Projecting Our Issues Outward - Understanding Pinchas and Human Psychology

Full Summary

This shiur examines Parshas Pinchas with a focus on the Rashi (רש"י) explaining why the Jewish people questioned Pinchas's right to kill Zimri, a prince of Israel. Rabbi Zweig analyzes the accusation that Pinchas was motivated by his grandfather Yisro's past as an idol worshipper, suggesting he was trying to purge himself of idolatrous tendencies rather than acting purely for God's sake. The Torah (תורה)'s response emphasizes his lineage from Aaron, highlighting that his true motivation was bringing peace (shalom) between God and Israel, not personal purification from idolatrous inclinations. The shiur develops a profound psychological insight: people often crusade most vigorously against issues they struggle with personally. Using the analogy of reformed smokers being the harshest critics of smoking, Rabbi Zweig explains that our strongest reactions are often about addressing our own demons rather than genuinely helping others. This self-serving aspect of moral crusading means we're essentially trying to create an environment that supports our own struggles. This principle is then applied to understand a difficult Rashi from the previous parsha about Balak taking Bilam to Kiryat Chutzot. The question arises: why would Bilam be motivated by seeing a thriving city when he knew the Israelites had no intention of attacking Moab? Rabbi Zweig explains that Balak and Bilam didn't believe Israel's peaceful intentions because they judged them by their own standards. In a polytheistic worldview, when your god gains supremacy, the natural response is to destroy all rival religions and peoples. This leads to a broader discussion of how people measure others' morality by their own moral compass. Historical examples demonstrate that most nations and religions have indeed destroyed their enemies when given the opportunity. Therefore, despite Israel's protestations of peaceful intent, their enemies cannot believe them because that's not how they themselves would behave in similar circumstances. The shiur addresses the challenge this creates for Israel in modern times, questioning the effectiveness of hasbara (public relations) efforts when audiences fundamentally cannot believe that Jews might be more moral than they would be themselves. Rabbi Zweig suggests that only consistent actions demonstrating genuine concern for universal tikkun olam (repairing the world) might eventually convince others of Jewish intentions, citing the example of Israel providing medical aid to Egyptian soldiers during the 1973 war as potentially contributing to the eventual peace treaty. The shiur concludes by noting how this psychology affects interpersonal relationships and community dynamics, observing that people often criticize others most harshly for behaviors they themselves struggle with, making their criticism ultimately self-serving rather than genuinely helpful to the community.