At the end of Parshat Balak, the evil sorcerer Bilaam had successfully convinced the Moabite and Midianite peoples to ensnare the Jews in a web of immorality and idolatry.
Knowing that the G-d of Israel detests immorality [Rashi, Bamidbar 24’ 14’], Bilaam was sure that causing the Jews to sin in that area would surely ignite G-d’s wrath. He was unfortunately correct; when the Moabite and Midianite women proceeded to seduce the Jewish men, a plague erupted, and 24,000 members of the tribe of Shimon died. While the plague was ongoing, a particularly blatant act of open licentiousness was perpetrated by the leader of the tribe of Shimon, “Zimri,” and a Midianite princess by the name of “Kozbi.” Moshe and the elders of Israel were so shocked by this display of immoral conduct, that they could not recall the appropriate halakhic response to such an act. Moshe’s great-nephew, a man by the name of Pinchas, was able to clarify the issue, and Moshe instructed him to take action, as Jewish law would dictate-–at which point, he speared both Zimri and Kozbi, as befitting those who would blatantly defame G-d’s name with an extreme display of public lewdness [see Sanhedrin 82]. Thus concludes Parshat Balak.
This week’s Parshah, Parshat Pinchas, opens with the reward G-d gave to Pinchas in honor of PInchas’ willingness to punish Zimri and Kozbi. The commentaries point out that Pinchas took tremendous risk by killing the prince of the tribe of Shimon in such a fashion; additionally Pinchas received much scorn and criticism [see Rashi Bamidbar 25’ 11’], so much so, the other members of the tribe of Shimon were even capable of retaliating by murdering Pinchas! As such, Pinchas certainly earned recompense from G-d. The verse [25’ 10’-13’] states:
“G-d spoke to Moses, saying, “Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the Israelites by displaying among them his passion for Me, so that I did not wipe out the Israelite people in My passion. Say, therefore, ‘I grant him My pact of Peace.”
Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, in his commentary Ha’ameik Davar, comments [ad. loc.], that Pinchas’ act of retribution would appear to the viewer as apparently quite savage. One would think that putting to death Zimri and Kozbi with a single thrust of a spear [as Halachically sanctioned], in full view of many of the Israelites, would be an act that fosters barbarism on the part of the performer of said act. Hence, that is why G-d tells Moshe that Pinchas will be rewarded with G-d’s pact of peace forever, as no one should think that his action, that was necessary according to Jewish law, would result in the creation of violent tendencies. To the contrary, punishing evildoers and those who desecrate G-d’s name results in a more peaceful and serene existence–ergo, Pinchas receives the promise of G-d’s serenity as a result of his willingness to follow halakhah, despite the apparent violence required.
We should glean from the above perspective of the Ha’ameik Davar, that despite the primarily peace loving nature of the Jewish people, when self defense and military action are required, Pinchas’ example should be followed, and all necessary endeavors should be performed–and rather than result in a dilution of our value of peace, the Jewish Nation will receive from G-d an even greater measure of tranquility.