PARASHAT PINCHAS

Parshat Pinchas - Typos and Zealots

By Dan Cohen

Proofreading is not my strong suit. My writing improved drastically in accuracy when Microsoft Word introduced spell check decades ago. It’s not that I didn’t know how to spell; I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my speed for missing a few letters or words. Today, using online tools, I count on the wisdom of the software to catch and correct my errors in real-time.  

In its exacting perfection, the Torah contains 304,805 letters in a prescribed text that no one can alter. A sofer (scribe) who writes a Torah with quill and ink on animal skin must do so flawlessly.  No blemishes or mistakes are tolerated, underscoring the awe-inspiring reverence for this sacred text. 

If a word is missing or a letter is wrong, the Torah must be returned to a sofer for repair. This means stopping and swapping a Torah during the actual reading if necessary.

Amidst that idea of perfection, we are confronted with a blemish this week. However, this one most sages agree needs to be there and teaches us important lessons about religious zeal and national unity. 

But first, who was Pinchas? 

In last week’s Torah portion, Pinchas took matters into his own hands and killed two people engaged in immoral behavior in violation of orders from Moshe and Hashem. Pinchas killed Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of the father’s house of the Simeonites. He also killed Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, an influential Midianite leader.  

Pinchas, a grandson of Aaron, was not initially made a priest together with the sons of Aaron. However, as a reward for his actions, G-d gave him an eternal covenant of priesthood.

G-d also honors Pinchas for his zeal and grants him the covenant of peace. This concept troubled our rabbis, who sought to understand how G-d chose to reward Pinchas after he took two lives, even if the individuals deserved punishment. 

Chapter 25, Verse 11 and 12 says, Phinehas (Pinchas) the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of peace.”

When written, the vav in the word Shalom is broken. Imagine two vertical lines with a small break. Sure, there is also some calligraphy flourish (see photo). As if to tamp down any controversy, the Talmud in Kedushin 66b cites Rabbi Nachman, who states that the “vav” in the word Shalom, is “k’tee’ah,” broken.  

It is not a mere typo but a deliberate imperfection with profound meaning. Why is this imperfect letter in our Torah?

Many of the sages focus on the difference between the words Shalom (written with a vav) and Shalem (written without one). Shalom can mean peace, but Shalem implies something even more profound, like wholeness. As a nation and individuals, we work and fight to achieve peace but can only find our wholeness in our relationship with Hashem. 

Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, writing on Chabad.com, shares an insight from Rabbi Berel Wein. He suggests that the "Covenant of Peace" bestowed upon Pinchas might seem surprising given his zealous actions. However, the broken "vav" in the word "peace" sends an important message. While zealotry may be necessary in rare, exceptional cases, it is not the typical or desired path in Jewish tradition.

Pinchas undergoes a profound transformation following this covenant from a zealot to a peacemaker. His evolution, mirroring that of his grandfather Aaron, is a powerful testament to the Jewish value of striving for harmony and understanding. 

Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald also shares an enlightening perspective from Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin on the symbolism of the broken vav. Rabbi Zevin explains that there are two types of 'unity.' 

There is mechanical unity, which is superficial and lacks integration. Imagine two sticks glued together.

Then, there is organic unity, which is natural and internal and leads to genuine harmony. This organic unity, where our bond with each other and Hashem is deep and authentic, is the type of unity the Jewish people should strive for. We should work to have a 'vav' that is united, not broken, representing that true unity is complete and harmonious. That is what was missing during Pinchas’ era.

Rav Hirsch adds two ideas. The first is that the broken vav symbolizes a time when leadership is challenged, and the zeal of someone like Pinchas is required. In our case, a tribal prince directly challenged Moshe and Gd with his actions with the Midianite woman. Pinchas’ effort was to restore not just peace (shalom) but the wholeness (shalem) of the people in the relationship between the people and its leaders. 

The second speaks to the broken vav representing the fractured peace among our nation. In the desert, Zimri’s actions split the nation apart. Hirsch teaches that we cannot repair our society by avoiding conflicts. We must actively engage in conflicts to fight for justice in these moments.  

Pinchas’ zealotry was a “disturbance of the peace,” but peace, Hirsch adds, requires us to sacrifice everything we own to achieve. We must take action when necessary. A zeal-driven effort, even if disruptive, is designed to help everyone find peace with each other and Gd.

Conversely, our “vav” stands broken when we avoid conflicts, cede public spaces to agents working against Gd’s will, and allow others to stir up strife with Gd. Hirsch points out that by failing to act to keep the peace, we make peace with the enemies of Gd.  He concludes that we cannot avoid conflict in the name of peace when Gd’s honor and our spiritual survival are at stake.  

I hope you find inspiration in Pinchas's difficult choice and are willing to fight for what you believe in and what you believe Gd wants from and for us. Pinchas, through his actions, sought to repair a broken people and a broken covenant. 

