That’s the scene set in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 47.
The text tells us that all the princes were with Moses, Eleazar, and Phineas, and together they witnessed this terrifying angel. They sat down and wept, paralyzed by the sheer weight of the impending doom. Can you feel that helplessness?
Then comes Phineas. He sees Zimri brazenly engaging in immoral acts with a Midianite woman. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer describes Phineas as being moved by a "great zeal." This wasn't just anger; it was a righteous fury, a burning passion to defend the honor of God and the integrity of the community.
What happens next is… well, it's intense. Phineas grabs the spear from Moses' hand – a symbolic act in itself, perhaps indicating a transfer of leadership or responsibility in that moment. He runs after Zimri and, with a single thrust, pierces both Zimri and the woman. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer minces no words.
Now, this act is undeniably violent. But within the context of the story, it's presented as an act of decisive action in the face of utter despair. And the text emphasizes that God rewards Phineas for it.
The reward is quite specific: God gives Phineas and his sons the right to the "food of the shoulder." Why the shoulder? Well, the text connects it to the way Phineas acted with strength and decisiveness, almost as if he bore the weight of the community on his shoulders.
And there's more. The text also mentions that "the jaws were separated, the jaws of the man (from) the jaws of the woman." This gruesome detail is then connected to another reward: the food of the cheeks. This seems to symbolize the separation of wrongdoing, the severing of the connection between the immoral act and its participants. This reward is then connected to the verse in Deuteronomy 18:3, "And they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw."
So, what are we to make of this story? It's a challenging one, no doubt. It raises questions about violence, justice, and divine reward. But perhaps the key takeaway isn't the violence itself, but the idea of taking decisive action in the face of overwhelming odds. Phineas saw something wrong, something that threatened the very fabric of his community, and he acted.
The story also highlights the importance of zeal, of having a passionate commitment to what you believe is right. But it also implicitly asks us: how do we channel that zeal in a way that is both effective and ethical? It's a question that continues to resonate today, isn't it?