Volume 27 Issue 20 06 Jul 2018 23 Tammuz 5778

Student Devar Torah

Aaron Glass – Year 8

In this week’s parashah, we learn of the zealous deeds of one of the members of the tribe of Levi by the name of Pinchas, a grandson of Aaron the Kohein. Not many people in the Torah have a parashah named after them. They would have to do something pretty significant. And indeed Pinchas had an impact that made a huge difference.

We find the Israelites, after 40 years of wandering the desert finally being allowed to enter the Land. On the brink of a beautiful dawn, some terrible actions were taking place that could ruin their destiny.

Pinchas saw the men of his nation being tempted by the women of Midyan to sin by serving the idol Ba’al Peor. Pinchas took decisive action and, in one fell swoop, he put an end to the whole affair in the name of God. As a result, the collective sinning ceased.

The Torah tells us that due to the actions of Pinchas the wrath of God was turned away. Pinchas needed to be strong for, as we know, when a large group of people revels in destructive behavior and invests its time and effort towards making it acceptable, being the voice of reason can literally and figuratively get you your head handed to you on a platter.

Pinchas acted when it was most needed that he do so. The chance to turn the tide and bring everyone back to their senses was in his hands. He was keenly aware that if another moment had gone by with nothing done, all would have been lost. After all the Divine guidance and all the years of waiting, to see his nation disappear through assimilation into the Midyanite culture was too much for Pinchas. Continuity as a holy nation remained intact all because of the action of one person at the right time.

Pinchas was no hothead who was rewarded for acting in a rash manner without stopping to think. His was the kind of zealousness honored by the Torah. He came, he saw, he acted but not due to a split second of anger or spite but with a heart and mind set to achieve the honor of Heaven.

WHAT DOES THIS TEACH US?

If you see something wrong, do something about it and step up like Pinchas did.

And even if you are just one person you can make a diffrence.

WHAT’S THE LESSON?

One person can save a nation like Pinchas did and if you act quickly and step up to the challenge and don’t leave it to late. Just do it!

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Beau Glass – Year 10

God is supposed to work in mysterious ways that humans are unable to predict. So, it seems well within his character to reward a rebellious guy named Pinchas who kills a “prince”. I find it interesting that because our God approves, it’s fine to kill someone, apparently stopping a plague, and then just welcome him back as a hero without consequences. But since when was religion a fair playing field?

This is what happened in the episode of Pinchas and Zimri. Pinchas killed the sinner Zimri, taking judgment into his own hands. Had he not done so, apparently the Israelite people would have been annihilated to which I’m supposed to say “God forbid”, but seeing God started the plague in the first place, I’m not too sure whether that makes much sense.

But because Pinchas took God’s vengeance into his own hands, the accusation against the Israelite people was silenced. So, although your opponent—and you—may not realise it, his attack and murderous deeds may be saving you from something worse.

The problem is that is that in the Torah such ideas were not nearly as straightforward. This is basically where God helps out. Throughout the parashah he advises Pinchas and Moshe on which path to take.

This idea seems to suggest that despite the constant attack on religion, God protects and preserves the essence of truth from being falsified or misinterpreted. I, of course, would argue that religion is all just a series of misinterpretations of what God intends, which is why 2 groups each following the same religion can have such drastically opposing morals, such as the contrast of accepting charitable churches with the Ku Klux Klan, or peaceful Islamic organisations and jihadist militants.

So, whether or not you think listening to God to guide you is the most reasonable answer to difficult decisions, just understand that we must appreciate our own safety and freedom of religion, thought and life.