„One must refine the quality of zeal, so that when it comes to the bou…”

Is it right to act with zealotry? Ostensibly, in our Torah portion we see that Pinchas receives reward for his zealotry.

But one must study this matter more deeply.

The Ramchal, in his book "Mesilat Yesharim" (chapter 19), attaches the quality of zealotry as a subsection of the love of God. The author of "Mesilat Yesharim" delayed the explanation of this quality until chapter 19 ("The Parts of Piety"), and did not write about it in the preceding chapters, in order to teach that this quality is a most difficult one.

In the case of Pinchas, the tribes raised difficulties, and it is brought in Rashi (at the beginning of the portion of Pinchas) that the tribes were disparaging Pinchas, saying: Look at this son of Puti, whose mother's father fattened calves for idolatry, and he killed a prince of a tribe in Israel.

And it is brought that the tribes cast doubt on the pure will of Pinchas, and from his family lineage they inferred that perhaps he did not do this out of purity. In this case the Holy One, blessed be He, gives Pinchas His covenant of peace, to show that his deed was pure and out of pure motives. But from the affirmative we can learn the negative: that when a person does not come from pure motives of the love of God, he is forbidden to be a zealot.

The rule of the matter is that we must pursue peace and seek it. Zealotry can come from within us only when it is pure and true; when it is negative or driven by motives of hatred it is very dangerous.

Have a pleasant rest of the day.

For the recovery of Hodaya bat Ilanit.