Shabbos Parashas Pinchas - 5774

Shabbos Parashas Pinchas - 5774

Rabbi Hal Miller

Take to yourself Yehoshua son of Nun, a man in whom there is spirit, and

lean your hand upon him. [Bamidbar 27:18]

Hashem had just told Moshe that he will not be going into the land. Moshe,

ever the faithful servant, asks G-d about a replacement. In verses 16 and 17,

he asks G-d to "appoint a man over the assembly, who shall go out before them

and come in before them, who shall take them out and bring them in. And let

the assembly of Hashem not be like sheep that have no shepherd." Our pasuk is

G-d's answer.

How did G-d arrive at the selection of Yehoshua?

Presumably, Moshe had given thought to this for some time. G-d had repeatedly

told him that he would not enter the land, so it was evident that a successor

would be necessary. In those times, leadership positions were typically

inherited, but we see no evidence that Moshe pushed to have his sons fill the

role. On this the Gemora [Nedarim 71a] asks, "Why do not the children of

scholars usually turn out to be scholars? R'Yosef said, so that it should not

be said that the Torah came to them by inheritance." Moshe must have known

that his sons were not qualified, at least at that point, and that someone

else would have to step up. Nechama Leibowitz notes that there was no mention

of them in this parsha, nor any evidence that Moshe asked anything on their

behalf in his prayers and requests. She writes, "Moshe overcame all pangs of

envy, and it was in no jaundiced spirit, but generously and magnanimously that

he ordained his successor."

Rabbi Nachshoni understands that "at first Moshe wished Pinchas to replace

him. Yet on seeing his zealotry, Moshe said, 'Hashem, G-d of the souls of all

flesh, appoint a man to be over the congregation' to which Rashi comments,

'Let Hashem appoint one who matches every soul.'" Nachshoni sees in this the

"middah k'neged middah" approach that G-d uses when dealing with us: "When

one deals strictly with others, G-d deals strictly with him, thus a leader

should not be a zealot." According to this approach, Pinchas took himself out

of the running by doing something that was correct, but not doing it in the

best possible way. "A leader must not lean toward any one trait, but must

find a golden mean, suitable to all."

Nachshoni then points out that the Munkatcher Rebbe disagrees with Rashi. He

says that "a leader must be bold as a leopard in defending Hashem's glory. He

must be neither compromising nor acquiescent in matters of outlook." He gives

other reasons for the rejection of Pinchas.

Aharon and his sons were already designated by Hashem for their role in the

priesthood. The leadership role is separate, and the two are not supposed to

be held in common within a tribe.

So, if not Moshe's sons, not Aharon's sons, and not Pinchas, who is next?

Each tribe had a leader, there was a Sanhedrin, there were leaders of hundreds

fifties, tens, etc. Who gets elevated?

Clearly the promotion of the member of any tribe would lead to jealousies from

the members of other tribes unless there was a way to reach unity within the

ranks. Who could do that? Sforno writes, "Someone who is ready and worthy to

be presented to the King of Kings." It would have to be someone who was as

much like Moshe as possible, yet still being his own person. Leibowitz

described Moshe's key component as relevant here: "All that finds expression

is his concern for the welfare of his flock Israel."

The new leader could not think he was a member of a tribe. He had to think

like he was a member of the entire congregation. His entire being had to be

concentrated around doing Hashem's will. Thus our pasuk says, "a man in whom

there is a spirit". Yehoshua had been Moshe's faithful servant. G-d saw this,

and knew that Yehoshua would transfer that faithful-servant role to Himself.

Others may have been able to grow into the role. Yehoshua already had.

With prayers for our brethren in Israel.