Dvar Torah - From the Bottom Up

[Menachem Mendel Gurary]

B"H

From the Bottom Up

Pinchas, Yirmiyahu, and the Path to Everlasting Redemption

When Parshas Pinchas is read during the Three Weeks, the Haftarah is taken from Yirmiyahu.

While according to halacha the Haftaros during this period do not need to correspond to the weekly Torah portion—since they are chosen based on the season of national mourning—the Rebbe explains that everything is governed by Divine Providence. Therefore, even these seemingly unrelated Haftaros share profound thematic connections with the parsha.

Pinchas & Yirmiyahu: Unlikely Origins

What connection is there between Pinchas and Yirmiyahu?

Surprisingly, both came from backgrounds that were viewed as "foreign."

Pinchas was a descendant of Yisro, the former idolatrous priest who converted to Judaism.

Yirmiyahu was a descendant of Rachav, a righteous convert from a non-Jewish background.

Both were mocked and belittled because of their heritage, yet they rose above the criticism and became spiritual leaders who guided the Jewish people in times of crisis.

Leaders in Times of Darkness

Pinchas and Yirmiyahu lived during spiritually dark and turbulent times.

Pinchas acted during a time of sin and plague. The Jewish people had strayed, and a deadly punishment was sweeping through the camp. In a moment of profound courage, Pinchas risked his body and soul to stop the sin and awaken the people to return to Hashem. His act brought forgiveness and healing.

Yirmiyahu lived through one of the bitterest eras in Jewish history—the time of the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash. True to his name, which connotes bitterness, he carried the pain of the nation. Yet as a prophet, he continued to rebuke, inspire, and encourage the people to return to God.

A Shared Approach: Bottom-Up

Beyond their shared circumstances, Pinchas and Yirmiyahu also shared a common approach.

They did not inspire through open miracles, Divine revelations, or lofty spiritual discourse. Instead, they addressed reality as it was—practically, directly, and on the level of the people:

Pinchas acted boldly with his physical body, doing what was necessary in the moment to restore holiness.

Yirmiyahu spoke hard truths, confronting the nation’s actions and urging them to change their ways.

Their effectiveness came not from overwhelming spiritual charisma but from their realness—their deep, personal connection to struggle and growth.

From the Bottom Up: Personal and National Growth

This approach reflects their own spiritual journey:

They didn’t begin from a place of spiritual advantage. They had to work their way upward, step by step. This “bottom-up” path shaped their mission and their ability to connect with the people.

And this is precisely why Pinchas was rewarded with an eternal covenant of kehunah—because the transformation that begins from below, from effort and struggle, is real and enduring.

Our Avodah in Galus

In this final and longest exile, we too live without open miracles or overwhelming revelations. Our Avodah is to grow from the ground up—to fight spiritual darkness with practical mitzvos, heartfelt effort, and sincere return.

This kind of growth—slow, sincere, and hard-earned—is what makes the transformation lasting.

And that is why the redemption we will merit is not just a temporary light, but an everlasting geulah, born from genuine work and forged in the darkness.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Mendel Gurary