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Going even deeper, the Slonimer Rebbe explains that as a
representative of the forces of impurity Balaam’s real intention was ££ £Achieving EternityAchieving EternityAchieving Eternity£Achieving EternityAchieving EternityAchieving Eternity£
not just to curse the Jewish people but to challenge both their status
as the chosen people and the notion they were introducing that
spirituality should entail limits or boundaries. The Jewish people and At the climax of the licentious scene, when the children of Israel have
the Torah were undermining his fundamental worldview that God been virtually lured into an orgy by the Moabite women, Zimri, the
could be reached through idolatry, magic, and humankind fulfilling prince of the tribe of Simon, challenges Moses by publicly taking
its indiscriminate physical desires. Do not think that Balaam did Cozbi, a Moabite princess, into his tent to have sexual relations with
not possess an understanding of God and was unable to use and her. The situation has spun so out of control that even Moses and the
manipulate powerful natural forces. He most certainly did. But elders are paralyzed, unsure of how to react. At this point Pinchas
the Torah had revealed a new formula of God consciousness which takes the initiative. He respectfully reminds Moses what the law says
threatened his belief that one could give license to all one’s most base in such a case and after receiving his permission boldly enters Zimri’s
passions and still be “spiritual.” This lesson is still quite relevant to tent and spears Zimri and Cozbi, killing them and abruptly halting
our world today. the plague that had begun to devastate the camp.
According to the mystical teachings of the Arizal, at the critical
moment when Pinchas decided to act, the souls of Nadav and Avihu
entered into him, giving him the strength he needed to step forward
£The Power of Positive Thinking£The Power of Positive ThinkingThe Power of Positive Thinking alone and kill Zimri and Cozbi, thus averting total destruction. Nadav
and Avihu had died on the day of the Tabernacle’s inauguration
£
when their spiritual passion overcame them and acting without
sanction they offered incense – “a strange fire” – that God had not
Balaam, knowing the power of God, did not dare cross Him. Even requested (Leviticus 10:1-3). Pinchas by asking Moses’ permission
though our oral tradition makes clear that Balaam undoubtedly and channeling this zealousness for the Divine in the right direction
wanted to curse Israel as Balak requested, he only prophesied what rectified Nadav and Avihu’s original failure.
God put in his mouth. Indeed, perhaps he had no choice, as whether
he wished to or not, every time he opened his mouth to curse the The Torah refers to the spear that Pinchas used as a “romach.”
Jews, God put words of praise in it. Yet the Talmud reveals that This word appears only once in the entire five books of Moses. The
he infused every blessing he was forced to deliver with evil intent numerical value of “romach” is 248, the same as the number of positive
(Sanhedrin 105b). Indeed, every one of the blessings, except one, mitzvot and the number of limbs in the body. This remez teaches
resulted in misfortune at some point in Jewish history – the only us that Pinchas’ entire being was mobilized behind his actions. He
exception being, “How goodly are your tents Jacob, your dwelling was able to unite his intellectual, emotional, and spiritual energies
places Israel” (Numbers 24:5). to accomplish one specific goal. This serves as a powerful example
of what all of us can accomplish when we galvanize all our inner
This incident teaches us important rules about blessings and curses. resources to accomplish a specific task.
Depending on the intent and the attitude of both the giver and the
recipient, a blessing can become a curse, and a curse a blessing. For The Talmud and various other sources in the oral tradition make
starters, there are blessings that are truly blessings and there are the following statement: “Pinchas – this is Elijah” (Bava Metzia
blessings that when given are really meant to be curses. Second of 114b). According to the mystic tradition, Pinchas’ soul (or part
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