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PINHAS 1 - THE RETURN OF DIVINE JUDGEMENT

Pinhas recalled the teaching he had heard from his teacher Moshe. If a Jew is having relations with a
gentile woman (publicly) - he is to be executed by the zealous. 1 He instantly took a spear in his hand....2
It behooves us to attempt to understand the spiritual underpinnings of this episode in Jewish history.
What prompted Zimri to descend and commit such an act publicly? What exactly did Pinhas accomplish
by executing Zimri and Kozbi to earn him the covenant of shalom? Why is the law stated exclusively with
regards to a Zealous one? In order to answer these queries we have to go regress back into last weeks
parasha. We were taught that Bilam had the unique ability to decipher the exact moment of Divine
anger. 3 He would attempt to use this knowledge to curse Bene Yisrael at the opportune time. The
Talmud teaches that he was unsuccessful in his repeated attempts to curse - as God had temporarily
removed at that time any vestige of Divine Judgement. This removal of any trace of Divine Anger would
stymie Bilam's attempts to curse Israel. However, the removal of Din or Divine Judgement would incur
serious repercussions for Israel. Without any Gevurot extant to assist Bene Yisrael in its fear of God -
Bil'am was able to circumvent his apparent inability to curse. This removal of Divine Judgement opened
for him an alternative pathway to lead Israel into sin. It was this absence of Din that allowed Bene
Yisrael to fall into the sin of Arayot so easily. It was through the act of Pinhas who would return the
Divine Judgement back into the world to halt the sin and earn him the celestial role as the model of
Shalom.

DIVINE ANGER - JUDGEMENT REMOVED
The initial approach of Bilam was to curse Israel using his unique knowledge of the exact moment of
Divine Judgement. We cited earlier a Talmudic teaching that there is a moment daily where Divine
Judgement is aroused - The knowledge of this time was exclusively known by Bilam. It could
alternatively be detected the Talmud teaches by certain specific movements of the Rooster. 4 The
rooster is called a Gever as taught in Tractate Yoma. 5 Similarly Bilam refers to himself by this very same
name -"The Geve"; 6- as Bilam is associated with Din. Parenthetically we use the Gever in order to
sweeten judgments associated with Erev Yom Kippour. We take a chicken/rooster at that time and
slaughter it and cover its blood. The Talmud teaches in the name of R. Elazar - "The Holy One Blessed Be
He, said to Israel: realize how many benevolences I bestowed upon you - in that I did not become angry
in the days of the wicked Bilam when he was seeking to curse you. No remnant of you would have
remained. 7 This is the meaning of that which Bilam admitted to Balak - מה אזעם לא זעם ה׳ - How can I
arouse anger - if this Midah has been closed off by Hashem? Bilam was rendered impotent even with
his knowledge to precisely pinpoint the time of Divine Anger. All this as Hashem removed this spiritual
channel from the world. This was done only in order to protect us from the curse of Bilam. As without
Din he would have nothing to attach his curse.

NO JUDGEMENT - LEADS TO SIN OF IMMORALITY
R.B. Rosenblum cites Sefer Ohr Gadalya in the name of R. HaAri, that there is a telling verse in 22nd
Perek that can be elucidated literally as ";the Divine Judgement or Anger as expressed in the name
Elokim has left us." 8 Rashi calls out that from the passages that follow - it was apparent that it I s
particularly an Angel of mercy that is sent to thwart the efforts of Bil’am. 9 R. Gadalya Shur explains that
Biam's hands were tied in terms of making use of Divine Judgement. He realized that without din or the
supervision associated with the fear of God - it would be more opportune to injure Israel thru the sin of
immortality. Without any aspect of fear of God extant - it would be rather simple to cause Israel to sin.
We know that immorality is associated with hesed. A verse in Mishle relates ervah - (immorality) with

the divine supervision of kindness when it describes this trait as the foundation upon which the world
was built. 10 Namely the intimate relationship between the children of Adam amongst themselves - was
to populate the world in its early stages. 11 Thus teaching that Ervah is aroused during a time that the
spiritual force that is active in the world is one of kindness, especially in the absence of the trait of fear or
judgment. Bilam was successful as it is written "Israel was staying in Shittim ... And became involved
with Baal Peor" .12

RETURN OF DIVINE JUDGEMENT
The spiritual force that was exclusively in effect was one of kindness. This led to the brazen act of Zimri
and other Jews in Shittim. It is inconceivable that a leader of Israel - in this instance Zimri of the tribe of
Shimon can publicly have relations with an Aramite? The Torah had pre-empted this eventuality with
the law recalled by Pinhas. If the time would come when Divine Fear would be absent; which can result
in even great ones sinning - then - only a true Zealous one of God has the ability to properly reintroduce
the channel of Divine Judgement. The Zohar affirms this spiritual level of Pinhas when it teaches that he
was endowed with the soul of Yishak. Hashem admits to the purity of Pinhas praising him for his act of
zealousness. He writes, Pinhas had a vengeance for me among them, 13 - We can add that Pinhas had
aroused this Divine Channel of Rage on behalf of Hashem.

THE COVENANT OF SHALOM
As a result of his Vengeance which was explained above as one who reintroduced the Divine Judgment -
We see he was promised a covenant of Shalom. This can be best understood by seeing the place of
Pinhas in our liturgy. He is found in the Selihot as partnering with Yoseph as establishing an aspect of the
spiritual channel of Yesod. 14 This of course being associated with the Holy Berit. In fact the Zohar also
associates him with the soul of Yoseph. This spiritual channel is also called "The Life of the worlds";-in
fact we call attention to it immediately preceding the spiritual coupling done in the blessing of Sim
Shalom. 15 We preempt the Divine Unity of the amida repetition and call out ברוך חי העולמים - This to
arouse the spiritual channel of Yesod which represents the middle column attribute of שלום as it is
established through the balance of Hesed and Din. 16 So through his reintroduction of Din - he was able
to reawaken the holy channel of Yesod - Shalom. We know that Pinhas is Eliyahu - the Targum Yonatan
explains that "; I will make him an angelic being who will live חי forever. He will announce the
redemption towards the end of time.” 17 Since he had perfected this Midah - the Angel of death says R.
Yose in the Zohar, has no access to him and will henceforth live forever. 18 We can therefore look
forward to Pinhas in the form of Eliyahu heralding in the messianic era - As the Malakhi says - “My Berit
is with him - that of Hayyim and Shalom.” 19

Shabbat Shalom
Victor Bibi

Victor Bibi