A Covenant of Peace
Why Hashem caused Moshe to forget the halakha when confronted by Zimri, and for it to be recalled by Pinchas.
We read in our Parasha that Moshe is commanded by Hashem to say to Pinchas (25:13) Therefore I give you my covenant of peace. It shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal priesthood, because he took vengeance for his G-d, and he atoned for the Children of Israel.
Ramban elucidates: Hashem informed Moshe that he should pay a goodly reward to Pinchas, for his zealotry which he took for his G-d, and for the tzedaka that he did for Bnei Israel, to atone for them, so that not all of them perished in thr plague, and commanded him to inform Bnei Israel, that Pinchas received the priesthood for always.
This is the reason for ‘Therefore, say to them’ - that he should say this to israel.
Rav Zalman Sorotzkin adds: Since it already said at the beginning of the parshsa:’to say’ - meaning to all the people, including Pinchas - why did it then add: 'Therefore say’?
We need to say - as we have said elsewhere - that Hashem only sanctified the Shabbat, Himself, but from when he crowned Bnei Israel as a ‘holy nation’ - at Matan Torah - He passed the power to sanctify to Bnei Israel - the holy people, and endowed them with the power to sanctify by their word, the new months, and the festivals - and He, Hashem, agreed with their sanctification.
Therefore, Moshe sanctified the Sanctuary and its vessels, Aaron and his sons, and by the power of their word, every Jew can sanctify that which is his - thereby being able to create all the laws of dedication to הקדש, and even to prohibit as sanctified, the possessions of others, on himself.
Well known is the commentary of our Sages, on the passuk :’And now draw near to you, Aaron your brother’: Said Hashem to Moshe: 'go and appoint for Me a Kohen Gadol’ - and Hashem did not Himself appoint him, as He had given the power of sanctification to His chosen nation.
Therefore, when Hashem wanted to sanctify Pinchas with the sanctity of the priesthood, He commanded Moshe to say from his mouth - ‘Therefore, say’ - ‘and it shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal priesthood - and by Moshe’s words, Pinchas and his offspring were sanctified to the priesthood as an eternal covenant.
The master of language, Haktav veHakabalah, offers a different insight: The word אמור: does not here allude to pronouncements by words, from one’s mouth, but instead, here is a language of elevation, as we find in the words (Ki Tavo 26:18): האמירך היום להיות לו לעם סגולה: 'The Lord has selected you this day to be His treasured people.’
The Dubner Maggid, as is his way, proffers a beautiful parable, to describe the wondrous deed of Pinchas, which merited his singular reward - even when compared to the many deeds of Moshe for his people, which did not result in him being similarly rewarded.
Expounds the Maggid: Consider the case of one against whom there are many claims; yet whenever these claimants brought their claims against him, a powerful ally argued on his behalf, and managed to defer the claims against him - however, a short while later, these same claims were again brought against him, and this greatly vexed him.
But then came another friend, who took a different course: he bought all the debts at a discounted rate - and, instead of deferring payment, then tore up the notes of the debts, so that the demands of creditors were no longer heard.
This parable, can be seen in the case of the golden calf, when Moshe managed to appease Hashem, not to destroy the people, but to delay the punishment, and for its execution to be spread over the years; similarly, in the case of the punishment of the generation of the spies.
Not so Pinchas! He totally removed the punishment which was about to be meted, as our passuk says- bringing full atonement for the transgression of the people.
This is why the Midrash states that his action removed the debt, both Above and Below - by taking vengeance for his G-d, he appeased the attribute of Divine Justice, and Below - as the passuk says: ‘he atoned for the Children of Israel. - leaving no debt to be levied thereafter.’
The Netziv, on the command : ’Therefore say’, elucidates: This teaches that, apart from this being the case, he should inform him that it will be so, this being an expression of additional affection, as we read in Avot (3:14) ’Beloved are Israel to Hashem; additional affection He made known to then, by informimg this to them..’.
This, too, is said by our Sages: One who gives a gift to his friend, must inform him of this.
'Therefore say': you, yourself, go to Pinchas and tell him his reward.
I heard from the wise Rav Itzik miVolozhyn, by way of a parable, about a minister of war who found himself in trouble, and could not find the means to extricate himself from his predicament.
Along came a warrior from his forces, and showed him the way to extricate himself - and he did so.
Surely this soldier merited a reward; on the other hand, the minister of war deserves punishment for allowing the predicament to befall him and the king therefore commanded him to- the minister of war - that he, in person, deliver the gifts of the king, to that warrior, this being his punishment.
Here, too, Moshe deserved punishment because the inability of his hands to to go to battle against Zimri - whereas Pinchas girded his loins, and fought the battle of Hashem.
