Pinchas: Chapter 27

"Now the name of the man of Yisrael that was slain"

Synopsis

Rabbi Eliezer tells Rabbi Yitzchak that the title verse does not say who killed the man because Pinchas had by then achieved priesthood, and it was not appropriate to mention a priest in connection with any killing.

Relevance

By virtue of Pinchas's priesthood and God's unending compassion, we are absolved of our sins and elevated to greater heights of holiness as repentance stirs in our souls. Our names are stricken from the prosecuting attorney's records so that judgments can no longer be set forth against us.

Pinchas

156. "Now the name of the man of Yisrael that was slain" (Bemidbar 25:14). Rabbi Yitzchak said: This verse should have been written so: 'Now the name of the man of Yisrael whom Pinchas slew,' and not "that was slain, that was slain," simply WITHOUT EVEN MENTIONING THE ONE WHO DID THE SLAYING.

156. וְשֵׁם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמֻּכֶּה וְגוֹ.' אָמַר ר' יִצְחָק, הַאי קְרָא הָכִי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִכְתַּב, וְשֵׁם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה פִּנְחָס, וְלֹא הַמֻּכֶּה אֲשֶׁר הֻכָּה, לָא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בְּאֹרַח סָתִים.

Compassion Eliezer Grades Midianites Pinchas Priests Spears Women

157. HE ANSWERS: This is how Rabbi Eliezer put it: Since the Holy One, blessed be He, had raised Pinchas to the level of High Priest, He did not want to mention Pinchas in the context of a man slaying, for this is not fitting for a High Priest. Before He elevated him to the high priesthood, He did mention him, and said: "And when Pinchas...saw...and took a spear...and thrust both of them through..." (Ibid. 7-8). But once he was elevated to the high priesthood, his name is not mentioned in the context of killing, for this is unbefitting, and the honor of the Holy One, blessed be He, had compassion on him because it is not right for a High Priest to be mentioned in the context of a killing. "And the name of the Midianite woman that was slain" (Ibid. 15) IS also GIVEN WITHOUT STATING WHO THE SLAYER WAS, FOR THE SAME REASON.

157. אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמַר ר' אֶלְעָזָר, כֵּיוָן דְּסַלְקֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְפִנְחָס לְכַהֲנָא רַבָּא, לָא בָּעָא לְאַדְכְּרָא לֵיהּ לְפִנְחָס בְּקַטְלָנוּתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ. דְּהָא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְכַהֲנָא רַבָּא. עַד לָא סַלְקֵיהּ לְכַהֲנָא רַבָּא, אַדְכַּר לֵיהּ, וְאָמַר וַיַּרְא פִּנְחָס וַיִּקַּח רֹמַח וְגוֹ,' וַיִּדְקוֹר אֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם וְגוֹ.' כֵּיוָן דְּסַלְקֵיהּ לְכַהֲנָא רַבָּא לָא אַדְכַּר שְׁמֵיהּ בְּקַטְלָנוּתָא, דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ, וְחָס עָלֵיהּ יְקָרָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּכַהֲנָא רַבָּא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְאַדְכְּרָא בְּקַטְלָנוּתָא. וְשֵׁם הָאִשָּׁה הַמּוּכָּה, אוּף הָכִי.

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