How does your voice come out when you are standing up for something you believe in? Is it soft or strong? Is it confident or is it weak? Is it aggressive or is it firm?

 

Do you stand up for what you believe in? These days as the political roller coaster turns in every direction, we hear loud voices but not necessarily nice ones, or confident ones, or ones filled with conviction. Well, I guess that’s politics in 2024. 

 

One could say that your voice is also your actions.  Do your actions come out strong, reflective of what you believe in? Or do they come out weak and passive.

 

This week’s Parsha we read of the Zealot Pinchas. The word zealot brings up a notion of extremism which is found aplenty in our world today.

 

In reality, zealousness is the external expression of deep conviction, of a belief that is so real and that is not defensive. It’s confidence in its fullest. 

 

Pinchas was a humble person, and a kind person as the Torah attests to him. But, his conviction was deep and real and he stood up with a strong voice and saved the Jewish People.

 

When we have that inner conviction, inner belief, inner confidence, it comes out in a most healthy manner, with strength, humility and power all in one.

 

Today we need to reaffirm what it is that we believe. We need to have deep conviction about it. If we know it in our heart but don’t have the right language then we need to dig in and study, get educated, get the information.  

 

This is obviously most dominant and true in relation to Israel but it is true about our relationship to Judaism and Jewish practice in general.