Prepared by Rabbi Stephen Texon
Pinchus, the grandson of Aaron the High Priest, and the title character in this week's Torah portion, is a very distinct kind of "hero". His heroism has been analyzed and questioned by Rabbis and Torah scholars for centuries. What is most unusual is that the Almighty rewarded Pinchus for a solitary and spontaneous act of violence, specifically murder, targeted against a couple engaged in open sexual acts and perversity. This independent act stemmed the tide of a devastating plague that the Almighty unleashed in his fury against the Israelites. Pinchus acted as judge, jury and executioner and this curbed G-d's anger preventing further destruction. Simply put he took the law into his own hands when the moment cried out for it; it was a bold example of "vigilantism", Pinchus was a "vigilante" acting as a zealot in the name of G-d.
However, since the means by which he alone administered justice is NOT the preferred way to achieve true peace, the covenant of peace which G-d blessed him with was not a perfect peace. In the Torah's spelling of the word Shalom, the "vav" is literally cut in half or diminished to emphasize that lesson. True and lasting peace can never be achieved through violence, even in the instances that may require swift and violent action. This was a rare instance where after much soul searching and prayer to the Almighty, Pinchus knew he had to stand up and "be a man". The Ethics of the Father's teaches: "In a place/situation where there is no man, strive/act to be a man".
Pinchus was also rewarded with the eternal covenant of Priesthood because he was "zealous for his G-d and atoned for the children of Israel".
"Give me some men who are stouthearted men who will fight for the right they adore, start me with ten who are stouthearted men and I'll soon give you ten thousand more"!!
May true peace, not through war or violence, be achieved speedily and in our day for us, Israel and all the world, Amen.
Shabbat Shalom!
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