Pinchos is rewarded with G-d's eternal 'covenant of peace' in reward for his acting with zeal in avenging Kozbi and Zimri who incited the masses to immorality and the worship of Baal-peor, and quelling the subsequent plague that took twenty-four thousand lives.
לכן — Therefore, say: Behold! I give him my covenant of peace. (במדבר כה יב)
The word לכן is numerically equal to the notion of מדה במדה — measure for measure, indicating as the Midrash states, בדין הוא שיטול שכרו — he justly deserves his reward. (בעל הטורים)
There are many attempts to explain the exact correlation of Pinchos' courageous act to the specific reward he received, of becoming a Kohen, and possibly that all Kohanim Gedolim descended from him, or eternal life.
Rav Yitzchok, the Rav of Chelm some two-hundred years ago, offers a novel understanding of this sentiment that 'he received his just reward'.
Although G-d pays each person the precise reward for every good deed one does, nevertheless, the joy, honor, and pride one often receives from others who praise his noble actions, reduces somewhat the otherwise 'full' reward of doing the mitzvah.
In Pinchos' case we are taught, that he was disgraced by the tribes saying, "Have you seen the son of Puti, whose mother’s father [Yisro] fattened calves for idols, and who killed a chieftain of an Israelite tribe? For this reason, Scripture traces his pedigree to Aaron. (רש"י)
It is precisely because he was humiliated by the tribes, not gaining any personal sense of satisfaction for his deed, that he justly deserves his reward, in 'full' without any reductions. It is not emphasizing the nature of the reward but the complete and perfect reward he deserves since there was no personal gain. (זכרון יצחק)
It is in that light the 'velt' says whimsically that we say on Shabbos, 'and all who are involved in the needs of the community faithfully — may the Holy One, Blessed is He, ישלם שכרם — pay their reward...', since those who do it faithfully will inevitably not gain the recognition they deserve at best, and possibly suffer abuse at worst, and therefore deserving of a 'perfect' reward for their devotion!
In that vein they also explain the Rashi that quotes how when Moshe selects Yehoshua to take the mantle of leadership 'he encouraged him with words and informed him of the reward in store for the leaders of Israel in the World to Come'.
Moshe knew a leader would endure much disparagement in his role and ultimately would have to wait for his full unadulterated entitlement only in the 'World to Come'! (שם כז כב)
Rashi adds, that because Pinchos was castigated and doubted in his intentions the Torah reiterates his lineage to Aharon in this introductory verse describing his heroic intervention, even though it was well known he descended from Aharon.
The common interpretation of this notation is to emphasize Pinchos' purity of motive in the spirit of his illustrious and purely devoted grandfather, Aharon.
Perhaps there is another dimension to it.
How does one persevere even in the face of derision?
Only someone raised with a large dose of unconditional love and encouragement will develop a healthy self-confidence that will motivate one to do what is right, without any need for validation and veneration from others.
It was because he was raised on the lap of the greatest lover and appreciator of one's fellow man, who saw the positive in everyone, and through that attitude could make others aware of their greatness, instilling self-confidence in them that enabled them to overlook the faults of others and reconcile.
Pinchos was able to quash the mighty pull of the dark forces of Baal-peor that drew so many toward sin. What strength did he possess to accomplish this?
Yehoshua confronts the two and a half tribes who dwelled in Trans-Jordan when they built an unauthorized altar raising suspicions of idolatrous intentions, admonishing them by reminding them of an earlier episode when the nation succumbed.
Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not been cleansed until this day, and there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord. (יהושע כב יז)
Whenever the verse says 'until this day' it is meant for all of posterity when reading the verse. It refers to that day even in later generations.
But when we read it today, more than two-thousand years after the Men of the Great Assembly slaughtered the evil inclination for idolatry, how can we say we are not yet cleansed from Peor's influence?
The Chasam Sofer explains that the worship of Peor, which consisted of defecating in front of the deity, was intended to express how far man is from a God who resides upon high and has no need or interest in lowly mankind and their interactions. By doing the most undignified act in the presence of the idol, one would de facto be declaring our worthlessness, and thus our lack of responsibility.
Although we may not actually worship this idol as in ancient times, but when we give up on ourselves and feel worthless, incorrectly thinking G-d could not possibly consider my puny existence as purposeful, we are guilty of the sin of Peor.
Perhaps that is why the ultimate Peor destroyer is none other than Pinchos, who enlightens us all in the spirit of his inspired grandfather, that G-d cherishes our every choice, and we must appreciate ourselves and know how valued and loved we are in His eyes.
May we in these contemplative days of mourning, when we consider our destiny, and the corrections we must make to be redeemed once again, provide encouragement to one another of how much we value each other, restoring our self-confidence, echoing the charge of Calev: כי יכול נוכל לה — for we can surely do it, we have what it takes!
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
