The Covenant of Peace

"Therefore say: Behold, I give him My covenant of peace." (Numbers 25:12)

Nadab and Abihu were "two halves of a body." (Zohar 3:57b; Likutei Torah, parashat Vayikra, by the Arizal) Therefore, Pinchas took both their souls, so that they are considered as one.

[Nadab and Abihu never married, thus the Zohar considers them as only half a person. When Pinchas smote Zimri and Kosbi during their illicit act, the souls of Nadab and Abihu united with his own.]

Thus, it is written: "Behold, I give him My covenant of peace," for when two things are united, it is called peace. Thus, yesod is called Peace, etc.,

[Yesod is the ninth sefira, from keter down, and serves to unite the upper sefirot with the tenth sefira of malchut. Thus, it is called "Peace."]

...and "From my flesh, I will behold G·d". (Job 19:26)

[Chasidic writings cite this verse often, to support the idea that the physical, emotional and mental constituents of a human being parallel and reflect the workings of the supernal sefirot, through which G·d directs the world.]

Yesod is called "All" [in Hebrew, "kol"] because all of the supernal attributes are included in it. It unites them all and shines [them] into malchut, which is called "the bride" [in Hebrew, "kallah"] for the same reason, that all the attributes are also included in her.

[The word "all" - "kol", and the word "bride" - "kallah", share the same root - kaf lamed. However, the word "kallah" has an additional letter hei, which corresponds both to the sefira of malchut and to the last letter hei of the Tetragrammaton. Malchut, like yesod, is also a microcosm of the entire sefiriotic realm. However, malchut is feminine and receptive, whereas yesod is masculine and imbuing.]

Likewise, the tzadik unites all the attributes, as I wrote on the verse "…who can go out before them, and come in before them", in the name of my Master.

[The sefira of yesod corresponds to the male member, which is the organ of union. Yesod also corresponds to the tzaddik, whose consciousness unites heaven and earth. ]

Likewise, when there is division among people, the one who can unite them is called "a pursuer of peace." The reason Nadab and Abihu sinned was because they did not ask each other's advice [before entering the Holy of Holies]. As it says: "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer..." (Leviticus 10:1)

[I.e. each one took it alone, without consulting the other.]

There was no peace between them. But Pinchas rectified this when he was given the covenant of peace, in order to unite the souls of Nadab and Abihu in one body.

[Adapted from Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Acharei, p. 96d and p. 19b, as translated with commentary from Sefer Baal Shem Tov by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore for //baalshemtov.com. (Combined by KOL staff from two different pieces.)]