Pinchas 2022
Isaac’s Parsha Corner · 2022
The Torah records several stories of acts of zealotry by Levi and by his descendants. The first incident was after the rape of Dinah by Shchem:
“And it was on the third day after their circumcision, when the men of Shchem were at their weakest, Shimon and Levi the brothers of Dina took their swords and killed all of these men….. And they said to Jacob, “Shall our sister be treated like a harlot!” (Gen 34:25-31)
When instructing his sons at the end of his life Jacob reprimanded Levi:
‘Shimon and Levi are brothers whose tradecraft is weapons of violence.” (Gen 49:5) Violence belongs to Esau (Tanchuma Ibid) my weapon of choice is prayer; “Behold I give you a special portion that I took from the Emori with my bow and sword” (ibid 48:22) the sword of Jacob is his prayer. Unkulos translated “My sword” – as “my prayer”.
The next story of Levite zealotry combined with violence occurred in the book of Exodus:
“Moshe grew up and went out to be with his brothers. He saw a Mitzri hitting one of his brothers. He looked around and saw no man and smote the Mitzri.” (Ex 2:11-12)
Later, following the sin of the golden calf, the tribe of Levi again acted with violence in response to the idol worship but this time they had God’s instructions:
“And Moshe stood in the gate and declared, “Who is for God come to me!”. And the entire tribe of Levi gathered to him. And he said to them, “So said Hashem the God of Israel, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, pass by each gate in the camp and kill each man his brother his friend and his relative’. And the sons of Levi did as Moshe had said to do. On that day three thousand men fell (were killed).”
As a reward for their zeal The Levites replaced the first born as the emissaries of God in the temple
Last, and definitely not least, is the story of the ultimate zealot; Pinchas.
“And Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aaron the Kohen saw and rose up from the community and took a spear in his hand. And he came after the man into his tent and he speared them both…” “And God said to Moshe, ‘Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aaron the Kohen has calmed my wrath against the children of Israel by acting with Zealotry on behalf of My Zealotry…… Therefore say as follows, “I do now bestow upon him My covenant of peace. It shall be for him and for all his descendants a covenant of peace and priesthood for all time in exchange for his zealotry on behalf of his God and for atoning for the Children of Israel.”
Jacob’s name was left off of Pinchas’ lineage intentionally as Jacob was uncomfortable with violent acts of zeal.
“May my soul not be associated with their conspiracy…” (Gen 49:6)
One is left with a paradoxical message. On the one hand it seems that God has encouraged this type of behavior and on the other hand Jacob has rejected it entirely. Following his act of zeal Moshe is forced to flee the royal palace and the country altogether. He wanders for many years before finally returning to his people. The two brothers are reviled by their father Jacob for their zeal. The tribes of Levi received the jobs previously given to the first born yet they remain the smallest tribe and have no sustainable livelihood. Instead they are forced to accept tithes. Without God’s blessing Pinchas would have been a pariah amongst the people. They could very well have challenged him for taking the law into his own hands on a matter that was at that time questionable. Was it really not allowed to have relations with gentile women?
The ambiguity about zeal leads many of the early commentators (Ritva and others) to reject any acts of zealotry for any reason. Nobody really understands the boundaries of the zealot act and who is or isn’t qualified to act on a feeling of zeal! In other words: Don’t try this at home!
Dedicated to the memory of Joel Shulman A’H