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.