Parashat Pinchas : The Power of One Person to Bring the Geulah
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Updated: 2 days ago
1. Opening: Entering Bein HaMetzarim with Purpose
We begin the period of Bein HaMetzarim, the Three Weeks, with a mixture of seriousness and hope.
On one hand, these days remind us of tragedy, destruction, and spiritual failure. On the other hand, we daven and hope that these weeks should be transformed into days that announce the coming of Mashiach.
The main thought to begin with:
Each person, wherever they are and whatever they do, has the power to help bring the Geulah.
This idea is seen strongly in Parshas Pinchas.
2. The Crisis at Shitim: A Breach That Was Not Stopped
At the end of Parshas Balak, Klal Yisrael experiences a terrible spiritual fall at Shitim.
Zimri, a prince from Shevet Shimon, publicly confronts Moshe Rabbeinu and creates a tremendous Chillul Hashem.
The situation was not sudden. The downfall began gradually, over two or three weeks. First there was a small breach, and then it grew into a major spiritual disaster.
The judges cried because they realized:
When a breach first begins, it has to be stopped immediately.
They felt guilty that they had not acted earlier.
Key lesson:
Spiritual decline often begins with a small opening. If we ignore the first breach, it can become much harder to repair later.
3. Why Moshe Rabbeinu Did Not Act
Moshe Rabbeinu did not react in this moment, even though he had acted immediately by the Chet HaEgel.
The shiur explains that Hashem did not want Moshe to be the one to respond here, because people could have misunderstood his reaction as personal revenge. Zimri had publicly mocked Moshe and his wife.
Chazal say:
Nit’alma mimenu halacha — the halacha was hidden from Moshe.
Hashem wanted the response to come from someone else in Klal Yisrael.
4. Pinchas: Zealousness Rooted in Love
Pinchas sees the Chillul Hashem and acts.
At first glance, his act looks like pure zealotry. But the shiur emphasizes that it was not anger, ego, or personal hurt.
It was an act of:
Love for Hashem
Love for Klal Yisrael
A desire to stop destruction
A desire to restore kedushah
The Torah calls him:
Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen
Why mention Aharon? Everyone knows Aharon was a Kohen.
Because the Torah is telling us that Pinchas acted as a true descendant of Aharon HaKohen, who was:
Ohev shalom v’rodef shalom — a lover of peace and pursuer of peace.
Key idea:
True kana’us is not hatred. It is love.Pinchas acted because he saw that if no one reacted, Klal Yisrael was in danger.
5. The Romach: Spear and Compassion
Pinchas takes a romach, a spear.
The shiur brings out two ideas:
Romach / Ramach
The word romach is connected to ramach, the 248 limbs of the body.
Pinchas felt the pain of the Chillul Hashem with his entire being.
Romach / Rechem
When the letters are rearranged, romach can become rechem, compassion.
His act came from rachamim. He wanted to save Klal Yisrael.
Key lesson:
Sometimes a strong action can come from deep compassion, not harshness.
6. Pinchas Wanted Zimri to Do Teshuvah
The Midrash says that a miracle happened: there was no blood, and Zimri did not die immediately.
Pinchas lifted Zimri and Kozbi on the spear and carried them around the camp.
This was not only to show the seriousness of the sin. It was also to give Zimri time to do teshuvah.
The shiur explains that Zimri did teshuvah before he died.
Key lesson:
Even when confronting wrong, the goal is not destruction.The goal is teshuvah, repair, and saving the person if possible.
7. Yaakov, Shimon, Levi, and Spiritual Legacy
Before Yaakov Avinu died, he criticized the anger of Shimon and Levi after the story of Shechem.
Yaakov said he did not want his name connected to anger and conflict.
That is why, by Zimri, the Torah identifies him as from Shevet Shimon but does not trace him back to Yaakov.
The shiur contrasts this with Levi. Shevet Levi later repaired their earlier mistake at the Chet HaEgel when they answered Moshe’s call:
Mi LaHashem eilai
They used their strength for Hashem, with obedience to Moshe Rabbeinu.
Key lesson:
A person or shevet can repair a negative middah by redirecting that strength toward avodas Hashem.
8. Pinchas’s Reward: Bris Shalom and Kehunah
Hashem gives Pinchas a double reward:
Brisi Shalom — a covenant of peace
Bris Kehunas Olam — everlasting Kehunah
This is surprising because Pinchas killed someone, and one might think he would lose his Kehunah.
But Hashem reveals the truth:
Pinchas acted as a true Kohen, with love and peace at the root of his action.
Pinchas as Eliyahu HaNavi
The shiur connects Pinchas with Eliyahu HaNavi.
Because Pinchas restored a forgotten halacha, he becomes connected to Eliyahu, who will one day clarify Torah and halacha before the Geulah.
Eliyahu’s role is to bring fathers and children back together and prepare the world for redemption.
Key lesson:
One person who restores Torah and acts for Hashem can have eternal impact.
