This week’s Torah portion is named for Pinchas, grandson of Aaron the High Priest, who earned the honor as a result of his bravery described in last week’s Torah portion.

The Midrash identifies Pinchas and Elijah the Prophet as the same person. Although Elijah lived many years later, he apparently lived a very long life. In fact, he never died; his body was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot, and he returns to earth once in a while to fulfill various missions — the final one being to announce the imminent arrival of the Moshiach. Elijah will come a day before Moshiach to inform and prepare us for the big day.

For 2,000 years the Jewish people have waited for Moshiach. The Jewish calendar is marked by days commemorating tragedies that have befallen us during our dark years of exile, including the 17th of Tammuz, this Thursday, when we mourn the breach of the walls of Jerusalem, which led to the destruction of the Temple three weeks later, on Tisha B’av.

But even as we mourn and cry, we hold firm to our belief that Elijah will herald in the era of Redemption, speedily in our days!

Shabbat shalom.