Compassion vs Cruelty: Parshat Pinchas - Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky

What’s said in this shiur

The opening of this shiur, in Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky’s own words — taken from the captions, so names and Hebrew terms may be approximate.

Hi, this is Dov Odolensky, and welcome to the Parsha in 5, where in 5 minutes we try to give you a little insight into the Parsha. Parshas Pinchas. Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aaron haCohen. That's not the way we usually do yichus. We do yichus back one generation unless there is an overriding consideration why. Like we saw by Korach, it goes all the way back until Yakov and cuz Yakov davened he shouldn't be included in in Korach. But otherwise, we just give the person and their father. That's the normal way of doing yichus. Why are we going back to Aaron? And so, the Chazal say because just like Aaron was an ohev shalom and a rodef shalom, Pinchas was an ohev shalom and a rodef shalom. What does that mean? As Rashi explains, because the Jewish people were making fun of Pinchas and says, "You took a spear and killed a nasi in the Jewish people?" According to one view in the Gemara, uh he was in fact Shelumiel ben Zurishaddai, one of the people who went down to Mitzrayim. So, that means he was 250 years old, and this kid Pinchas takes a spear and kills him in front of everybody? Yikes. You know, how could you do something that cruel? How could you do something that cruel? It must be because your grandfather Yisro, who served avodah zarah, that cruelty has come down into you and has become part of who you are. And therefore, the Torah is meyaches him to his other grandfather Aaron to tell you that just like Aaron

Jump to a moment

1. 0:00Hi, this is Dov Odolensky, and welcome to the Parsha in 5, where in 5 minutes…
2. 0:30way back until Yakov and cuz Yakov davened he shouldn't be included in in Korach. But…
3. 1:01Pinchas and says, "You took a spear and killed a nasi in the Jewish people?" According…
4. 1:31You know, how could you do something that cruel? How could you do something that cruel?…
5. 2:01is an Shalom and a Rodef Shalom so too Pinchas was an Shalom and a Rodef…
6. 2:31merciful. Because it's misplaced uh you know pity. You know. And that's why you shall couldn't…
7. 3:02where innocent civilians are going to get killed just because you want to stop terrorists from…
8. 3:33And had it not been stopped, it would have wiped out the entire Jewish people. And…
9. 4:03God's honor and wants to save Hakadosh Baruch Hu from this kind of disgrace. And there…
10. 4:35defend the honor of Torah, rise to the occasion. Chavah.…

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