4 replies to this topic

[Morgenstern]

L'kovod Rabbi Yakok Shapiro shlita,

Can some light about how we explain how Pinchas lived for 12 generations and is Eliyahu Hanavi?
I remember reading the Rambam's intro to Avot and it lists Pinchas and Eliyahu Hanavi separately in the chains of Mesorah.  

[Rabbi Shapiro]

Either Pinchas actually lived 12 generations, as is implied in the Zmiros  איש שנים עשר דורות ראו עיניו, or it means, as often it does when Chazal say such things, that Eliyahu was the Gilgul, or Shoresh Haneshamah, of Pinchas (see Megaleh Amukos Vayigash, Radvaz Teshuvos 6:2:2203, and others) brings both options.

 

As to the Rambam, it's not such a terrible problem, since in context the Rambam is talking about giving over the chain of the Mesorah and it is very likely that Pinchas/Eliyahu was the Mesorah-giver twice: Once to the generaiton where he was Pinchas and the other time to the generation where he was Pinchas. Those were two different generations in which he served as the once of the main givers of the Mesorah and so he is listed twice.

 

But more likely, it's simply because even when we say Pinchas and Eliyahu were the same person, he still had two different Neshomos, which is why he had 2 different names (Leshem 1:5:7). So you can call them the same person or you can say they were not the same - depending on what exactly you mean.

[Morgenstern]

Thank you Rabbi Shapiro!

 

[shaya]

i saw in the divrei yoel (i think in name of zohar) that BOTH neshomos of nodov and avuhu went into pinchos when he killed zimri, interesting that a person can have several neshomos...

[Morgenstern]

i saw in the divrei yoel (i think in name of zohar) that BOTH neshomos of nodov and avuhu went into pinchos when he killed zimri, interesting that a person can have several neshomos...

Which is why Eliyahu Ha'Navi is able to serve as a witness.