Being a Vigilante - Practical Parshah - Pinchas

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Being a Vigilante: Practical Parshah - Pinchas

Pinchas took the law into his own hands and was vindicated. When is it permissible to be a vigilante?

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Topics:	Parshah, Pinchas

By Mendel Kaplan

Rabbi Mendel Kaplan is the Spiritual Leader and Executive Director of Chabad Flamingo in Thornhill, Ontario, serving one of Canada’s most dynamic Jewish communities. He also serves as Chaplain of the York Regional Police Service. He is an active member of Toronto’s Vaad HaRabbanim (Council of Orthodox Rabbis), and a voting member of the COR Kashruth Council of Canada’s executive rabbinical board. Rabbi Kaplan is featured regularly on many local television and radio shows. He is a sought after speaker, with hundreds of lectures on Chabad.org. He and his wife, Faygie, are blessed with eight children. Artistically endowed, the rabbi enjoys drawing, sketching and creating charcoal portraits.

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3 Comments

Anonymous Austin July 13, 2012

Take it away I have a question about the Altar Rebbe's Maamar. I recognize that I may lack some bit of knowledge required to understand such matters. I do not mean to stand in the place of great men, but without the assurances of such knowledge, I find the position that the Altar Rebbe articulated (or perhaps revived)-that no human being can be naturally inclined to holiness to be perilous. Esteem is another issue.
I understand, of course, that such is the case for the vast majority of humanity, very nearly all of it. But how can we be so sure of the human condition, of the human design? To take such a notion as a certainty seems to be limiting G-d, saying that He cannot create a person who's lot is not to struggle in the same way as everyone else. A person that does not need to refine himself to be holy. Of course, G-d does what He wants, but if such a person has, or was to come, you would not let him contribute. He would be walled off, forced underground, sealed in a sarcophagus. Reply

john smith fort lauderdale, fl July 13, 2011

great movies great movie characters ALWAYS break protocol for the greater good. in all Dirty Harry movies he is considered a barbarian by the local government figures and the court system and in fact is how he gets the name Dirty Harry.

they say (who is they?) that if you are missing some of your senses ie hearing, sight that your other senses are hieghtend. your slight color blindness is made up in exchange for your colorful words used to describe Torah.

PS if i had a rock band i would name it G-ds Wrathaway! Reply

Anonymous USA July 12, 2011

Pinchas Being a Vigilante Rabbi Kaplan, I loved this lesson tonight. I had the opportunity to be a vigilante just once. It was to save the lives of an entire family at which I succeeded. I do not regret it nor do I believe I sinned in any way. It had to be done.

One time, I called rescue and Police BEFORE I got to the area because of a dream and the Rabbi in it told me there was still time.

Before I got to the property the Police and rescue were on their way and I found a dead child already pulled from the pool, a drowning victim. I pushed into his belly until the child spewed water, he had no heart beat or pulse. Then after the water was expelled, I performed CPR. By the time rescue arrived, the child was breathing and moving. Before that, his feet were blue and his face, grey. The child was rushed to the hospital where he stayed for two days. He lived. No brain damage. The miracle was that he was under water for 15 minutes before he was pulled from the pool. Baruch Hashem! Reply