Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the Kohen (Numbers 25:11)... It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of kehunah… (Numbers 25:13).
Rashi: Although the kehunah had already been given to Aaron’s descendants, it had been given only to Aaron and his sons who were anointed with him, and to their children whom they would beget after their anointment. Phinehas, however, who was born before that and had never been anointed, had not been included in the kehunah until now. And so, we learn in [Tractate] Zevachim [101b],“Phinehas was not made a kohen until he killed Zimri.”
This may teach us the value of patience and/or humility when we think that we may deserve something. The Torah clearly tells us that Pinchas was in fact a descendant of Aharon through Elazar, yet he was not an active Cohen (i.e., he did not have an active post in any of the related services). Consider the disappointment Pinchas might have felt when he realized that he born just one generation too early. Regardless, he made no request of Moshe to institute him as a Cohen, nor did he show any desire to become one. Contrast this to Korach, who although he was a Levi, and so had no association with or claim to the Kehuna, nevertheless forcibly sought to agitate for something that wasn't his and died in the process. Ouch!
To summarize, Pinchas was made a Kohen even though he did not seek to be one, and Korach lost what he already had by seeking greatness and honor, and ended up, well, lower than where he started.
The Pirkei Avos (chapter 1:13) confirms the issue with honor-seeking:
He (Hillel) would also say: One who advances his name, destroys his name…
Chapter 6:16 does as well:
Torah is greater than the priesthood or sovereignty, for sovereignty is acquired with thirty virtues, the priesthood with twenty-four, and Torah is acquired with forty-eight qualities.
One of those qualities is “fleeing from honor.”
Consider the following short story from Touching Heaven, Touching Earth:
R. Hayyim of Zans used to say that man rushes up and down, round about, searching for happiness and pursuing wealth, and is surprised when he does not find them. Perhaps it would be better to stand a little in the same place, so that good fortune can find him.
On one occasion R. Hayyim met one of his disciples as the latter was hurrying through the market. He stopped him and asked where he was going. “In search of my livelihood,” the Hassid replied. The Rebbe looked at him sternly and said: “Who told you that your livelihood lies in the direction that you were rushing? Perhaps it lies behind you and the faster you run, the further you are away from it.”
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