Very few righteous people were granted greatness for eternity by HaShem; Pinchas (“פִּינְחָס“) was one of them. Pinchas was a true Torah warrior who was willing to sacrifice his own life for the sanctity of HaShem, the Torah, and Bnei-Yisrael. HaShem “personally” announced to the people of Israel that Pinchas, the son of Elazer, the son of Aharon HaKohen (“פִּינְחָס בֶּן-אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן”) is rewarded with the covenant of peace and priesthood for eternity. In very few cases HaShem made such powerful declaration, just as he did with Moshe, Avraham and few others. Pinchas profound zealously to honor HaShem, provided him and us with the merit of being the true chosen people as HaShem intended us to be. The name “Pinchas” (“פִּנְחָס”) has two words: “Pen” “פן” (suddenly felt) and “Chas” (having mercy on Bnei-Yisrael), alluding to Pinchas taking the initiative to kill the sinners and pray to HaShem to be merciful and stop the plague. HaShem added the letter “Yud” to his name (“י” of Y.H.V.H), in order to honor him as he honored HaShem’s name. The letter “Yud” is written small in the Torah, to highlight Pinchas’ modesty.
The Zohar says that Pinchas defeated both the princess Kizbi (the Medianite princess) and the female “Satan” named “Lillit” (“לילית”). We learn this from the verse (“אֶת-חֲמָתִי מֵעַל בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל”) The last letter of each word spells the word “Lillit” (“לילית” – the Satan’s female mate). “Pinchas the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon the Kohen, have turned My wrath away from the children of Israel”. The word “Chamati” (“חֲמָתִי”) came from the word “Cheima” (“חימה”) also known as the female Satan. We noticed in Parashat Balak (25:8) a hidden secret in the words alluding to the female “Satan”. “And he went “after” the man of Israel into the chamber, and thrust both” (“וַיָּבֹא אַחַר אִישׁ-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-הַקֻּבָּה, וַיִּדְקֹר אֶת-שְׁנֵיהֶם). The Torah writes that he came to the “HaKubah” (“הַקֻּבָּה”) and killed them both. The word “HaKubah” is derived from the word “HaNukbah” which is another name for“L.i.l.i.t” (Satan’s female mate).
The Zohar says that HaShem gave the Torah along with its rebuke, in order to teach Bnei-Yisrael about the consequences of transgressing against the Torah. Our sages say that when a person studies Torah and dies, the Torah precedes (escort) him and opens the gates for him in the world to come. HaShem takes the most joy from those who toil in Torah at night. This comes to teach us that Pinchas, just like the Torah, went ahead in order to save Bnei-Yisrael form an immense punishment. A punishment for generations to come and complete elimination of the Jewish people. Pinchas made sure that Bnei-Yisrael didn’t abandon HaShem’s Torah by eliminating the few sinners. The Midarsh adds, a person who studies Torah at night merits having the righteous souls in heaven, and HaShem among them, to listen him. The Torah writes “Pinchas the son of Elazer, the son of Aharon HaKohen”. Why did HaShem write that he was the “son of Aharon” when he was not (he was Aharon’s grandson)? The Zohar explains that Pinchas had the Neshamot (souls) of Nadav and Avihu (Aharon’s sons), and since they were not married they were considered as “half” of a Neshama and together as one Neshama. Pinchas received their Neshamot as one. The Gemara teaches that an unmarried person is considered as a “half” and they weren’t married.
Sefer Hagilgulim and other Zohar teachings teaches us that the 24,000 people who died in the plague were the same 24,000 people that Shimon and Levi killed at the incident with Dina’s rape (the men of Shchem). They are the same 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva.
