וטעם צו את בני ישראל ואמרת אליהם את קרבני לחמי כי אחרי שאמר לאלה תחלק הארץ צוה להשלים תורת הקרבנות שיעשו כן בארץ כי במדבר לא הקריבו המוספים כמו שהזכרתי בסדר אמור אל הכהנים (ויקרא כג ב) וכן לא נתחייבו בנסכים במדבר כמו שפירשתי בסדר שלח לך (רמב"ן על במדבר ט״ו:ב׳) ועכשיו חייב באי הארץ לעשות שם הכל התמידין והמוספין ומנחתם ונסכיהם ואע"פ שלא פירש כאן כי תבאו אל הארץ כבר הזכירו בפרשת הנסכים (שם) ורמז אליו בפרשה הראשונה במועדות (ויקרא כג י) והחל כאן מן התמיד ואע"פ שנזכר בפרשת ואתה תצוה (שמות כט לח) החזירו להיות הכל סדור בפרשה אחת ורש"י כתב (רש"י על במדבר כ״ח:ד׳) היא היתה אזהרה לימי המלואים וכאן צוה לדורות ואינו נכון כי שם אמר עולת תמיד לדורותיכם ועל פי המדרש שנתחדש כאן דברים רבים את קרבני זה הדם לחמי אלו אמורין לאשי אלו קמצין ולבונה ריח ניחוחי אלו בזיכי לחם הפנים תשמרו שלא יביא אלא מן השמור תשמרו שלא יביא אלא מתרומת הלשכה תשמרו שיהו כהנים ולוים וישראל עומדין על גביו תשמרו נאמר כאן שמירה ונאמר להלן שמירה מה להלן מבקרו ארבעה ימים קודם שחיטתו אף כאן וכו' וכל המדרש כדאיתא בספרי ועל דרך האמת ירמוז להם עוד ויאמר את קרבני לחמי לאשי של אשי תשמרו ותזהרו שתקריבוהו לי לשמי במועדו ואמרת להם עוד זה האשה אשר תקריבו לה' שיהיה הקרבן מתקרב אין במוספי השבת חטאת כשאר כל המוספין מפני שכנסת ישראל בת זוגו והכל שלום והמשכיל יבין וכן הזכיר (במדבר כ״ח:ט״ז) ובחדש הראשון בארבעה עשר יום לחדש פסח לה' שיעשו קרבן הפסח להזהיר עליו עם שאר קרבנות חג המצות וקצר בו להזכיר שמו בלבד שכבר ביאר את דינו ככל חקותיו וככל משפטיו:
COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE-OFFERINGS. The reason [for stating this command here] is that after He had said, Unto these the Land shall be divided, He completed the commands relating to the laws of the offerings which they are to observe in the Land, since they did not bring any Additional Offerings [of Sabbaths and festivals] in the desert, as I have mentioned in Seder Emor El Hakohanim. Likewise they were not obliged to bring drink-offerings in the wilderness, as I have explained in Seder Shelach Lecha. But now He charged those who were to come into the Land with the duty of bringing all [these offerings] there — the Daily Whole-offerings, the Additional Offerings, and their meal-offerings and their drink-offerings. And although He did not say expressly here: “when you come into the Land,” He has already mentioned it in the section of drink-offerings, and He hinted at it in the first section dealing with the festivals. Now He started here with the [laws of the] Daily Whole-offering, [for] although it has already been mentioned in the section of V’atah Tetzaveh, He repeated it in order that it should all be arranged in one section. And Rashi wrote [in Verse 4]; “That one [i.e., the section in V’atah Tetzaveh] was an instruction [only] for the days of the installation [of the priests], and here He [repeated it] as a commandment for [all future] generations.” But this is not correct, since there it says, It shall be a continual burnt-offering ‘throughout your generations.’
