Shalom Friends;
This week, our Parshat HaShevua, Pinchas is being sponsored by Matis and Marla Sklar of Ramat Beit Shemesh and dedicated Lilui Nishmas Matis’ mother Devorah bas Yisroel and his father Shmuel Chaim ben Avraham Yosef and dedicated for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining hostages and that they’re brought home without experiencing any further harm, as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. To the Sklar family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
skype: mark.burt3
***************************************************************
This author has often written the vort for Parshat Pinchas discussing Bila’am’s parting scheme imparted to Balak and its aftermath. This year vort discusses Bila’am’s scheme to entrap the B’nei Yisrael in sin, as well as Zimri’s supposed (adjective: accepted or believed to be so, without certain knowledge, assumed for the sake of argument) “pure” motivations behind his actions.
This vort is being composed on erev Shavuot against a background of two major events in the ongoing War of Simchat Torah — 7 October. The first being the joyful news of our heroic Chayalim Liberating and bringing home three men and one young woman — former hostages held by Gazan “civilians” paid by Hamas. The second event was the exiting of so-called “National Unity Party” from Israel’s wartime government.
As each vort is compiled four to five weeks before the Shabbos of the Parsha, this author felt the necessity to mention in this vort the two miracles which occurred during last Shabbos and Motzei Shabbos. The first of these miracles was the attack and apparent end of Hamas leader and co-planner of the barbarous mass terror attacks, mass murders and hostage-taking launched against Israel on Simchat Torah — 7 October. The second being the assassination attempt on former President Trump at a Saturday night rally which, as the former President turned his head slightly — surelyby the Yad Hashem, the shot missed his head by a hairs-breadth with the bullet grazing the top of President Trump’s ear. President Trump felt the bullet hit his ear and quickly ducked to the floor covered by Secret Service personnel. When he arose, he waved his arm and fist wanting to show his supporters that he was okay before Secret Service whisked him off to a hospital to take care of his ear and check his physical condition.
This past Monday night, President Trump arrived at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to the cheers and ovations of the Republicans.
Our vort on Parshat Pinchas opens with excerpts from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’s Parsha summary for Parshat Balak in his sefer “Unlocking The Torah Text,” Sefer Bamidbar (page 218):
The Jews dwelt in Shittim, where they began to consort with women of Moav and are drawn towards the idolatrous worship of the Ba’al Pe’or. (The Midrash and the Talmud attribute these events to a scheme contrived by Bila’am.) As a result, Hashem’s anger was kindled against the nation. (Rabbu Goldin summarizing Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 25, posukim 1-3)
Near the conclusion of Parshat Balak, Torah relates:
“…Bila’am rose up and went and returned to his place, and Balak also went on his way.” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 24, posuk 25 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Chumash)
As Perek 25 begins, the Artscroll Stone Chumash provides a commentary on the first six posukim regarding Bila’am’s plot:
After Bila’am’s utter failure to curse Israel, he had one last hope. Knowing that sexual morality is the foundation of Holiness among the Jews and that Hashem does not tolerate immorality — the only times that Torah speaks of Hashem’s anger as wrath, is when it is provoked by immorality (Artscroll Chumash citing Nevuchem 1:36) — Bila’am counseled Balak to entice B’nei Yisrael to debauchery [noun: excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures; intemperance].
So intent were the Moabites and their Midianite allies to undo Israel that even the aristocracy [noun: a class of persons holding exceptional rank and privileges, especially the hereditary nobility] sent their daughters to carry out the plan. The Talmud recounts the plot… It achieved considerable success… (Artscroll Stone Chumash citing Sanhedrin 106a)
According to the Alshich, the women of Moab enticed only the general population… The women of Midian, however, tried to entice the leaders of Israel, including Moshe himself. Failing in that, they turned to lesser leaders and succeeded in ensnaring Zimri, the prince of Shavet Shimon. (Artscroll Stone Chumash citing Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 25, posuk 14). This can be inferred since the Torah does not mention a Midianite woman until posuk 6 where she consorted with a leader.
Torah now relates the liaison between Zimri and Cozbi, who are only identified as our Parshat Pinchas opens with Hashem conveying upon Pinchas both His Covenant of Peace, and eternal Kehuna upon He (Pinchas) and his descendants in the merit of his action regarding Zimri and Cozbi:
“Behold, a man of the B’nei Yisrael [Zimri, a Nasi (Prince) of Shevet Shimon] came and brought a Midianite woman near to his brothers in the sight of Moshe and in the sight of the entire assembly of the B’nei Yisrael; and they were weeping at the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed [the Tent of Meeting].” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 25, posuk 6)
Yehuda Nachshoni provides a citing in his sefer “Studies in the Weekly Parsha” on our Parshat of R’Rafael Katzenellenbogen referring to R’ Sonnenfeld who noted that Zimri’s distorted sense of “acting for the sake of Shemayim” evolved from;
“…a novel, misleading ideology, that evil must be tolerated by incorporating it into the Camp of Israel, to dissuade the lustful man from finding himself in the camp of idolaters.” (Studies in the Weekly Parsha, by Yehuda Nachshoni, Parsha Balak, page 1115.)
Shem Mishmuel (“Shem Mishmuel, Selections on the Weekly Parashah and Festivals,” by Rabbi Shmuel Bornstein, z”l, the Rav of Sochaczev, as rendered to English by Rabbi Zvi Belovsky) asks; ‘Why did Zimri Sin?” (pages 361-362) :
…Let us consider the motives of Zimri, the man whom Pinchas executed for his illicit relationship with [Kozbi] a Moabite princess. The Gemara (Shem Mishmuel citing Nazir, 23b) compares the actions of Zimri to those of Tamar. [Shem Mishmuel notes that Tamar’s intentions were pure, as she was motivated only by the desire to produce a child whom she knew would be the progenitor of Beit Dovid] …We may infer from this comparison that Zimri also had pure motives in conducting his forbidden… liaison with Kosbi. He intended to achieve great spiritual heights and holy rectifications through this act; we might call it a “sin for the sake of Heaven.” Surprisingly enough, at least in theory, this sort of action may have some place within Judaism. There is, however, a condition which makes it unworkable in practical terms: the action must be absolutely free of any self-interest or motive other than serving Hashem and realizing His aims. Without this condition, the action is a sin like any other. But Chazal tell us: It is impossible for even the exceptionally pious not to have sin as at least a fraction of their motive. (Shem Mishmuel citing Vayikra Rabbah 14:5)
As such, it is impossible to “sin for the sake of Heaven,” and it is prohibited to do so. Zimri, while motivated by good intentions, was a sinner nevertheless.
Last year, Israel National News posted a vort entitled Pinchas: Zimri’s Messianic Hopes, by author Steven Genack which is excerpted here:
Rabbi Duvi BenSoussan…explains that Zimri…. knew Mashiach was going to emanate through Moab. Once he saw Cozbi was a princess of Moab and embodied malchut, royalty, (she was a princess) he believed this was the union that would bring Mashiach.
The Gemara (Sanhedrin 82b) brings one opinion that says Zimri cohabited with Cozbi 424 times. The kabbalist, Imrei Yosef, notes that the gematria of 424 equals the words “Mashiach ben David.” Zimri believed he was delivering Mashiach. This is exactly why the Sanhedrin (see Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 9:7) wanted to put Pinchas in cherem, for they believed Pinchas had just killed the potential Mashiach.
Rabbi Akiva, who was a gilgul of Zimri, had that same passion to bring Mashiach as Zimri did. He thought he had it [in] Bar Kochba, but it didn’t materialize. However, Rabbi Akiva does the tikkun for Zimri as Rabbi Akiva died through sanctifying G-d’s Name, kiddush Hashem which rectified the desecration, chillul Hashem done by Zimri.
But referring back to Shem Mishmuel’s vort above:
There is, however, a condition which makes it [Zimri’s actions] unworkable in practical terms: the action must be absolutely free of any self-interest or motive other than serving Hashem and realizing His aims. Without this condition, the action is a sin like any other.
One can/must say the same for the self-interested actions of the IDF High Command — arrogantly maintaining its flawed conception of national defense at the expense of national security, loss of many Chayalim and non-combatant Jews as well as 250 plus hostages. One can/must say the same for the so-called “National Unity Party” and it’s leader: who have acted strategically, logistically, politically, governmentally for their own self-interests in perpetuating or lusting for power, as well as certain other politicians (including a former prime minister) who in preceding years, as well as in the immediate prelude to 7 October can in no way, shape or form be understood as acting L’Shem Shemayim. Their collective actions, without spelling them out once again in detail, constitute far less than what Zimri could have argued as being a “sin for the sake of Heaven” — in fact, are more like Chillul Hashem.
May it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of their high command and the government’s “deep state”, emerge totally victorious — eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, their terrorist buddies and the so-called “innocent civilians” of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds, that the Chayalim return home whole — physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate and bring home all remaining hostages. And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fourth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of nine years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5784, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!
———————————————————
Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
*********************************************************