We should understand in the way of intimation what is the meaning of “a covenant of peace.” What is it about that covenant for which it is called “a covenant of peace”?

At the end of the portion Balak, it is written, “And Pinhas saw.” RASHI interpreted that he saw an act and remembered a rule. He said to him, to Moses, “Thus I have received from you: He who has intercourse with an Aramean, zealots hurt him … meaning that the courthouse does not instruct him to do.” This means that he saw an act, that there was only an act here, and remembered a rule, meaning that the rule is that the courthouse does not instruct him to do.

By the way of intimation, the courthouse is as our sages said, “No calamity comes to the world but for the judges of Israel” (Shabbat [Sabbath] 139a). This means that each one in Israel has a courthouse, meaning that within a person there is a mind that decides to do or not to do that thing. This is regarded as the courthouse of each and every one.

It follows that if his judge is an unworthy judge, it is as though he plants an Asherah. Before one is rewarded with repentance, his courthouse are judges who are unfit to cast verdicts in Israel.

This is the meaning “he saw an act,” that a servant of the Creator who wants to walk on the path of truth can see only actions and not laws. The law that his mind should determine, his intellect will never obligate him to work in order to bestow, since this is against his will. Hence, his courthouse will not agree for him to do and to aim in order to bestow.

However, if he overcomes and says “I am zealous,” meaning that although his court does not instruct this, he will act without intellect, this is called “above reason.”

On the action, one should always be in a state of overcoming. This is considered that he is always at war, as our sages said, “One should always vex the good inclination over the evil inclination” (Berachot 5a), and RASHI interpreted, “make war with it.”

If a person always walks in a state of above reason, the Creator says, “Behold, I give him My covenant of peace,” as it is written, “I will hear what God the Lord will say, for He will speak peace to His people and to His followers and let them not return to folly” (Psalms 85).

This means that after the Creator makes a covenant of peace with a person, he has no more wars, as it is written, “When the Lord favors man’s ways, even his enemies will make peace with him.”