HaShem announced Pinchas’s family lineage of his father and grandfather to warn Bnei-Yisrael not to contest His appointment as Korach did. Even though Pinchas was a Levi he was elevated to the highest Kehunah (priesthood) due to his actions of Kiddish HaShem. Pinchas merited of having 18 Kohanim to serve during the times of the Tabernacle and 80 Kohanim during the times of both Beit-Hamikdash a total of 98 Kohanim. This number (98) is a significant number, alluding to the number of curses in Parashat Ki-Tavo. HaShem gave Bnei-Yisrael the opportunity to reverse such curses with this number of Kohanim, descendants of Pinchas.
Why did HaShem have to announce Pinchas as a Kohen? The Zohar points out that since Pinchas killed all the sinners he became impure for the Kehunah, but now HaShem reinstated him as a Kohen, the Midrash says the Pinchas died and HaShem brought him back to life and pure.
Pinchas trust in HaShem was higher then most of Bnei-Yisrael’s. Even though his mother was a Midianite (his father married Tziporah’s sister), he surpassed all with his faith. Pinchas was a true hero, due to his courage and leadership, the plague stopped and many Jewish lives were saved. The Midrash teaches us that Eliyahu Hanavi (“אליהו הנביא”) had the same Neshamah (soul) as Pinchas, as he always comes to witness Bnei-Yisrael, especially in every Brit-Milah (circumcision) ceremony and help in challenging times (just as Pinchas did). The Midrash tells us about Eliyahu Hanavi who once killed four hundred false prophets and gave their bodies to the dogs, and they rejoiced. In the future when Eliyahu Hanavi will come again B’H, these dogs will rejoice again as it will be the Days of Mashiach. The Sefat Emet discusses the continuation of the verse: “when he [Pinchas] acted zealously on My behalf in their midst.” There are times when Kanauot (zealously) is appropriate and necessary. It must be done with great caution and great wisdom, at the appropriate time and place for it. Who implanted this attribute in the Jewish people? Pinchas did. If Pinchas was our “mentor”, who passed on to us this attribute of Kanauot (zealousness), then we might think it inappropriate for the “disciples” to have complaints against him.
The Prophet Eliyahu Hanavi “אליהו הנביא” appears in every Brit Milah as promised by the Torah (in the book of Melachim), and it is customary to have a special chair ready for him. He is required to attend every Brit Milah as a witness, because he spoke ill of Bnei-Yisrael, telling HaShem that they will not keep His covenant of Brit Milah. King Achav made such a decree and Bnei-Yisrael had to obey it, on the “outside” but kept the Mitzvah in secret. Although Eliyahu Havavi spoke in honor of HaShem, he was “punished” and he has to appear at every Brit Milah. The Midrash teaches that Eliyahu HaNavi’s Neshamah came from Pinches, who saved thousands of Jewish babies who could have been born to Moavites women (from the nation of Moav). He sanctified HaShem’s name in the desert and prevented a disaster.
Pinchas was compared to his grandfather Aharon, as he too always pursued peace and Kidush HaShem, sanctifying HaShem’s name. In Parashat Balak, HaShem was very upset with some of Bnei-Yisrael as they sinned with the Moavite women. Pinchas changed that and was merited the covenant of peace with HaShem. The most important issue for Pinchas was preserving the Jewish lineage as HaShem commanded us to keep (no assimilation). HaShem even rewarded Pinchas with the highest honor of personally taking him out of the physical world when he passed away to heaven on a fiery-carriage (he didn’t die). In Parashat Balak we learnt of the 24,000 people who died in the plague while sinning with the Moavite women. According to the Seder Hadorot, Rabbi Akivah (“עקיבא בן יוסף”) was a Gilgul (reincarnation) of Zimri (“זמרי בן סלוא”). That is why 24,000 people died, same as the number of students (24,000) Rabbi Akiva lost as a rectification for those lost people.
