How Pinchas receives the souls of Nadav and Avihu to fulfill their sacred mission
This study reveals how Pinchas' act of zealousness hides an extraordinary dimension: he literally dies of fear facing 248,000 Simeonites, then resurrects with the souls of Nadav and Avihu who finally fulfill their unfinished priestly mission. The broken vav in "shalom" marks this supernatural origin!
Extraordinary teaching: "Two souls that were wandering without place, approached him and were included in one and his soul returned" - Nadav and Avihu finally find their fulfillment!
Zimri's provocation:
Zimri son of Salu, prince of a paternal house of Simeon, takes Cozbi daughter of Zur and comes to publicly challenge Moses:
"Why is this forbidden to me? How did you take Zipporah the Midianite? How am I different from you?"
Faced with this provocation, Moses falls on his face - the halakha momentarily escapes him. It is then that Pinchas acts.
Mystical analysis of what he "takes":
• Simple level: He takes a physical spear
• Mystical level: He "takes" what he lacks spiritually
• In the Torah: רמח is written רמח (without vav) = 248
• Revelation: He takes exactly the value of Abraham!
Pinchas doesn't just take a weapon - he takes his spiritual transformation AND the souls of Nadav and Avihu!
Pinchas' act instantly stops the divine plague that had already killed 24,000 Israelites. The Sages teach that many miracles occurred:
• The spear passes through both bodies at the right place
• The act is publicly recognized as justified
• The plague stops immediately
• God ratifies the action with a reward
But this reward bears a strange mark linked to a mystical secret...
"At the moment when Pinchas struck upon the holy covenant"
The dramatic sequence:
• Pinchas pierces Zimri and Cozbi with one spear thrust
• The entire tribe of Simeon (248,000 men) surrounds him to lynch him
• "When all threw themselves upon him, his soul flew away"
• Pinchas literally dies of fear!
But then occurs the most extraordinary miracle in the entire Torah...
Exact text from the Zohar:
"Two souls that were wandering without place, approached him and were included in one and his soul returned included, a spirit that was included in two spirits and they strengthened in her and then he gained their place to be a priest."
Who are these two souls? NADAV AND AVIHU!
• They were priests anointed with Aaron
• They died after ONE SECOND of service
• Their souls wandered, seeking fulfillment
• They find their redemption in Pinchas!
Not drunkenness - but excess of divine proximity!
"And after the death of Aaron's two sons in their approach before the Eternal and they died"
Their zeal was pure but misdirected:
• They wanted to approach God immediately
• They had an intense spiritual thirst
• But they wanted to "rush their time"
• They died from excess of divine love!
Proof of their greatness: Moses consoles Aaron saying: "Now I see that Nadav and Avihu are greater than me and than you!"
Revealing comparison:
Same motivation = same spiritual receptacle = same mission fulfilled!
Why this unusual double genealogy?
The Zohar reveals: "ששני בנים היו כלולים בו. האחד זה נדב ואחד זה אביהוא"
"That two sons were included in him. One is Nadav and the other is Avihu."
Hidden message in the Torah:
• First "ben" = Pinchas son of Eleazar
• Second "ben" = Nadav and Avihu sons of Aaron
• All three are united in one sacred mission!
The Torah mystically encodes the reincarnation of souls!
Why exactly the priesthood as reward?
• Nadav and Avihu: Were priests but couldn't serve
• Pinchas: Wasn't a priest but deserves to be
• Divine solution: Fusion of spiritual destinies!
• Result: Perfect mutual fulfillment
The Zohar explains: "This is measure for measure and this is the most appropriate price for what he accomplishes now and continues what Nadav and Avihu had begun."
They finally do their priestly work through Pinchas - the perfect tikoun!
"And the daughters of Zelophehad approached"
Their request: They want to inherit from their father who died without sons in the desert.
Their crucial argument:
"Our father was not among those who banded together against the Eternal in Korah's assembly"
This specification changes everything for Moses...
"And Moses brought their case before the Eternal"
Why doesn't Moses decide himself?
The Sages reveal: When they say "he wasn't with Korah," Moses realizes he cannot judge objectively
The hidden reason:
• By emphasizing "he wasn't with Korah," they're essentially defending Moses
• This creates a feeling of receiving a "gift" or favor from them
• Moses feels this could corrupt his judgment in their favor
• A judge cannot rule when he feels indebted to the plaintiff
• Even the appearance of bias must be avoided!
