Parshat Pinchas: Creating a Covenant of Peace
This week's parashah/portion is Pinchas (Numbers/Bamidbar 25:10 – 30:1) It begins by mentioning an incident that occurred at the end of last week’s parashah where Pinchas, son of Eleazar the priest and grandson of Aaron slays the Israelite man Zimri and the Midianite woman Cozbi after they enter a tent to have sexual relations. This takes place after the text tells us that the Midianites have led the Israelites into whoring, both in terms of women and also after other gods (especially the Midianite god Baal Peor). At the start of this week’s parashah we are told that upon killing Zimri and Cozbi the plague that was ravaging the camp ceased. Furthermore, God gives Pinchas a brit shalom/covenant of peace as a result of the slaying of Zimri and Cozbi.
Throughout the ages rabbis and scholars have both lauded and criticized Pinchas for being a zealot for his cause (the term used by the Torah). Some believe that he acted justly in the name of God. Others believe that he acted in an extreme manner. Certainly, the cessation of the plague would imply God’s approval of Pinchas’ actions. And the covenant of Shalom is not given as a reward, so much as it is a gift so that Shalom/Peace rather than violence and retribution will rule in the future.
Still one has to wonder what other messages we might find on a communal level in the receiving a covenant of peace as the result of using an extreme and violent measure not only to punish Zimri and Cozbi for their behavior, but to end the plague and press a “reset button” for the future.
On a more personal level, I wonder what we can learn if, as in our dreams, all everything that occurs in the communal narrative can be seen something within each of us, showing us. In that way, it shows us what can we learn from this text about ourselves – whether we like it or not!
Given all that is happening in our world today I wanted to look not at the political and social upheaval around us, but rather how we can approach the uheavel within, as well as break through the barriers we build around our hear that prevents us from truly connecting and truly brining about a Covenant of Peace for us all.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Steve
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The Covenant of Peace
everything everyone is within us
we are in everything everyone
Moses teacher
Aaron priest
Pinchas zealot
Zimri Cozbi
idolaters blasphemers
lust filled human beings
they are all part of us
we are part of them
the story is within each of us
within our society our world
we all
learn teach attempt
to achieve holiness
yet we also
desire lust
after false gods
believing in them
worshiping them
through our actions
how do we let go
leave the world of idolatry and passion
and bring
order balance harmony
peace wholeness
to our world and ourselves
actions born of hate or fear
jealousy anger hatred revenge
never bring peace harmony wholeness
they are rooted in ego
love of self over all others
masquerading as protection of self
in the face of danger
not born of love care compassion for all
these actions divide self and other
they do not embrace
that there is only One
that we are all one
and all is within us
guided by ego feeling superiority
in the name of protesting profanity sin evil
our ego calls to us to seek
revenge out of fear of changing
the world our life
losing our status quo to those we see as less
needing to hold on to what we believe is true
rather than embracing what truly is
grasping on to what has been
rather than creating what it should become
leading to more pain suffering
a plague of the heart the soul the world
as we remain stuck
unable to move from the past to the future
in order to create a new present
how do we create change for all
perhaps rather than simply allowing waiting
for change to happen
we must strike out in revolution protest
originating in the heart the soul
not the ego
born from trust compassion
openness love acceptance
for everyone for the world
not from hatred or fear
if we simply wait for it to happen
we allow the world to continue
on the path of
destruction decimation desolation
destroying our souls
and the souls of all
through the plague of the spirit
resistant to treatment
small minds closed eyes shielded hearts
preventing the light of love compassion
to heal us all heal our world
embracing the past embracing our passions desires
we become enclosed within a cocoon of fear and hatred
eventually it becomes a hard shell around the heart
containing poison
which will destroy us
the shell must be pierced
run through with the spear of
violent justice love compassion acceptance
shattering what is so we can create what should be
allowing in
light
love
openness
acceptance
peace wholeness shalom
within ourselves within the world
how do we find the strength
to pierce the shell
we must use our divine-human strength
within us all
to pierce the shell
destroying ego selfishness fear desire
releasing compassion love connection
saving us and our world
letting in the light
releasing what has been held in bondage within
preventing us from achieving true peace
for all for One
destroying the wall we’ve built
around ourselves our heart
separating us
allows shalom peace
sh’leimut wholeness
to enter heart mind soul
connecting us to one another
to the divine
if we wish to live with
truth compassion wholeness
united by the colors of the rainbow
to all within ourselves and within humanity
we must accept the covenant of Peace
within each of us
that is the only way to destroy the plague of
ego passion hatred prejudice fear
then we are finally able to rejoice
acknowledging the divinity within us all
the essence that connects us all
with equity love and justice
eternally
it is the only way to change to save
ourselves
so we may change
the world
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