Pinchas Nullifying False Wisdom

בפסוק צרור את המדינים כו' אשר נכלו לכם

Regarding the pasuk, "Harass the Midianites and smite them, for they harassed you through their cunning" (Bamidbar 25:17-18).

The Sfas Emes opens with Hashem's command to harass and strike Midian, because Midian came at Bnei Yisrael with cunning rather than open warfare.

גדול המחטיאו מן ההורגו כו'

"One who causes another to sin is worse than one who kills him," as Chazal teach.

He cites Chazal that leading a person to sin is graver than killing him, framing Midian's spiritual assault as worse than a physical one.

פי' כי הרשעים הללו באין על בנ"י בחכמה כמ"ש רז"ל מנהיגם של אלו במדין נתגדל כו'

The explanation is that these wicked ones came upon Bnei Yisrael with cunning, as Chazal said: their leader was raised in Midian.

Midian's attack was one of clever seduction, hinted by the teaching that Bilam, the leader of this scheme, was raised in Midian.

פי' דכמו שיש מדריגות בקדושה הן בכלל ישראל הן בפרט

The explanation is that, just as there are levels within kedushah, both in Klal Yisrael as a whole and in each individual,

Just as kedushah has graded levels, both across the whole of Klal Yisrael and within each individual Yid,

כך נמצא בסט"א להבדיל וביצה"ר כל כך מינים חלוקים להיות נמצא התנגדות לכל פרט ופרט מראש עד סוף

so too there are found within the sitra achra, l'havdil, and within the yetzer hara, so many distinct varieties, such that there is an opposing force set against every single detail from beginning to end.

so too the side of impurity is structured with many distinct varieties, each one positioned as a counterforce against a specific point of holiness.

לכן נמצא במדין בחי' התנגדות נגד מרע"ה שהוא הדעת וראש לכל בנ"י

Therefore there was found in Midian an aspect of opposition set against Moshe Rabbeinu, who is the daas and the head of all Bnei Yisrael.

Since Moshe Rabbeinu embodies the daas and is the head of all Bnei Yisrael, Midian became the specific counterforce arrayed against him.

כזבי בת נשיא מדין אחותם

"Kozbi the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister" (Bamidbar 25:18).

The verse calls Kozbi the sister of Midian's prince, and this term sister carries a deeper hint.

רמז על החכמה כמ"ש אמור לחכמה אחותי את

This alludes to chochmah, as it is written, "Say to chochmah, 'You are my sister'" (Mishlei 7:4).

The word sister echoes Mishlei, where chochmah is called a sister, so Kozbi represents a counterfeit chochmah.

אך היא חכמה להרע

But hers was a chochmah employed for evil.

Her chochmah, however, was wisdom harnessed in the service of evil rather than truth.

וזהו כזבי הוא כזב י' חכמה בשקר

And this is the meaning of "Kozbi": it is kazav (falsehood) together with the letter yud, which is chochmah cloaked in falsehood.

The very name Kozbi breaks down into kazav (falsehood) plus the letter yud, signaling chochmah dressed up in lies.

וכמו שהחכמה למעלה מהשגתינו וע"י התשוקה יכולין להתדבק בחכמה כמ"ש אמור לחכמה אחותי את

And just as chochmah is above our grasp, and through yearning one is able to cleave to chochmah, as it is written, "Say to chochmah, 'You are my sister,'"

Real chochmah lies beyond us, and we reach it only through yearning and desire, drawing close to it like a beloved sister.

כן ע"י השנאה לחכמת השקר יכולין לדחותה וע"ז נאמר צרור את כו' והכיתם כו'

so too, through hatred for the chochmah of falsehood, one is able to push it away; and concerning this it is said, "Harass them and smite them."

By the same token, the false chochmah is repelled through hatred for it, which is why Hashem commanded to harass and strike Midian.

וד"ל

And the matter is sufficient for one who understands.

The Sfas Emes leaves the deeper point unspoken, trusting the discerning reader to complete it.

ולכן נתוסף לפינחס היוד שבקדושה ע"י שביטל חכמת השקר כנ"ל:

And therefore the yud of kedushah was added to Pinchas, because he nullified the chochmah of falsehood, as explained above.

Because Pinchas nullified this false chochmah, the yud of kedushah, the very letter falsehood had stolen, was added into his name.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains why Hashem commanded Bnei Yisrael to harass and strike Midian: Midian's assault was one of cunning seduction, drawing Bnei Yisrael into sin, which Chazal teach is graver than killing. Just as kedushah is built of graded levels both in Klal Yisrael as a whole and in each individual, the sitra achra is structured as a precise counterforce against every point of holiness; thus Midian arose specifically to oppose Moshe Rabbeinu, who is the daas and head of the nation. Kozbi, called the sister of Midian's prince, alludes to chochmah, for her very name is kazav (falsehood) joined with the yud of chochmah, a wisdom harnessed for evil. As true chochmah is reached through yearning, so the false chochmah must be repelled through hatred, which is the meaning of the command to harass and strike. Because Pinchas nullified this counterfeit wisdom, the stolen yud of kedushah was restored and added into his name.