Picture the idea of a Middle East warlord winning the Nobel Peace prize. To the cynic the scenario would elicit a hearty laugh; to the sincere the sight would be profoundly disturbing. Although a violent killer has never won the peace prize, except for Arafat, we find a seeming parallel in this week’s portion.

Upon watching Zimri and Kozbi have relations in front of the entire Israelite camp, Pinchas takes his spear and kills them. As a reward God praises Pinchas’ zealotry and offers him His covenant of peace, as well as entry into the priesthood. We can understand why Pinchas’ actions are justified. Zimri and Kozbi publicly worship idols and lie with each other, so we can understand why God would want to reward Pinchas. But a covenant of peace?

Professor Yeshayahu Lebowitz writes that such an analysis misreads Pinchas. Unlike the Nobel-winning warlord, Pinchas does not revel in violence. Pinchas’ slaying of Kozbi and Zimri does not portray the true Pinchas, as he is by temperament quite peaceful. If not, he could not have earned God’s covenant of peace. The covenant of peace is not a reward, but a revelation of Pinchas’ true character.

A peaceful Pinchas challenges our image of a zealot. The typical zealot is fierce and prone to violence whenever he believes the cause to be just, and maybe other occasions as well. In light of our natural associations with current events, we might think a zealot not dissimilar to a terrorist. According to Professor Lebowitz, confounding this assumption is exactly the point.

Had Pinchas tended towards violence he would not be a hero of the narrative, worthy of God’s covenant of peace. He would be a murderer, a cold blooded killer whose slaying of lovers in congress would make him no greater than the Son of Sam. The desire to defend God’s honor would be considered an excuse for bloodshed. Rather than earn God’s praise, Pinchas would have earned the death penalty.

This deeper understanding of the Pinchas narrative teaches us what is required of a true zealot. The true zealot is someone who, like Pinchas, is worthy to earn God’s covenant of peace. He bears no hatred towards opponents does not relish the opportunity for confrontation. Those who follow Pinchas possess no desire for extreme behavior or violence. Only when God’s honor is threatened and with no other resort possible does the true zealot act. Those who fail any of these tests are not to be considered zealots but criminals, who are unworthy of any peace prize, let alone that of God.