Pinchas rose, with love, from among the people

Again this year, there is evidence of a polarization in Israeli society. Jewish men purporting to represent what Judaism is meant to be, describing themselves as “religious” or “ultra-Orthodox,” spitting or throwing chairs and hurling derogatory slurs (the latter often being worse, in the eyes of Jewish tradition) at other Jews; the former chief rabbi of the State of Israel remains entangled in an Israeli police investigation into financial improprieties; Orthodox rabbis are arguing with each other over who is more Orthodox. … Does it get any worse?

As we begin the three weeks of mourning which commemorate the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash 2,000 year ago— according to the Talmud, due to sinat chinam (baseless hatred), it behooves us to consider how and why we find ourselves in this unfortunate state of affairs. 

What do you do when someone you love does something you hate?

This week’s portion, Pinchas, may offer us some sage advice.

Pinchas, grandson of Aaron the high priest, lays claim to fame at the end of last week’s portion, Balak: No less than a Jewish prince, a tribal Nasi (Zimri ben Saluh of the tribe of Shimon), one of the great leaders of the Jewish people, is actually cohabitating with a Midianite (idolatrous) princess in public, literally opposite the Mishkan (the tabernacle) and no-one is doing anything about it! Even Moshe and Aaron are (seemingly) so overwhelmed by the audacity of this public desecration that they are simply weeping in front of the tent of meeting.

So Pinchas stands up and puts an end to this public desecration by publicly executing both Zimri, the tribal prince, along with Kozbi, the Midianite princess. And no less than G-d himself (at the beginning of this week’s portion) declares the motives of Pinchas to be pure, his cause just, and guarantees him a “covenant of peace.”