Rabbi Shmuel Eliahuis Chief Rabbi of Tzfat.
When Bilaam sees that the People of Israel are strong, with the power to defeat all of their enemies, he realizes that the way to overcome Israel is to instigate conflict within Israel itself. This way, Israel’s strength will turn inward, Jew against Jew, and Israel’s enemies will triumph without lifting a finger. Thus Bilaam sends the daughters of Moav and Midian to lead Israel into sin.
“Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Slay each man his men who have attached themselves to Baal Peor’” (Bamidbar 25:5).
The tribe of Shimon went to Zimri son of Salu and said to him: “They (the other tribes) are executing capital punishment, and you sit silent?”
What did he do? He stood up and gathered 24,000 Israelites and went to Cozbi. He said to her: “Listen to me...”
She replied: “I am a king’s daughter. My father instructed me only to obey the greatest among them.”
He said to her: “I am also a leader of a tribe. Moreover, I am even greater than Moses, for I am second in birth rank, while Moses is third.”
The appearance of the daughters of Moav create a battle for leadership over the Israelite encampment.
Pinchas’ Goal - To Stop a Civil War
Pinchas stops this civil war by killing Cozbi, daughter of Zur, and Zimri, son of Salu, who had gathered the 24,000 warriors against Moses:
“Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aaron the Kohen saw, and he rose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand. He followed the Israelite man into the chamber and pierced both of them, the Israelite man and the woman through her belly. And the plague was halted from upon the Children of Israel” (Bamidbar 25:7-8).
Outwardly, it appeared as though Pinchas was participating in the civil war, and therefore he endured harsh criticism both from the People of Israel and from the ministering angels. But Hashem knew that his intention was to make peace by means of the spear, and therefore granted him the Covenant of Peace.
War Against Moses and His Torah
As a side note, when Cozbi’s father told her, “Only obey the greatest among them,” he intended for her to target Moses himself, in order to cause him to sin. Zimri understood the plan and brought Cozbi before Moses:
“He seized her by her long tresses and dragged her before Moses. He said to him: ‘Son of Amram, is this woman forbidden or permitted? And if you say forbidden, who permitted you to marry the daughter of Yitro?’”
Though their scheme did not succeed, they managed to weaken Moses’ authority.
“The law was forgotten from him. All of the people burst into weeping, as it is written: ‘And they were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.’” (Sanhedrin 82a)
After Zimri and Cozbi failed with Moses, Zimri took the Midianite woman into his tent to sin with her. Pinchas understood that he needed to reach Zimri, who was dividing the nation and provoking civil war. To gain access to the tribal leader, Pinchas tricked Zimri’s supporters into thinking he also wished to consort with a Midianite woman.
He concealed the iron tip of his spear by hiding it under his coat. He leaned upon his staff as he walked. When he reached the tribe of Shimon, he said:
“Where do we find that the tribe of Levi is greater than the tribe of Shimon?”
They answered:
“Let him be. He too is going in to do his business.”
So they allowed him to pass, thinking he had the same intention as Zimri. In Zimri and Cozbi’s tent, Pinchas waited until Zimri’s strength weakened, and then he killed both Zimri and Cozbi. Meanwhile, the plague consumed the 24,000 supporters of Zimri, and thus Pinchas emerged victorious.
Our Sages in the Talmud said that the ministering angels sought to drive Pinchas away from God’s Presence. Not only that, but Israel too was against him. They said he was provoking a civil war:
“The ministering angels sought to push him away. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: ‘Leave him be. He is a zealot, the son of a zealot. He is an appeaser of wrath, the son of an appeaser of wrath.’”
The tribes began to deride him, saying:
“Look at this son of Puti (Pinchas) whose maternal grandfather fattened calves for idol worship - he has slain a prince of Israel” (Sanhedrin 82b).
Pinchas’ Intention Was for Peace
Hashem tells Moses to stop the accusations against Pinchas, who appeared to be involved in a civil war but in truth brought peace.
“Therefore say: Behold, I give him My covenant of peace. And it shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Children of Israel” (Bamidbar 25).
The Talmud states:
“The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Go and greet him with peace, as it says: ‘Therefore say: Behold, I give him My covenant of peace.’ And this atonement is worthy to continue atoning forever” (Sanhedrin 82).
Also in the Talmud we find:
“Rabbi Eliezer said in the name of Rabbi Chanina: Pinchas did not become a priest until he killed Zimri, as it is written: ‘And it shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of everlasting priesthood’” (Zevachim 101b).
Rav Ashi said:
“Not until he made peace among the tribes.”
Later, when the tribes of Gad, Reuven, and half of Manasseh built an altar east of the Jordan River, the Israelites feared they were repeating the sin of Baal Peor.
“And the children of Israel heard of it, and the entire assembly of the children of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go up to war against them” (Joshua 22:12).
Pinchas engaged in dialogue with the tribes of Gad, Reuven, and half of Manasseh. They promised they were not separating themselves from the people of Israel nor turning to idol worship:
“And Pinchas the priest and the princes of the congregation and the heads of the thousands of Israel who were with him heard the words spoken by the children of Reuven and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh, and it was good in their eyes” (Joshua 22:30).
As a result of this peace, Pinchas merited the priesthood.
And this is the mission of Pinchas, who is Eliahu, to bring peace to the world:
“And I will make them one nation in the Land, upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever again be divided into two kingdoms” (Ezekiel 37:22).
The strength of our nation lies in unity. Only when we achieve peace within ourselves, erasing all enmity and division, we will achieve victory over all enemies and bring peace to our Land. May it be soon.