Parashat Pinchas
Torah: Numbers 25:10 - 30:1
Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:2 - 2:3
24 Tammuz 5776 / 29-30 July
2016
Calendar of Events and
Dedications follow. Full calendar and lots more info about our community
available at: http://www.bethmeier.org
Please feel free to pass
this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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ZEALOTS NEED NOT APPLY
"Let the Lord, the God
of the spirits of all flesh, set over the congregation a man who will go out
before them, and who will come in before them, and who will lead them out, and
who will bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like
sheep which have no shepherd." Numbers 27:16-17
Rashi, quoting Tanchuma:
"Appoint over them a leader who will be patient with each and every one
according to his mind."
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of
Kotzk: When Moses saw how great Pinchas was, he was afraid that he would be
chosen as leader, but he was not pleased with the prospect of having such a
zealot as the leader of the Jewish people. He therefore asked God that the
leader be a tolerant man and not a zealous one.
It seems curious that Moses
would not want a zealot to lead the people after his death. This would seem
particularly true in the case of Pinchas, who was, after all, "zealous for
his God". (Numbers 25:13) What could be wrong with a man who is
zealous on behalf of God?
Zealots are, in the words of
Eric Hoffer, "true believers" who are by definition intolerant of any
view other than their own. Anyone who disagrees with them is “the enemy”. Intolerance
all too often leads to hatred and war. Regardless of religious or political
persuasion, all who worship at the altar of their particular god of hate and
who destroy those with whom they disagree, are to be opposed – but within
limits.
In the global fight against
terrorism, we must nevertheless be careful to avoid extremism and intolerance
ourselves, lest we become that which we fight against. Similarly, in our
interpersonal relations, particularly in our discussions of the great issues of
the day, we must avoid such zealotry. This past Sunday was 18 Tammuz, a deferred
fast day from 17 Tammuz, associated with the fall of Jerusalem Jerusalem
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Congregation Beth Meier - Studio
City , CA
Website: www.bethmeier.org
Blogging at: www.rav-rich.blogspot.com
Twitter: @DrahcirMolf
"From the place where we are absolutely right, flowers will never grow
in the spring."
"מן המקום שבו אנו צודקים לא
יצמחו לעולם פרחים באביב"
Yehuda Amichai
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Candlelighting: 7:38 pm
Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg
Shabbat follows.
Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush
lunch follows.
Tuesday: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 Noon.
Friday, 5 August: NO Shabbat
Evening Service – Rabbi family function.
Saturday, 6 August: Shabbat Morning
Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.
Tuesday, 9 August: Lunch and
Learn – 12:00 Noon.
Next time you come to Beth Meier, please bring some
non-perishable canned and packaged foods and personal items (no glass) for
SOVA.
This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel
Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, HaRav
Yisrael Shimon ben Liebah Breina, Yaakov Rani Ben Margalit, Miriam Minya
bat Alisa Batya, Sarah bat Devorah, Jackie Aaronson, Susan Arbetman,
Connie Axelson (Raizel Sura bat Leah), Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Jerry
Daniels, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan
ben Gittel), Leonard Foint (Eliezer Moshe ben Esther), Jerry Forman,
Barry Glass (Berel ben Feigel), Myra Goodman, Fouad Kay (Yehoshua ben Salima),
Stephanie Kane, Philip Kovac, Carolynne Lavoie-Schwartz, Toni Linder, David
Parkhurst, Deborah Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar
(Chaya Feiga bat Kreina), Beatrice Weide (Bayla bat Malkah), and Naomi
Zimmermann (Naomi bat Yorma).
Please let me know if there is anyone you would like to add to this list or
if there is anyone who may be removed from this list.
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