Therefore, Moshe was commanded to inform Pinchas, of the reward from the king, for his deed.
The Kli Yakar brings a new aspect to our subject: As we know, Moshe was personally ‘involved’ in the affair, Zimri taunting him: ’If you say that this non-Jewish woman is not permitted, who permitted the daughter of Yitro to you?’.
When Moshe did not reply, Pinchas found justification to decide the halakha, in the presence of his Rav, Moshe, opining that he was required to do so, because of Moshe’s personal involvement.
Moshe was therefore commanded to say - not to Pinchas alone - but ‘say’: to all the people, concerning yourself, ‘I give him my covenant of peace’, so that Israel should not say, that he - Moshe - was not at peace with Pinchas, for deciding the halakha in the presence of Moshe- the ‘I’ alluding to Moshe, not to Hashem.
The Siftei Kohen brings yet another different insight: Moshe; you ‘say’ to the people, that I - Hashem - have given eternal priesthood to Pinchas, so that they not say: he was not annointed, so how could he truly have priesthood? And further, a Kohen who kills - as Pinchas did - is disqualified.
Therefore, they might say: You, Moshe, gave him the priesthood of your own volition, and this will lead them to challenge it, as Korach did.
‘Therefore, announce before all the people, that I - Hashem - have conferred him with Kehuna.’
There is a beautiful Zohar Hakadosh, on our very subject.
By way of introduction- let us contemplate the chain of events which culminated with the conferring of Kehuna for all generations, on Pinchas and his descendants.
We cannot but wonder - as far as our limited intelligence permits - why the Divine Wisdom determined that this had to come about in a manner which seemingly is ‘at the expense’ of and offence, to Moshe, whom the Torah expressly praised as ‘the most faithful servant of Hashem’s household’.
As we have brought from the holy commentators, the ‘final offence’, was that Moshe was commanded that he himself, inform the people of the singular reward to Pinchas.
This reward - let us recall - also had a strong element of offence, if we may say so, as Moshe - and not Aaron had - as we learned in Parashat Shemot - originally been intended to be the Kohen, and that he ‘lost it’ because of his concern that this would hurt Aaron.
Further, how many wondrous acts of self-sacrifice - compared to this single act of Pinchas - had Moshe performed for decades, without receiving the reward that Pinchas was granted, here?
We brought the exposition of the Dubner Maggid, which offered an answer to this intriguing question, and we will propose another answer towards the end of this Dvar Torah.
Let us savor the Zohar Hakadosh: Said Hakadosh Baruch Hu after He had decided on the singular reward to Pinchas: ‘What will I do with Moshe, it is unseemly to give this reward to another, without his knowledge and consent?'
Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu started to say to Moshe: Moshe, Pinchas...you offered yourself up for Israel, so that they would not be lost several times, and this Pinchas, he avenged My vengeance, so that I spared Bnei Israel.
Said Moshe: What is there for me to say - is not all yours, to do as You deem fit? With a full heart reward him.
Responded Hashem: if so, please say so, with a full voice - this is what it says ’Therefore say..’.
Moshe saw that Hashem was seeking to appease him, regarding Pinchas, he understood that Hashem intended to confer greatness, on Pinchas - and therefore Moshe said: ’What do you want of me? After all, all is yours!’
Answered Hashem: that which I am giving him, now is all yours - the holy covenant, tell him that I will rest my Shechina in him.
Said Moshe: This, with a full heart I agree that it should be his; said Hashem to him:’ Say it to him, from your mouth, with a raised voice, that you are giving it to him whole-heartedly.
This is what is written: ’Therefore say’- you willingly say it : I hereby give you..
Concludes the Zohar Hakadosh: If you should err to think that the Shechina departed from Moshe, this was not the case - rather, this is like a light from which we light - the recipient is lit, but the original light is not diminished.’
By your leave, let us now proffer a possible answer, to the query raised: Why Pinchas’ reward had to come, at ‘the expense of Moshe’s honor’.
This was a step, that the Divine Wisdom deemed necessary, to prepare the people for the departure of Moshe from this life, at the end of his allotted one-hundred-and- twenty years, as it had bren decreed that Joshua, and not Moshe, would lead the people into the Land - and, sadly, as we read in last week’s parasha, that Moshe would not himself enter the Land.
To this end - to prepare the people for the change of leadership - Hashem caused Moshe to forget the halakha, when confronted by Zimri, and for it to be recalled by Pinchas.
Moshe was therefore not offended - nor did he feel slighted, or that ‘it was on his account’, but with a full heart rejoiced that Pinchas saved his beloved people from being lost.
The process culminated with the subsequent whole-hearted annointment of Joshua by Moshe, as the Torah relates later in our Parasha (27:23), to the eyes of all the people.
