Last week's Torah portion ends with Pinchas killing a sinning couple, and this week's portion - Pinchas, Bamidbar 25,10–30,1 - ends with G-d giving him His "covenant of peace." This requires explanation!

The Torah originally told us that the Israelites had been sinfully drawn to the Moavite women, resulting in a massive and lethal Divine plague. To make matters even worse, Zimri, a leading member of the Tribe of Shimon, publicly took a Midianite woman – and Pinchas killed them both; this stopped the plague. The Torah then states, at the beginning of this week's portion: "Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aharon the Priest reversed My anger against the Children of Israel, in being zealous for My sake… Therefore say: 'I hereby give him My covenant of peace.'"

Why does Pinchas receive such a covenant? How are we to understand the turn of events in this story?

Rashi explains that there is in fact no connection between a covenant of peace and what Pinchas did – but there is certainly a connection between the covenant and the result of what Pinchas did. Rashi says that when G-d gave him a covenant of peace, it means that it "should be a covenant of peace for him; just as a man owes gratitude and favor to someone who did him a kindness, so too, here G-d expressed to him His sentiments of peace."

That is, Pinchas did a type of kindness for G-d, according to Rashi, and in reward for this Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of G-d's Name), he received a covenant of peace with G-d. The idea apparently is that Pinchas created a Kiddush Hashem in the world, and thus received a reward in kind. As similarly explained by the Alshekh: "He received this covenant for having publicized and sanctified My name before all."

On the other hand, other commentaries - the Chizkuni and the Ibn Ezra - explain that there is a direct connection between the actual act that Pinchas did and the reward he received. Since there was a real fear that Zimri's relatives would seek to kill Pinchas in revenge, G-d appeased him by saying that he need not be afraid, because He would protect him and ensure his welfare, his peace. As the Chizkuni explains, "The covenant of peace means that Pinchas need not fear the relatives of Zimri and Cozbi [the Midianite harlot]."

 My esteemed teacher and Rabbi, the late Rav Aharon Lichtenstein (Rosh Yeshivat Har Etzion and son-in-law of Rav Soloveitchik) once explained that Pinchas was a man totally involved in pursuing peace. The Prophet Malachi said about him that G-d's "covenant was with him, life and peace" (2,5). But despite his peace-loving nature, he recognized that there are times of crisis when other types of actions are called for – actions of war. Pinchas knew how to act correctly and to fight even when others did not.

However, performing this deed of zealotry still left a concern: Perhaps it would somewhat diminish Pinchas’ sensitivity. This fear is reinforced by the words of the Ramban, who wrote that even the most ethical person loses something of his morality by being involved in war. There is thus a fear that perhaps Pinchas would no longer be on the same spiritual level as before. G-d therefore promised to "give him My covenant of peace" – a Divine promise that Pinchas would definitely return to the same spiritual state he had been in, and that the act of killing would not mar his exalted character.

To this we can add: The image of the Priest is one of peace; this is why the Priests bless the Nation of Israel with peace, as in the third part of the Priestly Blessing: "Yisa Hashem Panav, May G-d raise His countenance towards you and give you peace." Pinchas assumedly drew his nature of peace from his grandfather, Aharon HaCohen, who was known as a "lover of peace and pursuer of peace" (Pirkei Avot 1).

As mentioned, even a man of peace must sometimes go out and make battle. Even a man of peace knows that enemies – those of Israel and those of G-d – must be fought and struck down. Even a man of peace knows that one who has pity and compassion on terrorists is actually a criminal himself, one who fights against peace, not only at home but also around the world. Sometimes one must actually fight for peace!

The fact that great demands are made upon Priests is alluded to by the law that only those who are "perfect," that is, with no physical defect [as outlined in the Talmud and Halakhah], are fit to serve as Priests in the Holy Temple service. Our Sages stated (Kiddushin 66b) that the word shalom (peace) in the phrase "My covenant of peace," is written with a broken letter vuv, and thus can be read without the vuv as "shalem," meaning "complete." In short, the priests must be "complete."

Pinchas manifests completeness. He received, "My covenant of shalom/shalem, peace/completeness." He is a man of peace who, as a close descendant of Aharon, loves peace. knows how to make peace between people, and knows that the efforts to attain peace sometimes require extreme means that actually destroy and remove that which is bad from the world.

May it be G-d's will that we all merit to receive the blessing of peace: "May G-d raise His countenance towards you and give you peace."

Translated by Hillel Fendel

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