In Bamidbor, Chap 25 we read the story of the aftermath of Bilom's attempts to curse the Jews. His first effort having failed he advises the Midianites that the Jews possess an Achille's Heel. Their G-d detests immorality. If the Midianites can seduce the Jewish People in this way, then Hashem will remove his protection. The plan works like clockwork and the Jewish People face a plague unleashed by Heaven.

The head of the tribe of Shimon, Zimri ben Solu, parades the Midianite princess he intends to marry before Moshe. "Can I marry this woman? If the answer is no, who permitted you your wife?" Moshe's wife too had begun life as a non-Jew but had converted. It is here that Pinchas makes his dramatic debut on the Jewish stage- Chap 25 Vs 7:

And Pinchas the son of Elazer, son of Aaron the Cohen saw and he rose up from among the congregation and took the spear in his hand.

He then goes on to execute Zimri and the Midianite princess Cozbi. The Alshich asks the obvious question; what did he see? The verse does not tell us. A further question is based on the Hebrew word for spear - romach. It is spelt without the usual letter vov. He answers that indeed the verse states what he saw. He saw that he was the son of Elazer, the son of Aaron the Cohen, and this noble heritage was the basis of his actions. The word romach written without the vov, totals 248 which hints at the 248 limbs of the body as defined by the Torah. In other words Pinchas was taking his entire life in his hands in executing Zimri and Cozbi, he fully expected to be killed for his actions. Rashi makes an intriguing comment......

He saw what had happened and remembered the law. He turned to Moshe and said "I remember being taught by you that anyone who does what Zimri has done may be killed by a zealot. Moshe replied "as that is the case you should carry out the execution." Immediately Pinchas took his spear.

Pinchas is always seen as the paradigm of a zealot. Rashi shows otherwise. Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky in Sefer Emes L'Yaakov recalls Yaakov's final blessing to his sons. He was angry with Shimon and Levi over their execution of the inhabitants of Shechem. It was not that they did not deserve to die, but Shimon and Levi had killed them in anger. He pronounced a sentence on them both which would keep them separated from each other. Levi was to become the tribe without a land who would serve in the Temple. Shimon were to become the teachers travelling from village to village.

It would seem a strange solution for two such passionate people who stand accused of murder. One is to teach children, the other to provide the ministers of the Jewish people.

Yaakov Avinu realised however that the unbridled passion which they displayed at Shechem could be the essential quality for these two jobs if it could be bridled by the Torah. There could be nothing worse than hearing a sermon from a Rabbi who no longer believes passionately in what he is saying. Nothing is less inspiring than a teacher whose subject does not inspire him.

Contained within the parameters of the Torah, the essential natures of Shimon and Levi are absolutely essential. When the Jews went to Egypt they stayed separate and isolated from the Egyptian society in the land of Goshen. Eventually all of the tribes emerged to assimilate into Egyptian society with one exception, Levi. Contained and constrained by a Torah environment their zealous and passionate nature conforms to Yaakov's prescription. It only ever emerges at the specific invitation of Moshe himself. Shimon however was not wholly constrained by the Torah. We see the results when Zimri, the prince of the tribe of Shimon addresses his appalling question to Moshe. It therefore has to be someone from the tribe of Levi who executes Zimri. A demonstration of proper zealousness as opposed to perverted zealousness. Pinchas first asks permission from Moshe and only then activates his zealous nature.