Bar’chu et YHVH ha-m’vorach,
Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach
l’O’lam va-ed!
Baruch ata YHVH Eloheinu
melech ha-olam
asher bachar banu
m’kol ha-amim,
v’na-tan lanu eht
Torah-to.
Baruch atah YHVH,
noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Bless YHVH the blessed One;
Blessed is YHVH, the blessed One
for all eternity.
Blessed is YHVH, the blessed One
for all eternity.
Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim,
King of the
Universe,
you have selected us from among
all the peoples, and
have
given us your Torah.)
given us your Torah.)
Some rabbis compare
Pinchas to Eliyahu (Elijah) the prophet.
Mal 4:4 “Remember the Torah of Mosheh, My servant,
which I commanded him in Ḥorĕḇ
for all Yisra’ĕl – laws and right-rulings.
Mal 4:5
“See, I am sending you Ěliyah1 the prophet before the coming
of the great and awesome day of יהוה. Footnote: 1Lk.
1:17.
Mal 4:6 “And he
shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the
children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with utter
destruction1.” Footnote: 1Zech. 14:11.
“Pinchas”
means “bronze mouth” or
“serpent’s mouth.” The two mean essentially the same thing. The episode of the
bronze serpent raised up in the wilderness for Yisrael’s repentance and healing
demonstrates a strong spiritual link between the metal and the creature. They
are both symbols of judgment. In this incident, Pinchas acted as the teeth of
the serpent, carrying out judgment against the worst perpetrators of rebellion
in the camp, by publicly and violently punishing those who violate YHVH’s
standards of sexual and spiritual purity.
Pinchas temporarily halted the defilement of the nation of Israel as
well as securing YHVH’s blessing of peace on himself for generations.
The two perpetrators Kozbi and Zimri that were
executed by Pinchas were most probably committing the most unspeakable of all
crimes - fornicating in the most set
apart place of the tabernacle (this
is a conclusion that some scholars come to).
Why snake mouth? – The Father is bringing a restoration of a
prophetic priesthood in these days, the kind of restoration that will be hard
to hear. They may even accuse such an unpopular “priesthood” of “speaking like
the devil” – “Snake mouth”
“The
true greatness of Pinchas lay in that he acted in complete opposition to his
nature, transcending his inborn instincts to bring peace between YHVH and
Israel.”(The Lubavitcher Rebbe)
Pinchas had a passion for truth and
righteousness that would not allow him to stand by and simply watch and grieve
the wickedness of his people. His actions brought redemption and a personal
promise of an everlasting covenant of peace.
The plague that came upon Yisrael was stopped because of his actions.
This may once again be the case in the last days that a “Pinchas” people will
save many from the plague and destruction of the coming great tribulation by
acting in complete opposition to the way they would normally have acted.
This ministry of Pincahas also points to the ministry of
Yochanan the immerser – John the bapist – his message was that people must
repent and prepare their hearts for the coming Messiah.
Joh 3:23 And Yoḥanan
was also immersing in Ayin near Salim, because there was plenty of water there.
And they were coming and were being immersed,
The commentaries tell us that the place of “Ayin” was
close to Shechem – the entry point of the Yisraelites when the entered the land
of Yisrael. This is near the very place the events of this parashah occurred.
Joh 3:27 Yoḥanan
answered and said, “No man is able to receive(get-active verb) any matter
unless it is given(passive verb) to him from the heaven.
Joh 3:33 “He who receives(one getting – ongoing verb
action) His witness has set his seal that Elohim is true.
Joh 3:34
“For He whom Elohim has sent speaks the Words of Elohim, for Elohim does
not give the Spirit by measure.