Enough already – Pinchas
There are times to say “Enough already!”
The Biblical example is Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen. He was a priest who saw transgression taking place before his eyes and something in him snapped.
Until now he was Mr Nice Guy, smiling at events and hoping that things would right themselves. Then came the moment when there was flagrant immorality.
Moses wept, Pinchas leapt.
Without pausing to consult his leader, Pinchas stepped out, took a spear in his hand and slew the miscreants.
The Psalmist applauded him: “Pinchas stood up, and the plague stopped” (Ps. 106:30). The self-respect of Israel was safeguarded. Judaism as an unequivocal ethic was preserved. Pinchas almost lost his priestly status but didn’t, because God too lauded his act (Num. 25:11-13).
Zealotry – generally treated with reserve by Jewish thinking – was warranted in this case.
