<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">When God promises Pinchas that His covenant of peace be with him, the vov in the word "shalom" is split. Generally, a split or incompletely written letter renders the Torah pasul until it is repaired. Obviously, I needn't tell this group the various brilliant insights and commentaries as to the explanation of the vov k'tia. However, I'd like to submit my own<div>insight. When Pikuach Nefesh is involved, we can violate all but three of the Torah's mitzvot. I submit that the vov k'tia is allowed because the act of Pinchas involved Pikuach Nefesh -- hence, the Torah is still kosher even with the incomplete letter of the vov. </div><div><br></div><div>On a more mystical level, the gematria of vov is six. In mathematics <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">six is the second smallest </span></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_number" title="Composite number" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">composite number</span></font></font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">, its proper </span></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divisor" title="Divisor" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">divisors</span></font></font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> being </span></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_(number)" title="1 (number)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">1</span></font></font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">, </span></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_(number)" title="2 (number)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">2</span></font></font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> and </span></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_(number)" title="3 (number)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">3</span></font></font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">. Since six equals the sum of these proper divisors, six is the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">smallest </span></span></font></font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_number" title="Perfect number" style="background-image: none; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">perfect number</span></font></font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#101010"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">. Even though Pinchas did what had to be done, it nevertheless damaged the smallest perfect number (vov). I see a similarity to the account of Yaakov wrestling with the "angel" and even though victorious, he suffered the physical impairment because the mysterious man (or angel) touched him on the gid hanasheh causing a permanent limp. </span></font></font></span></div><div><div><br></div><div>ri</div></div></body></html>