Pinchas: When is Zealotry okay?

Pinchas, The Fanatic

Talmud Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 9:7

The Elders of Israel sought to excommunicate Pinhas until the Holy Spirit hurried and said: “It shall be for him and his descendants after him a covenant of priesthood for all time, because he took zealous action for his God, thus making expiation for the Israelites."

Torah Gems, v.3, Yavneh Publishing, 1998, p.144

When Moses saw how great Pinchas was, he was afraid that he would be chosen as the leader, but he was not pleased with the prospect of having such a zealot as the leader of the Jewish people. He therefore asked of God that the leader be a tolerant person, and not a zealous one.”

Numbers Rabbah 21:2

Moses requested of the Blessed Holy One at the hour of his death, saying before God: “Master of the Universe, the mind of each and every one is known before you, and none of them are the same as another’s. When I am separated from them [by death], I ask of you please to set someone over them who will be patient with each and every one according to their uniqueness…”

Pinchas, the Honorable

Rabbi Kook, as quoted in Nechama Leibowitz' Studies in Bamidbar, p.330-1

Any sage distinguished for his piety and learning is capable of formulating prayers breathing sentiments of mercy and love. But such a prayer as this one, so full of hate and condemnation is bound to arouse the private feelings of animosity and spite, on the part of the author, against the enemies and persecutors of his people. Such a prayer must therefore originate with one noted for the holiness and purity of character and entire lack of the passion of hatred. Such a man was Samuel ha-katan. One could be sure that he was dominated by completely unselfish considerations and inspired by the purest of motives, and had removed from his heart all private feelings of hatred for the persecutors of his people"

Samson Rafael Hirsch

Phinehas acted meritoriously only because he punished the transgression in flagranto, in the act. Had he done it afterwards it would have been murder.

Sanhedrin 82a

Moreover, if Zimri son of Salu (see Numbers 25:1–9) had separated himself from the woman and only then Pinehas killed him, Pinehas would have been executed for killing him, because it is permitted for zealots to kill only while the transgressor is engaged in the act of intercourse. Furthermore, if Zimri would have turned and killed Pinehas in self-defense, he would not have been executed for killing him, as Pinehas was a pursuer. One is allowed to kill a pursuer in self-defense, provided that the pursued is not liable to be executed by the court.

Targum Jonathan on Numbers 25:13

Because Phinehas had taken the spear with his arm, prayed with his mouth and struck sinners in their innards, the Torah (Deut 18:3) provides that the priests receive the sacrificial gifts of shoulder, cheekbone, and maw.

The Torah: A Modern Commentary, Revised p.1087

"The Torah states that the crown of God's favor was bestowed on Phinehas and that because he had shown himself zealous his descendants would inherit the priesthood forever. This presents the reader with the serious moral question of how such a priceless reward could be given for an act of killing... Phinehas is rewarded not so much for slaying the transgressors as for saving his people from God's destructive wrath... Phinehas's impulsive deed was not merely a kind of battlefield execution but reflected his apprehension that the demands of God needed human realization and required a memorable and dramatic example against permissiveness in the religious realm. The story further asserts that this was the proper way to halt further religious disintegration and to repair the breach of the covenant."

Numbers Rabbah 21:3

Why does the Torah note that Zimri was head of a clan? To teach that when one tarnishes one's reputation, the whole family is affected....

As a reward Phinehas received God's brit shalom, literally, covenant of peace. Great was this gift, for the world is maintained by peace-- and the Torah is peace itself, as it is said "All her paths are peace."

Naphtali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, as quoted in Nechama Leibowitz' Studies in Bamidbar, p.331

In reward for turning away the wrath of the Holy One blessed be He, He blessed him with the attribute of peace, that he should not be quick-tempered or angry. Since, it was only natural that such a deed as Phinehas' should leave in his heart an intense emotional unrest afterward, the Divine blessing was designed to cope with this situation and promised peace and tranquility of soul

Kiddushin 66b:1

Rav Yehudah said in the name of Shmuel: The verse (Numbers 25, 12) says, “And therefore say, behold I give to him my covenant of peace—shalom.” When he is shalem (whole/complete) and not when he is chaser (missing something/diminished). But hey, the Torah wrote “shalom”! Said Rav Nachman: The “vav” of shalom is (written) broken.

Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Zevachim 101b

Pinchas did not become a priest until he had made peace among the Tribes [i.e. between the Tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menasheh, and the rest of Israel.

Iturei Torah

After the great zealousness that he acted upon for God, God gives him as a gift the Covenant of Shalom. It is as if the Torah is hinting that the path of Shalom is always preferable to, and more successful than, the path of zealousness and war.