Haftorah Pinchos: Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz - Pinchos & Yirmiyahu, The Common Thread
This week although it is Parshas Pinchos we read the Haftorah of Parshas Matos which is the opening of Sefer Yirmiyahu because it is appropriate for the 3 weeks. Yirmiya lived before and through the Churban Bayis Rishon and spent years pleading with Bnei Yisroel to do tshuva to avoid disaster. Although there are some positive nevuos in Yirmiyahu, the gemara in Bava Basra says "Yirmiya Kulei Churbana"; Sefer Yirmiya is entirely destruction, because as the Maharsha explains "Ruboi K'Kuloi", the vast majority is gloomy.
Although this is not the haftorah designated to Parshas Pinchas, the Ahavas Yonoson (Rav Yehonoson Eibishitz) says there is a strong correlation between Pinchas and Yirmiyahu. Rashi quotes the Medrash saying that the Pasuk calls Pinchos the son of Elazar the son of Aharon HaKohen because the shevatim would embarrass him and say that Pinchos whose maternal grandfather used to fatten cows for idol worship, had the nerve to kill a Nasi B'Yisroel. Therefore the Torah counters that he was the son and grandson of Kohanim Gedolim.
Similarly the Jews living in the time of Yirmiyahu, who was imprisoned and attempts were made on his life, did not very much appreciate him either, to say the least. The false prophets of his day and his other enemies used to embarrass him and dismiss his nevuah reminding everyone that his genealogy stemmed from Rachav HaZonah. Therefore here as well the Navi tells us Yirmiyahu was the son of Chilkiya HaKohen who lived in Anasos.
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