Dear friends,
What is fear?
When we were children, we were afraid of thunder. It was loud, mysterious, beyond our control. It was our first whisper of Hashem’s power. It was created, the talmud says, to straighten out the crookedness in our hearts.
There’s a deeper kind of fear, though. Not of the unknown, not of punishment—but of the awareness that there is a Being who holds all power, who created the world and sustains every detail. Yirat Shamayim—fear of Heaven—doesn’t mean we tremble like scared children. It means we recognize that no one and nothing else truly controls what happens to us. Only Hashem does. And that awareness brings both humility and peace.
Anyone who truly lives with that fear—with that clarity—has nothing else to be afraid of.
Reb Asher Freund, one of Yerushalayim’s great tzaddikim, lived this truth. His home was open day and night. There was always food on the stove, mattresses on the floor, every kind of drama you can imagine, and kindness in the air. Before every Pesach, he would prepare massive quantities of food—not just for the poor who came regularly, but also for families who were struggling silently, overwhelmed by holiday expenses. One year, after spending enormous effort and money on chickens stored in rented industrial freezers, a neighbor—irritated by the scene—pulled the plug. By the time it was discovered, the stench needed no further explanation. Rev Asher not only lost the chickens, disappointing those who had no other way to make a normal Passover, but he also had to hire a crew to clean out the freezers.
Instead of becoming angry or broken, Reb Asher asked to be taken to his favorite spot in the Jerusalem Forest. He needed to talk it out with Hashem. One of his assistants stayed in the car and heard him say over and over again, “I know. It’s not him. It’s You.” And then, unexpectedly, he asked to return to the same place once more. This time he said, “I know it is You, so it is good. Thank You.”
This is what it looks like when fear of G-d becomes clarity of G-d. When you truly know that He is behind every detail, even the painful ones—then your heart is free. You’re not afraid of people, not afraid of loss, not afraid of effort that seems wasted. Because you know it’s not wasted. It’s from Hashem. And if it’s from Him, then it’s good.
Reb Asher is no longer here in this world. But surely, in Gan Eden, it is good for him—just as he and this is no doubt one of the days that brought him higher than he ever would have been had things worked out as expected. May we let some of his clarity, and from his courage become what we are inside and can become outside as well.
Tomorrow, my daughter Devora will be leading a group to visit the resting places of tzadikim in the North. It’s a special journey—one that touches something deep in the soul. I hope we are worthy of standing at their graves—not just to admire them as being more than we are, but to remember that they were human beings, just like us. They overcame fears, faced real-life struggles, and lived in a way that left behind light for us to walk by. The merit they earned is not just theirs—it’s a source of strength for us, if we choose to draw from it.
I’ll share more about the trip next week, b’ezrat Hashem.
Love,
Tziporah
[Sorry for the delay with this letter. - The Admin]
this may be from a year or more previously; however very interesting
Pinchas: Our Offerings of Bread, Fire and Fragrance
The Torah uses a striking series of poetic metaphors to describe the daily Tamid offering:
“Be careful to offer My offering — My bread-offering, My fire-offering, My appeasing fragrance — at its proper time.” (Num. 28:2)
What is the deeper significance of these four descriptions: offering, bread, fire, and fragrance?
Each phrase reflects a core quality common to all Temple offerings. Yet they are particularly fitting for the Tamid, the communal offering that embodies the aspiration to infuse holiness into the daily life of the nation.
Korbani — ‘My Offering'
The word korban shares a root with karov, meaning “close” or “near.” Every offering is an expression of the soul’s inner longing to draw near to God.
The Tamid gives voice to these yearnings in the collective soul of the nation.
Lachmi — ‘My Bread'
Why does the Torah compare the offerings to bread?
Bread sustains life; it binds the soul to the body, allowing the spirit to animate physical powers. The Hebrew root lechem also means “to solder” or “fuse together.”
In this sense, the Temple offerings are like lechem, a medium that binds the physical and spiritual, cultivating the manifestation of the nation’s sacred qualities in the realm of action.
Ishi — ‘My Fire-Offering'
Fire is a source of tremendous energy, capable of igniting and transforming physical matter.
The Temple offerings reflect the goal that the Divine within the nation’s soul is not limited to the intellectual and emotive spheres, but finds expression also in all aspects of physical life.
Rei'ach Nichochi — ‘My Appeasing Fragrance'
This final metaphor evokes pleasantness and sweetness.
The Temple offerings awaken a sense of spiritual delight — both for the individual and for the nation as a whole — as the soul is uplifted and refined. This inner sweetness is rooted in Israel’s unique bond with God, as we live a life of sanctity and meaning.
(Adapted from Olat Re’iyah vol. I, pp. 128-129)
Israel's Health Ministry has warned of heavy to extreme heat, which the Israel Meteorological Service said is expected to last from Thursday until Sunday.
