Responsibility, Solidarity and Consideration

Pinchas, Corona virus and Bein HaMetzarim

(The three-week period between Shiva Asar B'Tammuz and Tisha B'Av).

The Parasha in the everyday Life - Parashat Pinchas – Bein HaMetzarim - Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald – 5780

The people of Israel cherish the memory of Pinchas who saved them, when he stopped the downfall of the People of Israel in the crisis with the Moabite women:

וְלֹא־כִלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּקִנְאָתִֽי׃

"so that I did not wipe out the Israelite people in My passion. (Bamidbar 25:11). "Was it not for him I would have consumed all of Israel! (Ibn Ezra ibid).

Amid the terrible crisis and loss of leadership, he was the "responsible adult" who "took responsibility" for the situation and the fate of the people of Israel.

וַיָּ֙קָם֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה

"He left the assembly- That is, he stood up and became stronger and came out of the congregation and felt sorry for their trouble, and there he saved his flock..." (Tzror HaMor on Torah Bamidbar 25:7) This involved risking his own life,

ולא עוד אלא שאם פירש זמרי והרגו פנחס נהרג עליו נהפך זמרי והרגו לפנחס אין נהרג עליו שהרי רודף הוא

"Moreover, if Zimri son of Salu (see Bamidbar 25:1–9) had separated himself from the woman and only then Pinchas killed him, Pinchas would have been executed for killing him, because it is permitted for zealots to kill only while the transgressor is engaged in the act of intercourse. Furthermore, if Zimri would have turned and killed Pinchas in self-defense, he would not have been executed for killing him, as Pinchas was a pursuer. One is allowed to kill a pursuer in self-defense, provided that the pursued is not liable to be executed by the court". (Sanhedrin 82a)

The long history of the people of Israel has known fatal and dangerous crises and these have often been determined by individuals who had not been in any official role, but cared enough, were concerned and supportive and took responsibility to resolve these, even when at times they were risking themselves and paying a personal price. Even when they were not at the center of the crisis.

Therefore, as a reward, in our Parasha:

הודיע הקב"ה למשה שישלם שכר טוב לפנחס על קנאתו אשר קנא לאלקיו ועל הצדקה שעשה עם ישראל לכפר עליהם ולא מתו כולם במגפה

"The Holy One, Blessed is He, informed Moshe that He would reward Pinchas well for the act of vengeance he performed for Hashem, and for the kindness he bestowed on Israel to atone for them so they would not all die in the plague".  (Ramban ibid)

Unfortunately, during the destruction of the Second Temple, we did not merit this. These were days of controversy and division within the people, of free hatred and bloody civil war.

In the anarchy that was created, we did not merit someone to take charge, and we did not merit to have solidarity to resolve the controversies. Our enemies watched from the side, to see how we do the job for them:

וכל שרי צבאות הרומאים שמחו על מריבות האחים בקרב שונאיהם כמוצאי שלל רב ורצו למהר ולעלות על העיר, וגם האיצו באספסינוס, בחשבם כי יצליח כל חפצו בידו הפעם, ודברו אליו, כי עתה האלהים נלחם להם, בסכסכו את אויביהם איש באחיו... ולדברים האלה ענה אותם אספסינוס: ... הן אם תמהרו לעלות על העיר מיד, תקימו בידיכם ברית־שלום בין שונאינו, ובעֹצם ימינם ישתערו עלינו. ואם תתנו להם אַרְכּה, ימעט אחרי־כן מספר שונאינו, כי תאכל אותם אש המריבה. כי האלהים מיטיב לערוך את המלחמה ממני, והוא יסגיר את היהודים בידי הרומאים חנם ויתן את הנצחון לצבאותינו בלי עמל וסכנה. ובעוד האויבים הולכים וכלים איש בידי רעהו, כי קמה עליהם קללה נוראה, מלחמת־אחים, טוב לנו להתבונן אליהם מרחוק ולשבת במנוחה, מאשר להתערב בריב אנשים הולכים למות, הנלחמים ביניהם ברוח שגעון. (תולדות מלחמות היהודים ספר רביעי).

