Although there are no live Rabbi Frand shiurim on the Parsha until Elul, R' Frand has been posting a pre-recorded Parsha vort on OU Torah. This week's vort can be found at outorah.org/p/258690 and I have attempted to reproduce the vort to the best of my ability in this post. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to the maggid shiur.
In Parshas Matos, the Torah describes Moshe's interactions with Hashem and the Jews in connection with the conquering of the land of Midian. In Bamidbar 31:2 Hashem tells Moshe נְקֹ֗ם נִקְמַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאֵ֖ת הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים אַחַ֖ר תֵּֽאָסֵ֥ף אֶל־עַמֶּֽיךָ - he should avenge the Midianites actions and then he will pass away. Moshe immediately assembles an army of 12,000, led by Pinchas (Bamdibar 31:6). But why are they led by Pinchas and not Elazar the Kohain Gadol?
Rashi explains that Pinchas was selected because he had began the Mitzva by killing Kozbi along with two other reasons, including that he was the Kohain Mashuach Milchama. In Parshas Ki Seitzei there is a discussion of this role, by which he is part chaplain and part motivator. This Kohain would tell the people what the exemptions are from battle and then would inspire those who went out to fight.
R' Frand noted that there is a chaplain in modern armies, but this role was more in line with Dwight D Eisenhower in WWII as well as Winston Churchill - a motivator.
R' Frand quoted R' Moshe Sternbuch who explains that the Halacha is that when a Kohain Gadol dies, his son succeeds him. R' Frand said that this Halacha applies in modern circumstances when a Rebbi or Rav dies, the son (if he is worthy) takes the position. However, R' Sternbuch noted that the family succession rule does not apply to the Kohain Mashuach Milchama. The reason is that the Mashuach Milchama needs a combination of talents that not everyone has - he needs to be able to speak and inspire and calm people's nerves. He also has to know what happens in battle and must uses his talents appropriately and that was why the job does not automatically pass down in the family.
Pinchas had these talents - he had knowledge and constitution as he speared Zimri and Kozbi. He was not afraid of war, but he also had the ability to speak and inspire. He had the combination of compassion and inspiration - he could comfort and motivate and that was why he was chosen.
R' Frand told a story about a Rav in Europe who passed away and there was a desire to pass the job to someone else rather than the son. They came to the Chofetz Chaim to rule and he said to pass the job to someone else. He explained that previously, the job of the Rav was to give Derashos on Shabbos HaGadol and Shuva and to pasken. But now (when the ruling came) there were forces at play which were trying to pull away Jews from Torah life. Its not enough to have a Rav to give Derashos - he needs to be able to speak and inspire and to keep the youth in line and that was a much more taxing job. Although the Rav's son was a fine Rabbi, he did not have these talents of public speaking and inspiration and in those times it was more important.
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