Parshat Pinchas opens with something unexpected. Pinchas, after killing Zimri and a Midianite woman in the midst of a public sin, is given a covenant of peace. It's not the reward you would expect after such a bold and violent act. And if we're honest, if we hadn't read God's reaction, we might still be asking: was what he did right or wrong?
That question itself tells us something. If an act is clearly good, we don't hesitate. But zealotry is always complicated. It's not black and white. And that's what makes it so dangerous. Because it can come from a place of truth, or it can come from ego, from anger, from wanting to make a point.
What made Pinchas' act unique was that he wasn't looking for approval. He wasn't trying to win. He was willing to be arrested. He knew what he did might not be accepted. But he acted with purity and then waited. Only once God stepped in and said, he was zealous for Me, did we understand that it was right. And that's the key. Zealousness is not something you declare for yourself. You don't scream and say, I did it for God. You act from truth and humility, and you let God decide.
That's why even though Pinchas is praised, he's not chosen as the next leader. When Moshe asks for someone to guide the people, Pinchas isn't even considered. Because leadership isn't about drama. It's not about a single act of courage. It's about consistency, patience, and care. Yehoshua is chosen because he has a spirit in him. He knows how to lead people both in battle and in peace. He can go out before them and return with them. He doesn't just act. He carries.
We see this lesson again in the Haftarah. Eliyahu Hanavi, after his dramatic showdown on Mount Carmel, proves to the nation that Hashem is God. Fire falls from the sky, the altar is consumed, the miracle is undeniable. But nothing changes. The people go back to their lives. And Eliyahu breaks. I am zealous for You, he says to God. I alone am left. But this time, God doesn't answer with a blessing. According to the Rambam, this moment was Eliyahu's mistake. He judged Am Yisrael too harshly. He gave up on them. He spoke negatively about them. And God's response is profound. He takes Eliyahu up to the heavens, but He doesn't let him leave the story.
Eliyahu has to return again and again. To every Seder night, when Jews gather around a table and say, we were slaves and now we're free. And to every Brit Milah, when a baby cries and enters the covenant. These are not miracles. They're not fire from heaven. They're quiet, generational faith. And that's God's way of saying, you were wrong. You thought they gave up. You thought you were alone. But My people are still here. Quietly. Faithfully. Without drama.
That's the difference between Eliyahu and Pinchas. Pinchas acted and left the judgment to God. Eliyahu acted and decided the judgment himself. Zealotry can only be holy when it's surrendered. It can never be self-declared.
It reminds me of a conversation I once had with one of my rabbis. I told him how frustrated I was getting with my two little boys. They were fighting, not listening, being fresh, and I would yell. I thought I was educating them. I thought I was being strong, making a point. And he turned to me with a big smile and said, If you're yelling at your kids, you're yelling. You're not educating. That line changed something in me. Because sometimes we confuse yelling with leadership. We think if it has an effect, then it was the right move. But the truth is, when you lose control, even if it works, you've already lost something. Maybe it scared them. Maybe it worked. But maybe it didn't. Maybe it hurt them. Maybe it broke trust. Maybe it did the opposite of what you intended.
That's why the Torah doesn't glorify loudness. It doesn't celebrate rage. It honors those who lead with quiet strength, with humility, with patience, with faith in the people they guide. We need leaders like Moshe, who chased after one lost sheep. Like Aharon, who loved peace and pursued peace. Like Yehoshua, who walked with the people and carried their burdens.
May we learn from Pinchas, but even more, may we know when not to act like him. May we know when to speak and when to hold back, when to act and when to wait. And above all, may we never crown ourselves zealous for God but let our actions be judged by Him alone.
Shabbat Shalom Rav Shlomo