In verse 25:17 HaShem commanded Moshe to place an “embargo” on Midian. The word the Torah uses is “Tzeror” (“צרור”), meaning surround them on all four sides. Since Moshe lived in Midian and his wife Tziporah came from them, HaShem ordered him to go to war against them but not to destroy their land, since Moshe benefited from it while living there. The word “Tzeror” comes from the word “Tzar” (“צר” – narrow). This comes to teach us that just as they planed on fighting Bnei-Yisrael in a narrow path (between the mountains in the valley of Arnon) so too HaShem punished them with such a path, as a measure for measure. From here we learn that we too should not “spit into the cup we drink from” and to always respect people, places and items we benefit from. We should always have gratitude and appreciate HaShem and the Torah as the source for everything in our existence.
HaShem ordered to kill the Midianites but not the Moavaites, to teach us that there was a big difference between the two wicked nations. The Midianites knew that Moshe was with them and that his wife was from their nation, that Yitro converted yet still wished to harm Bnei-Yisrael and fight against HaShem and his people. They also plotted against Bnei-Yisrael at Ba’al Pe’or and sent their daughter Kisbi (and other women) to defile Bnei-Yisrael. The Moavaites merited an offspring of greatness named Ruth who later on and she will join Bnei-Yisrael and convert. She was Naomi’s daughter-in-law and from her King David, King Solomon, Raban Gamaliel and several righteous people will come. She is the great-grandmother of King David and hence an ancestor of the Machiach.
Naomi’s sons married Moavaite women (twin sisters) named Orpah and Ruth (daughters of king Eglon). After ten years of marriage both sons (and husband) died, and Naomi decided that it was time to return to her homeland in Israel. The famine has subsided and she no longer had an immediate family in Moav. Naomi told her daughters-in-law about her plans and both of them say they wanted to go with her. But they were young women with a chance of remarrying, so Naomi advised them to stay in their homeland, remarry and begin new lives. Orpah eventually agreed, but Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi. “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you,” Ruth told Naomi. “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people are my people and your God is my God.” (Ruth 1:16). Ruth’s statement not only proclaims her loyalty to Naomi, but shows her desire to join Naomi’s people – the Jewish people, and for her and her decedents HaShem spared the Moavites. Its important to point out that David was from Ruth and Goliat was from Orpah, hence David wins and defeat Goliat.
HaShem helped Bnei-Yisrael with all their wars throughout history. We see that since Bnei-Yisrael left Egypt until they settled in the Promised Land HaShem won all their wars. The story of Pinchas shows how HaShem rewards those who believe in Him, as He won their war against three nations. The Halacha says that Jewish men are allowed to marry Moavite women who converted, but Jewish women are not allowed to marry Moavite men regardless of their conversion.
In chapter 26 HaShem commanded Moshe to count Bnei-Yisrael; after the plague HaShem once again count his people in order to provide them with blessings and accurate family lineages. This will be the last counting of Bnei-Yisrael in the desert prior to their entrance to the Promised Land. The Midarsh says that HaShem counted Bnei-Yisrael following every severe punishment that was brought upon them. HaShem is like a shepherd whose flock was attacked by a pack of wolfs, and after the attack he counts them and brings them closer to him with love and extra care. This amazing way of counting is providing the people of Israel a much needed blessings and elevation.
The word “Seuo” (“שאו” – elevate) means to lift-up, and it is used to describe the counting of all the males twenty years and older among Bnei-Yisrael. From this word we learn that HaShem counted Bnei-Yisrael in order to elevate them to a higher level of holiness and bless them as well as they are now Toarh warriors. We also learn from the specific descriptions of each family names and their father, a unique way to identify that they were truly Jewish. We learn from such method that this counting was specific to the Jews and did not include the “Erev-Rav” converts who joined Bnei-Yisrael when they left Egypt. In each name we have the letter “Hei” (“ה”) in the beginning and the letter “Yud” (“י”) at the end of each name. These letters (“יה”) are one of Hashem’s names, as he guards them on each side. For example, the tribes’ names are listed as Hareueveni, HaShimoni, etc. We also learn from this counting that Moshe started with six hundred thousands males over twenty when the Jews left Egypt and now before his passing there is the same numer, to show that he did not end up with less of Bnei-Yisrael.