9. Counting Klal Yisrael: Kedushah Was Restored
After the tragedy, Hashem commands Moshe to count Klal Yisrael.
One reason: Hashem wants to show that even after so much loss, Klal Yisrael remains strong.
When the families are counted, each family name has a hei at the beginning and a yud at the end.
These letters spell Hashem’s name and show that the Shechinah rested among the families of Klal Yisrael.
The nations mocked Klal Yisrael and questioned their family purity from Mitzrayim, but Hashem testifies that they remained pure.
Why hei before yud?
The shiur explains that the hei represents the woman, and the Torah is emphasizing the power of Jewish women in building the holiness of the home.
Key lesson:
Even after a fall, kedushah can be restored.The Shechinah returns when impurity is removed and the people reconnect to Hashem.
10. Bnos Tzelafchad: Seeing the Good in Eretz Yisrael
The daughters of Tzelafchad also show ayin tovah.
They loved Eretz Yisrael and wanted a portion in the land.
They did not focus on what was missing. They focused on the greatness and goodness of Eretz Yisrael.
They continued the legacy of Yosef, who insisted that his bones be brought to Eretz Yisrael.
Key lesson:
Ayin tovah means seeing the value, kedushah, and opportunity in what Hashem gives us.
11. Moshe and Yehoshua: Leadership with Ayin Tovah
Moshe Rabbeinu asks Hashem to appoint a new leader for Klal Yisrael.
He hopes perhaps his own sons will be chosen, but Hashem chooses Yehoshua.
Why Yehoshua?
Because Yehoshua showed total devotion. He served Moshe faithfully and never considered any task beneath his dignity.
Moshe is told to place one hand on Yehoshua, but he places both hands on him.
Even though his own sons were not chosen, Moshe gives Yehoshua a full-hearted bracha.
Key lesson:
True leadership means wanting the next leader to succeed, even when things do not go the way you personally hoped.
12. Korbanos: Connecting to Hashem Daily
The parsha ends with the korbanos, including the Korban Tamid, brought every morning and afternoon.
A korban is a way of coming close to Hashem.
The process of bringing a korban represents purification of:
Actions
Speech
Thoughts
The person places hands on the animal, says vidui, and reflects on what needs to be changed.
Key lesson:
Daily connection to Hashem means constantly refining how we act, speak, and think.
13. Rosh Chodesh: The Moon and Klal Yisrael
The shiur discusses the korban of Rosh Chodesh:
Se’ir izim echad l’chatas LaHashem
Chazal explain that Hashem says, “Bring a kaparah for Me,” because He diminished the moon.
The moon represents Klal Yisrael.
The sun is steady, symbolizing the nations. The moon grows and shrinks, symbolizing Klal Yisrael’s journey of ups and downs.
But every month, the moon renews itself.
Key lesson:
Klal Yisrael may go through periods of darkness and smallness, but we always have the ability to grow again.
Hashem made us dependent on Him so that we would know where our light comes from.
14. Story 1: Rav Chaim Ozer and Reb Shmuel
Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski met with Dr. Samuel Schmidt, a secular Jew involved in helping distribute funds to yeshivos and those in need.
Rav Chaim Ozer asked if he could call him Reb Shmuel.
Dr. Schmidt began to cry and said he did not deserve that title.
Rav Chaim Ozer told him that his dedication and sacrifice were inspiring.
This act of warmth changed Dr. Schmidt’s life. He returned to America and became fully observant.
Key lesson:
One sincere expression of respect can change a person’s entire life.
15. Story 2: The Pnei Menachem and the Eye Doctor
An eye doctor came to the Pnei Menachem before attending an international conference.
The Rebbe told him to share a message with the other doctors:
The eye is a small part of the body, but its main purpose is to see the world with an ayin tovah — a good eye.
He told the doctors that if they had discoveries or knowledge that could help others, they should not keep it to themselves.
At the conference, one doctor admitted that he had made an important discovery but had kept it private. After hearing the message, he shared it.
Key lesson:
Ayin tovah means using what we have to benefit others, not keeping our gifts only for ourselves.
Main Theme of the Shiur
The central message is:
One person can make a difference.
Pinchas acted alone and saved Klal Yisrael.Bnos Tzelafchad spoke up and showed love for Eretz Yisrael.Moshe Rabbeinu blessed Yehoshua with a full heart.Rav Chaim Ozer changed one Jew through warmth.The Pnei Menachem inspired one doctor to help many others.
During Bein HaMetzarim, we are not only mourning the Churban. We are asking:
What can I repair?Where can I act with more ayin tovah?How can I bring more kedushah, peace, and Geulah into the world?
Closing Message
These weeks are a time to remember that Geulah is not only something we wait for. It is something we help bring closer through our choices.
Every person has power.
A word of encouragement, an act of courage, seeing someone with an ayin tovah, stopping a breach early, or helping another Jew return can have an eternal impact.
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