IS EVERY HOLY WAR HOLY?
Pinchas
The regular Hafotorah of Pinchas is about Eliyahu Hanavi. Eliyahu lived at a time when the Jewish people were following Avodah Zarah en masse. They had abandoned the way of Torah and the queen Izevel had laid a campaign to kill the neviim of Hashem. Eliyahu’s own life was endanger and he fled south to Har Sinai and hid in a cave.
Hashem says to him מה לך פה אליהו - “what are you doing here Eliyahu?”
Eliyahu declares קנא קנאתי לה‘, “I have been zealous for Hashem”. He complained bitterly about the spiritual state of the Jewish people; that they have forsaken the covenant with Hashem, torn down the altars and killed the neviim and that his own life in endanger.
Hashem told Eliyahu to leave the cave and stand before Him. Hashem brought a great wind that split mountains and shatters stones, but Hashem was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake (literally a loud noise), but Hashem was not in the earthquake. Following the earthquake came a fire, but Hashem was not in the fire. But after the fire was a still soft sound.
And Hashem asked Eliyahu again “why are you here Eliyahu?” to which Eliyahu replied by professing his zealousness and describing the great depths to which the Jewish people had sunken.
Hashem responded by charging Eliyahu with a series of missions, one of which was to anoint Elisha to serve as a novi in place of him.
The Meforshim ask a number of questions on this story. Why did Hashem ask Eliyahu twice “why are you here”? What was the symbolism of the wind, earthquake, fire and soft voice that Hashem showed to him in response? And why was he told to anoint Elisha?
When Hashem asked Eliyahu “why are you here?” he was chiding him. You are a leader of Klal Yisroel. They are over there and need your leadership. Why are you here and abandoning them?
Eliyahu responded that he was a zealot for Hashem and that Hashem should take vengeance on the Jewish people for their terrible sins.
The wind, earthquake, fire and soft still voice were a response to Eliyahu’s slander and zealotry, showing him how he, as a leader, should approach his leadership in face of a difficult people.
The cave in which he hid was the cleft in the rock where Moshe stood when Hashem passed before him and allowed him a glimpse on Hashem’s glory.
Hashem told Eliyahu “what are you doing here in this cave?”, how can you stand in the place of Moshe when you do not resemble him at all? When the Jewish people sinned with the Golden Calf, Moshe stood to defend them and was willing to sacrifice himself for their sake. He did not slander them and abandon them. Hashem told him to leave this cave.
Hashem showed him the 4 signs representing 4 possible approaches. Which of them is the way of Hashem?
The lowest approach are those who become angry and act upon their anger. This is the great wind that splits mountains and shatters stones in anger.
Better are those who do not act out their anger, but whose hearts pound with indignation and speak scathing words or rebuke. This is the loud noise.
Then there are those who do not speak, but the fires of indignation burn within their hearts and thoughts.
In all of these, Hashem is not present. The way of Hashem is the soft still voice. Instead of anger and indignation in their hearts or words, their words are gentle and inspiring, drawing the listener from their wayward ways with ropes of love.
Hashem was telling Eliyahu to go back to his people with this approach. But Eliyahu persisted. He was motivated with zealousness on behalf of Hashem. Unable to change his attitude or approach, Hashem told him that he could no longer serve as leader or novi and so he must now anoint Elisha to serve in his place.
The haftorah contrasts the zealousness of Eliyahu to that of Pinchas. Pinchas acted with zealotry and is rewarded by being elevated to the Kehuna. Eliyahu claimed to wear the same garb of religious zealousness. Yet Eliyahu is not rewarded but rebuked and ultimately stripped of his leadership.
Even though only 7000 Jews remained faithful to Hashem and Eliyahu’s aspersions seemed founded, the Torah teaches us that not all religious zealotry (Kana’us) is really holy.
If this lesson applied to Eliyahu, a man of G-d whose motives were completely pure, how much more so it applies to people on our level when facing our challenges and disagreements in dealing with others.
Hashem says to him מה לך פה אליהו - “what are you doing here Eliyahu?”
Eliyahu declares קנא קנאתי לה‘, “I have been zealous for Hashem”. He complained bitterly about the spiritual state of the Jewish people; that they have forsaken the covenant with Hashem, torn down the altars and killed the neviim and that his own life in endanger.
Hashem told Eliyahu to leave the cave and stand before Him. Hashem brought a great wind that split mountains and shatters stones, but Hashem was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake (literally a loud noise), but Hashem was not in the earthquake. Following the earthquake came a fire, but Hashem was not in the fire. But after the fire was a still soft sound.
And Hashem asked Eliyahu again “why are you here Eliyahu?” to which Eliyahu replied by professing his zealousness and describing the great depths to which the Jewish people had sunken.
Hashem responded by charging Eliyahu with a series of missions, one of which was to anoint Elisha to serve as a novi in place of him.
The Meforshim ask a number of questions on this story. Why did Hashem ask Eliyahu twice “why are you here”? What was the symbolism of the wind, earthquake, fire and soft voice that Hashem showed to him in response? And why was he told to anoint Elisha?
When Hashem asked Eliyahu “why are you here?” he was chiding him. You are a leader of Klal Yisroel. They are over there and need your leadership. Why are you here and abandoning them?
Eliyahu responded that he was a zealot for Hashem and that Hashem should take vengeance on the Jewish people for their terrible sins.
The wind, earthquake, fire and soft still voice were a response to Eliyahu’s slander and zealotry, showing him how he, as a leader, should approach his leadership in face of a difficult people.
The cave in which he hid was the cleft in the rock where Moshe stood when Hashem passed before him and allowed him a glimpse on Hashem’s glory.
Hashem told Eliyahu “what are you doing here in this cave?”, how can you stand in the place of Moshe when you do not resemble him at all? When the Jewish people sinned with the Golden Calf, Moshe stood to defend them and was willing to sacrifice himself for their sake. He did not slander them and abandon them. Hashem told him to leave this cave.
Hashem showed him the 4 signs representing 4 possible approaches. Which of them is the way of Hashem?
The lowest approach are those who become angry and act upon their anger. This is the great wind that splits mountains and shatters stones in anger.
Better are those who do not act out their anger, but whose hearts pound with indignation and speak scathing words or rebuke. This is the loud noise.
Then there are those who do not speak, but the fires of indignation burn within their hearts and thoughts.
In all of these, Hashem is not present. The way of Hashem is the soft still voice. Instead of anger and indignation in their hearts or words, their words are gentle and inspiring, drawing the listener from their wayward ways with ropes of love.
Hashem was telling Eliyahu to go back to his people with this approach. But Eliyahu persisted. He was motivated with zealousness on behalf of Hashem. Unable to change his attitude or approach, Hashem told him that he could no longer serve as leader or novi and so he must now anoint Elisha to serve in his place.
The haftorah contrasts the zealousness of Eliyahu to that of Pinchas. Pinchas acted with zealotry and is rewarded by being elevated to the Kehuna. Eliyahu claimed to wear the same garb of religious zealousness. Yet Eliyahu is not rewarded but rebuked and ultimately stripped of his leadership.
Even though only 7000 Jews remained faithful to Hashem and Eliyahu’s aspersions seemed founded, the Torah teaches us that not all religious zealotry (Kana’us) is really holy.
If this lesson applied to Eliyahu, a man of G-d whose motives were completely pure, how much more so it applies to people on our level when facing our challenges and disagreements in dealing with others.