Parshas Pinchos 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Jul 16
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 24
לכן אמר הנני נתן לו את בריתי שלום ... (כה-יב)
The Tur in Yoreh Deah (רס"ה) quotes a Medrash that Klal Yisroel has the custom to place a chair for Eliyahu Hanavi next to the sandek at a bris. The question is why?
Chazal tell us that Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon Hakohen is Eliyahu Hanavi. The reason for this is based on a posuk in Melachim, "קנא קנאתי לה' ... כי עזבו בריתך בני ישראל" (מלכים א' יט,י). Therefore, פנחס/אליהו is present at every bris.
The Prisha explains in one pshat that Hashem is telling Pinchas that although the Yidden were lax, to a degree, in the area of kedusha during the מעשה זמרי, they will be correcting that brief lapse by zealously performing the mitzvah of ברית מילה, preserving the kedusha of Klal Yisroel, with alacrity.
The Sefer Igra D’Pirka quotes from R’ Shlomo Karliner zt”l who cites a Medrash in which פנחס/אליהו tells Hashem, “Since I am a קנאי, if the baal bris has aveiros, I won’t be able to tolerate sitting there.
Hashem responded, “In your zechus he’ll have a kapara and all his sins will be erased.”
He persisted: “What if the other participants are sinners too?”
Hashem responded, “They too will be forgiven.” What an unbelievable zechus that we merit when attending a bris!
The Bnei Yissaschar says that L’fi Zeh, the posuk reads beautifully. "תחת אשר קנא לאלקיו" - Since he has the מדת קנאות, therefore "ויכפר על בני ישראל" - he, Eliyahu/Pinchas, will cause the atonement for the Yidden. Thus, says the posuk, "הנני נתן לו בריתי שלום". Through his presence at the bris, sholom, peace and shleimus will reign.
May we be zocheh to see Eliyahu not just by brisim but as he heralds in the coming of Moshiach.