The Hidden Dangers of Demonstrations and Protest Culture A well-known question arises in Parshat Pinchas: How could an act of zealot-like violence earn Pinchas G-ds blessing of a “covenant of peace”? The Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin), in his commentary Ha’amek Davar, explains this by looking deeply into human nature. He writes: “Because the act Pinchas committed was one of cruelty… the Holy One, Blessed be He, blessed him with the gift of peace, so that he would be sustained with tranquility and peacefulness, and no harm from that act of cruelty would damage his soul.” In other words, even though Pinchas acted purely for the sake of Heaven, there was still a real danger that the act itself would leave a mark on his soul. Therefore, Hashem gave him a “covenant of peace” so that this harsh act would not shape his character or turn him into a bitter or callous person. The Netziv is teaching us a fundamental principle: our actions shape who we become. Even when someone is........

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