PEACE NOT VIOLENCE

   This week's Torah reading, Parshas Pinchas, speaks of the personality of Pinchas. As we study the incident surrounding him we can gain an important lesson in our own personal lives. 

  In studying behavior, let me remind you of a very interesting idea in the machinations of worldly affairs;

   It is a known fact that for every action there is a reaction. Even the most minute movement creates some sort of reaction. When a butterfly flaps its wings, the wind it creates is released into the environment and develops a life of its own. It moves and continues to develop until a century or a millennium later it can develop into a storm, a tornado or a hurricane. Nothing ever gets lost.

  If this be true for a small butterfly, how much more so will the actions of man have a tremendous affect on society for years to come.

    With this idea in mind let us study the behavior of Pinchas and how his actions continue to influence us even today. We will learn from Pinchas that  we must never relegate our actions as inconsequential, for they do have tremendous impact upon all of us.

  Let us, for a moment, refresh our memories about the facts of the story of Pinchas. The Torah relates that the Jewish People were seduced into participating in pagan orgies by the Moabite women. As a result, the anger of Hashem was aroused against them and a plague broke out that took many lives. Seeing what was taking place, Pinchas jumped into action and took his sword and went into the midst of the camp and killed Zimri an Israelite and  Kazbe the Moabite woman  who were in the center of the orgy. As a result of his actions, the Torah states, "The anger of Hashem was calmed and the plague came to an end."

   Hashem, in turn, rewarded Pinchas, הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום, with the covenant of peace. Wouldn't you agree that this was a strange reward for such an action?

   There are many commentaries that answer this question wondering, "When is violence permitted and when should violence be condemned even when the reason to act in a violent way seems  reasonable and even necessary?" This is an issue that many struggle with especially in the State of Israel.

  I would like to share with you a brilliant insight given to us by the Netzsiv in his Haamek Davar regarding this unique reward given to Pinchas. The Netzsiv says that Hashem had to Bless Pinchas with this covenant of peace so that he would be protected against "himself". The Netzsiv is indeed giving us a lesson in behavioral psychology by stating, "When a man kills, whatever the cause may warrant, he is never the same person he was before the action. That is why Hashem gave Pinchas the reward of   ברית שלום, encouraging him to find peace within "himself", and that he should  continue to live a life that is replete with רחמים וחיים ושלום. 

         I remember the words of Golda Meir, "I will never forgive the Arabs for making our young men and women into killers". 

     Killing of any sort changes the entire personality of man. Too often, one may even get used to it and one may even become hardened and casual about it and may even do it again without trepidation and anxiety.  This must never happen to anyone , especially to the Jewish People who must live lives of rachamim and kindness.

   This is our lesson of life. 

   'Remember, with every action, there is a reaction.' Let us always be cognizant and vigilant in how we act to others and realize that we are a nation of רחמנות.  When relating to  others let us always remember to beseech Hashem to bestow his ברית שלום upon  כלל ישראל.

May we ultimately reach the vision of a better day for all mankind.

LOOK HEAVENWARD

   Pokemon Go has taken hold of our society, however for me my Pokemon is different than all others.

  It is true that Pokemon is in a search to find certain characters , and I am equally in search.  However, my characters represent goodness and kindness. My search is for a better society and a much more loving relationship between people.

   So let the game begin......

Let us begin our search and in doing so let us inform each other where to look and find our Pokemon of Jewish Life. 

    This week's Parsha relates how בני ישראל , rebelled against Hashem and how they were punished by being bitten by fiery serpents. The Torah, then, continues to tell us how בני ישראל, called unto  Hashem to stop the plague. Here we find a most interesting and somewhat perplexing response by G-d regarding the remedy for the plague.

  Hashem instructs Moshe: עשה לך שרף ושים אותו על הנס, "And  Hashem instructs Moshe to make and form a copper serpent to which וראה אותו וחי, "The Jewish People will gaze upon it and then they will be cured and live."

