Hashem announced that He would be granting Pinchas a reward of peace – בריתי שלום (“My covenant of peace” – 25:12).
Why was this specifically chosen as a suitable reward for Pinchas? Normally, Hashem rewards and punishes mida k’neged midah, in a manner that corresponds to the act which the person performed. In this instance, seemingly, the reward is the opposite of the act. Pinchas killed two people; how is peace a suitable reward?
Rav Yosef Sorotzkin, in Megged Yosef, explains based on an analogy given by Rav Chaim of Brisk. Rav Chaim noted that mice are chased by cats, and are also chased by housewives. At first glance, then, housewives are no different than cats; they both chase mice. But in truth, of course, there is no comparison whatsoever. The housewife who chases a mouse does not want to do this. She would much prefer that the mouse wouldn’t be there. She runs after the mouse with a broom only out of necessity, to get it out of the house. This is not at all what she wants. The cat, however, wants to eat the mouse. And its greatest desire and hope is that another mouse will present itself afterward – and then another, and then another. It would love nothing more than to catch mice all day.
Rav Chaim explained that this is the difference between sincere zealotry and insincere zealotry. The sincere zealot does not want to be in a situation that necessitates protest. He wants to live in peace. He wants nothing at all to do with controversy. When he protests and opposes misconduct, he resembles the housewife, who needs to chase the mouse out of the house, and would have much preferred that the mouse had never come. The sincere zealot does not look for controversy; to the contrary, he prefers getting along peacefully with everybody, and he protests only out of necessity, against his will.
The insincere zealot is like the cat. It relishes controversy and discord. After dealing with one “mouse,” angrily protesting for one cause, he eagerly looks around for another. He is always searching for more “mice” to chase, for more opportunities for zealotry.
This is why Hashem rewarded Pinchas with peace. As Pinchas was a sincere zealot, somebody who relished peace, not controversy, this was the most fitting reward. He was a peaceful person, who had no interest in going around looking for people to be angry at. He acted as he did only due to necessity. And so he was blessed with בריתי שלום – with the blessing of peace which he so cherished.
(כה' יב')הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום
Behold, I give him my covenant of peace )25:12(.
Rashi writes that Pinchas took his reward rightfully. This statement clearly needs explanation since if someone does something that merits reward, obviously, they take their reward rightfully? Many of the Meforshim explain Rashi’s statement, each in his own way – the Zera Shimshon explains it as follows:
The Medrash (Bamidbar Rabba 21:1) says, great is the (blessing of) ‘Shalom’ that was given to Pinchas since the world stands only on peace. As well, the Torah is all Shalom, we daven for Shalom three times a day etc.
On this Medrash, the Zera Shimshon asks that it sounds as though the Shalom that was given to Pinchas was different than the Shalom that the Medrash continues to speak about since the Medrash refers to the Shalom that was given as ‘great’?
The Medrash (Bamidbar Rabba 11:16) teaches that Shalom is so great that even if the Jewish people serve idols – the Satan is not able affect the Jewish people with his prosecution.
From here we see the greatness of peace being that it weakens the Satan’s power. However, until Moshiach comes, there will not be absolute Shalom and in turn, this means that Satan will always be able to be somewhat effective even in times of peace.
However, the peace that Pinchas merited was different than the peace that the Medrash continues to speak about. The peace that Pinchas merited was entirely free of any rule of the Satan as is seen by that fact that Pinchas didn’t die (he is Eliyahu Malach Habris). This is why the Medrash singles out the peace that Pinchas merited – since it is indeed different.
This explains what Rashi writes, ‘Pinchas took his reward rightfully’.
Usually, when a Tzaddik wishes to live in peace in this world, like Yaakov Avinu did, the Satan fights against it, since with Tzaddikim, the attribute of judgment is very strict. Pinchas on the other hand, totally nullified the Satan’s dominance over him with his act of zealousness. Therefore, even though everyone else eventually receives the reward that they deserve, and rightfully so, however, this cannot happen as long as they are in this world since the Satan would fight against this - even on the smallest grounds. Only in the world-to-come can one claim his rightful reward. Pinchas, who wasn’t affected by the jurisdiction of the Satan, was able to receive his reward rightfully in this world, unaffected by the Satan’s interferences.
