15 Jul PARASHAT PINHAS: DRAWING ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE “MISSING” HOLIDAY

Parashat Pinhas is
almost always read
on the first Shabbat of
the period known as
“Ben Ha’mesarim,” the
three weeks between
Shiba Asar Be’Tammuz and Tisha B’Ab,
when we mourn the destruction of the Bet
Ha’mikdash. With very rare exceptions,
the first Shabbat after the fast of Shiba Asar
Be’Tammuz is the Shabbat when we read
Parashat Pinhas. We might therefore expect
to find some connection between this Parasha
and the period of mourning for the loss of our
Mikdash and our banishment into exile.
I would like to suggest a possible point of
connection, by way of a concept that emerges
from a halachic discussion in the Gemara
concerning our three daily prayers.
The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (27b)
brings a debate among the Tanna’im regarding
the status of the evening Arbit prayer, whether
it is obligatory or optional.According to Rabbi
Yehoshua, “Tefilat Arbit Reshut” – Arbit is
optional. Whereas the recitation of Shaharit
in the morning and Minha in the afternoon
constitutes an outright Halachic obligation,
one is not required to recite Arbit. Halacha
actually follows this opinion, in principle,
though in practice, the Jewish Nation has

accepted the Arbit prayer as an obligation.
What is the difference between the Arbit
prayer and the other two daily prayers? Why
would Arbit be optional, while the others are
obligatory?
Earlier (26b), the Gemara brings a different
dispute, as to the origin of the daily
prayers. According to one opinion, “Tefilot
Abot Tiknum” – the prayers were instituted
already by our patriarchs. Abraham Abinu
established the morning Shaharit prayer;
Yishak introduced the afternoon Minha
prayer; and Yaakob instituted Arbit. It has
been suggested that these three symbolize
three different sets of circumstances.Abraham
Abinu is associated with morning because
he enjoyed a great deal of blessing and
good fortune. And, like the morning sun, his
success grew brighter with time. As he aged,
he attained greater wealth and earned greater
prestige. Yishak, by contrast, resembled the
afternoon, as he, too, enjoyed great wealth and
prosperity, but then his “light” of good fortune
began declining. As he aged, he endured
adversity at the hands of the Pelishtim, and
lost his vision. His life thus resembles the
waning afternoon sunlight.
Yaakob Abinu instituted the evening Arbit
prayer because his life was, to a large extent,
characterized by “darkness.” He endured

numerous travails, as he was pursued by
his violent brother, and forced to flee and
live with his wily, corrupt uncle. Later, his
daughter was abducted and defiled, and one
of his sons was sent away as a slave by his
other sons. His family then suffered terrible
famine. The Arbit prayer, established by
Yaakob Abinu, represents the prayers recited
during the “night,” in periods of darkness and
hardship.
And precisely for this reason, some have
explained, this prayer is (in principle)
optional. We believe that all periods of
darkness are temporary and fleeting. Halacha
does not, strictly speaking, require reciting the
nighttime prayer because “nighttime” does
not last; whatever adversity we currently face
will soon give way to the light of joy and good
fortune. There cannot be a strict obligation
to recite Arbit because this prayer will not
always be needed; any darkness that we and
the world experience is temporary.
With this in mind, let us return to Parashat
Pinhas.
The latter part of this Parasha is devoted to the
special sacrifices required during the holidays
in the Bet Ha’mikdash. The Torah here goes
through all special occasions – Shabbat, Rosh
Hodesh, Pesach, Shabuot, Rosh Hashanah,
Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Shemini Aseret –

detailing the sacrifices that are to be offered
on each occasion. Of course, the occasion
of Tisha B’Ab does not appear in the Torah,
because this occasion was not supposed to
be established; we were expected to always
be worthy of the Bet Ha’mikdash, such
that it would never be destroyed. Perhaps,
we read this Parasha during the period of
Ben Ha’mesarim to remind ourselves that
although we observe Tisha B’Ab every year,
this observance is temporary. We read this
Parasha specifically so we take note of the fact
that Tisha B’Ab is “missing,” that this day
is not meant to be an annual occasion. This
reading thus assures us that the darkness of
our current exile will soon give way to light,
that the adversity that we and our nation face
will end, and we will experience the joy and
elation of our final redemption, may it arrive
speedily and in our times, Amen.