Generations & Connections

Rabbi Maury Grebenau

There is an interesting commonality among the heroes of our parsha. Our parsha opens
with Pinchas and his jealousness for Hashem. Later we are introduced to Tzafchad’s daughters
who show a beautiful yearning for a portion in the land of Israel. In both cases we are told more
than just the name of their father. In Pinchas’ case we are told that in addition to being the son of
Elazar, he is also the grandson of Aharon. Pinchas is never mentioned without tracing him back
to Aharon. Even more noteworthy are the righteous daughter of Tzlafchad who are traced all the
way back to Yosef (six generations)! What message is the Torah trying to impart with this
extended genealogy?

The R’ Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (Meshech Chochma) picks up on this theme and gives the
following insight. He explains that Pinchas’ action was really two-fold. On one hand he was
defending Hashem’s honor, but he was also saving the Jewish people and putting himself at risk
in the process. R’ Meir Simcha tells us that each of these qualities was found previously in
Pinchas’ ancestors. He quotes a Yerushalmi (beginning of Yoma) that when Aharon died and the
clouds of glory left, a group of Jews had a lack of faith in Hashem’s protection and wanted to
turn back to Egypt. Elazar led a group of Leviim who stood up against these Jews when it was
warranted for the purpose of Hashem’s honor. As for Aharon, R’ Meir Simcha points to the
episode of the golden calf. Aharon was willing to put himself in the position of creating an idol
in order to slow down those who wished to worship it. He jeopardized his own safety to try and
save others. So too Pinchas by choosing to attack Zimri put his own life at risk in order to save
the Jews from the plague which was raging through their ranks.

The Midrash (Sifrei Pinchas 133) has similar comments in regards to the daughters of
Tzlafchad. The Midrash tells us that the pasuk seeks to connect them to Yosef who also showed
a love for the land. It was Yosef who insisted that his bones be carried out of Egypt with the
Jews in order to be buried in Israel. The Midrash further says that any time genealogy is
mentioned and the actions of the character are praiseworthy, we can infer that the previous
generations mentioned were also Tzaddikim. If the event mentioned is negative then we can infer
that the previous generations mentioned were wicked.

The Midrash seems to be making the point that our actions are not in a vacuum. Much of
our good character comes from our family and the values which have been instilled by previous
leaders. The actions of Pinchas and the daughters of Tzlafchad were fantastic and noteworthy.
By tracing their lineage back, the Torah encourages us to see their actions as more than just
bright points in their lives. Their leadership was an almost organic growth out of the fantastic
families from which they came. This does not diminish their accomplishments, but rather gives
them even more meaning. The same is true of us, when we view our goals and abilities though
the prism of our forbearers, we amplify our accomplishments and connect ourselves with the
entity of Klal Yisroel.
 When we are able to harness the positive qualities which have already been exemplified
in previous generations we continue our great legacy. We are a tribute not only to ourselves but
also to those who have come before us. As the Midrash (Sifrei Zutah Ch. 27) says regarding the
daughter of Tzafchad, “all proper individuals who stand up from among their tribe, it is a praise
to the entire tribe, how much more so to their family, how much more so to the house of their
father, how much more so to their house, how much more so to themselves.”