11d (edited) • General
"The Obstacle is the Path" | Parshat Pinhas
Parshat Pinhas begins in the aftermath of the dramatic events at the end of Parshat Balak: as the Israelites stand on the threshold of entering the Promised Land, the Moabite and Midianite women seduce the Israelite men, enticing them to worship the idol, Baal Peor. As a result, a devastating plague breaks out among the Children of Israel. Zimri, an Israelite chieftain, publicly brings Cozbi, a Midianite princess, into his tent. In response, Pinhas kills them both, bringing the plague to an end.
At the beginning of our parshah, Hashem responds to Pinhas’ violent act with a seemingly ironic instruction to Moses:
“Pinhas, son of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the Children of Israel... Therefore, say: ‘Behold, I grant him My Covenant of Peace.’”
— Bamidbar 25:11–12
What is the meaning of this – that an act of violence is rewarded with a b’rit shalom – a “Covenant of Peace?” Rashi explains it simply an expression of gratitude. Just as a person shows warmth and friendship toward someone who has done them kindness, so God expresses peaceful feelings toward Pinhas. Ibn Ezra approaches the verse differently: it means that Pinhas need not fear retaliation from Zimri's family; the covenant is merely a promise of protection.
But there is a deeper level…
Have you ever been moving steadily toward some intention, only to find yourself suddenly pulled off course? Perhaps it was a distraction—something enticing that tempted you away from your goal. Or perhaps it was something darker: self-doubt, discouragement, anxiety, or the feeling that you just aren’t capable or deserving of completing what you began.
This is the spiritual DNA beneath the surface of the story. The Israelites are standing on the bank of the Jordan River, moments away from entering the Land toward which they have journeyed for forty years. Yet just before crossing the threshold, they become completely seduced away from their purpose; the obstacle appears at precisely the moment they are closest to fulfillment.
How do we respond when this happens in our own lives? Do we battle our inner obstacles with force as did Pinhas did, or is there another way? ...
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"The Obstacle is the Path" | Parshat Pinhas
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