Parshas Pinchas 5774

Does Shalom Mean Peace?

By Rabbi Avigdor Goldberger
As rockets fly in Israel I feel compelled to write about peace. Peace is a most treasured yet
elusive reality which we all wish for. What is peace? How is it achieved? What can we do?
These questions are some of the most asked today.
In this weeks Parsha, Pinchas is awarded the first peace prize (long before Mr. Nobel).
Behold I grant him my covenant of peace, says Hashem.
Unlike todays token prizes often awarded to terrorists who offer words in exchange for
blood, Pinchas surely epitomized true peace. What did Pinchas do to deserve his coveted
award? He killed a man and a woman who were desecrating Hashems name in front of the
Jewish people.
The question remains, how can an act of violence from a so called zealot be a harbinger of
peace?!
The answer lies in the wisdom of the Hebrew language. Shalom is the word for peace.
Shalem is the word for completion.
In the Torahs view shalom is not coexistence. Shalom isnt tolerance, nor is shalom
epitomized by the uninspired policy of live and let live.
Such an existence may avoid conflict but can hardly be deemed complete. It is a fractured
reality born of weariness of conflict and lack of inspiration.
Shalom, in a home, in a relationship, or in the world, is achieved when separate parties,
instead of accepting their differences and living separately, combine into one unit in which
all the parts complement each other.
So, is shalom attainable? In a relationship it most certainly is. In an ideal home, a husband
and wife dont merely give each other space and refrain from argument, rather each one is
constantly looking for ways to enhance the other and promote a complete home.
In the global narrative, however, this is much more difficult. At times, theorists believe that
we can achieve world peace by merely respecting boundaries, understanding differences,
and showing restraint. While this theoretically can bring about coexistence, (though it has
yet to work) it can never bring about shalom.
True shalom can only be achieved when coexistence yields to cooperation.
Cooperation can only be achieved when separate ideologies yield to a common goal.
A common goal can only be achieved when the world is willing to submit its selfish mancentric pursuits and recognize a higher purpose.

Pinchas, through a singular act - which Hashem Himself testified was completely for the
sake of peace - freed the Jewish Nation from the spell of Midianite seduction, and enabled
them to focus on their G-dly mission once more.
What can we do? By exemplifying Hashems loving and utterly selfless plan for the world and
denouncing destructive selfishness at every occasion, we will ultimately bring peace on
earth.
Ill conclude with Yeshaya HaNavis oft quoted vision of peace in its entire context:
It will happen in the end of days: The mountain of the Temple of Hashem will be firmly
established as the head of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills, and all the
nations will stream to it. Many people will go and say, Come, let us go up to the Mountain of
Hashem, to the Temple of the G-d of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways and we will walk in
His paths. For from Zion will the Torah come forth, and the word of Hashem from Jerusalem.
He will judge among the nations, and will settle the arguments of many peoples. They shall
beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will
not lift sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare. (Yeshaya 2:2-4)