Parashat Pinchas

The story of Pinchas, while talking up a small amount of space, 16 verses, has stirred up controversy over the years. It raises disturbing questions about how far a person can go in their passion for following what they perceive as being divine commandments.

Overview

We find the beginning of the story in Parashat Balak, Numbers 25:1. While Israel was staying at Shittim, the people adopted the ways of the local people, worshipping Baal-Peor. Some of the Israelite men were also committing adultery with some of the local women.

God is angry with the people and tells Moses to have the leaders of the people who are participating in these activities to be publicly executed and impaled as punishment to them and as a warning to the people. Those leaders who have remained true are to slay those leaders in his own tribe who have sinned.

As Moses is giving God's orders before the Tent of Meeting, those with him are weeping before the entrance. As this is happening an Israelite man and a Midianite woman enter a tent within sight of the grieving group and enter the chamber. (The Hebrew word for chamber describes a partitioned area within a family tent used as the women's apartment.)

Pinchas, assuming that the couple is going in to have sex, follows them into the chamber and stabs them both with a spear. A plague, sent by God as punishment for the idolatry is checked. Opening this portion, we find God rewarding Pinchas for his actions with God's pact of friendship and perpetual priesthood for Pinchas and his descendants. The story closes with God telling Moses to attack the Midianites because they purposely tried to lead Israel astray and lead them to worship Baal-Peor.

Questions for discussion

Numbers 25:6-8 says that an Israelite brought a Midianite woman over to his friends. When the couple enters a tent Pinchas takes a spear, follows them into the chamber and kills them. How does he know what they were up to?

Criticism of Pinchas comes from commentators through the ages. Why do you think this is so?

The killing was an execution carried out, not by the authorities but by an individual acting alone. The executioner did not even claim to acting on behalf of recognized authority. According to Rav, head of the Sura Academy, Pinchas acted as judge, prosecutor, jury, and executioner.

The act as described in Numbers appears to have been entirely impulsive.

Pinchas stabbed the woman in the belly (some translate the word as "private parts"). Aside from some obvious questions about the state of mind of an individual who does such a deed, a person with a belly wound dies a slow agonizing death. According to Jewish law a person being executed is to be killed quickly, with as little torment as possible.

Maimonides, writing in Mishneh Torah, says that "a Jew may be put to death by zealots if he is found having sexual intercourse with a non-Jewish woman or prostitute." He goes on to hold up the story of Pinchas as an example. However the zealots are justified only if they catch the offender in the act. Why are they the ones to perform such a deed?

What is a zealot?

zeal n great interest or eagerness

zealot n fanatical person; a fanatic

zealous adj full of interest; eager; passionate

zeal (syn) fervor, eagerness, passion, fervency, vehemence, devotion, intensity, excitement, earnestness, inspiration, warmth, ardor, fanaticism, enthusiasm

zealot(syn) champion, crank, fanatic, bigot

zealous (syn) enthusiastic, fiery, keen, eager, fervid, ardent, intense, vehement, fervent, glowing, hot, impassioned, passionate

Webster's Dictionary and Thesaurus Landoll, Inc., 1993

What are the positives in a zealot? What are the negatives? Why do you think the word in general is so negative? After all a zealot in your organization can keep people focused and energetic.

Was Pinchas a zealot?

Most Jews today have a negative feelings toward zealots. Many don't even like the word. Why?

Was God right in granting Pinchas any reward? Are we right in disagreeing?