One of the best insights I’ve ever heard about what
motivates a religious zealot or extremist is that the zealot believes that he
or she is defending God’s honor. Last week’s parasha concluded with Pinchas,
zealous for God, taking the law into his own hands. Without following any due
process of law or justice, Pinchas kills an Israelite man and a Midianite woman
who were about to engage in a prohibited sexual and idolatrous act. In this
week’s parasha, Pinchas is rewarded with inheriting the line of the priesthood.
And as part of this, God extends to him a “brit shalom,” a covenant of peace.
The sages seem to find Pinchas’ actions problematic, and they
so some fancy footwork to try to justify why the Torah seems to reward him.
They see the reward as God’s way of saying that Pinchas’ intentions were pure. The
haftarah this week also has an example of zealotry, in the prophet Elijah. He
too was a controversial figure. As we study this parasha I want us to ask
ourselves whether zealotry is ever justified or necessary. Does God’s honor
need to be defended by human beings? Or is this just an excuse for humans to
act with violence and passion?
Although the parasha is named after Pinchas, there are a number
of other folks who get the spotlight: Moses invests Joshua with his authority
and leadership so that he can take over after Moses dies. The daughters of
Zelophchad bring a complaint to God through Moses, asking why they can’t
inherit their father’s portion of the Land, since he had no sons. We see here
represented by Pinchas, Joshua and the daughters of Zelophchad, the next
generation of Israelites taking the mantle of leadership and making their
voices heard. A second census is taken at this point, to count those of this
next generation who will make up the army that will conquer the Land.
I wonder what it was like to be Moses and the others of the
older generation, watching this new generation take over. Did they see them in
a favorable light? Is this new generation being celebrated in our text?
Looking forward to exploring together tomorrow!
Shabbat Shalom
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