Pinchas, the controversial Kohen[1]
פינחס בן-אלעזר בן-אהרן הכהן השיב את-חמתי מעל בני-ישראל בקנאו את-קנאתי בתוכם ולא-כליתי את-בני-ישראל בקנאתי: לכן אמר הנני נתן לו את-בריתי שלום
Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen removed My wrath from upon the Jewish people, when he carried out My zealousness amongst them, [such that] I didn’t destroy the Jewish people in My zealousness. Therefore, I say that I give him My covenant of peace[2]
This week’s parsha picks up from where the last one ended. There was a terrible scandal in the Jewish nation, where many were committing illicit relations with Midianite women, and worshipping their idols. Zimri, the head of the tribe of Shimon, brazenly took a Midianite woman and was with her publicly. Pinchas, a grandson of Aharon, took the law into his own hands, took a spear, and killed them both.