And according to the interpretation [of the Rabbis] many new teachings are added here [in this repetition of the section of V’atah Tetzaveh; namely]: “My offering — this is the blood. My bread — this refers to [those parts of the offering] that are to be burnt on the altar. My fire offerings — these are the handfuls [of flour] and the frankincense [of the meal-offering]. For a pleasing odor unto Me — these are the [two] bowls [of frankincense that were brought as a memorial] with the showbread. Ye shall observe — that it should only be brought from [animals which have been] kept [for a number of days, and examined so that no blemish occurs to them]. Ye shall observe — that one may only bring [the offering] from that [money] which was donated to the treasury [of the Sanctuary]. Ye shall observe — that priests, Levites and Israelites should stand over it. Ye shall observe — Scripture uses here the term shmirah [‘keeping,’ or ‘observing’], and elsewhere it [also] uses the term shmirah; just as there the offering requires observation [so that no blemish should be found in it] for [a period of] four days before it is slaughtered, so here too etc.” [See] the whole interpretation, as it is stated in the Sifre.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the verse also hints to the following: It states My offering, My bread ‘l’ishai’ — of ‘ishai’ (My Divine powers) — ye shall keep and be careful to offer unto Me to My Name, in its due season. And thou shalt say unto them further, This is the fire-offering which ye shall offer unto the Eternal, “so that the offering should bring about [the desired unity and harmony on high].” Now there is no sin-offering amongst the Additional Offerings of the Sabbath, as there is in all the other Additional Offerings [i.e., those brought on the New Moon and the festivals], because the congregation of Israel is its partner [that of the Sabbath], and all is [therefore] peace [and harmony]. The student [learned in the teachings of the Cabala] will understand. Similarly He mentioned [here for the purpose of arranging all offerings in one section] And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the Eternal’s Passover, meaning that they should offer the Paschal-offering, in order to command them about it together with the other [additional] offerings of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. And He dealt with it [the Paschal-offering] briefly, referring to it only by its name, since He had already explained [all] its laws, according to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof.
And according to the interpretation [of the Rabbis] many new teachings are added here [in this repetition of the section of V’atah Tetzaveh; namely]: “My offering — this is the blood. My bread — this refers to [those parts of the offering] that are to be burnt on the altar. My fire offerings — these are the handfuls [of flour] and the frankincense [of the meal-offering]. For a pleasing odor unto Me — these are the [two] bowls [of frankincense that were brought as a memorial] with the showbread. Ye shall observe — that it should only be brought from [animals which have been] kept [for a number of days, and examined so that no blemish occurs to them]. Ye shall observe — that one may only bring [the offering] from that [money] which was donated to the treasury [of the Sanctuary]. Ye shall observe — that priests, Levites and Israelites should stand over it. Ye shall observe — Scripture uses here the term shmirah [‘keeping,’ or ‘observing’], and elsewhere it [also] uses the term shmirah; just as there the offering requires observation [so that no blemish should be found in it] for [a period of] four days before it is slaughtered, so here too etc.” [See] the whole interpretation, as it is stated in the Sifre.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the verse also hints to the following: It states My offering, My bread ‘l’ishai’ — of ‘ishai’ (My Divine powers) — ye shall keep and be careful to offer unto Me to My Name, in its due season. And thou shalt say unto them further, This is the fire-offering which ye shall offer unto the Eternal, “so that the offering should bring about [the desired unity and harmony on high].” Now there is no sin-offering amongst the Additional Offerings of the Sabbath, as there is in all the other Additional Offerings [i.e., those brought on the New Moon and the festivals], because the congregation of Israel is its partner [that of the Sabbath], and all is [therefore] peace [and harmony]. The student [learned in the teachings of the Cabala] will understand. Similarly He mentioned [here for the purpose of arranging all offerings in one section] And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the Eternal’s Passover, meaning that they should offer the Paschal-offering, in order to command them about it together with the other [additional] offerings of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. And He dealt with it [the Paschal-offering] briefly, referring to it only by its name, since He had already explained [all] its laws, according to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof.
צו את בני ישראל וגו'. צריך לדעת למה סידר פרשת הקרבנות במקום זה אחר מינוי יהושע ולא במקום שצוה על הקרבנות בפרשת אמור, שהרי מצוה זו מוכרח אתה לומר שנהגה משהוקם המשכן ויהושע נסמך בשנת הארבעים.