According to the forecast, most areas of the country are expected to experience harsh heat conditions.
The Ministry urged the public to avoid staying in the sun and outdoors as much as possible, drink plenty of water regardless of activity level, and stay in air-conditioned places. It is also emphasized that unnecessary physical exertion should be avoided.
The guidelines include special attention for at-risk populations, including the elderly, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, and young children, who are advised to avoid spending time outdoors during this period.
When leaving the house, it is recommended to wear a wide-brimmed hat, light-colored comfortable clothing, and use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
The Ministry also stressed that it is prohibited to leave children, infants, the elderly, the helpless, or animals in a vehicle, even for a short time. Additionally, animals should not be left outside the house or in non-air-conditioned buildings without access to water.
The statement also notes that under heat stress conditions, there is a risk of heat-related illnesses, including heatstroke, a dangerous condition in which the body loses its ability to cool down. At-risk groups include infants, the elderly, those with heart or respiratory conditions, people with obesity, and individuals taking certain medications.
In case of symptoms such as high body temperature (above 39.5°C), red and dry skin, rapid pulse, severe headaches, dizziness, vomiting, confusion, or loss of consciousness, immediate medical assistance should be sought.
Until help arrives, the affected person should be moved to a shaded and cool area, and their body should be cooled down. It is important to note that in the case of heatstroke, the affected person should not be given fluids, and fluids should only be administered by medical personnel.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/411813
אֵלֶּה תַּעֲשׂוּ לה' בְּמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם לְבַד מִנִּדְרֵיכֶם וְנִדְבֹתֵיכֶם לְעֹלֹתֵיכֶם וּלְמִנְחֹתֵיכֶם וּלְנִסְכֵּיכֶם וּלְשַׁלְמֵיכֶם. (במדבר כט, לט)
The final part of parshat Pinchas details all the korbanot Musaf brought in the Mikdash on "special occasions" – Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret – all the days in the year when we recite Musaf. Every ba'al koreh knows that on the chagim a second sefer Torah is taken out, which is rolled to parshat Pinchas, to read the relevant maftir of the day, which is then repeated by the congregation in Musaf. The word Musaf means "addition", i.e an additional korban brought besides all the other korbanot on that day, לְבַד מִנִּדְרֵיכֶם וְנִדְבֹתֵיכֶם לְעֹלֹתֵיכֶם וכו'.
In this shiur we will be discussing the Jewish festivals, including some that are less known.
The issue of the festivals was a point of contention for the angels when HKB"H decided to give Am Yisrael the Torah on Har Sinai. The Gemara (Shabbat 88b) describes how the angels implored HKB"H תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם (תהילים ח, ב), "Leave the Torah up here with us angels and don't give it to man!" The Gemara goes on to describe how HKB"H instructed Moshe to respond to the angels, which he did by providing numerous proofs that the Torah was written for mortal man and not the Heavenly angels. Surely the angels already knew this – there is no respecting parents for angels, no serving idols, no four cornered garments requiring tzitzit, etc.? What bothered the angels so much that they did not want HKB"H to give the Torah to man?
The Mefarshim say that what bothered the angels was the first mitzva in the Torah הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים וכו' (שמות יב, ב). The first mitzva in the Torah gives us the jurisdiction to determine when Rosh Chodesh is.
If you want to know what date Rosh Chodesh is in our modern day and age, you simply look on the calendar, or you can search online in Google or Hebcal for a Jewish calendar for the next 400 years (at least).
However, that is not the way the Torah intended us to determine Rosh Chodesh. The Torah intended for us to determine Rosh Chodesh according to רְאִיָּה - eyewitness reports of seeing the moon. Witnesses who had seen the מוֹלָד, the new moon, would go to the Sanhedrin/Bet-Din, who would interrogate them to verify that what the witnesses had seen was authentic.
Moshe Rabbeinu had trouble understanding HKB"H's description of the מוֹלָד, what the distinguishing signs of a new moon looked like. HKB"H therefore showed Moshe a visual image that he could see, and fully understand (Moshe also had trouble understanding a few other concepts, like the Menorah, the half-shekel, etc. and HKB"H also showed him visual images of these too).
If the eyewitness testimony was verified, the Sanhedrin/Bet-Din then decreed that day as Rosh Chodesh. They would communicate this decree throughout the country by lighting bonfires on hilltops. They would also dispatch messengers out of Israel to inform our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora countries, neighboring Eretz Israel. Delivery by messenger (on foot, horseback, camel, donkey etc.) could potentially be delayed and for this reason the custom to observe two days for the festivals in the Diaspora was adopted, to eliminate doubt.
