Timeless Torah

Without being overly graphic, I think we can all agree that it was not a pretty sight. The forever rebellious Israelites had strayed from the camp right into the arms of the Midianite girls. Pe’or, the idol of defecation was being worshipped and Zimri...well, what can I say. That certainly was the climax of the entire scandalous affair. Publicly scorning G-d and His servant Moses, he brazenly brought back one of the girls.
It was Pinchas who alone was zealous for Hashem. It was he who took the law into his own hands. Yet it was he, the radical fanatic, who was granted G-d’s covenant of peace.
This heroic tale of Pinchas has a parallel in the prophet Elijah who arose some 500 later. He too is zealous for His Master and it is because of this trait that he kills the prophets of the Baal and the Asheirah. Yet of all the ancient prophets it is Elijah, murderer of the idolatrous priests, who will usher in the era of Messianic peace. In fact, the resemblance between these two individuals is so strong, that the story of Elijah is very often the haftorah section read in conjunction with the parsha of Pinchas. Even more astounding is the aggadaic tradition provided by our Sages that these two characters are actually one person.
The zeal of a mere mortal for the L-rd of Hosts, which brings him to commit the most severe of actions, is problematic both ethically and religiously. As the Midrash itself queries in regard to Elijah; who is permitted to be a zealot?
After killing the false prophets, Elijah flees the wrath of the wicked queen Yozevel. In the barren desert G-d appears and asks in a still, small voice, “Elijah, what are you doing here?” To which Elijah replies, “I have fled from Israel for I have been very zealous for the Lord...for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars and slain Your prophets with the sword.”
This representation by Elijah is his justification for his radical and bloody solution. However, the One Above rebuts detail by detail. On Elijah’s comment that, “The children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant,” Hashem replies, “Whose covenant did they forsake? Was it your covenant or Mine?” After all, it was not your covenant, so who gave you the right to be zealous and allow blood to be spilled? As to, “They have torn down Your altars,” G-d asks, “Did they tear down your altars or Mine?” In other words, let Me worry about My honor and don’t assume authority in areas beyond your understanding. And finally to the statement, “They have slain Your prophets,” G-d brutally retorts, “You’re a prophet and yet I see you are still alive.”
Consequently Elijah is disqualified from being G-d’s spokesperson. Thus Hashem declares, “Israel cannot withstand your zealotry. You were zealous at Shittim (this is a clear reference to Pinchas) and now you were zealous at Mt. Carmel. You spilled blood in your zeal and while it surely was motivated by noble intentions Israel cannot survive such fanaticism. Therefore Elijah can no longer be My prophet.”
This episode has significance for all times, but especially at this delicate juncture in history. First, not every zealot is a man of peace. When Pinchas’ dramatic interference saved the day and stopped the plague and the debauchery, he was rewarded with the heavenly Peace Award. But when Elijah confused his honor with the Almighty’s, his altar vs. G-d’s, then it was time for the venerable prophet to take a long vacation.
Is there anyone who still believes that certain political parties in Israel would rather have war than peace? Conversely, does anyone truly feel that our successive Israeli government leaders, always willing to give away pieces of Holy real estate, are more concerned with the honor and prestige of the Lord of Hosts, rather than their own kavod? No one will deny that there are religious zealots who are nothing more than murderers. But at the same time let us concede that there are supposed Men of Peace who are nothing more than political zealots.