As we have discussed above, there is much that can be written about the significance of Pinchas’ deed and the enduring impact such a deed can have both on the soul realm and in this world. Another beautiful insight about Pinchas can be revealed by comparing Pinchas and the patriarch Isaac, both of whose names have the numerical value of 208.
The Kabbalah teaches us that the patriarchs were God’s “chariots.” Through their thoughts, speech, and action they paved the way for certain Divine aspects to enter the world and penetrate human consciousness. The seven lower sefirot are associated with seven specific people who acted as conduits, channeling these energies into the world where they remain to this very day, accessible to all generations. Isaac is associated with the sefirah of Gevurah (strength) and its inner animating power of fear and awe of God. It is this connection to Pinchas that is worth investigating.
The opening verse in Toldot reads, “And these are the children of Isaac the son of Abraham; Abraham gave birth to Isaac” (Genesis 25:19). From time immemorial, the commentators have questioned this verse’s redundancy: having told us that Isaac is Abraham’s son, why does the verse go on to state that Abraham gave birth to Isaac? Chassidic thought answers this question by distinguishing between the unique spiritual energies each patriarch possessed. Abraham was the epitome of chesed (loving-kindness), of expansiveness, and of giving. Isaac was just the opposite; he was the epitome of gevurah, an attribute manifested by introversion, contraction, and the setting of specific boundaries. As we discussed in “The Secret of Inter Inclusion” in Toldot, each one of them integrated the other’s quality at the Binding of Isaac. Isaac, integrated the quality of chesed into his personality, and Abraham integrated that of gevurah.
This new understanding of Isaac’s nature can help us offer a slightly different answer to the perennial question of how Pinchas’ act of violence could be rewarded with a covenant of peace. The Slonimer Rebbe teaches that although it seems as if Pinchas’ act was one of pure gevurah, it was in fact motivated by his great love for the Jewish people. When Pinchas saw that the plague threatened Israel’s very existence, his compassion was aroused and he realized that he had no choice but to act. Thus, Pinchas, like Isaac before him, experienced an infusion of pure chesed to accompany his natural quality of gevurah. The Slonimer Rebbe explains that since it was Pinchas’ initial love that motivated him to act, it was appropriate for him to receive a covenant of peace.
At the end of our discussion of Balak, we noted that the numerical value of “romach,” the Hebrew word for the spear that Pinchas wielded, is 248, the same as the number of positive mitzvot and as the number of limbs in the body. This remez taught us that Pinchas’ entire being was galvanized into action. We can now add that 248 is also the numerical value of “Abraham.” Thus, when the verses depicts Pinchas as taking a “romach” in his hand, this alludes to his taking the quality of Abraham, which is chesed, and integrating it with his ability to act, like Isaac, with gevurah.
