Moses then instructed the Jewish people to honor the priests, taking care to give them their allotments from their produce and flocks.
Cultivating the Inner Priest
וְזֶה יִהְיֶה מִשְׁפַּט הַכֹּהֲנִים מֵאֵת הָעָם מֵאֵת זֹבְחֵי הַזֶּבַח אִם שׁוֹר אִם שֶׂה וְנָתַן לַכֹּהֵן הַזְּרֹעַ וְהַלְּחָיַיִם וְהַקֵּבָה:
(דברים יח:ג)
[Moses told the Jewish people,] “The following must be the priests’ entitlement from the [lay] people, from those who slaughter an ox, a sheep, [or a goat]: the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach.”
Deuteronomy 18:3
The priests were allotted these specific parts of our animals in honor of Pinchas, Aaron’s grandson. Pinchas used his cheeks to pray for G‑d’s help when he used his shoulder to drive his sword through the stomachs of those who were defying G‑d.
Inasmuch as the Jewish people are all a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” we are all meant to learn from Pinchas’ example. When forces within us or outside us oppose the continued progress of the world toward its Divine goal, we must summon our inner Pinchas in order to overwhelm our own stubbornness or the stubbornness of others with the sheer power of holiness.1
B"H
Thank you Moshe Wisnefsky for sharing this teaching from the wisdom of the Rebbe of righteous memory with us.
May we all have 'summon our inner Pinchas' when needed.
B'ezrat Hashem for the continuing unity of the people Israel.
Mm ay you continue to go from strength to strength.