DVAR TORAH At the end of this week’s parsha, we read the tragic incident of Zimri, the prince of the tribe of Shimon and his act of defiance with a Moabite woman - all in the presence of Moshe and all of the Children of Israel.
And while this act of licentiousness and idolatry is difficult to understand (especially after all that the Jews had experienced in their years in the desert) perhaps even more difficult to understand is Moshe’s response, as he and the other leaders “were weeping before the door of the Tent of Meeting.”
Why didn’t Moshe take action? Why were they so overwhelmed? Or as the midrash asks “Is it possible that Moshe, who stood up to six hundred thousand [Israelites], and ‘took the Calf that they had made,’ should be unable to act!?”
The answer, according to the midrash (and quoted by Rashi) was that all of this happened “so that Pinchas might arise and take that which was fit for him.” Because, until that moment of heroic action, Pinchas had not been appointed a kohen, nor did he serve in a role of formal leadership. But now all of that changed, as we will read next week - as Pinchas is granted the “covenant of eternal priesthood” and the “covenant of peace.”
And yet, the midrash doesn’t stop there. Instead, it continues and criticizes Moshe for his inaction, explaining that this was the cause of his punishment that no one would know the place he was buried.
This final thought led Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein to suggest that as much as this was a test of Pinchas’ leadership, this incident is further proof of Moshe’s inability to lead a new generation. As he wrote, “...here we see the full force of transition from one generation to the next. Moshe’s sense of alienation and distance from the younger generation leads him to feel helpless and unable to respond to the events going around him. Ba’al Pe’or symbolizes the generation gap that has opened up between the veteran leader and the younger generation.” [Moses: Envoy of G-d, Envoy of His People, p.174]
On the 17th of Tammuz five major tragedies befell the Jewish people: 1) Moshe broke the tablets of the Ten Commandments; 2) the Daily Sacrifices (Korban Tamid) were suspended; 3) the Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem - leading up to the destruction of the second Temple; 4) Apostomus (a Roman general) burned the Torah; and 5) an idol was erected in the Temple.
As a result, the 17th day of Tammuz was designated as a fast day, and for Ashkenazim, it is also the beginning of the three-week period of national mourning for the destruction of the Temples. (Interestingly, there is a dispute whether or not the “three weeks” begins the night of the 17th of Tammuz [Tzitz Eliezer 10:27] or in the morning [Iggrot Moshe Orech Chaim vol. 1:168]. However, unless there is a pressing need to be lenient, the general consensus is to consider the night of the 17th as the beginning of the three weeks.)
Some Laws of this Fast Day: The fast begins 72 minutes before sunrise (4:09 am) and continues until the end of the day (8:59 pm). Food and drink may be consumed any time during the night, as long as one has not gone to sleep "for the night".
Although it is permitted to bathe on a fast day, it has become customary not to take a hot shower or bath [Aruch haShulchan 550:3].
The rabbis differ as to whether it is permitted to rinse one's mouth with water on the fast days such as this [Shulchan Aruch, Orech Chayim 567:3]. Some permit rinsing the front part of the mouth and even brushing one's teeth, taking care that no water enters the throat [Aruch haShulchan 567:3], while others allow this only when in distress [Mishna Berurah 567:11].
Medications PRESCRIBED BY A DOCTOR may be taken on this fast day. If one has difficulty swallowing pills without water s/he may drink a small amount of water required to swallow the medicine [Nishmat Avraham, vol. 5, pg. 46 in the name of Rabbi S.Z. Auerbach].
There is a debate among authorities whether pregnant or nursing woman should fast on the 17th of Tammuz (and the other minor fast days). Some maintain that they should, unless they are in significant discomfort [Chayyei Adam 133:6] or feeling weak [Mishna Berurah 550 note 5]. While the Aruch HaShulchan (among others) exempted them from fasting on these days [Aruch HaShulchan 554:8, Halichot Beitah 25 note 3].
If by accident, a healthy person ate some food, the fast should be resumed and completed as normal [Mishna Berurah 549:3].
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MAZAL TOV * to Larry and Sheryl Merzel on the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, Moshe, son of Dr. Benji and Rafi Merzel, Toronto. * to Barry and Elaine Semer on the marriage of their grandson, Eli Semer, to Freida Kuszer (Israel.) * to Allan and Roseanne Arnet on the marriage of their daughter, Adina, to Alex Haris * to Dr. Shmuel and Chana Goldstein on the upcoming marriage of their daughter, Shoshana, to Corey Hamel (Florida). * to Elly and Mandy Bachrach on the birth of a granddaughter. The proud parents are Ari and Avigayil Scher.
REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Esther Meyers who is in rehab at The Pearl in Elk Grove Village.
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