Drash on Pinchas 2024

Rabbi Kim Ettlinger

Temple David

Recently, I listened to the weekly podcast from Pardes specifically on Parashat Pinchas by Rabbi Zvi Hischfield and Rabbi Dr. Markose.  It’s easy to access and I invite you to do so.  They began with a discussion about how traditional Torah commentaries relate to sexual misdeeds or immorality.  They begin by focussing on the verses, not from Pinchas but from the previous parashah, Balak.

It states in Numbers 25:1-2

“וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּשִּׁטִּ֑ים וַיָּ֣חֶל הָעָ֔ם לִזְנ֖וֹת אֶל־בְּנ֥וֹת מוֹאָֽב׃  וַתִּקְרֶ֣אןָ לָעָ֔ם לְזִבְחֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אכַל הָעָ֔ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן׃

While Israel was staying at Shittim, the menfolk profaned themselves by whoring with the Moabite women, who invited the menfolk to the sacrifices for their god. The menfolk partook of them and worshiped that god.”

The key word in the two verses is on Liznot, לִזְנ֖וֹת, to profane.  As the commentary continues, we look at the literal meaning.   However, it can also be used in another sense and a much broader understanding and this is the direction, I would like to take my commentary on the parashah.

The commentary continues to refer Lo Taturu, from Numbers 15:39 and the Shema, וְלֹֽא־תָתֻ֜רוּ

And that we do not lust after other gods, that we do not go astray.  For the Israelites they were defying authority, or as the Pardes commentator Rabbi Dr. Howard Markose said “bucking the system.”

When Cozbi and Zimri engaged in their activities, one can conclude that their behaviour, was not outside the realm of the new norm, but part of a new system.  A system that was not part of Moses’ natural order.  It didn’t take long for things to get out of control.  In only a few verses between Balak and Pinchas, perhaps this behaviour becomes the norm.  The trend of defying authority to the point that Pinchas, felt he could no longer stand idly by.  Pinchas saw their behaviour as a means to bringing the whole “house of Israel” down.  Pinchas needed to get the people back onto the straight and narrow. Was his method of impaling a little too radical?

Eugene Kandel, current Chairman of the Board of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange., immediate past CEO of the Start-Up Nation Central, and Professor of Economics and Finance at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He also worked for the Prime Minister’s office from 2009-2013.  He recently said of Israeli society “What happens here in Israel, happens to the Jewish communities.”  While  Diaspora Jewish communities are independent, “Jewish communities around the world are more forward-looking than Israel.”

Kandel paraphrased Nasrallah who said years ago in his ‘Spider Web’ speech “With all their [Israel] tanks and their aircrafts, their society is crumbling and we will pick them up with our bare hands”.

Our Jewish world somehow needs to be united.  I wish I had the answer to how to unite our values.  I know we all want peace.  We cannot have another Cozbi and Zimri situation.  When we push back are we doing so for the right reasons, value reasons and are we unified?  What are our inner motivations?  When will there be a Cozbi and Zimri in our midst who brings things to the forefront that our leadership needs to implement change, or bring us back in line for the good of the community?  Or has there been one and we have missed it?

The result of unification is immeasurable, as we read in Bemidbar 25:12, “לָכֵ֖ן אֱמֹ֑ר הִנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֥ן ל֛וֹ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י שָׁלֽוֹ׃  Say, therefore, ‘I grant him My pact of peace.”  While we don’t know what the peace pact is exactly, it seems at face value worthwhile.”

We are pushing the system, but at times I question and wonder if we are doing so with the right values in our Jewish hearts.  I am not speaking individually, but politically, socially, culturally, and religiously.  We see tremendous change happening and our beloved country of Israel is in disarray.  We understand why, but it isn’t only because of October 7, it started before October 7.