In this timely piece for the coming Shabbat, our member Rabbi Paul Bloom reflects on one of the most profound figures in the Torah—Pinchas—and on how his legacy continues to resonate deeply, especially in light of the challenges facing Am Yisrael in our own generation.
The Soul of a Warrior-Saint
Pinchas emerges in Sefer Bamidbar as a
zealot who, in a moment of national spiritual collapse, acts decisively. His
actions—stopping a public desecration of Hashem's covenant—may seem violent at
first glance. Yet the Torah does not describe him as an aggressor or a
vigilante. Instead, he is granted a unique divine reward:
"Therefore
say: Behold, I give him My covenant of peace (בריתי שלום)."
— Bamidbar 25:12
This brit
shalom—a covenant of peace—contains remarkable depth, and reveals layers of
meaning about the nature of true peace, divine protection, and moral integrity
in times of conflict. Let us explore three classic interpretations of this
phrase through the eyes of Chazal and later commentators.
1. Peace from One’s
Enemies – Protection in the Face of Backlash
The covenant of peace here is understood
as divine protection: "Peace"—from
retaliation. Hashem promises that no harm will come to Pinchas from those who
would otherwise be motivated by revenge.
This is a lesson for us in today's Israel
as well. Surrounded by enemies who glorify death while we sanctify life, we too
yearn for the peace of protection. Prime Minister Netanyahu recently remarked
before Congress that the war against Hamas is not merely a clash of
civilizations, but a battle of civilization versus barbarism. In such times, we
ask for Hashem’s brit shalom—that our
soldiers and our nation be shielded from those who seek to destroy us.
2. Peace from Death – A
Gift of Endurance
The second interpretation, found in the
commentary of the Sforno, sees
the brit shalom as a promise of
longevity. Pinchas is later identified with Eliyahu HaNavi, and he lives on for
centuries, appearing again in Sefer Shofetim and even at the end of Sefer
Malachi.According to the Sforno:
Hashem's
covenant of peace was a promise of life itself—a miraculous protection from
death.
In reward for halting a spiritual and
moral collapse, Pinchas is granted enduring life. His zeal, channeled for the
sake of Klal Yisrael and the sanctity of the nation, was met not with
condemnation, but with a unique blessing: immortality. This is a model for how
deep personal sacrifice in the name of Hashem’s honor can lead to profound
spiritual elevation.
3. Peace of the Soul –
Guarding Moral Integrity in Battle
The third and perhaps most
psychologically profound interpretation is that of the Ha’amek Davar (Netziv of Volozhin). He explains that the brit shalom promised Pinchas inner peace
and emotional protection:
When
one engages in necessary violence—even in a just war—it can damage the soul.
The divine covenant was a safeguard for Pinchas’s inner world.
In other words, Hashem promised him that
his neshama would not be coarsened or brutalized by the violent act he
had committed.
We see this struggle vividly today.
Soldiers returning from battle zones in Gaza often describe the psychological
toll of warfare. One soldier recently told Rabbi Kimche that he had spent weeks
in “a world of darkness and death.” And yet, the Rabbi met him again at a
simcha—davening, playing with his children, and engaging with Torah with
clarity and joy. This, I believe, is an expression of the brit shalom granted to those who fight with purity of heart, leshem shamayim.
The Broken Vav: A Flawed
Peace
But there is yet another layer, hidden in
the Torah scroll itself. If you look closely at the word shalom (שלום) in the pasuk,
you’ll notice that the letter vav
is broken—split in the middle. This
is highly unusual. Any other broken letter in a Sefer Torah invalidates the
scroll. Yet here, it is halachically acceptable, even deliberate. Why? Because
this teaches us a deep truth: peace
that is achieved through violence is inherently incomplete. It may
be necessary. It may be justified. But it is not the ultimate vision of shalom.
True shalom—the kind we pray for
in Sim Shalom, in Oseh Shalom, and in the Birkat Kohanim—is wholeness. It is
harmony without swords, tanks, or pain. The broken vav reminds us that
the peace we achieve through war is still fractured. It is not the Messianic
peace we long for, but rather a temporary reprieve born of tragic necessity.
Carrying the Legacy
Forward
Pinchas became the Mashuach Milchama, the spiritual guide who inspired soldiers before
battle. He represents the ideal of purity of intent in times of struggle. His
covenant continues to inspire generations of Jewish soldiers and leaders—those
who fight not for conquest or cruelty, but for the sanctity of life, the
holiness of Eretz Yisrael, and the safety of Am Yisrael.
We stand today as inheritors of this
complex but uplifting legacy. May we merit to see the day when the covenant of
peace is complete, when the vav is whole, and when the sword can finally
be laid to rest.
"וְחָרְבוֹתֵיהֶם יִתְּכְּתוּ לְאִתִּים" — “And they shall beat their swords into
plowshares.”
(Yeshayahu 2:4)
May that day come soon—bimhera beyameinu.
