“It shall be for him and his descendants after him a covenant of eternal kehunah because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for Bnei Yisroel.” (Bamidbar 25:13)

The Sifri says that all the Kohanim Gedolim in the first Temple descended from Pinchas Hakohen. The Daas Shraga points out something amazing: Pinchas was not supposed to be a kohen at all, for he was born before the kehuna was bestowed upon Aharon and his four sons. Only through his selfless act did he gain the status of a kohen. Yet, his descendants became the greatest of Kohanim.

The story is told about Rabbi Shimon Schwab (1908-1995), that when he was on his way to take his position in Carlsberg, Germany, he spent a Shabbos with the Chofetz Chaim in Radin. The Chofetz Chaim asked him, “Why is it that I am a kohen and you are not?” Rav Schwab understood that it was not his place to answer, so he waited until the Chofetz Chaim explained: “After the sin of the Golden Calf, Moshe Rabbeinu called out, ‘Whoever wants to rally in Hashem’s name should come join me!’ My father came, and with that he merited to be a kohen. And your father did not come, and therefore you are not a kohen.” The Chofetz Chaim looked at Rabbi Schwab and said, “There is going to come a time again when there will be rallying call, ‘Who is willing to stand on Hashem’s side?’ Don’t make the mistake that your ancestors made! Rally in the name of Hashem!”

In the annals of history, Rabbi Schwab goes down as a trailblazer. In Baltimore, he fought tooth and nail to keep our holy traditions, to the point that he lost most of the members of his shul. He supported the Breuer’s community and brought to it great prestige, and they are known to this day to be steadfast in their keeping of halacha and hashkafa. His speeches, sermons and lectures are read, quoted, told and retold. Indeed, he kept close to his heart the idea that the Chofetz Chaim taught him, and the selfless actions which he took during his lifetime will enable him to live eternally.

This idea, that anyone can be a kohen, is found in the Rambam. The Rambam writes at the end of the laws of Shmitta and Yovel that not only is the tribe of Levi special, but anyone who is sincere and dedicated to the principles of Torah can, so to speak, gain the status of being a Levi.

This idea, that one’s actions can affect generations to come, can also be true in the negative sense. Klal Yisrael cried on the night of Tisha B’Av and that caused Klal Yisrael to be in a precarious position every Tisha B’Av until Mashiach comes. We all know that as we come close to that day, our mazel is not at its best. As the “Three Weeks” is now upon us, many of us may wonder, “Can I really do something that will change things?” The answer to that question is that every individual can do a massive amount. One never knows whose tears may move Hashem to bring us a redemption. Chazal tell us that the way to rebuild the Holy Temple in Jerusalem is to mourn it properly. Many people say, “I don’t have it in me!” I believe that this statement is true only if one doesn’t prepare himself. We have three weeks’ time to gear ourselves up for Tisha B’Av. There is plenty of material to look at and teach us how to become moved and disturbed over our not having the Beis Hamikdash. Each one of us may have the power that our tears will be the ones that tips the scale to bring Moshiach speedily.