“and he shall have it, and his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Yisra᾽el.” (Bamidbar 25:13)

The Torah tells us that Pinchas was given the kahuna as a reward for killing Kozbi. The Gemora in Zevachim (101b) tells us not only did he become a Kohen, but also those who would be anointed as Kohanim Gedolim were descendants of Pinchas. Was that by chance, or was that also part of his reward?

The idea that the actions of a parent can affect future generations is probably most well-known through the story of the family of Eli Hakohen.  Eli was cursed that all his descendants would die early – as early as age 18. While Abaye and Rava descended from Eli HaKohen, they each had a different merit which enabled them to live to the ages of 40 and 60, respectively. It is easy to understand that sometimes the sin of a parent has to be rectified through the punishment of the children. Based on this, it must be that Pinchas did something through which he and all his future descendants (See Yerushalmi Yuma 5a) merited to becoming Kohanim and even Kohanim Gedolim.

I would like to suggest that just as we know that the children of Avraham inherited certain qualities from him (e.g. chesed), so too a great act of any parent can embed greatness in his children’s genes. This is why the children of Pinchas were befitting to become kohanim gedolim.

Nowadays, when people are faced with challenges, they often just give in to the situation, rather than persevering and doing the “right thing”. Often, this is because they don’t want to leave their comfort zone. Perhaps it is exactly in difficult circumstances such as these that if this person still rises to the occasion, he can modify his own genetic code, enabling him to bequeath this greatness to his offspring.

I would like to reiterate what the Chofetz Chaim (1838-1933) once told Rabbi Schwab (1908-1995), “The reason that I am a kohen and you are not is because when Moshe asked, ‘Whoever is for G-d, gather around me’ (Shemos 32:26) my ancestors came forward and yours did not.”

The Chofetz Chaim then looked at Rav Schwab and said to him, “What do you think? I’m trying to make you feel bad? Chas V’Sholom! But I want to teach you a lesson. Many times in life you will hear a little voice in your head saying, ‘Whoever is for G-d, gather around me.’ There will be circumstances, where you will have to decide in whose camp are you? I want you to know that questions and challenges like that have implications not only for you but for generations and generations after you. Because your grandfather did not answer in the affirmative to ‘Who is for G-d, gather to me’, you are excluded from the Temple Service, even thousands of years later. Because my grandfather said yes, I am a Kohen now and I am going to do the Temple Service.”

I believe that Rabbi Schwab, who repeated this story on many occasions, felt empowered because of this message. This message, which Rav Schwab absorbed, actually made him into one of those great figures who go down in our history. Many of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren feel the obligation to make a difference in society, as well.

The Three Weeks are upon us, and we have all kinds of laws and restrictions.  There are many people who may be thinking to themselves, “Does what I do really make a difference”? The answer is, “Yes, you are making a difference!” Let us all merit, not only to believe in Hashem, but to believe that we have the ability to make a difference – not only in our own lives, but to our future generations as well.