BS"D Parshath Pinhas by Yitzhak Kolakowski ~ ~ ~ Always Going Up ~ ~ ~ "And Moses spoke to the L-RD, saying: 'Let the L-RD, the G-d of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of the L-RD be not as sheep without a shepherd.'" (Numbers 27:15-17) "... a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said: 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' And he said: 'I have been very zealous for the L-RD, the G-d of H-osts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.' And the L-RD said to him: 'Go, return on your road to the wilderness of Damascus... and Elisha ben Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet instead of you.'" (I Kings 19:12-16) "Who makest winds (or, spirits) Thy messengers (or, angels), the flaming fire Thy ministers." (Psalm 104:4) "Going up constantly - like was done at Mount Sinai, (this is what leads) to a sweet savoury fire to the L-RD." (homiletic interpretation of Numbers 28:6) ~ ~ ~ My dear friends, G-d, in His abundant love, created a world which needs leaders. In this orphaned generation, every servant of G-d must be a leader. To be a leader, one must be like an angel of the L-RD of H-osts. "The priest's lips should guard knowledge, and they should ask for Torah from his mouth - for he is an angel of the L-RD of H-osts." (Malachi 2:7) A true leader must resemble an angel of the L-RD of H-sts. (Talmud: Moed Katan 17a) This is nothing new. When Moses cried out to G-d to ask for assistance in appointing the new leader over the kingdom of priests, the Children of Israel, he addressed Him as "the G-d of the spirits". Now the Bible calls the angels "spirits" (see above, Ps. 104:4). Moses wanted his successor to be a true leader, which is person who has to be like an angel, so this is what Moses was asking for. However, he called Hashem "the G-d of the spirits of all flesh". Thus a leader of Truth has to be an angel who is physical - a spirit who is all flesh. This is what a servant of G-d must be. This is what a true leader must be - all flesh, yet all spirit. But my dear friends, what is it that is all flesh yet is all spiritual? How does one become fit to lead? . . . Now we read that in the Holy Sanctuary, may it be restored immediately, the order of the daily sacrifices was always (with the exception of the Paschal lamb) surrounded by the "parentheses" of the Korban Tamid - the daily continual offering. The first sacrifice in the morning was the Tamid and the last sacrifice before evening was the Tamid. All of the flock of the other offerings in a day came between these two burnt he-lambs of the first year. Although they were in fact sheep, they were almost like shepherds - watching the coming and the going of their flock. They were like leaders. And moreover, they fit the job description to lead. They were all flesh - physically no more than a sheep carcass, yet they were all spirit - a completely burnt offering. By following the example of the Tamid, one can become a true leader, a true servant of G-d. Now, wait a minute. How are we supposed to follow the example of a burnt offering? Let's look at the verses concerning the Tamid (we say them every morning and afternoon in our prayers). "Olath Tamid". Now that is usually translated "a continual (i.e. daily) burnt offering", but one could also translate it as "going up constantly". This is how we become like a burnt offering, by always going up, always growing, always 'shteiging'. This is the only way to connect to Hashem, because Hashem is completely out of reach, He's ENDLESS - 'EN SOF', but it is the natural tendency of the soul to strive to come close to its Source. So the way to do it is by never giving up - by being an "olath tamid" - by constantly going up. When one does this, he becomes a true servant of G-d, and can become a true leader. This is what Phinehas did, he was completely burned up by the fiery zeal to protect the Israelites from the defilement of idolatry and immorality - those things which sever a person from the foundations of Eternity. And we know that Elijah is Phinehas. This means that Phinehas kept growing and 'shteiging' until he became completely a spiritual being - who still lives to this very day. And Elijah's successor was Elisha. How did Elisha, a simple farm boy, become able to replace Elijah? Look at his name: Eli - sha - - my G-d - hour. In an hour he attatched to G-d. If one uses his every hour, every moment - tamid - constanly - to go up - to grow, then he can connect to G-d. Someone once asked Reb Moshe Feinstein, ztk"l, how he became who he was (he was almost universally recognized as the leader of the Jewish people). He said it only took a moment. Which moment? That one that most people waste, he used to learn Torah - to grow- to connect to G-d. He might recite a mishnah by memory (which is what he did while he wrapped up his tefillin after his daily morning prayers). He, as the prophet Elisha, used every moment to 'shteig', which is what every true leader must do, even what every Jew must do - be an Olath Tamid. This is who we must be - an Olath Tamid - always going up. If we are always going up we can do what was done at Mount Sinai - "and He will save us and redeem us a second time - in the sight of all living, saying: 'Behold! I have redeemed them at the end as was at the beginning, to be for them G-d - I am the L-RD their G-d!'" (Liturgy: Shabbos Mussaf Kedushah) Let us pray: The first time - at Sinai - the world heard, but they weren't listening. Next time - when the Messiah comes (may it be ever so soon) - please G-d, make them listen and understand, make them know how wonderful it it to love You and fear You! Make the whole world constanly grow - make us all spiritual yet all physical - make us an Olath Tamid! Then, it will be done as at Mount Sinai - be for a sweet savor, a fire unto the L-RD. Gut Shabbos. ----- Story It was said concerning the Rebbe Reb Zushia of Anipola, zy"a, that he once went to put his hand into a fire. When his holy hand reflexively jumped back, he cried out, "How physical is the body of Zushia that it is afraid of fire!" My dear friends, above story of the Rebbe Reb Zushia, zy"a, is incredible. Indeed, he resembled an angel of the L-rd of H-sts - yet still he was so physical that his hand was afraid of the fire. He was taken aback, for he was the epitome of humilty. Maybe what he was saying was, 'could it be that Zushia could be fit to be a leader - completely spiritual yet also completely physical - a korban tamid!' He refused to believe he was on such a lofty and holy level as he was on. ----- (c) 2001 Joseph Kolakowski. All rights reserved. Copying and distribution is permitted and encouraged on condition that due credit is given.