B"H

Friday, Tammuz 18, 5786 / July 3, 2026

The Torah reading for this Shabbat (in Israel & in the Diaspora) is Parshat Pinchas.  Pinchas was the grandson of Aaron the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and a great-nephew of Moshe. 

In the end of the previous Parsha (Balak), the Torah tells us how Pinchas stood up for G-d's honor and killed a prince of the tribe of Shimon who sinned with a Midianite woman.  In this Parsha, G-d rewards Pinchas for his heroic act which stopped a plague in which 24,000 people died.

The Parsha begins, "And G-d spoke to Moshe, saying: Pinchas, the son of Elazar the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the children of Israel...  Therefore say: Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace (Shalom).  And it shall be to him and to his seed after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood."

The "covenant of peace" which G-d gave Pinchas is that Pinchas became a Kohen (priest).

Q.   We know that one is a Kohen when they are the son of a Kohen.  Why wasn't Pinchas a Kohen before, since his father and grandfather were Kohanim?

A.   Although the priesthood is passed on automatically from father to son, this was to be transmitted only to future generations after G-d appointed Aaron and his sons to become Kohanim.  It did not apply to any of Aaron's grandchildren who were living at that time.  As a result, Pinchas, who was already born, was not a Kohen until G-d rewarded him the priesthood for his heroic act.

Q.   Why is the priesthood here referred to as "the convent of Shalom - peace"?

A.   In Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers) we find that priesthood and peace are connected.  In the first chapter, Hillel the Elder gives the following instruction, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow and bringing them closer to the Torah."

Loving peace and pursuing peace was a characteristic of Aaron the High Priest.  Thus, when G-d made Pinchas a Kohen, He gave him the covenant of peace, which represents the priesthood. 

At the same time, G-d wanted to teach Pinchas an important lesson.  As mentioned before, Pinchas achieved this reward as a result of his killing the Jewish prince who sinned with a Midianite woman.  Although it was necessary at the time, yet, it was a harsh act in which two people were killed.

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 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 states in Pikei Avot, Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 8:28 /Shabbat ends: 9:43