Moses' humility: recognizing his limits even when he's right!
In Parashat Emor, another case where Moses doesn't judge:
"The son of an Israelite woman blasphemed the Name"
Rashi reveals the secret: This blasphemer was the son of the Egyptian that Moses had killed to defend a Hebrew!
The conflict of interests:
• Moses killed this man's father
• The son blasphemes perhaps due to trauma
• Moses cannot judge him objectively
• He recuses himself and asks God
Even when the law is clear, Moses abstains if his subjectivity might influence!
Revealing comparison:
Two complementary leadership qualities: knowing when to act AND knowing when to abstain!
Moses establishes a fundamental principle:
"אין דן יחיד" - One doesn't judge alone when having personal interest
Modern applications:
• A judge cannot judge his own family
• A decisor abstains if his decision benefits him
• Objectivity takes precedence over authority
• Judicial humility is a virtue
The paradox: The more authority one has, the more one must know how to limit it!
Moses teaches that true strength is recognizing one's weaknesses!
The Torah places this story just before the request for a successor. Why?
Hidden message:
• Moses shows that a leader must know when to step back
• He teaches humility before leaving
• He demonstrates that no one is indispensable
• He prepares the people for different leadership
Lesson for Joshua: Your predecessor himself knew when not to decide - you too will have to learn this wisdom!
Moses' humility prepares the acceptance of Joshua!
Reminder of the Jephthah affair:
• Pinchas (High Priest): "Let the judge come to me!"
• Moses (facing the daughters): "I'll ask God"
The difference:
• Moses knows the Torah better than anyone, but abstains
• Pinchas knows the halakha, but lets pride prevail
• Moses teaches humility by example
• Pinchas (with the souls of Nadav and Avihu) repeats their errors of spiritual pride
Reincarnated souls can transmit their defects with their qualities!
"Behold, I give him My covenant of peace"
But in all authentic Torah scrolls, the vav of the word שלום is intentionally broken - ו קטועה
New mystical understanding revealed:
• This priesthood comes from the reincarnation of "broken" souls
• Nadav and Avihu died prematurely - "broken" souls
• Their fulfillment through Pinchas bears this eternal mark
• The broken vav = divine signature of this supernatural origin
• Even divine repairs keep the trace of their origin
The broken vav reveals the extraordinary origin of this kehuna!
The broken vav now has a profound mystical meaning:
Halakhic dimension: Prevents drawing a dangerous precedent of vigilantism
Mystical dimension revealed: Marks that this priesthood comes from souls that were "broken" by premature death, then "repaired" by reincarnation
Divine message:
• Spiritual repairs always keep the trace of what was broken
• Even the most perfect tikounim carry their history
• Beauty can be born from brokenness, but it keeps the memory
The broken vav says: "This beauty comes from a divine repair!"
In Kabbalah, the vav represents the "pipe" that brings down divine abundance:
• The 10 Sefirot: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge (3 upper)
• The Tetragrammaton: י-ה-ו-ה corresponds to the Sefirot
• The Vav: Represents the 6 emotional Sefirot
• Its function: Channel abundance toward Malkhut (our world)
Broken vav in the context of reincarnation:
The normal spiritual channel is "interrupted" because this priesthood doesn't follow the normal path - it passes through the death and resurrection of souls!
This equality reveals that Pinchas carries Isaac's soul - the one of sacrifice, of the Akedah.
New revelation with reincarnation:
• Pinchas alone: 208 (Isaac level - passive, sacrificed)
• Pinchas + Nadav and Avihu: 248 (Abraham level - active, leading)
• The רמח he "takes": Not only his transformation, but the integration of priestly souls!
• Result: From passive Isaac to leading Abraham, through spiritual fusion
He doesn't just take a spear - he takes two priestly souls and their mission!
Mystical breakdown of רמח:
• רח (Resh + Het) = 200 + 8 = 208 (Pinchas/Isaac)
• מ (Mem) = 40 (what he lacks PLUS the souls)
He doesn't take the entire spear - he takes the mystical מ (Mem)!
And when the vav is broken in שלום, we can read it with a cholam: שלו-מ
• שלו = "his"
• מ = the Mem he took (the 40 points + the souls of Nadav and Avihu)
God says: "The Mem is yours (שלו-מ), as well as the souls you integrated, but this extraordinary acquisition creates a break in the normal order!"
Revealing structure:
• Outer letters: ח-י = חי (life)
• Inner letters: מ-ת = מת (death)
Teaching: Anger brings death closer (to the center) and pushes life away (to the extremities)
Application to Pinchas: Even divine anger carries this danger - that's why souls already dead (Nadav and Avihu) intervene to channel it!
The dead guide the living to transform anger into justice!
Opposite structure in מחצית:
• Outer letters: מ-ת = מת (death)
• Center: צ = צדק (justice)
• Around justice: ח-י = חי (life)
Message: When justice is at the center, surrounded by life, death is pushed to the extremities!
The half-shekel teaches the perfect balance that Pinchas achieves thanks to the souls of Nadav and Avihu!
Normally, a Cohen who kills becomes pasul (disqualified):
• The Cohen must have pure hands
• Spilled blood renders impure for service
• Violence is incompatible with divine service
• Only a divine miracle can resolve this contradiction
Divine solution revealed by reincarnation: It's not Pinchas' hands that kill, but those of Nadav and Avihu through him! They were already dead - they can no longer be rendered impure by blood!
Reincarnation resolves the halakhic impossibility perfectly!
Logically, Pinchas was the natural choice:
• He had acted when Moses hesitated
• He had saved the people from the plague
• He embodied "במקום שאין אנשים השתדל להיות איש"
• He had received divine reward
• He carried the souls of Nadav and Avihu!
But with the revelation of reincarnation: Pinchas carries within him the souls of Nadav and Avihu, who themselves wanted to "rush their time" and approach God too quickly. This same spiritual impatience disqualifies him from leading a people that needs patience and gradual progression.
Rashi explains: "Who knows and understands the spirit of each person"
This quality means:
• Understanding each one's psychology
• Adapting to each individual's character
• Knowing when to be firm and when to be gentle
• Knowing the human soul in its diversity
Pinchas vs Joshua:
• Pinchas: Carries 3 souls (him + Nadav + Avihu) but all with the same spiritual impatience
• Joshua: One soul but understands all others
Pinchas had multiplied zeal - Joshua had unique empathetic wisdom!
Fundamental hermeneutic principle:
• וידבר (Vayedaber): Hard, firm speech
• ויאמר (Vayomer): Soft, tender speech
When Moses asks for a successor, he uses "vayedaber":
Not out of anger, but urgency! His paradoxical humility pushes him to be demanding: "I'm not leaving here without knowing who replaces me!"
God responds with "vayomer" - gently, understanding his pastoral concern!
Pinchas becomes High Priest after Eleazar. First major test:
Jephthah the Gileadite makes an imprudent vow before war against the Ammonites: "Whatever comes out first from my house, I will offer as sacrifice."
Tragedy: His only daughter comes out first to congratulate him on his victory!
Obvious solution: Annulment of vows (התרת נדרים) - taught in Parashat Matot, right after Pinchas!
The fatal blockage revealed:
• Jephthah: "I just won the war! Let Pinchas come to MY office!"
• Pinchas: "I am the High Priest! Let the judge come to ME!"
Pinchas' pride reflects that of Nadav and Avihu: who wanted to force their proximity with God! Same souls, same defects: impatience and feeling of spiritual superiority.
Result: Each camps on his positions out of inherited pride
Price to pay: Jephthah's innocent daughter dies
Contrast with Moses: During Korah's revolt, Moses goes TO his opponents: "In the morning, he went to them... What's wrong? Let's work it out!"
Pinchas fails the humility test - the souls he carries transmit their defects to him!
Joshua's first war after Jericho: Attack against Ai
• Hopes: "2000-3000 men are enough!"
• Reality: Humiliating defeat, 36 dead
• Divine revelation: Someone took from the anathema at Jericho
• Designated culprit: Achan son of Carmi
How does Joshua address the one who caused 36 deaths?
"And Joshua said to Achan: My son..."
Incredible gentleness:
• "בני" - My son (term of affection)
• "תן כבוד לה'" - Give glory to the Eternal
• "ותן לו תודה" - And confess to Him
• "אל תכחד ממני" - Don't be afraid of me
Message: "I did a lottery drawing, but I don't know if it's accurate. I await a voluntary confession from you, without pressure, without violence."
