[Avodah] Pinchas

[Cantor Wolberg]

“Pinhas… has turned back Chamasi, my wrath, from the people of Israel.”   (Num.25:11)
Pinhas has proven his unusual power to turn back God’s wrath from Israel through a very courageous, 
difficult and controversial act. The Vilna Gaon brilliantly observes that in the word chamasi (my wrath), 
the two outside letters ches and yud read chai — life — while the inside letters mem and sav read meit — death.  
 
The hidden meaning is that by Pinchos facing squarely what has taken place on the outside, he has miraculously 
turned back the wrath of the Almighty. In doing so, he has removed death (meis) from the inside, replacing it with life (chai).


Why do we pray with a set text? An opinion recorded in the Talmud states that prayers correspond to the daily
sacrifices offered in the Temple which are mentioned in this coming week's portion of Pinchas. (Numbers 28:4) 
It has been argued that this opinion may be the conceptual base for our standardized prayer.  
Since sacrifices had detailed structure, so too do our prayers have a set text.


If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence.
If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel.
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