Pinchas – The Absence of Pieces

Parshas Pinchas begins with Hashem revealing to Moshe that He is granting Pinchas the eternal reward of peace for his zealous act of killing the leader of Shevet Shimon in avenging Hashem’s honor by slaying Zimri. At the end of Parshas Balak, Bilaam, having failed to curse the Jews, gives Balak the following advice: "Hashem abhors immorality; if you can entice the Jews to behave immorally, Hashem will become angry with them and punish the Jewish People." Indeed, Balak follows Bilaam’s suggestion, and the Midyanite women seduce the Jewish men. Pinchas, filled with righteous zeal for Hashem’s honor, which was being disrespected by these men, particularly by Zimri, the Nassi of Shimon, seized a spear and killed him.

A common question raised about this story is as follows: There is a well-known idea that Hashem governs the world according to the principle of Midah Kinegged Midah. This principle suggests that there are results for a person's actions, and these results are delivered in a measure-for-measure way that directly corresponds to the actions taken. While Pinchas performed an act that certainly merits significant reward, it seems that rewarding him with the status of a brave warrior would be more consistent with this principle. How can the result of a violent deed lead to eternal peace?

True Peace

The Mishna in Avos (1:12) teaches that Hillel encourages people to imitate Aharon the Kohen by loving others, seeking peace, and bringing others closer to the Torah. The greatest love one can show is to help others draw closer to the Torah and Hashem. When Pinchas killed Zimri and stopped the plague, he repaired the breach between Hashem and His people. As a result of his actions, Hashem grants Pinchas the gift of peace, because that is the core of what he achieved.

The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. The word shalom derives from the root shaleim, which means whole or complete. The connection between these two ideas is quite clear. Peace cannot exist alongside fragmentation. The idea that peace is based on wholeness is true globally. You can only have peace between two countries if both sides are fully committed to maintaining peace. The same applies to peace within families, among neighbors, and especially for an individual striving for inner peace.

Live Like a Goalie

Why is cultivating inner peace essential? What advantages does it offer? Individuals who possess inner peace tend to perform better. It helps a person achieve the calm necessary to manage daily challenges and provides the strength to approach each task with adequate emotional and mental resources. In contrast, a person lacking inner peace often divides their focus between the current task and various other distractions pulling at their attention.

As previously mentioned, peace arises when an individual achieves harmony within themselves, avoiding internal fragmentation. Another advantage of inner peace is the alleviation of anxiety that it brings to a person's life. Imagine a goalie during practice. Numerous pucks are being fired at him from various angles. The instant he feels overwhelmed and anxious about his ability to stop all the pucks is precisely when they begin to sail past him into the net. However, if he sustains his focus, recalls his training, and attempts to block the pucks one at a time, his success rate will improve. Both goalies will concede goals; however, the goalie who remains composed, discovers his inner peace, and concentrates on the task at hand will achieve more saves.

This notion is equally applicable in life. People will invariably encounter a range of situations, struggles, and challenges. A person who maintains inner peace can concentrate on their challenges one at a time. This does not suggest that the other challenges will dissipate. The individual will possess the tranquility necessary to confront each challenge separately, even while managing them simultaneously. Concentrating on stopping one puck at a time does not result in the disappearance of the other pucks; it simply facilitates the goalie in channeling his energy more effectively.

Pinchas serves as a prime example of living a life of completeness, which earns him the eternal reward of Shalom. He witnesses the Nasi of Shevet Shimon performing an act that threatens to create a divide between the Jewish people and Hashem, and he promptly acts. He cannot bear the thought of any fragmentation in this vital relationship. Consequently, Hashem grants him the eternal gift of Shalom. Pinchas, who will later be known as Eliyahu Malach Habris, attends the bris of every Jewish male, stands as witness, as the infant is brought to the first step of completion, as the Passuk states regarding the bris milah, 'Veheyai Tamim', which means 'and be complete'. The body is now complete, and Eliyahu/Pinchas is there to encourage the child to attain peace within themselves and in their relationship with Hashem.