When the Jews camped along the border of Moab, many were led astray by the Moabite women and turned to their idols.
Zimri, the leader of the tribe of Simeon, sinned publicly, setting a terrible example. Then God sent a plague and 24,000 people died.
Amid all this confusion and tragedy, one man, Phinehas, Aaron's grandson, stood up and acted. He rushed to Zimri and swiftly killed him and the person with whom he had sinned.
But where were the others? Where were the seventy elders who studied Torah with Moses? Where were Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were personally instructed by Moses? Where was Moses himself? Why did none of these leaders appear to carry out what the halakha – ley judía – dice que debe ser hecho cuando una persona hace lo que Zimrí hizo?
They were all there, however it was Pinchas, the youngest of them all, who studied Moshe's Torah along with the rest of the Jewish people, who paid attention to the halakha.
Pinjas's actions teach us an important lesson.
If there's one thing that halakha He says it must be done, we must act, even if older, wiser, and more experienced people say nothing.
Perhaps the very reason others remain silent is so that we will act! Perhaps that particular action is the mission HaShem has prepared for us to be faced with, giving us the opportunity to fulfill it.
Just like Phinehas, who didn't hide and asked: Why isn't anyone doing what needs to be done? Don't they know the halakha ellos mismo? – nosotros debemos ir adelante y actuar.
God rewarded Phinehas for his actions. Despite being Aaron's grandson, he was only now given the Kehuna – el sacerdocio – para él y para sus descendientes.
Rashi explains that this was the same reason why Moshe remained silent about the halakha que Pinjás cumplió – para que él gane la posición de Cohen que era su misión en este mundo.
Extracted from Please tell me what the Rebbe says.