July 15, 2025 - Pinchas (Rabbi’s Message)
By Rabbi Evon Yakar
Shalom,
I recently heard someone, someone I trust implicitly, share that I am quite passionate about what matters to me. Then, I was studying this week’s portion, Pinchas, with someone and was reminded of the juxtaposition between passion and zealotry. You see, Pinchas is characterized by our tradition as having passion for God and for being a zealot. So, obviously, I turned to the beautiful and problematic tool of AI to learn more about this juxtaposition. Here’s what I did and learned:
Prompt: What's the difference between passion and zealotry?
AI Generated Response: Passion is a strong feeling of enthusiasm, love, or desire for something, while zealotry is an extreme or fanatical devotion to a cause or belief, often characterized by intolerance of other viewpoints and a willingness to act unethically or violently to promote one's ideas. While zeal can be intense and driven, zealotry often implies an excess of zeal that can become harmful or lead to fanaticism.
I am not sure if I could identify the difference between the two without equivocation. Yet, I was reminded and learned that if passion is the realm of feeling then zealotry is more so in that of behavior and action. This is often a gray area and sometimes a fine line. It is one, that when crossed, can lead to far less clarity. Pinchas has passion for God, as we learn in Torah (Num. 25:10) according to the JPS translation. However, the Hebrew (koof-nun-aleph) is much closer to zealousness. So, was Pinchas a passionate adherent to God and Israel? Or was he a zealot driven to actions he justified as piety?
This is for us to discern, and not about Pinchas per se, but rather in each instance, each moment we are confronted with a value choice. I find myself asking this question about the realities on the ground in Israel. What is passion for our people and what is zealotry? I urge you to study the recent words of Rabbi Josh Weinberg (click here>>>). He outlines reality among Israeli society at this moment. He outlines the messianism of the settler movement (perhaps with a tinge of zealotry?) and the passion of Progressive Judaism. As you read, consider how we as a people, we as a community, each of us as Jews/Jewishly adjacent can live our passion and avoid the pitfalls of zealotry.
Pinchas receives a covenant of peace from God for his actions. I struggle to feel this is the right response by God. Yet, it is our story and our charge to wrestle with it, to make meaning from it, and respond to our moment…perhaps with passion.
May this week provide opportunities to feel passion for our people and tradition and may we be guided by our highest principles in all we do.
Shavua Tov,
Rabbi Evon