The reason we observe two days of Rosh HaShana also in Eretz Yisrael (for the remaining festivals, Eretz Yisrael observes only one day), is also due to doubt. The importance of Rosh HaShana is greater than the other festivals in this regard and in order to eliminate all doubt, two days are observed also in Eretz Yisrael (actually it is a machloket of the Geonim, 2=רַב הָאַי גָּאוֹן and the 1=בַּעַל הַמָּאוֹר).
Determination of Rosh Chodesh according to רְאִיָּה was not absolute. Sometimes the witnesses arrived at the Sanhedrin/Bet-Din late, sometimes the witnesses were not considered reliable and other, more reliable witnesses were sought. This meant that Rosh Chodesh and all the other festivals, including Rosh Hashana, were determined arbitrarily by the Sanhedrin based on eyewitness reports and circumstances.
There was often a discrepancy between the astrophysical date of Rosh Chodesh and the actual day decreed by the Bet-Din. However, that was not the ikar. The ikar was that Rosh Chodesh be decreed according to רְאִיָּה, even if it conflicted with the astrophysical reality in the sky. The Torah, in the first mitzva, gave us humans – full power over the calendar.
As a result, HKB"H up in Heaven might tell the angels to get ready for Rosh HaShana (the prosecution and defense angels had to prepare their "briefs") which astro-physically was scheduled for the following day. However, it could happen that, due to circumstances down here, Rosh Hashana might be delayed to another day because of eyewitness issues.
So HKB"H and all the angels are "ready to roll" up in Heaven on the allotted day (according to the astrophysical reality) and suddenly HKB"H announces "OK, everyone go back "home" and come back tomorrow – the Sanhedrin has decreed Rosh Hashana for tomorrow, not today!" The angels have to all "de-frock" and "de-wig", go back "home" and return the following day.
This was the point of contention of the angels. It was not that they would have to endure the bother of returning on a different day, it was the fact that we humans have "control" over HKB"H Himself! When we determine the calendar down here, we are de facto defining the schedule of the Heavenly court up in Heaven! It was the כָּבוֹד of HKB"H that the angels were zealous of.
And if you think the discrepancy is only a day or two, think again.
Often, when the Sanhedrin saw that it would be difficult for the Olei ha'Regel to travel to Yerushalayim to bring the Korban Pesach on erev Pesach - perhaps because that year there was heavier rain than normal and the roads were damaged, or another variety of reasons - they could decree that year a leap year, adding a second month of Adar and postponing Pesach (and Rosh HaShana) for an entire month!
HKB"H said to the angels "The festivals are not for Me, they are for Am Yisrael and as such, they have full control over them – when they occur and even – if they occur at all!" (Shlomo Hamelech "cancelled" Yom Kippur one year, to celebrate the inauguration of the 1st Mikdash [מלכים א', פרק ח]; Mordechai and Esther cancelled the Pesach seder that year, to fast before Esther's unscheduled meeting with Achashveirosh [Megillah 15a]).
This is the way things were, from Matan Torah and in the 1671 years following - until the year 359 CE - Rosh Chodesh was decreed by the Bet-Din. In the year 359 CE, Hillel [2] (not Hillel HaZaken, but Hillel the son of R' Yehuda HaNasi) saw that circumstances no longer allowed this reality to continue – evil decrees against Am Yisrael, etc. For this reason, Hillel [2] instituted a mathematical calendar (based on his calculations) to determine when Rosh Chodesh occurs (רמב"ן, ספר הזכות, מסכת גיטין, פרק ד). This is the calendar we use to this very day. This is the halacha lema'aseh, that until the Sanhedrin is reestablished, we determine Rosh Chodesh by calculation and not רְאִיָּה (רמב"ם, הלכות קידוש החודש, פרק ה, הלכה ב).
From this we see that Am Yisrael have full control over the determination of the festivals, which may also be influenced by their behavior! the good and the … bad.
The Midrash (ילקוט שמעוני פנחס רמז תשפב) says that originally HKB"H planned a different schedule for the festivals. It was His plan that in all five months of Spring/Summer we would have a festival. In Nisan we would celebrate Pesach. In Iyar we would celebrate Pesach Katan. In Sivan we would celebrate Shavuot. In Tamuz (on the 17th of Tamuz to be exact – when Moshe descended with the first luchot), we were to celebrate Rosh HaShana. In Av (on the 9th of Av to be exact), we would celebrate Yom Kippur. This in addition to celebrating Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret in the winter month of Tishrei.
As we know, this is not the schedule we celebrate today. So, what happened?
