Parshah Insight: Pinchas
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Pinchas saying that Zimri was a hero sounds like saying that sinning is a right act in order to awake forgiveness or redemption...it is no logical...remember what HaShem said to the prophet..."I want no sacrifice, but obedience" besides HaShem Himself praised Pinchas...I see no point or not a positive one in demanding Zimri's act as righteous, when HaShem banned it Reply
Pinchas... our unsung hero
in Judaism the means must justify the end
the intention of the action gives meaning to the end result
Intentions are alive and well in Judaism
we're not just rote instinctual beings as animals
Therefore if G-d does not approve of Zimri's behaviour it must have been he had the wrong intentions, therefore Pinchas is the 'hero' (if any one is a hero here) of the parsha
Had Zimri's intentions been pure, for the Glory of Hashem, and with Hashem's approval - then and only then could we view Zimris actions as heroic.
As in the case of Aharon's 2 sons who offered the incense on their own accord and died.
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Re Zimri
Some thoughts.
It may well be that that Zimri had his people's interest in mind, and that his intention was to excuse those who had sinned. (What Was Zimri Thinking? provides a wonderful insight into that.) However, it is G-d Himself who lauded Pinchas, thus confirming that Zimri had acted wrongly. For sin, however lofty the intention, is just plain wrong. As the old saying goes, "two wrongs do not make a right."
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Zimri-Pinchas Flo July 13, 2011
I agree with you. Ziimri is lambasted by the vast majority of rabbis. To me Zimri is the hero in the parsha. He anticipated his demise. He was the leader of those who were coupling with the non-Jewish women. Zimri knew that they were sinning. So he went out and in public view and had intimate relations with the non-Jewish woman. This is an act of Mesiret Nefesh, sacrifice to Hashem, the highest degree of devotion to G-d.
Pinches gets the rabbis praise. Zimri gets mine. Without Zimri's act of faith, Pichas receives no honour.
Good call Flo.
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Pinchas Pinchas is a hero well rewarded. But Zimri made the sacrifice of his life. How could Zimri not know the outcome of his impulsive behavior? Seems that he too was a hero in his death. The Plague ended. Many people were spared. And yet he is seen as committing an evil act. What is that about? Reply
Zimri a hero? Does it show devotion to G-d to encourage others to engage in acts that violate Torah? - I don't think so. From my view there are two levels of peace, an inner peace (shalom bayit) and an outer peace. The inner peace between G-d and man must be guarded at all cost even if it means at times violating the outer peace between man and man. This was Pinchas' act. Zimri broke the inner peace in an attempt to maintain the outer in so doing his actions attempted to please man first and G-d second. I would call that an act of idolatry.