And now all the rest of the commanders of the Romans deemed this sedition among their enemies to be of great advantage to them, and were very earnest to march to the city, and they urged Vespasian, as their lord and general in all cases, to make haste, and said to him, that "the providence of G-d is on our side, by setting our enemies at variance against one another; that still the change in such cases may be sudden, and the Jews may quickly be at one again, either because they may be tired out with their civil miseries, or repent them of such doings." But Vespasian replied, that they were greatly mistaken in what they thought fit to be done, as those that, upon the theater, love to make a show of their hands, and of their weapons, but do it at their own hazard, without considering, what was for their advantage, and for their security; for that if they now go and attack the city immediately, they shall but occasion their enemies to unite together, and shall convert their force, now it is in its height, against themselves. But if they stay a while, they shall have fewer enemies, because they will be consumed in this sedition: that G-d acts as a general of the Romans better than he can do, and is giving the Jews up to them without any pains of their own, and granting their army a victory without any danger; that therefore it is their best way, while their enemies are destroying each other with their own hands, and falling into the greatest of misfortunes, which is that of sedition, to sit still as spectators of the dangers they run into, rather than to fight hand to hand with men that love murdering, and are mad one against another. (The War of the Jews, Book 4:6)

Even those who could potentially prevent the destruction and deterioration of the situation, did not take responsibility, did not lead for a solution and preferred to be in a state of שב ואל תעשה 'sit and refrain from action', (as opposed to קום עשה 'arise and take action'), as expressed in the Sages' description of "Kamtza and Bar Kamtza":

סבור רבנן לקרוביה משום שלום מלכות אמר להו רבי זכריה בן אבקולס יאמרו בעלי מומין קריבין לגבי מזבח סבור למיקטליה דלא ליזיל ולימא אמר להו רבי זכריה יאמרו מטיל מום בקדשים יהרג ...

אמר רבי יוחנן ענוותנותו של רבי זכריה בן אבקולס החריבה את ביתנו ושרפה את היכלנו והגליתנו מארצנו

"The blemish notwithstanding, the Sages thought to sacrifice the animal as an offering due to the imperative to maintain peace with the government. Rabbi Zekharya ben Avkolas said to them: If the priests do that, people will say that blemished animals may be sacrificed as offerings on the altar. The Sages said: If we do not sacrifice it, then we must prevent bar Kamtza from reporting this to the emperor. The Sages thought to kill him so that he would not go and speak against them. Rabbi Zekharya said to them: If you kill him, people will say that one who makes a blemish on sacrificial animals is to be killed. As a result, they did nothing, bar Kamtza’s slander was accepted by the authorities, and consequently the war between the Jews and the Romans began.

Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The excessive humility of Rabbi Zekharya ben Avkolas destroyed our Temple, burned our Sanctuary, and exiled us from our land." (Gittin 56a)

Rabbi Yohanan seeks to etch in our historical memory that the humble inaction of the generation's leader brought about the destruction.

This week, in parallel with the higher incidence of the Corona virus, we entered the Bein HaMetzarim. A time for introspection; the obligation to draw conclusions from past failures, for a better present and future:

יֵשׁ שָׁם יָמִים שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְעַנִּים בָּהֶם מִפְּנֵי הַצָּרוֹת שֶׁאֵרְעוּ בָּהֶן כְּדֵי לְעוֹרֵר הַלְּבָבוֹת לִפְתֹּחַ דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה וְיִהְיֶה זֶה זִכָּרוֹן לְמַעֲשֵׂינוּ הָרָעִים וּמַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁהָיָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂינוּ עַתָּה עַד שֶׁגָּרַם לָהֶם וְלָנוּ אוֹתָן הַצָּרוֹת. שֶׁבְּזִכְרוֹן דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ נָשׁוּב לְהֵיטִיב שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כו, מ) "וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת עֲוֹנָם וְאֶת עֲוֹן אֲבֹתָם" וְגוֹ':

"There are days that all the people of Israel observe as fasts on account of the tragic events which occurred on them, the purpose being to appeal to the hearts and to lay open the paths of repentance. This serves as a reminder of our evil doings, and the deeds of our fathers which were like ours now, resulting in the afflictions endured by them and by us. By remembering these things, we are likely to repent and do right, as it is written: "They shall confess their sins and the sins of their fathers…" (Vayikra 26:40). (Mishneh Torah Rambam Fasts 5:1)

These days, as the Corona epidemic is becoming stronger, we are required to show a special kind of personal responsibility, consideration, and solidarity. The extent of infection does not depend only on the individual but is influenced by the strict adherence to the guidelines and restrictions of the entire environment.

There are populations, especially among the younger crowds, who see themselves as less vulnerable and do not heed the guidelines and restrictions. There is no assurance that these populations are not vulnerable, however, one must be responsible and considerate for the vulnerable populations for whom it is life-threatening.