Congregation Beth Shalom

Parashat Pinchas

July 18 2008

Rabbi Nancy Wechsler-Azen

Ours is a culture that values initiative: people who take charge and lead, visionaries who go for their field of dreams. We admire a person who ‘takes the bull by the horns.’ At the same time, a person who acts recklessly is a reactionary, more like the bull in a china shop – destroying fragile things, left and right. One who takes initiative may have a bit of both. In English, the word zeal is zeal, but in Hebrew, there are two very different words.

In Hebrew, a person who is so driven that his or her actions require no permission is practicing “kena-yute”. The root Kuf-Nun-Aleph has to do with jealousy, possessiveness. The other kind of initiative is also passionate about a goal, but this action is linked to decisiveness based on deliberation called “zerizute”, the root Zayin, Resh, Zayin having to do with alacrity and measured enthusiasm.

This week in Parashat Pinchas, we follow on the heels of last week’s story about King Balak from Midian who wanted to curse the Jews. King Balak hires the magician Bilam; however, each time Bilam opens his mouth to curse us, only blessings come out. According to Midrash, because Bilam is unable to curse the Jews, he comes up with an idea that will weaken our people from within. He suggests that the King send beautiful Midianite women to attract the Israelite men, and by doing so, will draw them ultimately into the worship of Baal; their deity. If Bilam could not curse them out of existence, then by George, convert them.

Pinchas, a priest practices Kenayute – reactionary zealotry. He spears the Israelite lover, Zimri along with his Midianite sweetheart Kozbi, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Pinchas is rewarded for this killing, and is given the Covenant of Peace and eternal Priesthood for his descendents.

Pinchas is the epitome of Kenayute-rash zealousness from a love of Judaism and of God. At no time, does his zeal come from hate of transgressors, but rather abhorrence of their acts. Pinchas’ action is a last resort, the measure directed on having a lasting effect. Such a person views his actions as righteous and believes in swift response, without delay.

While nearly every traditional commentator suggest that Pinchas was righteous in committing this murder to prevent the spread of idolatry; that the killing set a strong example to all other Israelite men not to consort with Midianite women, a subtle rebellion against his zealotry is sensed in later writings.

For example, when the text says in God’s words, “Therefore I shall grant him “biriti shalom”, My Covenant of Peace”, many a scribe will write the word Shalom, with the letter Vav, split; as though something of the letter is missing. The reasoning behind this is that peace that results from violence, even if viewed by some as required violence, is a defective peace.

Another dissenting view on Pinchas comes from a Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica, a Polish Hassidic Rebbe. Rabbi Leiner, born in 1804, was orphaned at age 2 and was raised by a number of beloved Chassidic families, tutored by Chassidic rabbis throughout his life. His is a doctrine of ‘radical determinism”, that is everything, even troubling things happen for a reason, a Higher purpose, that we may not understand at the time.

Rabbi Leiner argues that Pinchas was profoundly mistaken by spearing Zimri and Kozbi. Though it seems that the Israelite Zimri acted improperly according to Israelite law by consorting with the Midianite woman, he was, according to Rabbi Leiner, following a deeper Divine Will, which compelled him to violate the accepted standard. Rabbi Leiner taught that Zimri and Kozbi were cosmic soul-mates and that their joining together was part of the mystical process of tikkun, a healing of the cosmos. Pretty radical insight from an early 1800 Chassidic Rebbe.

Rabbi Leiner says that that the sin falls not upon Zimri, the lover, but on Pinchas, the zealot, who in his immature fit of zealotry and rash judgment, acted wrongly and tragically, failing to see the deeper motivation of Zimri and Kozbi; which was a healing in their world – perhaps something like the love story in West Side Story.

While the plague was stayed, the greater harm was done to the soul of our people than the temporary cessation of God’s Wrath. Rabbi Leiner seems to understand what the Sages knew all along that sometimes evil action emerges through kosher openings – meaning that Pinchas opposed to Israelite men converting to Midianite practice – is the

kosher opening, but the outrage to actually kill them – was evil.

The Torah, in its’ infinite wisdom provides a more reasoned zeal later on in the portion. Once the archetype of rash zeal in the story of Pinchas is complete, a calm census is taken of those remaining in the wilderness since leaving Egypt. ‘Taking initiative’ shows up in the story of the Daughters of Zelophechad who demand to be noticed, but in a different way. After the census, these women challenge the laws of inheritance that has always favored sons over daughters. They say before Moses:

“Our father died in the wilderness and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be erased because he had no son? Give us a possession of the land.”

Moses listened and then brought their case before God. God answered him saying:

“The daughters of Zelophechad are right. You must give them a portion of inheritance. Their father’s inheritance will pass onto them. From now on, if a man dies and has no sons, the property may go to the daughters.”

It could have turned out differently. The daughters of Zelophechad might have taken their grievance to a bitter conclusion, or Moses might have felt his leadership threatened and doled out punishment. Even God in this portion might have viewed their argument as a threat to the very fabric of Israelite society. In the past, when Miriam challenged the status quo, she was struck with leprosy. When Korach challenged, the earth swallowed him up. Yet in this case, the system itself changed. Women could now inherit property without a man. Their non-violent zeal produced change.

The Torah seems to be teaching us something about ‘taking initiative’ and how to take our righteous indignation and channel it properly. What kind of initiatives are we taking in our lives? Where do we need more fire? Where do we need more reasoning? What is our strategy for getting things done?

May each of us continue to take action in our projects, in our goals, with the tools of introspection, humility and decisiveness.  With God’s help: Amen.