SEDRAH SELECTIONS PARSHAS PINCHOS 5772 BS"D

There is a well known story that is related in M'lochim 1:18:19-40.There was an encounter between Eliyohu and the prophets of baal. They met at Har Carmel and Eliyohu challenged them to show the masses that their god was a true G-d. They agreed to each build an altar and sacrifice a calf and place it on their respective altars. Whichever altar would be visited by a fire from above that would consume their offering would be victorious. The day carried on and there was no reaction from above. Eliyohu taunted them and towards the late afternoon he prayed to Hashem, saying, "Aneini Hashem aneini." A fire came down from heaven and consumed his sacrifice. The masses shouted out in unison, "Hashem hu hoElokim Hashem hu hoElokim!" The gemara Brochos 26b says that the three daily prayers, shacharis, minchoh, and maariv, were instituted by our Patriarchs, Avrohom, Yitzchok, and Yaakov. Yitzchok instituted minchoh. The above gemara 6a says that one should be very punctilious with his minchoh prayers as Eliyohu was answered in the above incident during his minchoh prayers. This is the connection between Eliyohu and Yitzchok. (Pardes Yoseif)

Ch. 28, v. 3: "Shnayim la'yom oloh somid" - Two daily a continuous oloh offering - In maseches Tomid it says that the morning oloh was slaughtered in the north-west area of the "azoroh" area of the Beis Hamikdosh courtyard and the afternoon one was slaughtered in the north-west area. We all know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. M.R. Bmidbar 21:21 says that when the oloh offerings were brought no one who was lodging in Yerusholayim would have a sin last for more that half a day. The morning oloh brought atonement for the sins that occurred by night and the afternoon oloh brought atonement for the sins that were done by day. We now have an insight into why the morning oloh was slaughtered on the north-west side, as the west is where the sun sets and night sets in. The morning oloh provided atonement for sins committed at night. The afternoon oloh was slaughtered on the north-east side as the sun rises in the east and day sets in. This oloh brings atonement for sins committed by day. (Kli Yokor)

Ch. 28, v. 4: "Es hakevves echod" - The one lamb - In Shmos 29:39 the verse says "es hakevves HOechod," with a definitive Hei before "echod," and not here. We have offered an explanation in an earlier edition from the Gri"z. Another explanation is offered. The mishnoh Tomid says that nine Kohanim processed the morning tomid and an equal number processed the afternoon tomid, for a total of 18 Kohanim. In parshas T'tzaveh, where it discusses the inauguration of the Mishkon, it is a must to first bring a morning tomid and 18 Kohanim will be servicing them. The word "HOechod" has the numerical value of 18. on a regular day, although there should be two daily offerings, if for some reason the morning one was not brought, the afternoon one is still brought, thus not having 18 Kohanim serivicing the one tomid. In turn there is no need to have a letter Hei before the word "echod." (Rabbi Yehudoh Chosid)

Ch. 28, v. 6: "Olas tomid ho'asuyoh b'har Sinai" - A daily oloh that is done at Mount Sinai - What is the connection between the daily oloh offering and the oloh offering sacrificed at Mount Sinai? The oloh offering could have possibly been either an ox or a goat, rather than a sheep. Why indeed was a sheep chosen? In the gemara b'choros 35a Rovo discusses the fact that in the birthing process a goat's ears emerge ahead of its lips, while a sheep's lips appear first. This is relevant to permitting intentional blemishing the animal before it is halachically born to avoid "b'chor" status. These two animals are symbolic of what happened at Mount Sinai. A goat's ears appear first and a sheep's lips appear first. The gemara Shabbos 88a relates that a heretic told Rovo that he is a member of an impulsive, irresponsible people, as they gave priority to their mouths over their ears. They accepted the Torah and its laws before hearing what laws the Torah contains. This is akin to a sheep, whose lips emerge ahead of its ears. This is the connection between the daily sacrifice and Mount Sinai. (Minchas Yitzchok)

Ch. 29, v. 16: "Us'ir echod chatos milvad olas hatomid" - And one goat for a sin offering besides the daily oloh offering - These were present every Yom Tov. Sukos has an additional 182 sacrifices, 70 oxen, 14 rams, and 98 ewes. In his commentary on the Tur O.Ch. #417, the Beis Yoseif cites his brother, Rabbi Yehudoh, who says that the three holidays correspond to the three patriarchs, Avrohom to Pesach, Yitzchok to Shovuos, and Yaakov to Sukos (see Breishis 33:12). Yaakov's name has the numerical value of 182. (Pardes Yoseif)

Ch. 29, v. 35: "Ba'yom hashmini atzerres ti'h'yeh lochem" - On the eighth day a restraint there shall be for you - The gemara Sukoh 47a says that "shmini atzerres is a "regel bifnei atzmo," an individual separate Yom Tov, and not an addition to Sukos. When the Holy Admor of Satmar was aged, he had much difficulty with the circulation in his legs. It came to the point that he hardly walked and in the main was restricted to a wheel chair. He had an outstanding doctor look after him, and the doctor sternly warned him against straining his legs. Indeed, during the summer, when he spent his time in Sharon Springs, New York, he could hardly walk.

When Shmini Atzerres and Simchas Torah came around he danced the hakofos the whole night. In the Satmar shul the crowds that came did not dance. They only stood and watched the Holy Rebbe dance in a circle, all the while holding onto his personal, small sefer Torah. I was personally witness to his dancing for hours on end.

When his doctor was advised before Shmini Atzerres that the Rebbe would dance for hours on end he responded that he had just examined the Rebbe very recently and it was IMPOSSIBLE for him to be on his feet that long. The doctor came to Williamsburgh and entered the shul and watched the Rebbe dance and dance and dance. He exclaimed that this was an unbelievable miracle. The Rebbe was told that his doctor was among the spectators and could not believe what he saw. The Rebbe simply responded that "Shmini Atzerres regel bifnei atzmo hu," on this holiday his leg is a different one. zyovak"Y omein

Ch. 29, v. 35: "Ba'yom hashmini atzerres ti'h'yeh lochem" - On the eighth day a restraint there shall be for you - Rashi says that Hashem added an extra day after Sukos because, "koshoh olai pridas'chem," it is difficult for me your separation. Shouldn't this be expressed as "prido'seinu," OUR separation, One from the other? "Pridas'chem" means your own disunity, among the bnei Yisroel. This distresses Hashem, so He adds another day of Yom Tov, where there is festivity and in turn no dispute. (Holy Admor Rabbi Yisroel of Rizhin)

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See also Oroh V'Simchoh - Meshech Chochmoh on the Weekly Parsha, Chasidic Insights and Chamisha Mi Yodei'a