The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

"Pinchas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me…. Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of peace."

(Bamidbar, 25; 11:12)

There is no other person in the entire Torah about whom it is clearly stated that he was successful in turning away Hashem's anger and who was explicitly rewarded with "My covenant of peace."

Pinchas, with his act of zealousness and through his fervent defending of Hashem's honor, was awarded perhaps the most coveted prize a human can aspire to receive, namely, "Brisi Shalom"- a covenant of peace.

Regarding the all-encompassing and yearned for Brocha of Shalom, the concluding Mishna in all of the six orders of the Mishna states, "Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta said: the Holy One, Blessed be He, found no vessel that could contain blessing for Israel save that of Shalom-  peace, as it is written: "The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace" (Psalms 29:11)." (Oktzin, 3:12)

Meaning, Shalom is the epitome, the personification of the most all-inclusive and valuable Brocha a person can hope to attain in this world.

This was the Brocha that Pinchas and Pinchas alone merited to receive from Hashem.

Indeed, Pinchas is the premier protagonist of our parsha.

Not only is the Parsha named for him, but the fact that Chazal chose to highlight his reward for last week's act of zealotry prominently in this week's Parsha further buttresses the idea that Pinchas the man deserves solo recognition for his zealously avenging the honor of Hashem.

Therefore, as the Parsha progresses and Moshe is seeking a candidate to succeed him as the leader of the Jewish people, it seems somewhat odd that Pinchas' name, notwithstanding his being this week's protagonist, does not appear on Hashem's or Moshe's short list of potential successors.

Why is Pinchas not even in the running as the presumed person to lead the Jewish people to the Promised Land after Moses' passing?

Moshe (according to Rashi) even entertained the idea that his own progeny would fill his shoes.

And so too, Moshe seems satisfied with Hashem's pick of Yehoshua to lead the people after him.

However, the question that looms over the Parsha as an elephant in the room is, why isn't Pinchas even in the running?

Several commentators note that Moshe, in his request to Hashem to find a successor, includes only one, albeit critical, prerequisite that the potential candidate must possess.

Moshe is insistent that the leader of the Jewish people must be a person who "will tolerate each person according to his individual character."

(see Rashi to 26:16)

Meaning, Moshe was insistent (and, of course, this was in accordance with Hashem's will) that the leader of the Jewish people must be a person who can tolerate each individual according to their unique character.

We are all different, and we all face unique struggles and challenges.

Chazal teach us that just as no two faces in the world are identical, so too no two people share the identical outlook or opinions.

Pinchas was indeed a great man who was rewarded and elevated by Hashem for his act of zealotry and "Kanaus"- when he stepped forward and killed Zimri and Kozbi.

And as mentioned, he was duly rewarded for his act of zealotry by Hashem bestowing upon him the Bris of Shalom.

Yet, it is one thing to appreciate the value of Kanaus (zealousness) when it is needed.

However, it is crucial to note that to be the leader of the entire Jewish people, a person who possesses the Midah (character trait) of Kanaus is not the best choice.

Indeed, it may be a disqualifying attribute.

Ultimately, to be a leader, a person must be understanding and often forgiving.

Such a person must be highly attuned to the individual and specific needs of each person.

A leader must be forgiving and often non-judgmental.

Zealotry and Kanaus has it's place in Judaism.

However, for the most part, it is relegated to the extreme and rare cases when all else fails.

To be a true leader, compassion, understanding, and, most importantly, empathy must always be at the forefront of the leader's mind.

Therefore, Picnhas was not the best choice to lead the people.

May we always be privileged to know when to utilize the trait of Kanaus, and, even more importantly, we must always remember to be as caring and compassionate towards each individual, emulating the trait of Hashem, who understands each of us according to our unique character.

How critical this need is, especially during the three weeks of national mourning when we must all do our best to be understanding, kind, and empathetic towards one another.