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Parshat Pinchas
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in the beginning of this week's parsha of the special "bris" of Kehunah which was established between Hashem and Pinchas. Rashi explains (Chapter 25, Pasuk 13) that even though Pinchas was a grandson of Aharon he did not yet have the status of a Kohen. The Kehunah was given to Aharon and his children who were anointed and it included all future generations. But Pinchas who was already born at the time of Aharon's appointment but was not personally anointed himself, wasn't included in the bris of Kehunah. Therefore, a special bris needed to be established with Pinchas to create his status as a Kohen.
Why was this necessary? Why wasn't Pinchas included in the bris with Aharon and anointed along with him and his children? (See the Maharal in the Gur Aryeh on Rashi who gives some answers to this question).
There is a well known Medrash in Bereishis Rabbah (5,3) which states that the word "Ohr" is mentioned five times in the creation of light, and theses five times correspond to the five books of the Torah. Sefer Bamidbar specifically relates to the pasuk (Bereishis, Chapter 1, Pasuk 4),Vayavdeil Elokim Bein Ha'Ohr U'Bein HaChoshech, And Hashem divided between the light and the darkness. This is because sefer Bamidbar distinguishes between those who went out from Egypt and those who entered Eretz Yisrael. In the beginning of the sefer those who went out from Egypt and received the Torah were counted, and now in our parsha towards the end of the sefer, those who entered Eretz Yisrael are counted. But according to the Medrash, those who received the Torah are referred to as light and those who entered Eretz Yisrael are alluded to as darkness. What is the basis of this distinction?
Sefer Bamidbar represents a transition from life in the desert to life in Eretz Yisrael. Bnei Yisrael entered the desert and received the Torah. The Torah is referred to as light, as the pasuk says (Mishlei, Chapter 6, Pasuk 23), Torah Ohr. This is specifically a reference to Torah Shebichtav, the written law received directly from Hashem. And in the desert they lived a life of direct contact with Hashem; eating the mahn and drinking from the be'er. This was the light they experienced upon leaving Mitzrayim.
In our parsha Bnei Yisrael are about to enter Eretz Yisrael which is the land of Torah Shebe'alpeh. Torah Shebe'alpeh requires great effort and work; gone was the idyllic existence they had in the desert. Now they had to be "amal b'Torah", work hard in Torah. And the Medrash Tanchuma in describing the process of growth in Torah Shebe'alpeh quotes the pasuk from sefer Yeshayahu (Chapter 9, Pasuk 1), Ha'Am Haholchim Bachoshech Rau Ohr Gadol. The nation walking in darkness saw a great light. This is a reference to those who study hard in Torah; they start out in darkness and ultimately they see the great light. Hashem opens their eyes and enables them to see and have proper understanding in Torah Shebe'alpeh. And this takes place in Eretz Yisrael, the land of Torah and the land of Siyata Dishmaya, help from the heavens.
We explained a few weeks ago on parshat Korach that the Sfas Emes and the Meshech Chachmah both explain that Korach's mistake was that he thought the Kehunah was something which belonged to him al pi din. He didn't realize that the Kehunah was a chesed from Hashem, as evidenced by the fact that it is referred to (Chapter 18, Pasuk 7), as Avodas Matanah, a gift from Hashem. Similarly Terumah itself is referred to as Terumas Matanah. The Kehunah is not something which could be earned; rather it is a gift from Hashem and He decided to give the Kehunah to Aharon.
This transition to life in Eretz Yisrael, the life of Torah Shebe'alpeh, was expressed in the Kehunah as well. There was a transition in the Kehunah from one of chesed, Avodas Matanh, to a Kehunah that included the notion of working to earn it. This is why Pinchas was spared from inclusion in the original bris. He was being saved for the Kehunah of Torah Shebe'alpeh.
And how did he achieve it? With the law of Kana'im Pogim Bo. Beis Din can't put to death a man for having relations with a non-Jewish woman. But if one who is present at the time of the act is inspired to act to defend the honor of Hashem, he may put the person to death. It was precisely through Pinchas taking action, B'Kano es Kinasi, that the Kehunah was acquired. Just as Torah Shebe'alpeh requires us to work hard in order to see the light through the darkness, Pinchas brought light to a dark, difficult situation by taking a chance and taking action. This was the second bris of Kehunah, the one established with Pinchas.
Good Shabbos