That doesn’t mean being a scold to others, but it does mean looking for ways to bring organic unity where there is division and demonstrate faith where it is lacking. And to always check and recheck your documents for typos!

MIZORAM BMC CONDUCTS SEMINAR ON JUDAISM AT AIZAWL

Participants of the Seminar at Shlom Tzion Synagogue, Aizawl.

(July 24, 2024) A 5-day seminar on Judaism has been recently concluded on Sunday, the 21st July, 2024 at the Shlom Tzion Synagogue at Aizawl. It began on 17th July at the initiative of the synagogues' patriarchs, the chairman, Gamliel Thomte and the treasurer, Nadav Hauhnar. The first three days were conducted at the residence of the treasurer, Nadav Hauhnar situated the Aizawl neighborhood of Eden Thar. Stressing a need for education and fulfillment of the community's spiritual needs, initiatives were taken by the BMC, Mizoram chapter. Ohaliav Haokip, the general secretary of the BMC (I) was invited to lecture the community on various aspects of Judaism. There were about 25 to 30 participants and was carried our with much enthusiasm. The last two days were held at the Shlom Tzion synagogue on Shabbat and the following Sunday, it concluded with meal sponsored by a member, Irvin Colney.

In a short conversation with Ohaliav Haokip, he filled in the details to our newsletter.

Q: What was the underlying motivation behind this seminar?

Ohaliav Haokip: It was the idea of the senior BMC members led by Pu Gamliel and Pu Nadav. They were actively supported by Ben Aryeh, who also serves as the BMC's Secretary. The other members also gave their

A discussion in progress.

full cooperation to this important matter which ultimately define their lives' mission. We don't have proper Jewish schools with most of the children going to regular schools. Their only exposure to Judaism being this synagogue, its Shabbat services and festivals. It has become important to let every congregation members know what it means to be Jewish. It has been a complete success and I think we have succeeded in implanting the importance of these learning. We know very well how learning is so important in Judaism. It is our mission to keep that light burning for all of us and the generations to come.

Q: Can you take us through the seminar, what happened during these 5 days?

O. H: We began with the most basic things in Judaism, a kind of a refresher's course, that is the daily things that one does, what is expected of a Jewish person. I began with Shacharit, Mincha, Maariv/Arvit, then I went on to the weekly ones, that is Shabbat. I followed it up with the monthly observations which is the Rosh Chodesh and the annual ones, festivals and fasts. I further divided the festivals with those from the Torah and those from the Sages. Then it was the mitzvot and brachot. These were interspersed with

Irvin Colney, sponsored the meal.

question time allotted for each topic. I am happy to say that I was asked a lot of questions and tried my best to answer them. We would have loved to have gone on to the philosophy side but that will be for another time when we are ready.

Q: Anything besides learning, perhaps a meal?

O.H: Since everyone is working, it was not possible to make it a whole day event. Instead, we designated evening hours, 7 pm to 10 pm, sometimes up to 11 pm at night. We'd all come to Pu Nadav's house at Eden Thar after supper, every evening and conducted the meetings there. We were served tea and light snacks for the duration of the seminar. We moved the seminar to Shlom Tzion synagogue for the duration of Shabbat and the last day. One of our members, Irvin Colney volunteered to sponsor an entire dinner for the concluding day on Sunday, the 21st July. He comes from a wealthy family and he was only happy to contribute what he could to make it a success and a memorable one at that. The whole community is thankful for his generosity.

Meal served for the Seminar.

Q: You are from Lamka which means that you have limited command of Mizo. How did you handle that?

O.H: You are right, even though I understand Mizo, I have trouble speaking it. That was one challenge we over came, though. I gave my lectures in a combination of both Kuki and English and a smattering of Mizo, a word here and there. There were two people who were there that made transitions of both languages into Mizo. Ben Aryeh is fluent in both Mizo and English, he came in when my talks were delivered in English. When I spoke in Kuki, I have Noah. Noah is originally from Lamka but he has lived in Aizawl for a very long time. His Mizo is no different from any other Mizo, not even an accent and moreover he has not forgotten our language, or should I say dialect.

Q: Any concluding words?

O.H: The seminar has been a tremendous encouragement for all of us. It stimulates learning and curiosity that leads to proper observations of the mitzvot, which is the objective for all of us. I am hoping that this program can be replicated in all our synagogues and communities, wherever we live. There is so much to learn and gain for all of us. As for me personally, as much as I enjoyed teaching whatever I know to an enthusiastic crowd, I have gained by learning as I teach. There is an ocean of knowledge in Jewish wisdom for us to explore. Our journey has only but begun!

Families enjoy meal at the end of the Seminar.

PARASHAT BALAK

Parshat Balak 2024 – Thankful for the Villian.

By Dan Cohen

One of the most famous tropes in Hollywood is when the good guys hire the bad guys for their expertise. This dynamic is mirrored in the Parshat Balak, where Balak, a seemingly negative figure, is used by Gd to reveal the strengths and vulnerabilities of the Jewish people. Just as in the Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio film Catch Me If You Can, where a successful check forger is hired to work for the FBI to root out others, sometimes, it takes a 'villain' to see the vulnerabilities and the positive elements.