Am Yisrael sinned with the egel and as a result, the huge celebration scheduled for when Moshe returned with the luchot, had to be delayed. Moshe spent the next 40 days pleading with HKB"H to forgive Am Yisrael (18 Tamuz until 28 Av). After HKB"H forgave Am Yisrael, Moshe spent a third period of 40 days carving the second set of luchot (29 Av until 9 Tishrei). Moshe then returned with the second luchot on the 10th of Tishrei.
As a result, HKB"H reshuffled the summer schedule. All the festivals that were supposed to be in Tamuz and Av, were "bumped" to Tishrei, together with Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret. Rosh HaShana now became the 1st of Tishrei, and Yom Kippur, the day of forgiveness, became the 10th of Tishrei, when Moshe returned with the second luchot.
Tamuz and Av remained in limbo, until the sin of the meraglim. When the meraglim returned with a slanderous report of Eretz Yisrael, Am Yisrael wept - on the eve of the 9th of Av. HKB"H said (Taanit 29a) אַתֶּם בְּכִיתֶם בְּכִיָּה שֶׁל חִנָּם וַאֲנִי קוֹבֵעַ לָכֶם בְּכִיָּה לְדוֹרוֹת, since you wept for no reason, I will cause you to weep for generations. The Gemara goes on to describe how (in addition to the punishment of all the adult males – except Yehoshua and Kalev – dying in the Midbar) this also resulted in the destruction of the first and second Batei Mikdash – on the 9th of Av.
HKB"H intended the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av to be festivals, days of celebration. However, as a result of our sins we transformed them into days of mourning. In addition, because of the sin of the meraglim, the resulting destruction of the Batei Mikdash and exiles, we gave rise to two new festivals that were not in HKB"H's original plan – Purim and Channukah. Had it not been for the destruction of the 1st Beit HaMikdash and the Babylonian and Greek exiles, the circumstances that gave rise to these two festivals would not have occurred.
When HKB"H gave us full control over the festivals, this included determining the exact date of the festival, cancelling (temporarily/permanently) a festival, altering the nature of a festival (celebration/fast-day) and also instituting new festivals that do not appear in the Torah (like Purim, Channukah, Yom Ha'atzmaut, Yom Yerushalayim, etc.) It often took many years for these new festivals to become consolidated, e.g. Channukah – the halachot of lighting candles and saying Hallel did not commence immediately after the Mikdash was liberated, but only many years later (מקבים א ד, נח).
According to HKB"H's original plan, there would have been only one national fast day in the year – Yom Kippur, not a fast to symbolize mourning, but rather ascension to the level of angels. As a direct result of the sin of the meraglim, we now have five additional national fast days – 10th Tevet, Taanit Esther, 17th Tamuz, 9th of Av and Tzom Gedaliya (there are others, but they are not applicable to all of Am Yisrael, e.g. Taanit Bechorot – applies only to firstborn males).
When the second Mikdash existed, there is a machloket whether Am Yisrael commemorated the fasts of 10th Tevet, 17th Tamuz and the 9th of Av.
According to the Rambam (משנה ראש השנה יח, ע"ב) during Bayit Sheini fasting on 10th Tevet and 17th Tamuz was optional, but everyone continued to fast on the 9th of Av. The Tashbetz (חלק שני סימן רעא) strongly disagrees with the Rambam and says that during the period of Bayit Sheini, nobody fasted on any of these three days. In other words, according to the Tashbetz, the existence of the Mikdash cancelled any prior days of mourning.
Since the destruction of the two Batei Mikdash and during the almost 2000-year Diaspora, not only have these fast days been reinstated, but additional periods of (partial) mourning have been instituted, like during Sfirat Ha'Omer and the three weeks between the 17th Tamuz and the 9th of Av (Bein Ha'Meitzarim), including additional fast days, like תַּעֲנִיּוֹת בה"ב.
Mourning or partial mourning has since become part of the national psyche, based on the premise אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה (תהילים קכו, ב). Only אָז, "then" - when the Mashiach arrives, the Mikdash is rebuilt and the Geulah commences, will we be able to laugh and sing again. Until that time "casual" singing/music and laughter are "forbidden", i.e. any non-mitzva related singing and laughing. We are allowed to sing for the purpose of a mitzva, like at the Shabbat table, at a wedding or to laugh on Purim. There is an entire halachic sugya (beyond the scope of this shiur) whether we are allowed to listen to musical instruments or only vocals (and whether that applies to live or recorded instruments, like on the radio).
On the one hand, the Torah clearly says תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָבַדְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב מֵרֹב כֹּל (דברים כח מז), that we are obligated to serve HKB"H in joy and in good heart (or we will incur the curses, like in כִּי תָּבוֹא), but on the other hand we live in a "repressed/dampened" reality where we cannot fully experience joy as long as the Mikdash does not exist. The truth of the matter is that the fact that we did not truly serve HKB"H in total joy, resulted in this dampened reality in the first place. How is it possible to reverse this situation and rectify this error if we continue to live in a dampened realty of incomplete joy? By continuing to live in this repressed reality, we basically seem doomed to never being able to לְהַחְזִיר עֲטָרָה לְיָשְׁנָהּ, it is like a catch-22 situation!
