The Fiery Waters of the Mei HaShiloah

"And Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh" (lo tzachakti).

The idea here is very deep. For when it says in the Talmud (Berachot 32b), that "Everything is in the hands of heaven except for the Fear of Heaven," this is only according to the limitations of the human mind. But in truth, everything is in the hands of heaven - even the Fear of Heaven. It is only that in this world, the Blessed God has hidden Its ways.

The defining trait of Our Father Isaac was such that he recognized that even the Fear of Heaven was in the hands of the Blessed God. The world, however, was not yet ready for this precious understanding. That is why Sarah had to say, "But my master is old," and seemed to be contradicting the idea that everything is in the hands of heaven. So that because of this, the Holy Blessed One, measure for measure, would show her that even the Fear of Heaven is in God's hand. And that was done with the birth of Isaac.

Without this having been kept hidden until now, Our Father Isaac would not have been able to be born into this world. For the precious trait of Our father Isaac was to be able to clarify and demonstrate that even the Fear of Heaven is in the hands of Heaven.

And even all the sins of Israel are under the providence of the Blessed God, for through this God's Great Name is enhanced and sanctified.

Understand this. For it is very, very deep.

"And Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aaron the Priest saw...and took a spear in his hand..."

And it should not arise in your mind, God Forbid (chas v'shalom) that Zimri was an adulterer, chas v'shalom. For the Holy Blessed One would not make a whole section of the Torah out of an adulterer. Rather, there is a hidden mystery in this matter.

For there are ten levels of lust. The first level is one who dresses themselves up and deliberately goes out for sinful purposes. So this person is, drawing the Evil Urge (Yeitzer HaRa) upon himself. But after this, are another nine levels, and at each level, a person loses some of their free will, and it becomes less and less possible for them to resist the sin. Until they get to the 10th level, where someone has completely distanced themselves from the Yeitzer HaRa and guarded themselves from the sin with all their power, so much so that it would beyond their capacity to guard themselves anymore than they already have -- and then, when their desire overpowers them, and they commit the act, at that point they know for certain that their actions are the will of the Blessed God (Hashem Yisbarach).

This was the case with Yehudah and Tamar, for she was actually his soulmate. And it is the same case here, for Zimri was truly guarding himself from all evil temptation, yet the thought arose in his mind that she [Kozbi] was his soulmate, since it was not within his power to refrain from this deed.

But Pinchas said the opposite, that he [Zimri] still had the strength to refrain from this. The Talmud (in Sanhedrin 82b) hints at this: "six miracles were performed for Pinchas," as it brings there, that if Zimri got up and killed Pinchas, then he Zimri would not have been punished. Because this was truly a case of reasonable doubt, and there was surely room to make a legal case against Pinchas. Because it certainly appears to the observer that he acted out of rage....

Now Pinchas, came from the seed of Joseph, who had trials and suffering in this realm. Therefore, Zimri's deeds seemed particularly evil to Pinchas...

But the foundational depths of the matter were hidden from Pinchas, namely that she [Kozbi] had been ordained at Zimri's soulmate from the six days of Creation, as is explained in the writings of the Ari"zal. So Moshe Rabbeinu did not attempt to judge him for captial punishment. We find Pinchas acted as a foolish youth, because he did not understand the depths of the issue, and only saw through the perception of human intellect, and no more.

Nevertheless, Hashem Yisbarach loved him, and gave him approval, because according to what Pinchas' understanding, he had done a great thing out of his zealousness, and put his life in danger.

Sometimes a person stands before a great trial, so severe that it is impossible that he not sin - as is taught (in Talmud Berachot 32a) "What could the son do?"And that is considered duress, for which the Merciful One excuses a person...

But a person cannot accurately assess themselves in this, because perhaps they still do have the strength to overpower their desire. [And this is like what I heard about this matter in the episode of Zimri - that he made a mistake in this.]