"B'riti Shalom / My Covenant of Peace" Parashat Hashevua Pinchas / Phinehas

[Mevaser]

"B'riti Shalom / My Covenant of Peace" Parashat Hashevua Pinchas / Phinehas
http://www.cmy.on.ca/toraportions200...bar/pinhas.htm (Online version)
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
Shabbat 19 Tammuz 5763, July 19, 2003
http://www.cmy.on.ca / cmy@ca.inter.net

This week's Reading list:
* Bamidbar / Numbers 25:10-30:1
* Melachim Alef / 1 Kings 18:46-19:21
* Yochanan / John 2:13-22

Bamidbar {25:10} HaSHEM spoke to Moshe, saying, {25:11} Pinchas (Phinehas), the ben (son of) El'azar, the ben Aharon the cohen (priest), has turned my wrath away from the Bnei Yisrael (Children of Israel), in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn't consume the Bnei Yisrael in my jealousy. {25:12} Therefore say, Behold, I give to him my brit of Shalom (Covenant of Peace): {25:13} and it shall be to him, and to his seed after him, the brit of an everlasting cohenhood; because he was jealous for his G-D, and made Kapparah (atonement) for the bnei of Yisrael.

Parasha Balak, which we read last week, ended with Pinchas picking up a spear and running it through a couple who were fornicating. Now if this were to happen today Pinchas, despite his motives or righteous indignation, would be tried for murder, a double homicide in fact. However that is not how HaShem saw it. Not only was Pinchas not tried for committing murder, he was anointed a hero and given HaShem's brit of Shalom.

The penalty for fornication (sex outside of marriage), by the way this includes any sexual act not just intercourse, is death by stoning. So if we look at Pinchas' response to this breach of Torah and judge it by Torah, Pinchas broke Torah. So what should we make of all of this especially since HaShem commended him for his action by saying; "...he was jealous with my jealousy..." The answer to this question I think lies in the next two words; "... among them,..."

The fact was this was not the only couple fornicating and caring on. Parasha Balak tells us that this sin was rampant in the camp. Now not only were bnei Yisrael fornicating with the daughters of Moav but they were also playing the harlot with their gods. As it happens idolatry is also punishable with death by stoning. However, if we refer back to Bamidbar 25.4, HaShem did not ask that the heads of the household that were sinning against Him by breaking His commandments, to be stoned. He instructed Moshe to hang them in the sun, probably not a very pleasant death considering the temperature and the intensity of the sun in that part of the world. But that is not the point; the point is they were not stoned. However if we look back on other occasions in Scripture when bnei Yisrael played the harlot with the gods of the goyim (nations), He did not always have them stoned as a consequence of their sin. They were also killed by the sword or exiled to unfriendly nations where they were ill treated and eventually died in exile. The end result however was always the same - death. G-d's righteous judgement always prevailed.

Pinchas was an eyewitness, among other eyewitness who saw this couple's blatant disregard for one of G-d's commandment. He was jealous with HaShem's jealousy, so he excited HaShem's justice. The "among them" tells me that he was the only one among the cohenim (priests) willing to take action and stand up for HaShem. How jealous is HaShem's jealousy? Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 31.3 tells us that HaShem loves us with an everlasting love. He created us for the sole purpose of worshipping Him. Therefore every time Yisrael was unfaithful to Him and worshipped other gods, His jealousy raged and His justice was administered. G-d is so concerned about the fidelity of His children that He even gave men a way of satisfying their jealousy if they suspected their wives of infidelity. (See Bamidbar 5.14ff.)

Just as a side comment. Many times I have been asked why Bamidbar 5.14ff offers only the man recourse for his jealousy? The answer of course is given to us in Scripture, but nowhere is it expressed more than in:

Korintim Alef / 1 Corinthians {11.3} But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Mashiach (Messiah); and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Mashiach is G-d.

G-d's order is very important, at least to Him! He says that a man is the head of his family and responsible for his wife. That is just the way it is and was from the beginning. Therefore it is the man who is the one that is required to holds his wife accountable for her actions, should he suspect that she is breaking the commands of the L-rd. G-d however, as we see from Bamidbar 5.14ff, is the one who executes the judgement not the husband. Mashiach, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 11.3, is the head of man; therefore if a man is unfaithful to his wife the recourse is for Mashiach. He is all knowing therefore the man does not even get the opportunity for a trial. Both judgements however come from the same source - HaShem.

Now back to our Parasha of the week. Pinchas being jealous with HaShem's jealousy means that he had the heart of G-d, he was jealous for HaShem's people with the same jealousy HaShem is jealous for them. Therefore when he saw this couple sinning by breaking G-d's commandments he took immediate action to rectify the situation. It only took one righteous man to stay HaShem's anger.

How does this apply to us today? Certainly we are not to support physical action by taking the law of the land into our own hands. However Scripture does give us clear instructions of what we are to do when we see someone sinning.

Yechezkel / Ezekiel {3.8} When I say unto the wicked, You shall surely die; and you do not give him warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand. {3.19} Yet if you warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

I think it is fitting to end my d'var Torah with this passage from the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant):

Yochanan / John {14.15} If you love Me (Mashiach), keep my commandments (Torah).

*****************************
Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber


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