[Avodah] Cohen with blood on his hands

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Jul 17, 2008 at 08:39:33AM -0700, Liron Kopinsky wrote:
: I read recently that Pinchas needed the bracha of getting the Kehuna back
: because it is assur for a Kohen Gadol to have spilt blood. Is this true for
: all Kohanim or just the Kohen Gadol?

There are a umber of different shitos.

The Birkei Yoseif deduces that a kohein is allowed serve. The gemara in
Qiddushin says he can marry an eishes yefas to'ar, which would be
impossible if he didn't serve. Sheivet Levi can't be drafted, thus their
census doesn't depend on army age, but a kohein or levi may inlist.

However, I never enountered this definition of berisi shalom before.

The Gemara (Zevachim 101b), quoted by Rashi, says the beris was kehunah
itself. Pinechas was born before Elazar was annointed kohein. Therefore,
when his father was made a kohein, he remained a levi. Until this beris.

The Baalei haTosafos, the IE, the Abarbanel and the Chizquni (shitah 1)
say the beris is protection from revenge.

The Neziv says the beris protected Pinechas from the possible damage to
his character from having excercised violence.

Targum Yonasan says the beris is about Pinechas / Eliyahu being the one
sent to announce the ultimate shalom.

The Seforno anf the Malbim also tie it to Eliyahu -- the beris shalom
is long life. Or perhaps Pinchas's appearing in Shofetim 20:28, by
the story of pilegesh begiv'ah, is enough to prove multi-centennial
lifespan. Without adding Eliyahu's lifespan.


Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             A person lives with himself for seventy years,
micha at aishdas.org        and after it is all over, he still does not
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Fax: (270) 514-1507                            - Rav Yisrael Salanter