This week, we meet Balak and Bilaam. They are leaders of two adjacent peoples who worry about the proximity and arrival of the Jewish nation. Balak reaches out through emissaries and convinces Bilaam to come to place a curse on the Jewish people. Bilaam eventually agrees by saying that he will only utter what Gd allows.

I am sharing two simple and quick ideas this week, one from the Rebbe and the second from Rav Hirsch.

The first explores why the Parsha is named for Balak. After all, isn’t he the villain? And a non-Jew? The Rebbe’s Chumash presents a few ideas which resonated with me.

First, he says the Torah reveals that evil exists only to be transformed into good. He quotes Proverbs 16:4, saying, “Gd has made all things for Himself, even the wicked on the day of evil.”  In the Tanya, the Alter Rebbe says, “The wicked man will repent from his evil and turn his evil into ‘day.’”  Balak, as he is described, represents the good that will eventually rise from the evil when transformed.

The second idea is that the parsha of Chukat and Balak (this week and last) are often read together.  Last week, we focused on the supranatural law – observing mitzvot we don’t fully comprehend.  This week, it’s a focus on Balak’s representation of anti-semitism and hatred against Gd’s wishes, who eventually repents.

These ideas represent two complementary paths to serving Hashem. One is from a position of righteousness, like in Chukat, where we are all-in with our Emunah, a term that signifies unwavering faith, without question. The other is like Balak, where a journey of teshuvah, a term that signifies repentance and transformation, brings us back to a place of goodness.

The second notion I wanted to explore echoes how, in the movies and TV shows, the villain, who is on the path of teshuvah, is challenged to explore and even exploit the vulnerabilities he identifies. It's no different in this Parsha.  Balak takes Bilaam to three different overlook points to try to get Bilaam to curse the Jewish people.  At each height, Bilaam, who has agreed to say only what Gd has told him, offers parables highlighting the Jewish people's positive elements rather than exploiting their weaknesses.

Rav Hirsh shares insights based on the names of the three mountaintops that Balak took Bilaam to for him to curse the Jews (unsuccessfully).

The first mountaintop was Ba’al.  Ba’al was the Canaanite deity whose focus was as a force of nature who held sway over material prosperity.  From Balak’s perspective, Israel’s vulnerability was apparent. Yet Hirsh replies that material wealth is not a national priority as his “curse” focused instead on identifying the Jews as a nation that stands apart. (Chapter 23, Verse 9).

The second mountaintop was Tzofim. Here, Balak and Bilaam would oversee the nation from the vantage point of the “Seers and Watchmen.” (Chapter 23, Verse 14).  Balak asked Bilaam whether the Jewish nation had an intellectual elite that could predict the future and control the shape of events.  Balak responds with a parable saying, “Gd is not a man that He should deceive…that He should change his mind.” (Chapter 23, Verse 18).  In doing so, Bilaam points out a vast gulf between the spiritual level of Israel and the wisdom of Tzofim/nation of Aram. The Jewish nation recognized that Hashem runs the world, not us.

Hirsh points out that by the time of the third peak, Balak had recognized that the Jewish nation wasn’t vulnerable from the physical and material standpoint nor the spiritual, Gdly standpoint.   He adds that a nation with material wealth and spiritual health may still be devoured from the inside by a worm and turn all these blessings into a curse.  That worm, Hirsch says, is immorality.

Thus, the third hill Balak takes Bilaam to stand upon overlooks Pe’or.  We talked last year about the cult of Pe’or and its focus on the animal side of human physicality, where modesty gets tossed out the window. From this hill, Balak asks Bilaam to question the nation's principles of modesty. After all, Balak may have been wiser and more deeply in tune with our vulnerability.  Therefore, he focused Bilaam on our weak point…the nature of immorality.

The curse was unsuccessful. Bilaam draws his eyes towards the encampment and highlights the modesty of a nation camped in tents with doors that do not face each other.  A nation where “every child knows who his father is” and the people's morality was whole.

The story continues after these three failed curses, and many in the Jewish nation fail to meet the challenge of sexual and immoral exploitation by the Moabites. Yet, Hirsch’s analysis of the three mountaintops remains a lesson and a warning for us all if we are to understand our vulnerability as a nation and individuals.

Challenges in life will come at us from three distinct vantage points. First, there will be the material challenges of wealth and the lack thereof. Second, there will be challenges to our spiritual engagement and Emunah. Third, there will be challenges that exploit our animal instincts and challenge us to rise above them.

The lesson here builds on what the Rebbe said above about why the parsha is named for Balak. There are two distinct pathways here to serve Hashem. The first is a life of Emunah, and the second is the life of Teshuvah.  Each is available to us, and every decision we make offers us both paths. This brings me immense hope to contemplate that we are never more than one decision away from a connection with the Divine.