Sicha, Shabbos Parshas Pinchas 5721 – Likkutei Sichos, vol. 18 Pinchas 3.
A. Pinchas — The First Zealot
After Balaam failed to curse the Jewish people, he advised Balak to cause them to stumble through immorality and idolatry (Source 1). His advice was implemented, and in response, G-d commanded the execution of the sinners (Source 2).
The tribe of Simeon, frightened by the punishment, turned to their prince to legitimize their actions. Zimri approached Moses accompanied by a Midianite woman and cynically asked how Moses forbade them from the Midianites when Moses himself had married Jethro’s daughter (Sources 3 & 4).
Pinchas, witnessing the events, killed Zimri and the Midianite woman, thereby calming G-d’s anger and stopping the plague that afflicted the people because of the sin (Sources 5 & 6). As a reward for this act, Pinchas and his descendants merited eternal priesthood (Source 7).
B. What is Special About Pinchas’ Act?
The Rebbe asks: Why did Pinchas alone merit such a special reward for calming G-d’s anger and stopping the plague, when Moses also did this many times but did not receive such a reward? Moreover, when Moses asked that his leadership be passed on to his sons, his request was denied (Source 11).
Examples: Moses calmed G-d’s anger after the sin of the Golden Calf (Source 8), at the sin of the complainers (Source 9), and in the episode of the spies (Source 10).
C. The Subtle Difference
Explanation: There are fundamental differences between the actions of Moses and Pinchas:
Method of action: Moses calmed G-d’s anger through prayer, which leads to forgiveness from above to below. Pinchas, however, acted with a deed that awakened the people to repentance—from below to above.
Type of self-sacrifice: Moses was willing to risk his spiritual life for the people but not his physical life, whereas Pinchas risked his physical life, risking it against the tribe of Simeon.
These differences arise from the very nature of their respective forms of Divine service:
Moses always acted from above to below. He received the Torah from Heaven and gave it to the Jewish people, which naturally protects them from darkness. Thus, he removed decrees through prayer to G-d, and when required, risked his spiritual soul for the people.
Pinchas, by contrast, acted from below to above. He stirred the people to repentance and, when required, risked his physical life.
What is the difference in outcome?
Influence coming from above is powerful, but it doesn’t create lasting inner change. When the divine light is withdrawn, the influence weakens, and a person might revert to his former state. On the other hand, when a person acts from below in a genuine inner way, the result endures over time.
This is why Pinchas merited that his reward would be inherited by his descendants forever—because his influence penetrated deeply and effected an essential, eternal change.
(This connects to the well-known tradition that Pinchas is Elijah the prophet, who acted similarly by helping the people return to G-d, as at the event of Mount Carmel and the prophets of Baal (Sources 12 & 13)).
