260630.Pinchas v001

260630.Pinchas v001

Pinchas: Verse 1

וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר, פִּנְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר וְגוֹ,' רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר, שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ וְאַל תִּטּוֹשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ. שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאַל תִּטּוֹשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַאי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ, מוּסַר, דָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִית בָּהּ כַּמָּה תּוֹכָחִין, כַּמָּה עוֹנָשִׁין. כד"א, מוּסַר יְיָ' בְּנִי אַל תִּמְאָס וְאַל תָּקוֹץ בְּתוֹכַחְתּוֹ.

"And Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, Pinchas, the son of Elazar..." (Bemidbar 25:10-11). Rabbi Elazar began, "Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the Torah of your mother" (Mishlei 1:8). "Hear, my son, the instruction of your father..." refers to the Holy One, blessed be He. "and do not forsake the Torah of your mother," refers to the Congregation of Yisrael. What is the instruction of your father? Instruction is the Torah which contains a number of rebukes and punishments, as it is said: "My son, do not despise the chastening of Hashem, nor be weary of His correction" (Mishlei 3:11).

Pinchas: Verse 2

וּבְגִין דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, זָכֵי דְּיִפְתְּחוּן לֵיהּ כַּמָּה תַּרְעִין לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא, כַּמָּה נְהוֹרִין. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִנְפּוֹק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, הִיא אַקְדִימַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְאַזְלָא לְכָל נְטוּרֵי תַּרְעִין, מַכְרֶזֶת וְאוֹמֶרֶת, פִּתְחוּ שְׁעָרִים וְיָבֹא גּוֹי צַדִּיק. אַתְקִינוּ כֻּרְסְיָין לִפְלָנַיָּא עַבְדָּא דְּמַלְכָּא. דְּלֵית חֲדוּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶלָּא מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כ"ש ב"נ דְּמִתְעַר בְּלֵילְיָא לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּהָא כָּל צַדִיקַיָּיא דִּבְגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, צַיְיתִין לְקַלֵּיהּ, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּינַיְיהוּ, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַנִּים חֲבֵרִים מַקְשִׁיבִים לְקוֹלֵךְ הַשְׁמִיעִינִי.

And since everyone who engages in Torah in this world is worthy that a number of gates, a number of lights to the World to Come, be opened for him, therefore when he departs from this world THE TORAH precedes him, going to all the gate keepers proclaiming, "Open the gates, that the righteous nation...may enter in" (Yeshayah 26:2). Prepare a seat for so-and-so, the King's servant! The Holy One, blessed be He, has no joy other than with one who engages in Torah. How much more so with a man who rises up at night to engage in Torah, for all the righteous in the Garden of Eden are attentive to his voice and the Holy One, blessed be He, is among them, as they put it: "You that dwell in the gardens, the companions hearken for your voice: Cause me to hear it" (Shir Hashirim 8:13).

Pinchas: Verse 3

Rabbi Shimon said: This verse has in it the secret of wisdom. "You that dwell in the gardens" (Shir Hashirim 8:13) refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, THAT IS MALCHUT, which is with Yisrael in exile and accompanies them in their troubles. "the companions hearken for your voice..." (Ibid.) refers to the camps of the higher heavenly ANGELS, all of whom listen to your voice, the voice of your praises in exile. "Cause me to hear it" (Ibid.) is as it is said: "let me see your countenance, let me hear your voice" (Shir Hashirim 2:14). "let me hear your voice" refers to the voice of those companions who engage in Torah, for I have no praise such as those who engage in Torah.

Pinchas: Verse 4

Rabbi Shimon said: It is as if all those who are privileged to engage in Torah at midnight and ad the day begins to dawn come with the Queen to welcome the King, grow stronger and take possession of the Shechinah. Moreover, a thread of grace hangs over such a one, as the sages have explained.