צו את בני ישראל, "command the children of Israel, etc." Why did the Torah choose to record this paragraph of offerings in this of all places, i.e. after the appointment of Joshua instead of in Parshat Emor where all the other sacrifices offered on the festivals are recorded? After all, it is quite clear that the offerings listed here had been part of the regular schedule of sacrifices ever since the Tabernacle had been inaugurated over 38 years earlier whereas Joshua had been appointed only in the 40th year?
ואולי שבא לומר שאם ירצה יהושע להקריב תמידין ומוספין משלו שאינו רשאי הגם שדין ציבור יש לו כדמוכח מכמה מקומות, לזה סדר מצוה זו אחר מינוי יהושע וצוה בה שתהיה משל ציבור כאומרו צו את בני ישראל וגו' לומר שאין התמידים באים אלא משל ציבור, ולזה כפל לומר ואמרת אליהם לעיכוב, ודקדק גם כן באומרו אליהם ולא אמר להם, לפי מה שפירשתי בפרשת וירא אליו כי ירצה מיעוט זולתו כמו כן במה שלפנינו העיר אותנו שכוונתו למעט, שוב ראיתי לרז''ל (ילקוט) שאמרו וזה לשונם לפי שהיו ישראל אומרים לשעבר היו המסעות נוהגים והתמידין נוהגים פסקו המסעות פסקו התמידין אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה אמור להם שיהיו נוהגין תמידין עד כאן לשונם, וע' פנים לתורה:
Perhaps the reason is that he Torah wanted to inform us that in the event that Joshua would want to offer daily burnt-offerings or the additional offerings on the festivals on his own, i.e. from his own funds, he would not be allowed to do so although he personally represented the community as the Talmud demonstrates in several instances. The Torah therefore recorded this legislation here to make certain that these offerings will be perceived as communal offerings paid for by the contributions of the whole community to the fund set up for this. This is the meaning of "command the children of Israel!" The Torah repeats this command by writing ואמרת אליהם, "and say to them," to point out that unless this detail is complied with the sacrifice is invalid. The Torah wrote אליהם instead of the customary להם in accordance with what I have explained on וירא אליו (Genesis 18,1) that when the word אליו or אלהם is used it suggests that the people so addressed should subordinate their own ego. [I suppose the exegetical aspect is that the letters אל also mean "don't." Ed.] I have seen a comment in the Yalkut Shimoni on our verse that the Israelites had assumed that the daily communal sacrifices were part of their wanderings in the desert and that as soon as they would be settled in the Holy Land this practice would be discontinued. G'd therefore recorded this legislation here to show that these sacrifices would be continued also after the conquest of the land of Canaan under Joshua.
את קרבני לחמי לאשי. נסמכה פרשת קרבנות לכאן לפי שכבר נצטוה משה שיזהיר את ישראל על הקרבנות שהם חייבין לעשות. ועכשו כשראה שלא יכנס עמהם לארץ הודיעם ענין הקרבנות, והתחיל בקרבן עולת התמיד אע"פ שכבר הזכירו בסדר ואתה תצוה ושם היתה אזהרה לימי המלואים.
. את קרבני לחמי, “My offering, My food for My fires;” the chapter dealing with the mandatory public sacrifices offered at regular intervals has been introduced here since Moses had already been warned regarding the offerings that the Israelites are to present; now that Moses saw that he was not going to enter the Holy Land together with the people he informed them of all these details (which were not applicable as yet). He commenced with the daily burnt-offering although the details of this offering had already been listed in Exodus 29, 38-41. At that time the reason was to inform us of what sacrifices were being presented during the seven days of inaugural celebrations of the Tabernacle. (compare Rashi). Nachmanides questions this as the Torah had used the expression “for all your generations” already at that point.
Shanen Bloom Werber
Parshat Pinchas is all about status – defining status, declaring status, changing status. What a great parsha for a young person changing status in Jewish law from child to adult member of Bnei Yisrael. Parshat Pinchas was our brother, Michael Bloom z”l’s “bar mitzvah parsha”.
