Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Peace - ???

I hate politics.
I refuse to dabble in the politics-meets-divrei-torah world.
I believe that an idea can have relevance even without referring to a headline grabber.

That being said, however, the thought that peace was what was going through Pinchas' mind when he killed Zimri ( a high ranking political figure ) is very tough to swallow.

Justice ? Yes.
Zealotry ? Sure.
Pour out G-d's revenge in a bloody and immediate fashion on the sinner ? Absolutely !
But peace ? How ?

If we truly understand peace we won't find it so hard to imagine. You see, peace is "shalom" from "shalem" or complete - you can't have a 'good enough' peace - that's not peace that's compromise ( "pshara" - from lukewarm - "posher" - not hot not cold - basically useless ). A real peace has to have a definite solution, and that solution has to be right.

Let's try to picture ourselves in Pinchas' situation. Angry, bawdy crowd - full also of fearful people who are wondering if Moshe Rabbeinu's rule will collapse. Pinchas not only saw what was right, what was just, he also went ahead and did it. Carpei spearum ( latin ripoff for seize the spear ). Can we imagine anything in our relationship with Hashem that is just 'good enough' ? Isn't it time we took the spear by the handle and changed it ?

'till next time !

R' Druyan

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