Eliyahu and Pinhas
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Prophet in Distress
Rabbi Alex IsraelEliyahu had orchestrated a three-year drought that had brought the nation to its knees. This had culminated in the decisive religious contest at Mt. Carmel that had exposed the falsity of the Baal, bringing king and country to proclaim faith in God alone. It had been an excruciating process, with Eliyahu living in exile for three years. Indeed, he had succeeding in turning the king around. But now the entire project, this huge educational endeavor, lay shattered, in ruins. It was not Izevel's death threat alone. Izevel's confidence highlighted the understanding that she was in control, and that the transformation of national priorities would be a more arduous, complex, and protracted process. All of this leads to Eliyahu's feeling of dejection and his rejection of his role as a prophet. Unlike Moshe, he is unable to be zealous towards the sinner but to invoke God's mercy on the nation as a whole.
Parshat Pinchas - Of Zealotry and Idolatry
Rabbi Chanoch Waxmanתאריך פרסום: תש"ע | | 37 minutes
How are we to evaluate Pinhas’s zealous actions and reconcile Moshe’s concern and God’s reward? How are we to approach zealotry in general? We begin by looking at various explanations of Pinhas’s conduct, and continue on to look at zealotry elsewhere in Tanakh – the story of Eldad and Meidad and Yehoshua’s zealous kin’a for Moshe, and the story of Eliyahu and the aftermath of Mount Carmel. We find a fascinating parallel between that story of Eliyahu, the zealous prophet and the story of Moshe, the anti-zealot, during the aftermath of the Sin of the Golden Calf.
Short Thoughts on Pinchas - Zeal
Rabbi Ezra Bick | 21 minutesParashat Pinchas opens with the bracha given by God to Pinchas for his zealotry on behalf of God. What is the definition of kanaut - zeal - in the Torah? We examine the challenge posed by Zimri, which Pinchas thwarted. We gain insight into the meaning of the "covenant of peace" and the difference between zeal and people involved in court activities.
Then we look at another zealot, one who says “I have been zealous for God”- Eliyahu. Hazal associates this non-normative trait with Pinhas.and view them as exemplifying two sides of zealotry. We examine the similarities and differences berween Eliyahu and Pinhas and consider the better and worse aspects of zeal.
Malakhi’s Grand Conclusion
Rabbi Tzvi SinenskyBy addressing the immediate concern of the mediocre Temple service while nostalgically hearkening back to a golden age, Malakhi hews to his mandate of remaining anchored in his own times while summing up all of Nevi’im.
Malakhi mirrors Tzefania, but his subject differs. For Malakhi idolatry is no longer a burning issue. The point of emphasis therefore shifts from pagan worship to an exclusive focus on ethics and morality. By building off the language of his predecessors yet addressing contemporary concerns, all the while prophesying about the Messianic period, Malakhi continues to stay true to his multiple mandates.
As an antidote to the shortcomings of Eliyahu’s overly zealous leadership, at the End of Days he will enact an historic reconciliation among family members and between God and His people.
The culmination of Sefer Malakhi and Nevi’im offers an inspiring message that is at once relevant to its time and simultaneously universal: The reunification of family is a signal of redemption. That family includes both the Jewish people and God Himself. This comforting message must have proven powerfully uplifting for the beleaguered Shivat Tzion community. Like Zekharia, Malakhi reminds the people that redemption would ultimately arrive, and that modest steps toward repentance and building families were steps toward that deliverance.
Pinchas: What Does It Mean To Be Zealous For God?
Rabbi David Fohrman |The midrash tells us that Pinchas, the title character of this parsha, and Eliyahu, the prophet of Kings, are one and the same. In this week's parsha video, Rabbi Fohrman compares these two characters and asks, what does it mean to be zealous for God?
If you enjoyed this video, please visit AlephBeta.org to watch more.Biblical Roots of Midrashic Stories-Towards an Understanding of Midrashic Methodology
Rabbi Moshe Shulman | Hour and 6 minutesThis lecture discusses the relationship between the Biblical text and the midrashic text through an analysis of a number of midrashim. We explore the methodology of midrash and understand its foundations and its intersections with pshat.