B"H

Monday, Tammuz 14, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / July 3, 2023

This week’s Parsha is Pinchas.  Pinchas was the son of Elazar and grandson of Aaron, the High Priest. 

The Parsha begins with G-d gifting Pinchas with the special honor of becoming a kohen (priest) and serving in the Tabernacle. This gift was given to him and all his descendants after him for all generations. The Torah calls it, “The covenant of Shalom-peace.”

The Jewish people are divided or should I say, united..) in three categories: Kohen, Levi & Yisrael. The kohen is the higher level of holiness, which qualifies them to perform the service of G-d in the Holy Temple. In fact, most of the High Priests in the Holy Temple were descendants of Pinchas.

Q. The priesthood is referred here to as, "The covenant of Shalom – peace."  What is the connection between, “The covenant of peace,” and being a kohen?

A.    In the first chapter of Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers), Hillel the Elder says, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow and bringing them closer to the Torah."

Aaron was Pinchas’ grandfather.  Loving peace and pursuing peace were the characteristics of Aaron the High Priest.  When G-d granted Pinchas the gift of Priesthood, He expressed this gift by giving him the covenant of peace, which represents the priesthood. 

The three-fold priestly blessing to the Jewish people, which is recited by the kohen during the holidays and in Israel each Shabbat and in many places in Israel each day, ends with the blessing of peace:  "May the L-rd bless you and guard you.  May the L-rd make His countenance shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the L-rd turn His countenance toward you and grant you Shalom-peace."

Q.  G-d rewards in accordance with the good deed performed - measure for measure.  How does the reward of “covenant of peace” fit with the act which Pinchas did, for which this reward was given?

A.    Pinchas was rewarded here for his heroic act of killing a leader of the tribe of Shimon, when he sinned with a Midyonite woman.  By killing him, Pinchas stopped a plague which already killed 24,000 people.  Not everyone agreed with what Pinchas did.  Many of the tribes criticized Pinchas for doing this.  They said that Pinchas was motivated by anger and temperament, not for the sake of saving the Jewish nation. G-d rewarded Pinchas with the covenant of peace to show that his act was an act which brought peace, as it stopped the plague. 

There is another lesson here: G-d rewards Pinchas for his act by making him a Kohen, but expresses His reward with words, "Covenant of Peace."  This is to tell Pinchas, and by extension to all leaders, that as a leader of the people, although there are times when force and strength is required, it should be used only in extreme cases. All other times, the approach of peace/Shalom is the better and proper way. As Hillel the Elder states, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow and bringing them closer to the Torah." Peace, love and positive actions are the best way to bring people closer to G-d and the Torah.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY