Why does the Torah present Pinchas' Yichus as far back as Aharon?
Rashi: Because the people were taunting him ? 'Have you seen this son of Puti, whose maternal grandfather (Yisro) fattened calves for Avodah-Zarah, and he had the nerve to kill a prince of a tribe 1 in Yisrael!' So the Torah lists his Yichus back to Aharon. 2
Oznayim la'Torah #1: To teach us that, although his father and grandfather were Kohanim, who distanced themseles from weaponry of any kind, 3 in which case it is not from them that he learned how to wield a spear.
Oznayim la'Torah #2: In praise of Pinchas, who displayed the Midah of zealousy, which clashed with the Midah of Oheiv Shalom ve'Rodef Shalom of his grandfarher Aharon.
The man who loved peace. The question arises however, why the people needed proof of Pinchas' Tzidkus, considering all the miracles that he experienced whilst performing his act of zealousy, as recorded at Refer to 25:8:2:1 and note 2.
Oznayim la'Torah: Seeing as a Kohen who kills somoene is disqualified from performing the Avodah.
What ar the implications of "Heishiv es Chamasi"?
Oznayim la'Torah: It implies that the plague - that took twenty-four thousnd lives had aleready begun and Pinchas stopped it in its tracks,
What is the exact meaning of 'Kin'ah' in this context?
Rashi (in Gitin, 7a): 'Kin'ah' is where someone gets het-up in his own Machlokes or in somebody else's.
What are the connotations of "be'Kan'o es Kin'asi"?
Rashi: It means that Pinchas carried out the zealousness that Hashem ought to have carried out.
Rashi (in Bava Metzi'a, 114b): The double Lashon supports the opinion that Pinchas became Eliyahu, by whom the Pasuk 1 also writes "Kano Kineisi".
Oznayim la'Torah #!: It teaches us that Pinchas acted out of zealouness for Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu, and not of Moshe, his father's uncle, whom Zimri had confronted with Chutzpah.
Oznayim la'Torah #2: It is speaking in praise of Pinchas' bravery in doing what he did. Refer to 25:12:5:2. Moreover, he acted with Mesiras Nefesh, in the knowledge that the members of Zimri's family and tribe would come to his aid. 2
In Melachim 1, 19:6.
Why does the Torah insert the (otherwse superfluous) word "be'Socham"?
Oznayim la'Torah: To stress the fact that Pinchas did not act secretly, but in public, in front of the tribe of Shimon and in front of all Yisrael. 1
The Gemara says in Sanhedrin 82) that Pinchas was a Kanai (zealot) the son of a Kanai. Where do we find that his father was a Kanai?
Moshav Zekenim: His ancestor Levi was a Kanai for Dinah in Sh'chem. Similarly, he was a Meishiv Cheimah ben Meishiv Cheimah, just like his grandfather Aharon, who turned away Hashem's anger through the Ketores (17:12-13).
What is the meaning of "Heishiv es Chamasi"?
Divrei Eliyahu: The middle letter of the word Machtzis 1 is 'Tzadi', which is the first letter of Tzedakah. Next to it, before and after, are 'Ches' and 'Yud' (Chai), and far from it are 'Mem' and 'Sav' (Meis). Through Tzedakah, life is near and death is far ? "u'Tzedakah Tatzil mi'Maves" (Mishlei 10:2). Pinchas risked his life ? Shevet Shimon wanted to kill him, and he claimed forcefully with Hashem on behalf of Yisrael. This was a great act of Tzedakah; it is the opposite of Chamasi, in which Meis is close [to the middle], and Chai is far.
Rav Simchah Shor: The entire time that Bil'am wanted to curse, Hashem held back His daily moment of anger (refer to 23:8:2:1). Via Pinchas' act of Kin'as Hashem, His anger returned. 2
Divrei Eliyahu wrote 'Machatzis ha'Shekel', but addresses only the letters of Machatzis. Machatzis ha'Shekel was for Korbanos. It was not Tzedakah! However, it was a Kaparah for Yisrael and saved them [from a plague, which is prone to come through counting Yisrael (Sh'mos 30:12,13) - PF].
"Me'Al Bnei Yisrael" implies that he removed His anger! To teach only this, the Torah would have said "Hesir". Rather, it says "Heshiv", which primarily means 'returned', but can also mean 'turned away.' (PF)
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that because people were taunting him, the Torah attributes his Yichus to Aharon. But Yichus always follows the father?
Riva citing R"M of Kutzi: This is in case one says that [his mother] was a convert from B'nos Puti'el, and a convert is forbidden to a Kohen. If so, he was a Pasul Kohen. Therefore, the Torah traces his Yichus to Aharon [to teach us that he was a Kasher Kohen].
Rashi writes that because people were taunting him aabout his grandfather who fattened calves for idolatry, and he killed a Nasi. Since the Torah permits it, what is the relevance of his Yichus?
If one comits adultery with a Nochris in public, only a zealot acting out of pure Kin'as Hashem may kill him. Otherwise, it is considered murder! The people doubted that the descendant of an idolater would have pure Kin'as Hashem. Therefore the Torah traces his Yichus to Aharon, to show the source of his pure Kin'as Hashem. (Heard from R. Uziel Milevsky.)