    One wonders about such a cure and in fact Chazal ask the obvious question, which I am sure is on all of our minds. וכי נחש ממית או מחיה, "Can a mere gazing at a copper serpent heal?" Is this some type of voodoo or magic?

    Our Sages answer, בזמן שישראל מסתכלים כלפי מעלה ומשבדין את לבם לאביהם שבשמים מתרפאים,"When the Jewish People looked heavenward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven they were cured and they lived". 

    From this episode we learn a meaningful lesson as our world is experiencing much hatred and violence. We need to build that symbolical copper serpent to direct our hearts and our minds heavenward towards our Father in Heaven and beseech His help and guidance that will lead us out of this turmoil that engulfs all of humanity.  

   These are times we must utter the prayer that begins with, אבינו שבשמים צור ישראל וגואלו. For only through  greater dedication and commitment to Torah and to  יראת שמים, can mankind survive and blossom into a true צלם אלוקים. 

     Dag Hammarskjold, who was  the Secretary General of the United States, wrote, " Life demands from you, only the strength you possess, only one feat is possible, not to have run away".

     We face life with the Knowledge that our Father in Heaven will continue to guide us as long as we will continue to look Heavenward. 

                                                                                                           

                                                               

בקש שלום

  How one approaches something may very well determine the success or failure of the mission. 

  This reminds me of an amusing story that I would like to share with you - A little girl was standing by the elevator in a department store crying and the security guard asked her what was the problem; “Are you lost?” “No”, she replied between sobs, “I am here, but my mother is lost.”

    Too often in life we feel lost and find it very difficult to find our true self.

   This Shabbat we will read the infamous story of Korach, a man responsible for destroying the harmony among the Jewish people. He was lost in his own narcissistic needs, self-centered, mean spirited and not afraid to propel his personal agenda at the expense of the unity of Am Yisrael.

  He tried to accomplish his hateful scheme by openly and vehemently disagreeing with Moshe and made libel accusations against him in public. And for this he was punished severely. Why was Korach was punished merely for disagreeing with Moshe?

    The Magid of Meszrich, saw this opposition as a compliment, for he says, in an analogous way, ‘that a robber will only attack a person who is carrying jewels, but will never waste his time and effort on someone who is carrying straw.’

      In a like manner Korach attacks Moshe, for he represents the Jewels of Judaism. I don’t see the harm in disagreeing with someone as long as that disagreement fulfills the dictum which is stated in Pirkey Avos;  כל מחלוקת שהיא לשם שמים סופה להתקים

    “A controversy which is for the sake of heaven in the end will endure”.  Korach’s controversy was merely to argue and to be divisive and to create disruption, not for the purpose of finding the truth and surely not for the betterment of K’llal Yisrael. Our aim in life is  סופה להתקים that the end result is to achieve a glorious future for the Jewish People and not  to cause confusion and dissention. 

    In fact, Moshe tried, desperately, to appease Korach and to bring him to the negotiating table.  Korach’s response to Moshe’s overture was       לא נעלה  “We will not go up. We will not talk to you, because we have nothing to say to you. We are right and you are wrong and therefore we will not even entertain a visit with you.” 

   These words   לא נעלה   are the most disastrous words when it comes to negotiations and acts of rapprochement.

   Korach and his like, are people who think they know everything and always think they are right. Such a people have difficulty in relationships. They are not acting with the intention of achieving a just conclusion to their conflict and therefore will never achieve the proper relationship with others.

   We must live life of togetherness and to respect others as we wish others to respect us.  Only G-d knows everything – we must always be open to the ideas and thoughts of others, bringing about the true Ahavas Yisrael and Ahavas Habriot.

“Bakesh shalom v’rodfeihu,  Seek out peace and chase after it’ – seek it with your friends, chase after it with others.  Don’t ever give up, rather chase after it until you find it.”