The following is Rabbi Owen’s speech from the MHA Annual Meeting. This week’s parasha recounts the incident of Zimri – a leader of the tribe of Shimon – and Cosbi – the daughter of a Midianite prince. Pinchas sees Zimri and Cosbi in flagrante delicto – in an immoral act in public – and executes them both on the spot. For his zealotry in defense of the integrity of the Torah community, Hashem rewards Pinchas with a covenant of peace and the Priesthood. The Torah then outlines a mitzvah that only relates to the nation of Midian - be hostile to the Midianites and strike them. Normally, the Torah demands b'nei Yisrael to offer peace to an enemy that you are about to go to war with. Midian – no. The Torah commands us here to be hostile to the Midianim. Normally, when besieging an enemy, we are commanded to allow an escape path. Regarding Midian – no - besiege them on all four sides and strike all of them. Why Midian? What did they do to deserve this hostile treatment? Malbim e...
Rabbi Benjy Owen, Dean, Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South, Memphis, TN