Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
Family Ties
"After Pinchas killed Zimri, the Shevatim chided him saying, 'Your grandfather [Yisro] was a Priest to idol worshipers and you have the audacity to kill one of the heads of a shevet of the Jewish people.’ Hashem rectified the situation by tracing Pinchas' genealogy to Eliezer" (Rashi).
Rashi's comment requires explanation. The individuals who were harassing Pinchas knew that his father was Eliezer, son of Aharon. So what difference does it make if the Torah writes his father's name in the pasuk?
His detractors said that Pinchas' zeal to kill Zimri was due to negative character traits which he inherited from the non-Jewish side of his family. They accused him of feigning kanayos, passion for truth, saying that he was a 'wild man' who had taken the law into his own hands and had committed a reckless act. Pinchas should be held accountable for killing Zimri.
Yet Eliezer was a son of Aharon, who personified the attitude of "pursue peace and love peace." Everyone knew that Eliezer followed in his father's harmonious ways, and any act by his son which resulted from his influence was certainly motivated by pure intentions. By tracing Pinchas' genealogy to Eliezer, the Torah makes it clear that Pinchas' killed Zimri in the name of the genuinely peace-loving ways he absorbed from his father, and not due to any sinister influences.
The Whole Truth
Pinchas was rewarded for his act of truth with a bris of Shalom. When the Torah recounts this, the letter vuv in the word Shalom is a written ketuah, split. What is the deeper meaning behind this?
Peace is not always easy to come by. Some people feel that peace-making justifies excessive compromising. Rather than pursuing truth, they rush to carve up everything sacred in a vain attempt to appease all the parties. While they may have good intentions, what results is very far from what the Torah calls peace.
By writing the vuv split¸ the Torah is warning against such strategies. The split vuv hints that the words Shalom can be read without the vuv, spelling shalem, complete. Thus, the Torah unequivocally warns us against carving up that which is worthless if it is not complete, in the name of peace.
Technology has given us real life examples of this concept. A sophisticated spacecraft that can take man to the moon and cost millions of dollars becomes a deathtrap if a single screw is loose. Likewise, attempts to forego certain core Jewish values and practices in the attempt to compromise with the forces of the modern world, result in the self-destruction of communities. Only complete dedication to the Torah ideals can bring real everlasting peace.
Standing Alone
Pinchas understood that his act would attract criticism, yet he did not hesitate to kill Zimri. In doing so he showed Klal Yisrael the proper way that to act. One should only consider what is correct in Hashem's eyes, and disregard how others might judge you.
This fundamental concept is hinted at in the Eseres HaDibros. While most of the Torah is in the plural form, the Ten Commandments, which encapsulate the entire Torah, are written in the singular. This fundamental creed is directed personally to each individual Jew. The Torah thereby teaches us that one's fulfillment of mitzvos must not be affected by the herd mentality.
This point is illustrated by the following story. Rav Avraham Kalmanovitch was the rav in the city of Rokav in Europe. Later he came to the United States and was instrumental in helping the entire Mir Yeshiva to reach Shanghai, and thus saving their lives.
While still in Europe, Rav Kalmanovitch had an important question that he needed Rav Chaim Brisker to answer. He heard that the Rav Chaim was in Brisk, and he went to Rav’s home and knocked on the door. He continued knocking, but to his disappointment there was no answer.
After waiting for a long while Rav Kalmanovitch realized that he had to resort to more assertive techniques. He called out, "Rav Chaim, I have a question that involves pikuach nefesh." Within a few moments the Rav of Brisk was at the door.
Rav Chaim explained his reluctance to answer the earlier knocks as follows: “The Rambam writes (Deos 6) that if the world is full of evil people, a person should isolate himself in the desert. Once in a while I shut myself up in my home and imagine that I am in such a desert.” Rav Kalmanovitch had come during one of these times, and Rav Chaim had only been willing to break his isolation when he heard that it was a situation of pikuach nefesh.
Helping the Klal
Pinchas taught us a crucial lesson that one must pursue the truth regardless of what others might think. The Chilul Hashem alone was certainly enough reason to kill Zimri. However there was another major motivation behind Pinchas' actions.
Hashem had responded to the transgressions of Klal Yisrael with a magefah, a deadly plague which was claiming thousands of Jewish lives. Pinchas' timely act atoned for their sins and stopped the magefah. This effectively saved the entire Jewish people.
A passion for the truth is praiseworthy, but only if it is tempered with a love for Klal Yisrael. Had Pinchas' actions been spurred only by anger against the Jewish people they would not have been as effective. His sincere desire to save Klal Yisrael made Pinchas' conduct a true act of Kinas Hashem.
Next in Line
As Moshe's term of leadership over the Jewish people drew to a close, he needed an appropriate successor. After Pinchas had shown such a passion for the truth, perhaps he should have been first choice for the position. Why wasn't he even considered a candidate for the next leader of Klal Yisrael?
Yehoshua ben Nun spent years of his life personally learning from and serving Moshe Rabbeinu. If a doctor or lawyer cannot properly function in their roles before completing an extensive hands-on internship, certainly a leader of Klal Yisrael must work closely with another leader beforehand. This hands-on experience helping Moshe Rabbeinu put Yehoshua before Pinchas or any other candidate for the leadership position.
Rav Sternbuch once spoke to the Brisker Rav about someone who was a talmid of his father, Rav Chaim Brisker. When the Brisker Rav asked how long this person had learned from his father, Rav Sternbuch replied three years. "Three years!" exclaimed the Brisker Rav. "Three years is not enough time to be considered a talmid of my father."
From Pinchas we learn that in the pursuit of truth we must disregard the opinions of others, yet we must always maintain a deep concern for all our fellow Jews. Yehoshua ben Nun teaches us that, while we must maintain our individuality, true Jewish leaders are humble enough to learn deeply and extensively from their predecessors, who exemplify and epitomize true Divine service. May Hashem help us all to serve Him with truth at all times.
