and through great miracles, both brothers survived the war.
However, shortly after the war, having witnessed unspeakable tragedies and having gone through so much pain and suffering, Rav Shmuel lost his will to live. He felt too broken and lost. Once again, his Rebbe appeared to him in a dream, saying: "Shmuel! Shmuel! it has been decreed that you shall live! You must keep up a positive stance, be b'simchah and build anew!" Rav Shmuel asked his beloved Rebbe, "How could I possibly be b'simchah after all I've been through"? To this, Rav Buxbaum replied with a vort he had shared with his talmidim many years earlier.
Rectifying For Generations
The Navi tells us: עַמִּי זְכָר נָא מַה יָּעַץ בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב וּמֶה עָנָה אֹתוֹ בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר מִן הַשִּׁטִּים עַד הַגִּלְגָּל לְמַעַן דַּעַת צִדְקוֹת ה'. My Nation, remember what Balak, the king of Moav, advised and that which Bilam the son of Be'or answered him, from Shittim to Gilgol in order for you to know the righteousness of Hashem (מיכה פרק ו' פסוק ה'). Literally, this passuk is referring to the story of Balak and Bilam, who both wished to curse the Yidden and cause them to sin. Nevertheless, says the Navi, Hashem, in His infinite kindness, has allowed you to conquer Eretz Yisrael. Incidentally, this is read in the Haftora of Parshas Balak.
The Galanter Rav, however, offered the following novel interpretation. Chazal teach us that Zimri is שְׁלוּמִיאֵל בֶּן צוּרִישַׁדָּי, who was the Nasi of Shevet Shimon. There were also other great people who stumbled with the Midyanite women. One might wonder how is it that people so great could fall so low?!
Indeed, it is beyond our grasp to understand fully. However, explained the Galanter Rav to his talmid Reb Shmuel, we know from our teachers that they were specifically chosen to be in that place at that time, in order to rectify the wrongdoings of their neshamos or of other souls in previous generations. The same is true, continued the Rav, for those who perished during the war. They were all there to rectify neshamos from many years earlier. All this is in order to cleanse and correct the misdeeds of previous generations.
This, said the Rav, is alluded to in the passuk quoted above. מִן הַשִּׁטִּים, since the time that Klal Yisrael sinned at Shittim, עַד הַגִּלְגָּל, and through the generations when those souls were reincarnated, all this was לְמַעַן דַּעַת צִדְקוֹת ה' so that the Yidden should forever be aware of the immense good Hashem did with them. For, had Hashem decided to completely obliterate Klal Yisrael immediately after their sin with the Midyanite women, it would have been a much bigger tragedy. Rather, Hashem, in His Infinite grace and righteousness, removed the immense spiritual damage in a very gradual, slow process, over a timespan of thousands of years.
Invigorated by these words, Reb Shmuel was infused with a new appreciation for life and firmly decided to move on and start anew. He eventually got married and built a beautiful, well-respected family of ehrliche Yidden.
Precise Reward and Consequence
This teaches us a very important message. Of course we human beings can never begin to fathom Hashem's wonderous ways. We could, however, appreciate that although at times what is happening with us or in the world around us may seem strange, it's important to bear in mind that there is a legitimate reason to everything-even if we cannot wrap our small minds around it. This notion could, in turn, also help motivate and encourage us to carry on, knowing that one day we will look back and understand Hashem's reasons behind all that occurred in the world.
This is yet another example of Hashem's perfect ways. As the possuk states: הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ כִּי כָל דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט אֵל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָוֶל צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא. The Mighty One, His work is whole, complete, for all His ways are just; G-d of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is He. (דברים לב:ד)
Rabbi Yisroel Salanter ztz"l explains this possuk as follows. When someone is convicted for breaking the law, the one deciding his punishment (e.g. a judge, king or other) will base the sentence upon the individual and the specific infringement. He will not consider the effect his decision will have on the person's family and friends. The criminal must be punished, despite the fact that others will be affected and suffer as a result.
The Ribbono Shel Olam, however, carries out judgement in a different manner. When one is chalilah deserving of punishment for having violated a mitzvah, the penalty he is given is not based solely on the individual himself. Hashem, in His infinite mercy and wisdom takes into account the consequences the punishment will have on all those around him, too. Hence, even if one might be deserving of serious retribution, his sentence will be carried out only in such a way that would be justified also to his family and friends. In other words, he will only be punished to the extent his family 'deserve' to suffer. Similarly, whoever endures any suffering will merit atonement or reward through that. Hashem holds precise account with each and every individual, taking so many factors into account.
This is what is meant by the possuk mentioned above: "הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ", the work of the Mighty One is complete, how? "כִּי כָל דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט", for all His ways are just. Meaning, the reward, and similarly the punishment, He brings upon a person is precisely measured so that no one affected by it should suffer even a tiny bit more than he is deserving of.
May we see the infinite Hand of Hashem, the Master Orchestrator of all events, with the coming of Moshiach בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן!
גוט שַׁבָּת