We are currently living in such a self-contradictory situation. We are in the final stages before the Geulah. We have witnessed with our own eyes the קִבּוּץ גָּלוּיוֹת foreseen by the prophets, the incredible overt/visible miracles - on a daily basis - during the war since October 7th. We are undeniably on the brink of the Geulah and despite that, a large segment in Am Yisrael cannot bring themselves to "flip the switch" in their heads and cross the Rubicon.
It is not the first time such a thing occurred in our history. In sefer Zecharia, the navi describes the reality when Ezra returned from Bavel to Eretz Yisrael to rebuild the 2nd Beit HaMikdash. How too many Jews in Bavel refused to return, because they didn't believe, in the words of the Radak (זכריה ז, ג) – they were קְטַנֵּי אֱמוּנָה. The "repressed" psyche refused to allow them to see past the "reality" and explore the "possibility".
They refused to contemplate the possibility that they were no longer subjugated by Persia. In their own eyes, they were still like the "grasshoppers" of the meraglim. They did not believe back then, just as they do not believe today that the שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן was the beginning of the redemption רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. So, they did not return to Eretz Yisrael and participate in this enterprise of rebuilding the 2nd Mikdash (מצודת דוד, שם). They preferred to remain in the "Shtetl", or more accurately – the "Shtetl mentality", because they were קְטַנֵּי אֱמוּנָה, they were insecure in their faith.
Reading Zecharia sends chills down the spine, because it is describing the same reality we see today. The diametrically opposed poles of Am Yisrael are unable to transcend the repressed psyche.
Many ultra-orthodox factions in Am Yisrael, both in Eretz Yisrael and in the Diaspora, refuse to see the "possibility". All they see is the "reality" of Israel surrounded by millions of Islamic enemies and our subjugation to the world superpowers, America and Europe. They cannot bring themselves to cross the Rubicon, despite what their eyes see. They still exist in the insecure, repressed reality of the "Shtetl" that has protected them for the last 2000 years and cannot see the "possibility".
If they made the switch in their heads and took the lead, moving to Israel en-masse, they would burgeon an already demographic-altering political reality in the country (the Charedi family birth rate is 4-6 times that of the average Israeli). It would galvanize Am Yisrael, revitalize it with a fresh breath of Torah, accompanied by the demographic/political clout to implement it in all facets of society. Instead, they prefer to remain behind in Bavel and wait for HKB"H to send them a cloud to teleport them to Eretz Yisrael. Eventually HKB"H will transport them here - it will not be on a cloud though, but rather via גִּלְגּוּל מְחִלּוֹת.
On the opposite pole you have the ultra-secular factions, who are no less psychologically damaged than the ultra-orthodox. The repressed psyche, the trauma of the Diaspora and the Holocaust has irreparably damaged them emotionally. Like their ultra-orthodox counterparts, they cannot see past the "reality".
They see no "possibility", because the "possibility" has been lost to them through generations of secularization and assimilation by foreign cultures. All that remains for them is the dream of safe haven. They cannot contemplate the possibility that we can defeat our Arab enemies. They too live in the insecure "Shtetl" consciousness of constantly trying to appease our enemies and make "peace" with them. Like their ultra-orthodox counterparts, they also view themselves like the "grasshoppers" of the meraglim.
The prophet Zechariya says כֹּה אָמַר ה' צְבָ-קוֹת צוֹם הָרְבִיעִי וְצוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי וְצוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְצוֹם הָעֲשִׂירִי יִהְיֶה לְבֵית יְהוּדָה לְשָׂשׂוֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָה וּלְמֹעֲדִים טוֹבִים וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַשָּׁלוֹם אֱהָבוּ (זכריה ח, יט). When the Mashiach arrives and the Geulah commences, all these fast days will be transformed into days of rejoicing and will become festivals.
What will the 17th Tamuz and the 9th of Av look like in the time of Mashiach?
The 17th of Tamuz will be like the first day of chag, the three weeks following will be like chol ha'moed and the 9th of Av will be like the final day of chag, Atzeret. Three whole weeks of rejoicing and happiness!
אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ, it will be full circle for the sin of the egel, when Bnei Yisrael וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם לֶאֱכֹל וְשָׁתוֹ וַיָּקֻמוּ לְצַחֵק (שמות לב, ו). Instead of licentiousness and unbridled frivolity, it will be a festival of גִּלּוּ בִּרְעָדָה, like when David Hamelech transported the Aron HaBrit the second time to Jerusalem (the first time it resulted in disaster and the death of Uza, due to lack of understanding what true "rejoicing" means). אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת, it will be full circle for when Bnei Yisrael, after crossing Yam Suf, instead of singing ה' מֶלֶךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד (HKB"H is [already] King forever), they mistakenly sang ה' יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד (HKB"H will be [He is not yet] King forever). If they would have sang the prior and not the latter, the Geulah would have commenced immediately at Yam Suf (מכילתא שמות טו, יח).
When we return our souls to HKB"H after 120 years, one of the questions we will be asked is צִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה (שבת לא, ע"א), did we yearn for Geulah? Did the Jews in Bavel yearn for Geulah after the destruction of Bayit Rishon? Certainly they did, but their yearning manifested in two different ways. The first was the yearning of Ezra, who despite the "reality", saw the "possibility" and with HKB"H's help, actually brought about the Geulah by making the possibility reality.
The second way was being intimidated by the "reality" to such a degree that the "possibility" seemed impossible and the only thing is to wait for the "cloud". History teaches us which was the correct type of yearning. The yearning the Gemara is referring to is not sitting back and waiting, it is action and movement. Am Yisrael, now more than ever are in dire need of עֶזְרָא רִאשׁוֹנָה.
Not everyone is capable or has the resources to intensely research the various aspects of the Beit HaMikdash and to prepare the logistics for when Mashiach arrives, in order that we will be ready. Those who can do. Those who cannot do, teach. Those who cannot do nor teach still have alternative routes of action. To help support and fund those who do and teach. To increase studying Kodshim to prepare yourself if the Beit HaMikdash is rebuilt tomorrow, so you know what to expect. To be makpid reciting korbanot in shul during Shacharit and Mincha, if we cannot physically bring the korbanot then at least וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ (הושע יד, ג). The emphasis is on action and movement, not just sitting back passively and "yearning".
The sefer Oznayim LaTorah (פָּרָשַׁת פִּנְחָס) asks why our section of the korbanot appears in parshat Pinchas and not in sefer Vayikra which deals with korbanot? Also, why does the section of the korbanot follow immediately after the episode of the daughters of Tzlofchad requesting inheritance in Eretz Yisrael and the appointment of Yehoshua as Moshe's successor to lead Am Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael? There seems to be no connection between them.
The Oznayim LaTorah brings the passuk of Avraham from בְּרִית בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים. Avraham asks HKB"H בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה (בראשית טו, ח), how do I know my descendants will inherit Eretz Yisrael, even if they sin? HKB"H answers וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו קְחָה לִי עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ וְתֹר וְגוֹזָל (שם, ט). Offer up a prime calf, goat, ram, an adult dove and a fledgling dove. What kind of an answer is that? How does that answer Avraham's question? The Oznayim LaTorah says that HKB"H's answer to Avraham is – "How can you be sure your descendants will inherit Eretz Yisrael? By virtue of the fact that they bring korbanot!"
The episode of Tzlofchad's daughters' inheritance in Eretz Yisrael and the succession of Yehoshua leading the nation into Eretz Yisrael is by virtue of the korbanot!
I would like to present a terrifying thought. My fingers tremble as I write these words, וה' יְכַפֵּר בַּעֲדִי אִם טָעִיתִי. The only way for Am Yisrael to inherit Eretz Yisrael is through korbanot - by bringing korbanot in the Beit HaMikdash. If we do not build the Beit HaMikdash and bring korbanot like HKB"H told us, to ensure our continued presence in Eretz Yisrael, HKB"H will still demand korbanot - of a different kind. Rachmana litzlan how many korbanot have there been in the last 21 months!
כֹּה אָמַר ה' צְבָ-קוֹת צוֹם הָרְבִיעִי וְצוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי וְצוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְצוֹם הָעֲשִׂירִי יִהְיֶה לְבֵית יְהוּדָה לְשָׂשׂוֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָה וּלְמֹעֲדִים טוֹבִים וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַשָּׁלוֹם אֱהָבוּ.
We are now in the three weeks between צוֹם הָרְבִיעִי (17th Tamuz) and וְצוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי (9th of Av). Zecharia promises us that when the Geulah commences these will turn into festivals of joy and laughter, provided … וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַשָּׁלוֹם אֱהָבוּ, as long as we love two things – הָאֱמֶת, the Torah, וְהַשָּׁלוֹם, peace in Am Yisrael.
אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה.
Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
Why does Hashem refer to the Korbanos (sacrifices) as 'My sacrifice, My bread, My fire-offering?' Does Hashem need to 'eat' ...
