Pinchas

Pinchas was a man of instinct and full of zealotry.  He was moved by what he saw wrong with his people and acted forcefully, violently.
In the aftermath of his actions, Pinchas was given a permanent “covenant of peace.”  Interesting that Pinchas, the zealot was given an award that did not jibe with his disposition.  Yet a great lesson inheres in this week’s Torah parasha.  There are times when we are on the right side of history but not behaving in a way that we want others to emulate.  For example, wars are often fought but they should never be glorified.  Wars may be necessary to protect lives that that does not mean we exult when people die.  The same can be said of any kind of suffering or punishment.
In fact, the whole idea of jailing someone for crimes is unknown in the Torah.  What is the purpose of placing someone in jail?  To satisfy society?  As an act of punishment for wrongdoing?  How does jail help the aggrieved?  Judaism is more concerned with making the victim whole than punishing the victimizer.
The parasha of Pinchas teaches many lessons.  Maybe the most important is to understand that violence is a last resort and wars are to be fought only when there is no other choice.   Our task in the world is to relieve suffering, not create it.

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