We find the story in Numbers 25, where Phinehas takes decisive action to stop a plague ravaging the Israelites. But as much as God approved of his act, not everyone was thrilled. According to Legends of the Jews, many Israelites scornfully said, "Behold, this man, the grandson of one who fattened calves to offer them up to an idol, daring to slay a prince among Israel!"
Ouch.
This "spiteful remark," as Ginzberg describes it, refers to Phinehas's maternal lineage. You see, his mother was descended not only from Joseph, but also from Jethro, the Midianite priest who later converted to Judaism. Before his conversion, Jethro had been a priest of idols. So, Phinehas was getting slammed for his ancestry.
God, however, wasn't having it. He says to Moses, "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hast turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, hence I offer him My greeting of peace, for it was he who, zealous for My sake, preserved the seed of Abraham."
Notice anything interesting in that sentence? God specifically identifies Phinehas as the son of Eleazar and the grandson of Aaron, the High Priest. Why? The text tells us that He wanted to silence Phinehas’s critics. They were conveniently ignoring the fact that he was also the grandson of Aaron, the High Priest, focusing only on his connection to the former idol-worshiper.
God goes even further. He doesn't just offer peace; He instructs Moses to tell Phinehas: "With thy mouth hast thou defended Israel, therefore as thy priest's portion shalt thou receive the jawbone of animals; with thy lance didst thou aim at the bellies of the shameless couple, hence shalt thou receive the bellies of the animals; and as with thy arm thou didst labor to slay the sinners, so for thy portion shalt thou receive the shoulder of the animals. As, moreover, thou didst strive to make peace among mankind, so shalt thou bestow the priestly blessing upon My children, and bless them with peace."
This is a beautiful example of middot keneged middot – measure for measure. The Zohar tells us about this principle, that our actions are responded to in kind. Because of how he acted, he will be rewarded accordingly.
And there's more! As a reward for his pious deed, God appointed Phinehas as a priest with full priestly rights, enabling him to claim the twenty-four priestly tributes. According to Midrash Rabbah, this was a way of permanently silencing his detractors and solidifying his position.
So, what can we learn from Phinehas's story? Perhaps it's that doing the right thing isn't always easy. You might face criticism, your past might be used against you. But if your intentions are pure and your actions are righteous, divine recognition—and even a few extra priestly perks—may just be in store for you. It reminds us to look beyond superficial judgments and recognize the good in others, regardless of their background.