The division between the parshiyot of Balak and Pinchas is oddly placed. Balak ends with the killing of Zimri and Cozbi by Pinchas and the end of a plague that had killed 24,000 people. It is unusual for a parasha to end on such a negative note. At the beginning of parashat Pinchas God’s anger at the idolatry of the Israelites is abated through this execution. “Pinchas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron haKohain, has turned back my wrath from the Israelites by displaying among them his passion for Me...”
Jewish scholars throughout history have tried to reconcile this. Different opinions abound. Through the division of the story into two parshiyot, Pinchas’ reward is diminished. The yud in Pinchas’ name is written smaller, representing a diminishing of God’s presence in Pinchas, even though he is granted the priesthood. Other commentators say that the granting of the priesthood is not reward, but a preventive measure against future zealous behaviour.
Whichever commentary we accept, it is clear that with this killing Pinchas is changed. He has blood on his hands. His influence and role among the people will always be coloured by this act. Killing, even within allowable parameters, has always created discomfort in Judaism. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 82a) allows that this killing was legal, but follows with “The law may permit, but we do not follow that law.” Rabbi Yohanan teaches, “A priest who killed a person should not lift up his hands [to say the priestly blessing], since it says, [‘When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen;] ‘Your hands are full of blood’ (Isaiah 1:15)” (Berachot 32b). The Shulkhan Arukh expounds upon this, “A priest who killed a person, even inadvertently, should not lift up his hands, even if he has repented.” Although the Rema, the gloss added to the Shulkhan Arukh by Rabbi Moshe Isserles, allows for repentance and return, (Orekh Hayim 128:35) stating, this is our custom.
This idea follows through history. King David, the most beloved of God, is not permitted to build the Temple due to the blood on his hands. In modern times Golda Meir would echo this idea in her often quoted statement, “I can forgive them for killing our children, but I cannot forgive them for making us kill theirs.”
It is understood that violent acts change us, not just us as individuals, but us as a community, a people, and a nation. It is a lesson so many nations have yet to learn.
Shabbat shalom.