Reading through the parsha, it seems there are many disconnected stories, a census, genealogies, leadership issues, and a list of chagim with the pertinent korbanot/sacrifices listed – all sorts of things thrown together here. What unites all these issues is “status”. And “change of status”.
The parsha concludes with its well-known listing of Shabat, Rosh Chodesh-new month, and holiday-chagim korbanot (sacrifices). The Shabat and chagim dates are elevated to “מקראי קודש” status – days of declared holiness! Each holy day is defined minimally; the emphasis in parshat Pinchas is on the sacrifices for that day. These sections serve as the maftir special reading for each new month and holiday.
Parshat Pinchas is all about status – defining status, declaring status, changing status. What a great parsha for a young person changing status in Jewish law from child to adult member of Bnei Yisrael. Parshat Pinchas was our brother, Michael Bloom z”l’s “bar mitzvah parsha”.
Reading through the parsha, it seems there are many disconnected stories, a census, genealogies, leadership issues, and a list of chagim with the pertinent korbanot/sacrifices listed – all sorts of things thrown together here. What unites all these issues is “status”. And “change of status”.
The parsha concludes with its well-known listing of Shabat, Rosh Chodesh-new month, and holiday-chagim korbanot (sacrifices). The Shabat and chagim dates are elevated to “מקראי קודש” status – days of declared holiness! Each holy day is defined minimally; the emphasis in parshat Pinchas is on the sacrifices for that day. These sections serve as the maftir special reading for each new month and holiday.
Rabbi Johnny Solomon
Parshat Pinchas contains a number of stories which seemingly have little in common. We read about Pinchas who killed Zimri & Kozbi, we are told of the census of the Jewish people and the distribution of Eretz Yisrael, we hear about the claim of the daughters of Tzelofchad and we read about the appointment of Yehoshua as Moshe’s successor. However, embedded in all of these stories is a simple lesson that ‘what we do with our lives determines our worth far more than which family we happen to come from’ (see below).
To start with, we read about Pinchas whose actions lead God to reward him with eternal Kehuna. Yet, as is explicit from the verses, Pinchas is already a Kohen. Nonetheless, as many commentaries take pains to point out, what we learn from this story is that Pinchas attained his individual status as a kohen not from where he came from but by what he did.
In a similar vein we are told that Tzelofchad died due to his own sin, which may have led some to believe that his daughters should not be given a share in the land. However, it is from the efforts of these righteous women that we again learn that it is what we do with our lives which determine our worth far more than which family we happen to come from.
Finally, we are told that when the time came for Moshe to consider his successor, he hoped that his sons may be able to take over his mantle. Yet, as is evident from the appointment of Yehoshua, this was not to be the case. Here too we see the lesson that ‘what we do with our lives determines our worth far more than which family we happen to come from’.
Parshat Pinchas contains a number of stories which seemingly have little in common. We read about Pinchas who killed Zimri & Kozbi, we are told of the census of the Jewish people and the distribution of Eretz Yisrael, we hear about the claim of the daughters of Tzelofchad and we read about the appointment of Yehoshua as Moshe’s successor. However, embedded in all of these stories is a simple lesson that ‘what we do with our lives determines our worth far more than which family we happen to come from’ (see below).
To start with, we read about Pinchas whose actions lead God to reward him with eternal Kehuna. Yet, as is explicit from the verses, Pinchas is already a Kohen. Nonetheless, as many commentaries take pains to point out, what we learn from this story is that Pinchas attained his individual status as a kohen not from where he came from but by what he did.
In a similar vein we are told that Tzelofchad died due to his own sin, which may have led some to believe that his daughters should not be given a share in the land. However, it is from the efforts of these righteous women that we again learn that it is what we do with our lives which determine our worth far more than which family we happen to come from.
Finally, we are told that when the time came for Moshe to consider his successor, he hoped that his sons may be able to take over his mantle. Yet, as is evident from the appointment of Yehoshua, this was not to be the case. Here too we see the lesson that ‘what we do with our lives determines our worth far more than which family we happen to come from’.