Hinini nosein lo es brisi shalom.
The medrash says that higiah hasha'ah litol s'charo - The time has come for Pinchas to get rewarded.
Many ask how this is possible if s'char mitzvah b'hai alma lekka?
The darchei mussar gives a novel answer.
One of the reasons that one cannot demand s'char in this world is because schar mitzvah mitzvah - the actual opportunity to serve the master of the universe is already such a joy how can one ask to be paid as well! We are am m'duchnei oneg - if we do mitzvos mindfully we a nation that is engorged with pleasure! The people of the world who spend all their time seeking more & more earthly pleasures, are starved from a truly satisfying pleasure we have in our avodas Hashem.
There is one time where even if one is doing the right thing it is conditional upon having zero pleasure from it whatsoever. When one must put another Jew down - even rightfully so, such as lashon hora for toeles or even a beis din exacting punishment, there must be absolutely no pleasure derived from causing pain or the downfall of another yid.
Therefore, Pinchas, even in doing this incredible act of Kiddush Hashem & calming the anger of Hashem upon the Jews & stopping the plague, had to have had absolutely no pleasure in doing so! Kana'us even when praised & applauded by all, cannot bring the mikaneh any joy in doing so.
Since Pinchas had no pleasure in this avodas Hashem, the time has come for him to paid.
