This week’s Sedra opens with Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu praise of Pinchas for his heroic zealous act of killing Zimri and Cozbi (a Nasi and the Midianite princess with whom he had been intimate). Hashem explains that Pinchas put an end to Hashem’s wrath against Klal-Yisroel thus saving Klal-Yisroel from extinction. There is an obvious question here: if Klal-Yisroel deserved annihilation, how could Pinchas change what they deserved? What was it about Pinchas’s act – one man’s action – that Changed Hashem’s view on the whole of Am-Yisroel?

The Gemarah tells us that Pinchas remembered a forgotten Halacha. Moshe Rabeinu had taught Klal-Yisroel that there is a Halacha of Kanoyim pogim Bo. This is a Halacha that states that in the event a Jew has intercourse with a non-Jewish woman he may be killed while in the midst of the act. The nature of this Halacha is a bit difficult to understand. In essence it is telling us that although the person in question has not committed a capital crime, a “Zealot” may nonetheless kill him. Why? Either one deserves the death penalty or one doesn’t. What is this middle ground?

Chazal discuss at great length the highly unusual character of this case of a zealot being allowed (or being expected) to kill the perpetrator in the midst of such an act. Whether the immoral act needs to be done in public or whether the rule applies equally if done more privately is also discussed. Chazal also explain that a person witnessing such an act needs to feel so intensely about the seriousness of the transgression that he feels the need to kill the perpetrator. (Chazal state that nowadays we do not practice this Halacha, because people are not on such a level that they can feel the moral intensity and certitude required). It would seem that it isn’t merely the immoral act alone that makes it permissible to kill its perpetrator, but rather somehow the moment itself. While sleeping with a non-Jewish woman may not be a capital crime, by doing so a Jew lowers himself and Hashem at the same time. While he is in the midst of such an act he is essentially giving off the message that he is somehow compatible with a non-Jewish person. The Mishna (Pirkei Avos) tells us that the Torah tells us we are special because the Torah tells us that we are “Sons of Hashem”. When a crown prince is caught sleeping with a lowly citizen he will have lowered himself in the eyes of his entire nation; he will have embarrassed thoroughly his royal parents.

We are Hashem’s Children. If a Jew lowers himself by coupling with a non-Jew he is lowering himself and Hashem so to speak at that point in time. It was exactly this point that Pinchas was sensitive to, and picked up on. Pinchas through his sensitivity remembered the forgotten Halacha of Kanoyim Pogim Bo.

Without an Am-Kadosh such an idea that a Jew may not pair himself with a non-Jew would be nonexistent. Klal-Yisroel – through the Zimri-Cozbi episode – may have almost lost their status as Hashem’s Am-Hanivchar. They were at the point of possibly no longer being בנים למקום. Pinchas did single-handedly save the day and allow for Am-Yisroel to continue to be the Am-Kadosh. Had Klal-Yisroel not actually been an embodiment of Kedusha; had it not in general been an Am-Kadosh, Pinchas wouldn’t have felt it necessary to kill those who defied this inherent Kedusha of Klal-Yisroel.

Klal Yisroel’s very being is in essence a being of Kedusha. We need to recognize our status of Kedusha. We must view ourselves as Hashem’s children and act accordingly. This is what Pinchas did, and this was his greatness.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski