Sex As a Weapon

Parashat Pinchas (Num. 25:10-30:1) is named for the grandson of Aaron who executes an Israelite prince and a Midianite princess. The latter, known as Cozbi, is part of a plot to destroy Israel from within by enticing its men to bond with the women of Moab and Midian in a union of sexual immorality and idol worship. And, the Israelite prince Zimri brazenly joins Cozbi by publicly breaking several Torah commandments. Pinchas impales the couple with a single plunge of his spear—in a manner that insures there is no question as to their behavior at the moment of death. Instantly, a plague is halted but not before it took the lives of 24,000 Israelites.

The primary question that comes to mind is why Pinchas followed his own initiative, killing Zimri and Cosbi without a trial? Does Torah condone taking the law into one’s hands?

Actually, Pinchas was following established Torah principles for which there was an earlier precedent. Zimri, a prince from the tribe of Shimon transgressed several Torah precepts including a flagrant violation of the prohibition against engaging in intimate relations with non-Jews, as it is stated in Deuteronomy 7:3-4:

"You shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughter to his son, and you shall not take his daughter for your son. For he will turn your son away from following Me, and they will worship the gods of others."

This prince from the tribe of Shimon also committed blasphemy as cited in Exodus 20:7, "You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes His name in vain.”

Make no mistake, this commandment is far more concerned how an individual or the entire nation publicly represents the name of the Creator, even more than how they use His name. Public behavior that brings shame to HaShem and His Torah means one is guilty of Chillul Hashem, or desecrating the name of G-d. The offense is so serious that it can only be atoned for by the death of the guilty. The Talmud clarifies this issue in tractate Yoma 86a8, which reads, in part:

“But in the case of one who has caused desecration of God’s name, his repentance has no power to suspend punishment, nor does Yom Kippur have power to atone for his sin, nor does suffering alone have power to absolve him. Rather, all these suspend punishment, and death absolves him, as it is stated: “And the Lord of Hosts revealed Himself to my ears: This iniquity shall not be atoned for until you die” (Isaiah 22:14).”

Pinchas executed Zimri and Cozbi for a blatant act of war that would have first destroyed the moral fabric of Israel, leading to its rapid decline. Ultimately, it would have suffered the fate of other nations who rejected the basic tenets for a moral society. After the execution of Zimri and Cozbi, HaShem commands Israel to attack the Midianites. At this point, the reader may be confused. Why did G-d target Midian when Moab seems to have instigated such treachery against Israel? The explanation is found in Numbers 25:13 wherein HaShem places the blame squarely on the Midian:

“Assail the Midianites and defeat them—for they assailed you by the trickery they practiced against you—because of the affair of Peor and because of the affair of their kinswoman Cozbi, daughter of the Midianite chieftain, who was killed at the time of the plague on account of Peor.”

In the previous Torah Parasha, we learn that as Israel marched towards the Promised Land, they arrived in the plains of Moab, prompting the leaders of both Midian and Moab to form an alliance to prevent Israel from establishing a foothold in the region. But it was the elders of Midian who advised Balak, the king of Moab what course of action to take. Midian suggested that Bilaam should be hired. Even after the seer's failure to curse Israel, both nations heeded Bilaam's advice to defeat Israel by drawing them into sexual immorality. And though the women of Moab participated, it was the daughters of Midian who aggressively pursued a plan to seduce Israel's men through guile and trickery. According to the Ramban and Rashi, the Moabites acted out of fear while the Midianites were motivated by sheer hatred.

But their plans failed thanks to the boldness of Pinchas. For his actions, HaShem made him part of a perpetual covenant of priests. The reader may be wondering why G-d would take such action since Pinchas was already a kohen. According to the Talmud (Sanhedrin 82b) the people took issue with Pinchas, doubting his legitimacy because he was a descendant of Yithro, on his mother's side. His detractors accused Pinchas of murder, attempting to bolster their claims with the charge that he was, " the grandson of someone who fattened calves to be sacrificed to idols." The endorsement from HaShem was proof that there was no need for doubt. Also, Pinchas' passionate wholehearted defense of G-d's honor was evidence that his DNA was that of a true offspring of Aaron.

And, as mentioned in the beginning of this commentary, there is a precedent for such action. My friend, Isaac Mozeson describes it succinctly as occurring in the aftermath of the Sin of the Golden Calf:

“A returning Moses, (not dead after all) sees that only drastic action can save the people. He cries out, "Who is for Hashem come with me." Rising up to the emergency is the tribe of Levi, who strap on their swords and kill 3000 idolators. Moshe blesses this bold vigilanteism (32:29), and Hashem promotes Levi to be the perpetual priests of the Kingdom of Priests.”