AADAPTED FROM HIS AUDIO SHIUR ON EIN YAAKOV LESSON 123a

Mission of Avenging the Honor of Hashem

Parshas Pinchas opens with one of the most dramatic moments in the Torah. Zimri publicly brought Kozbi, a Midianite woman, before Moshe Rabbeinu and openly challenged the authority of Torah. Pinchas acted with complete purity of intention, and stopped the plague that was devastating Klal Yisrael. His deed revealed the seriousness of public immorality and the spiritual destruction it can bring upon a person and his descendants. Pinchas set forth on his mission of kanous, of avenging the honor of Hashem. The Zohar HaKadosh says that when this happened, the malach hamaves went wild. Pinchas could actually see death running wild. He saw the first letter “mem” floating through the air quickly (that’s the leader of death, same as malach hamaves) – maves stands for death. And with his holy powers that he now assumed as a kannoi, as an avenger, he reached out, took this letter mem. Pinchas drew upon his own spiritual power. The name Pinchas has the gematria of 208, represented by the letters reish-ches, the same numerical value as Yitzchak Avinu. This connection is significant, because each of the Avos represents a different spiritual quality. Avraham Avinu represents chesed, kindness. Yitzchak Avinu represents din and gevurah, strict judgment and spiritual strength, as expressed in the phrase Pachad Yitzchak. Yaakov Avinu combines both chesed and din in harmony. This pattern is reflected in the opening brachos of the Shemoneh Esrei. The first bracha, Magen Avraham, corresponds to Avraham and the quality of chesed. The second, Mechayeh HaMeisim, corresponds to Yitzchak and the quality of gevurah and din. The third, HaKeil HaKadosh, corresponds to Yaakov, who unites these opposing forces. Pinchas, whose spiritual root was connected to Yitzchak Avinu, therefore possessed the power of gevurah and din. He took the letter mem, associated here with the force of death that was spreading through the camp, and placed it within the letters reish-ches, the numerical value of his name. Together they formed the word romach, meaning “spear.” This, then, is the deeper meaning of the Torah’s statement that Pinchas took a spear in his hand. Why specifically a spear and not a sword? Because the spear symbolized the special power of din that Pinchas had to draw upon in order to carry out this extraordinary act of kanous.

The Act of Zealotry and the Covenant of Peace

Pinchas was about to perform an extraordinary act. There had been no trial, no witnesses, and no formal court ruling. Moreover, Pinchas was a Kohen, and a Kohen who takes a life can become disqualified from serving in the Beis HaMikdash. Drawing upon all his spiritual strength, Pinchas concealed the metal tip of his spear beneath his clothing and used the shaft as a walking stick. When he approached Zimri’s followers, they initially refused to admit him, assuming that as a relative of Moshe Rabbeinu he opposed them. Pinchas convinced them that he wished to follow Zimri’s example, and they allowed him to enter. He then struck Zimri and Kozbi together, and at that moment the plague stopped. Through this act of kedushah, Pinchas pacified the anger of Heaven and saved Klal Yisrael. According to the Zohar HaKadosh, he then received the souls of Nadav and Avihu, the two eldest sons of Aharon HaKohen, about whom the Torah says:

בִּקְרֹבַי אֶקָּדֵשׁ(Bikrovai ekadesh) – “Through those near to Me I will be sanctified” (Leviticus 10:3). Because Nadav and Avihu had remained unmarried, each was considered spiritually incomplete. When their two souls entered Pinchas, they combined into one complete and elevated neshamah. Hashem therefore granted Pinchas בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם (beriti shalom) – “My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25:12). The broken vav in the word shalom alludes to shalem, complete: Pinchas had attained spiritual wholeness.

The Torah therefore emphasizes his lineage:

פִּינְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן – “Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon HaKohen” (Numbers 25:11).

Chazal identify Pinchas with Eliyahu HaNavi, who continued to defend the covenant of Hashem. The Arizal explains that this connection is reflected in Elisha’s request to Eliyahu:

וִיהִי נָא פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּרוּחֲךָ אֵלָי – “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (II Kings 2:9).

Elisha was not asking for twice Eliyahu’s greatness. Rather, he asked to receive Eliyahu’s “double spirit,” the combined souls of Nadav and Avihu. The letters of נָא (na) allude to their names. Hashem thus declared that Pinchas had not become disqualified through his act. On the contrary, he emerged as a symbol of purity, spiritual completeness, and the covenant of peace.

Zealotry Is Very Delicate

Kanous, religious zealotry, is an extremely delicate matter. A person may imagine that becoming a kanai means attacking every Jew who does wrong. But before criticizing others, he must first look honestly in the mirror and correct himself. Even Eliyahu HaNavi, the continuation of Pinchas and the greatest symbol of kanous, was taught this lesson. When he declared, קַנֹּא קִנֵּאתִי לַה׳ (Kano kineisi la-Hashem) — “I have been exceedingly zealous for Hashem,” and accused the Jewish people of abandoning Hashem’s covenant, Hashem showed him that a true leader must not merely prosecute the faults of Klal Yisrael.Moshe Rabbeinu represented the ideal Jewish leader. After the sin of the Golden Calf, Hashem said:

הַנִּיחָה לִּי -“Let Me alone” (Exodus 32:10).

But Moshe refused to abandon the Jewish people. He stood before Hashem and pleaded for their lives, because whether they are righteous or have fallen, they remain Hashem’s children:

בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם – “You are children of Hashem your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1).

Hashem desires leaders who defend His honor, but also leaders who defend His children. Zealotry that produces hatred and accusation is not the kanous of Pinchas. True kanous begins with self-correction and is joined with love for every Jew.

Judging Every Jew Favorably

Hashem desires that we speak well of others and judge every Jew l’chaf zechus. One who judges others favorably is himself judged favorably in Heaven. Each person should therefore examine his speech and ask whether he has spoken about another Jew’s faults, thereby arousing a kitrug, a harsh accusation in Heaven. Instead, we must awaken Hashem’s chesed for every individual and for Klal Yisrael as a whole.

May we merit to speak only pure and holy words, repair the bris halashon, and strengthen the covenant between Hashem and the Jewish people. In that merit, may we soon witness the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, במהרה בימינו אמן.