Here's "the man in whom there is spirit" - who understands the human soul without carrying wounds from the past!
Result of Joshua's gentleness:
"And Achan answered Joshua and said: Truly, I have sinned..."
Total voluntary confession! Then firm justice:
• Achan is stoned according to law
• His family is executed (collective responsibility)
• All his possessions are destroyed
• The anathema is eliminated
"When he needs to be firm, he knows how to be firm. When he needs to be gentle, he knows how to be gentle. He's a leader free from the past!"
Carrying souls from the past can be wealth OR burden!
Teaching of the manuscript reinterpreted:
"In us there is much of Pinchas and a little of Joshua. We must have much of Joshua and a little of Pinchas."
New enriched understanding:
• Pinchas in us: Zeal, souls of the past demanding justice, immediate action
• Moses in us: Humility, recognition of our limits, wisdom to abstain
• Joshua in us: Present empathetic wisdom, freedom of the moment, adaptability
• Balance: Knowing when to act (Pinchas), when to abstain (Moses), and when to lead with empathy (Joshua)
True leadership integrates Pinchas' action, Moses' humility, and Joshua's wisdom!
Final revelation:
• Pinchas alone (208) + Souls of Nadav and Avihu = Abraham (248)
• The רמח (248) = Transformation from Isaac to Abraham + integration of souls
• שלו-מ = "The Mem is yours" with all its spiritual charge
• Broken vav = Eternal signature of this supernatural origin
Divine message: "You took what you lacked to be Cohen, plus the souls seeking their fulfillment, but this acquisition by reincarnation creates an eternal particularity."
Even the highest spiritual achievements by reincarnation carry their specificities!
The lessons of Parashat Pinchas resonate today:
• In education: Knowing when to be firm (Pinchas), when to step back (Moses), when to be empathetic (Joshua)
• In leadership: Integrating courage of action, judicial humility, and relational wisdom
• In justice: Knowing one's limits and recusing when necessary
• In spirituality: Fulfilling ancestral missions with present humility
• In family: Transmitting values without transmitting traumas
Moses' humility teaches us that even the greatest leaders must recognize their limits!
The broken vav now reveals its complete meaning:
• Divine signature of reincarnation of souls "broken" by premature death
• Mark that this kehuna comes from an extraordinary and supernatural source
• Reminder that even spiritual achievements by reincarnation have their particularities
• Teaching that perfection can come from the integration of our ancestral "brokenness"
Universal message: Our defects and past failures, even those of our spiritual predecessors, can become, by divine grace, the sources of our greatest future realizations.
The broken vav celebrates the beauty of collective redemption of souls!
May the merit of this study on Pinchas, Nadav, Avihu and Joshua help us develop spiritual discernment:
Knowing when to welcome the unfinished missions of the past
Knowing when to act with sanctified inherited zeal
Knowing when to lead with present empathetic wisdom
And always remember that we carry within us souls that aspire to their fulfillment
Understanding that our "brokenness" can become our greatest strengths
"בעזרת השם לקרב את הגאולה שתבוא במהרה בימינו אמן"
With Hashem's help, to bring closer the Redemption that will come speedily in our days, Amen!
May all souls find their tikoun and true peace!
May the unfinished missions of the past find their fulfillment in the present!
🌟 Sources of this Mystical Revelation:
Manuscript "Pinhas Opus" • Zohar on Parashat Pinchas • Rashi • Talmud • Kabbalah • Arizal
The mystical gematria and reincarnation of souls revealed
"ששתי נשמות שהיו מעורפלות בלי מקום, קרבו אליה ונכללו באחת וחזרה נשמתו כלולה"
"Two souls that were wandering without place, approached him and were included in one"
"והיתה לו ולזרעו אחריו ברית כהונת עולם תחת אשר קנא לאלהיו"
"And it shall be for him and his descendants after him a covenant of eternal priesthood, because he was zealous for his God"
The broken vav in שלום teaches us that even the most perfect divine repairs keep the memory of their origin.
Pinchas receives an eternal priesthood not despite the brokenness, but because of his ability to integrate and repair the broken souls of Nadav and Avihu.
This is the most beautiful lesson of our time: our wounds, well integrated, can become our greatest spiritual strengths.