"Ohev Shalom V'rodef Shalom" Reflections on Current Events
“Disproportionate retaliation,” charged the Prime Minister of France. “This is an inappropriate escalation,” bellowed the Russian Ambassador. Not to be outdone, the media elite added their voice to the chorus of censure, criticism and condemnation. “We urge both parties to show restraint,” declared the denizens at the NY Times. “We deplore extremism on all sides,” intoned the Baltimore Sun.
Without much imagination, one can easily anticipate these and similar statements reacting to Pinchas’ violent attack on Zimri and Kozbi. If only the “why not blame the Jews” international community or, better yet, the U.N. “the true source of enlightenment” would have been around to solve the crisis between the Jewish people and Moav and Midyan. If only the relativistic diplomats would have been around to issue “balanced proclamations.” If only these “all knowing, no problem is too complicated for me to solve” journalists would have been around to enlighten us at this critical moment on the world stage.
If only.
It’s uncanny how the circle of Jewish history repeats itself. We find ourselves not only confronting a mortal enemy, but once again our foes have resorted to unconventional warfare to attack us. Whether it’s an attempted curse or an immorality induced plague or whether it’s deep underground tunnels or rocket attacks, “lo yanum v’lo yishan” lehavdil, our enemy doesn’t sleep or slumber.
The founding Lubavitcher Rebbe used to quip that “koveah ittim la-Torah” teaches us that one should see the events of the week through the lens of that week’s Torah portion. The confluence of the current events in Israel and Parshas Pinchas is, I believe, a perfect example of this teaching.
While the international community and the media weren’t around to comment on Pinchas’ act of zealotry, as it happens, God was. And instead of condemnation, Hakadosh Baruch Hu not only praises, but rewards Pinchas. What is most fascinating, though, is that before this unambiguous affirmation of his behavior, many of the B’nei Yisroel themselves were critical of Pinchas. The Midrash, cited by Rashi, recounts how they accused him of following in the ways of his mother’s side of the family whose origins were idolatrous. Hakadosh Baruch Hu therefore stressed that Pinchas was “the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon the Kohen,” demonstrating to everyone that Pinchas was in fact following the example established by his paternal grandfather, Aharon Hakohen, when he acted and raised his spear.
At first glance, however, this assertion of the Midrash appears to be a bit of a stretch. It’s one thing to say that his actions were legitimate, but it’s quite another to connect the violent zealotry of Pinchas with the loving peace of Aharon.
In fact, it appears that this is exactly the lesson that the Midrash is teaching us and it is an extremely important and timely and message to understand. While the diplomacy that Aharon was famous for talking with both sides and mediating disagreements is often the way to achieve peace, there are other times when that method simply won’t work. Confronted with such circumstances, a military solution isn’t just the right way, it’s the only way. Sometimes the surest path to peace is war.
The Chasam Sofer sees the truth of this duality hinted at in the Mishnah’s famous appellation of Aharon as an “ohev shalom v’rodef shalom,” a lover and pursuer of peace. He explains that Aharon’s love of peace and harmony inspired his first instinct to solve problems calmly by finding common ground between the parties. But, the Chasam Sofer adds, even Aharon understood that sometimes it is necessary to be “rodef shalom” to push peace away. When confronted with an implacable foe or an insincere peace then even Aharon Ha-Kohen realized that a different approach was called for. Sometimes you need to first chase away peace, in the short term, before you can achieve a real peace in the long term.
Thus understood, the assertion of the Midrash is readily acceptable. Pinchas learned Aharon’s lesson well. He understood that are times when “vayikach romach b’yado” is what is called for; that in certain situations taking up arms is the real olive branch.
Events of the last thirteen years, and certainly of this past year, have shown anyone willing to see that this isn’t just a moral truth, which is, of course, our primary concern, but a political reality as well. While admirable and perhaps, to some, even understandable, Israel’s repeated efforts at achieving peace have simply not worked. As the Psalmist presciently declared (120:7) “ani Shalom v’chi adaber, heimah la’milchamah,” we may want peace, but they are at war. Facing a hard truth is difficult; but it the end, it is a lot easier than living with a delusion. As Michael Medved, a well known commentator and religious Jew, wrote so powerfully earlier this week, what is need now isn’t a peace process but a victory process. As he notes, it is difficult to find an example in world history where a long and bitter conflict ended by any means other than a decisive victory for one side. It’s a test of credulity and a flight of fancy to imagine that Israel’s war will end any differently.
It is our greatest hope that the current war and violence ends soon, but not too soon; not before Israel crushes her enemies and brings safety and security to her people and to those among her neighbors who truly want to live in harmony. Let us pray that Hakadosh Baruch Hu bless our current efforts to be rodef shalom as Pinchas was blessed, “hineni nosein lo es brisi shalom,” with true and everlasting peace.
(Delivered as a drasha (sermon) this past Shabbos, Parshas Pinchas, at Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore, MD.)