זוהר ויקרא — דף נז ע”ב
Summary
This is why it is written, "Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest," and it is written, "and Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest was priest in those days." "Pinchas son of Eleazar the priest" should have been written! But everywhere that Pinchas appears, "son of Aaron the priest" is written. And "Eleazar" is not written, but "Eleazar the priest," as it is written, "and before Eleazar the priest," "and Eleazar the priest said, etc." Therefore they died the death of their bodies, but the death of their souls they did not die. And we have learned in the secret of the Mishnah, two together — pen chas. And it has been explained, a small yud between the letters of Pinchas, for the yud includes two as one, and this is the secret of the matter.<br />
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Rabbi Elazar asked his father and said to him: behold, they were two and there were two, why were not two found? He answered him: they were two half-bodies, for they had not married, and therefore they were included as one, as it is written, "and she bore him Pinchas; these are the heads, etc."<br />
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And the yud of Pinchas was not given to join the letters except at the moment when he was zealous for the Holy One, blessed be He, and came to straighten what was crooked, seeing that Zimri had brought this sign of the holy covenant into another domain; and by what had been bent at first, it was straightened here. Through a foreign woman they were bent at first, as it is written, "when they offered strange fire," and here through a foreign woman it was straightened, as it is written, "and he married the daughter of a foreign god." Just as above it was strange fire, so here too a foreign woman. What is seen here? But at first they offered what is distant, as it is written, "when they offered strange fire." Here too Zimri was offering what is distant, bringing the name of the king close to what is distant; immediately — "and Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest saw, and he rose from among the congregation." Here he straightened what had been bent at first, and then the yud was given to his name to join the letters as one, and he was given tidings of peace, as it is written, "therefore say: behold, I give him my covenant of peace." What is this peace here? But in that same crown they sinned at first, in that same crown a quarrel was stirred at first, and now that it was repaired, it is written, "behold, I give him my covenant of peace" — that my covenant itself shall be with him in peace; and therefore a small yud was given to his name, for it is one of the small letters, to show that what had been bent at first was repaired, and that it was completed with him. Rabbi Elazar came and kissed his hand and said: blessed be the Merciful One, for I asked this matter and it was not lost to me.<br />
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We have learned, Rabbi Yossi said: on this Day of Atonement, it was established to read this portion, to atone for Israel in exile; for this reason the order of this day was arranged here, because the death of the sons of Aaron atones for Israel. From here we have learned: every person upon whom the sufferings of his Master come — these are the atonement for his sins. And whoever grieves over the sufferings of the righteous, their sins are removed from the world. Therefore on this day they read "after the death of the two sons of Aaron," so that the people hear and grieve over the loss of the righteous, and their sins be atoned for them. And whoever grieves over the loss of the righteous, or sheds tears over them, the Holy One, blessed be He, proclaims concerning him and says: "and your iniquity shall be removed, and your sin atoned for." And not only this, but his sons shall not die in his lifetime; and concerning him it is written, "he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, etc." "And the Lord said to Moses: speak to Aaron your brother, that he not come at just any time into the sanctuary, etc." Rabbi Shimon opened and said: "all the rivers flow into the sea, and the sea is not full, etc." Rabbi Shimon said: I am amazed at the people of the world, for they have no eyes to see nor heart to take heed, and they do not know and do not set their heart to consider the will of their Master; how do they sleep and not awaken from their slumber, before that day comes when darkness and gloom shall cover them, and that Master of the deposit shall demand an account from them.<br />
<br />
Rabbi Elazar asked his father and said to him: behold, they were two and there were two, why were not two found? He answered him: they were two half-bodies, for they had not married, and therefore they were included as one, as it is written, "and she bore him Pinchas; these are the heads, etc."<br />
<br />
And the yud of Pinchas was not given to join the letters except at the moment when he was zealous for the Holy One, blessed be He, and came to straighten what was crooked, seeing that Zimri had brought this sign of the holy covenant into another domain; and by what had been bent at first, it was straightened here. Through a foreign woman they were bent at first, as it is written, "when they offered strange fire," and here through a foreign woman it was straightened, as it is written, "and he married the daughter of a foreign god." Just as above it was strange fire, so here too a foreign woman. What is seen here? But at first they offered what is distant, as it is written, "when they offered strange fire." Here too Zimri was offering what is distant, bringing the name of the king close to what is distant; immediately — "and Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest saw, and he rose from among the congregation." Here he straightened what had been bent at first, and then the yud was given to his name to join the letters as one, and he was given tidings of peace, as it is written, "therefore say: behold, I give him my covenant of peace." What is this peace here? But in that same crown they sinned at first, in that same crown a quarrel was stirred at first, and now that it was repaired, it is written, "behold, I give him my covenant of peace" — that my covenant itself shall be with him in peace; and therefore a small yud was given to his name, for it is one of the small letters, to show that what had been bent at first was repaired, and that it was completed with him. Rabbi Elazar came and kissed his hand and said: blessed be the Merciful One, for I asked this matter and it was not lost to me.<br />
<br />
We have learned, Rabbi Yossi said: on this Day of Atonement, it was established to read this portion, to atone for Israel in exile; for this reason the order of this day was arranged here, because the death of the sons of Aaron atones for Israel. From here we have learned: every person upon whom the sufferings of his Master come — these are the atonement for his sins. And whoever grieves over the sufferings of the righteous, their sins are removed from the world. Therefore on this day they read "after the death of the two sons of Aaron," so that the people hear and grieve over the loss of the righteous, and their sins be atoned for them. And whoever grieves over the loss of the righteous, or sheds tears over them, the Holy One, blessed be He, proclaims concerning him and says: "and your iniquity shall be removed, and your sin atoned for." And not only this, but his sons shall not die in his lifetime; and concerning him it is written, "he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, etc." "And the Lord said to Moses: speak to Aaron your brother, that he not come at just any time into the sanctuary, etc." Rabbi Shimon opened and said: "all the rivers flow into the sea, and the sea is not full, etc." Rabbi Shimon said: I am amazed at the people of the world, for they have no eyes to see nor heart to take heed, and they do not know and do not set their heart to consider the will of their Master; how do they sleep and not awaken from their slumber, before that day comes when darkness and gloom shall cover them, and that Master of the deposit shall demand an account from them.<br />
Torat Emet / Rav Pinhas Reuven — CC BY-NC-SA 2.5
in Hebrew