Ethical Teachings of the Torah

"He Zealously Made My [G-d's] Rights Valid" (Bamidbar 25:11) - part 4

Although we find great ambivalence among our commentators regarding the zealotry of Pinchas, G-d’s approval is clearly expressed in His covenant with Pinchas after the plague. “Pinchas in his zealotry made My Rights valid, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore I give him My covenant of peace, a covenant of everlasting priesthood” (Bamidbar 25:11-12). That the zealotry of Pinchas, which resulted in the violence and bloodshed of the killing of Zimri and Kozbi, was rewarded by priesthood and peace is neither strange nor contradictory. Rather, this reward expresses an understanding of the real meaning in Judaism of peace, of priesthood and of zealotry, while yet at the same time highlighting the imbalance therein between zealotry and the love of Israel that is a requirement of Jewish leadership.

Abarbanel sees the reward of peace given to Pinchas, as an assurance that the kinsmen of Zimri would not be able to harm him in revenge for his killing of their prince, Zimri. There is also a deeper spiritual, religious and ideological aspect to this reward.
“Brit is an absolute decision of G-d’s that is ultimately guaranteed for the whole world; Shalom is such a brit. Peace is something for which everything, even all one’s rights and possessions may be sacrificed, but never the rights of others and never what G-d has declared to be right and good. True peace of men with each other rests on the peace of all of them with G-d. He who dares to wage war with those opposed to Divine Goodness and Truth fights for Brit Shalom, while he who leaves the field to those who are at variance with G-d and His love of peace is at one with the enemies of Brit Shalom. In this battle the inaction of the masses and even the tears of Moshe and the Elders achieved nothing. It was only the honest brave act of Pinchas which saved Israel and restored their peace with G-d and His Law, thereby bringing back the basis for real true peace on earth. The VAV in Brit Shalom is written as a broken letter, for Pinchas fought for the re-establishment of a peace that is Shalem” (S. R. Hirsch).

It was appropriate that the Brit Shalom was made together with the Brit Kehuna. The role of the Kohanim was to bring spiritual elevation and holiness down from heaven, thereby assisting Israel to attain peace and completion. This necessitated guiding them against sin that causes strife and turmoil, but also gaining atonement for those sins that they had committed. Aharon, whose merit was the pursuit of peace, atoned for the sins of Korach and his congregation with his zealous offering of the incense that stopped the plague, bringing peace to Israel.  Now the zealotry of his grandson saved Israel, not only from suffering and chaos but from annihilation. “The sins of idolatry and sexual immorality arouse G-d’s zealous anger; as it is written ‘Hashem, your G-d - He is a consuming fire, a zealous G-d’ (D’varim 4:24). Even those who were not active in the worship of Pe’or would have perished since all Israel are surety for each other. Yet we see that G-d did not destroy the children of Israel as a punishment for their idolatry and sexual license at Baal Peor. From our verses in the Torah, we learn that they were saved from His anger by the zealotry of Pinchas: Verily as Shlomo HaMelech (Mishlei 17:14) writes, ‘the wise man atones for them” (D’varim Rabba 84:18). to be continued

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