Peaceful Zealotry, or a Zealous Peace?

A time will come when Pinchas will shed his zealous— albeit, for the sake of peace—veneer, and assume the role of the peacemaker Elijah, and will usher in the ultimate age of unmitigated peace and goodness—the Messianic Age.

Pinchas’ Career

In last week’s parsha we read of how G-d praised Pinchas for his zealous response to the outbreak of immorality incited by the daughters of Midian. It was also recorded there that G-d asked Moses and the Jewish nation to wage war against the Midianite nation for their desire to destroy the soul of the fledgling Jewish people.

But Pinchas’ involvement in the campaign against the Midianites did not end with his attack against the Midianite princess Cozbi. In this week’s parsha, the Torah recounts how Moses appointed him to accompany the army in its military campaign against Midian. Indeed, this set a precedent for all future wars in which a special Kohain (priest) would be anointed to lead the Israelites in war.

Why Pinchas?

Why was there a need to have a priest accompany the military force? And why was Pinchas chosen and not his father, Elazar, who was the High Priest?

Rashi explains that it was Pinchas who slew the Midianite princess, Cozbi, who consorted with the Israelite prince, Zimri. And since he was the one to begin the campaign against those who sought to destroy the Jews, it was his responsibility to complete it.

Rashi also provides a second explanation. Pinchas was avenging the Midianites who sold his maternal grandfather Joseph to the Egyptians. According to Kli Yakar, by selling Joseph to Egypt, the most morally bereft society at that time, their intention was to strip Joseph of whatever dignity he might have retained as a slave in a foreign land. If they succeeded in “contaminating” Joseph, there would never have been a Jewish nation. Hence, Pinchas the grandson of Joseph was especially sensitive to the attempts at breaking the walls of immorality by the Midianites in his generation. He was therefore chosen to lead the charge against them.

War and a Man of Kindness Paradox

One could offer a third explanation:

While most ancient cultures glorified war, Judaism always eschewed it.

While the greatness of most nations was measured by their military exploits, Judaism viewed its own greatness by its obsession with truth, righteousness and peace.

Yet, the Jewish people were “forced” into fighting wars. In order to guarantee that the drive for war and conquest would not become engrained into the psyche of the Jewish people, the Torah required that a Kohain preside over the war. A Kohain is Biblically identified as a man of kindness. A Kohain is one whose entire life is dedicated to the cause of peace; peace between G-d and His people, peace between people, and peace between husband and wife.

There was, however, one drawback to having a Kohain be involved in a war situation. By thrusting a man of peace and kindness into conflict two undesirable situations can ensue.

First, the harsh realities of war may be too much for the gentle and naïve Kohain. He can become overwhelmed in this environment, or lose some of his innocence.

Second, because the Kohain is essentially a man of peace, his presence can possibly get in the way of fighting the war. There is a story of a group of Jewish marksmen who refused to shoot at the enemy because,. As they said, “there were people in the way…” For war to be waged successfully, it requires a temporary suspension of our normal emotions that inspire us to abhor violence and conflict. A man whose life’s work is the pursuit of peace can actually get in the way of winning a war.

So, on one hand, we must have a man of peace involved in the prosecution of war so that we do not acquire a warrior mentality. On the other hand, a “peacenik”-Kohain’s influence can compromise the attitude needed for fighting a war.

The Pinchas Synthesis

The Torah therefore exhorted the Jewish people to appoint a special Kohain, one like Pinchas, who combined the two opposite traits of zealousness and peace. Pinchas was not hesitant to use violence, but his motivation was peace.

If the Kohain Gadol, the High Priest would have gotten involved in the execution of the war, there was a danger that either his purity or kindness would be sullied or that the war effort would be compromised. Therefore a Kohain was chosen who was able to temporarily embody these two traits, without one diminishing the other.

Name Change

The Zohar states that “Pinchas is Elijah.” And Elijah is the prophet who will announce the arrival of Moshiach and usher in the Messianic Age.

The question can be raised. If Pinchas and Elijah are one and the same, why did his name change?

Perhaps the message conveyed by this name change is that though there is a need for a “peaceful zealotry,”—i.e., zealotry fueled by a desire for real peace—response to the evil forces in our world, represented by Pinchas, it is important that we do not institutionalize this combination.

A time will come when Pinchas will shed his zealous— albeit, for the sake of peace—veneer, and assume the role of the peacemaker Elijah, and will usher in the ultimate age of unmitigated peace and goodness—the Messianic Age.

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Matos-Masei by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.