Midrash sur Les Nombres 25:2

(Numb. 25:2:) “And they invited the people to the sacrifices for their gods.” Thus they (i.e., daughters of Moab) were going by the counsel of Balaam, as stated (in Numb. 31:16), “Here these women at the bidding of Balaam made the Children of Israel.”⁹⁵Numb. R. 7:23, cont.; ySanh. 10:2 (28cd); Sanh. 106a; PRE 47. They made themselves curtained stalls and installed harlots in them with every object of delight in their hands. Now a girl would have an old woman as an agent, for an old woman would be in front of the shop. During the time that Israel was passing by on the way to the marketplace, the woman would say to him, “Young man, surely you want objects of linen which have come from Beth-Shean!” Then she would show them to him; and when the old woman would tell him a high price, the girl would [give him] a lower one. From then on the girl would tell him, “You are like one of the family. Sit down and choose for yourself.” Now a jug of Ammonite wine was placed by her, since the wine of gentiles had not yet been forbidden. Then out comes the girl, perfumed and adorned, and seduces him and says to him, “Why do you hate us, when we love you? Take for yourself this article gratIs. We all are children of a single man, children of Terah, the father of Abraham. So do you not want to eat from our sacrifices and from our cooking? Here are calves and cocks for you; slaughter them according to your own precepts, and eat.” Immediately she has him drink the wine, and then the Satan burned within him, so that he became a fool for her. There are also those who say [that] Balaam commanded them not to have them drink the wine, so that they would not be judged as those who are drunk, but as willful sinners. When he sought her out, she would say, “Slaughter this cock and we will cook it and eat with you, and I will be at your disposal.” When he came to slaughter it, she said to him, “I am not listening to you until you slaughter it [as a sacrifice] to Peor.” Since he had become a fool for her, he would slaughter it to Peor and eat with her. So they would be joined to each other. It is therefore written (in Numb. 25:2-3), “And they invited the people [to the sacrifices for their gods, so that the people ate and bowed down to their gods]. Thus Israel was joined (rt.: tsmd) to Baal Peor,” like bracelets (rt.: tsmd). R. Levi said, “This was more serious than the [sin of the golden] calf, [for while in reference to the calf it is written (in Exod. 32:3), ‘So all the people took off [the gold rings that were in their ears],’ here [it is written] (in Numb. 25:3), ‘Thus Israel was joined (rt.: tsmd) [to Baal Peor,]’ like bracelets (rt.: tsmd)]. Because of the calf about three thousand fell, but here (according to Numb. 25:9) [the number fallen is] twenty-four thousand.”

23 (Numb. 25:1) “The people began to go whoring unto the daughters of Moab.” Come and see what is written in their leaving from Egypt: (In Ex. 14:2,) “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-Hahiroth (which sounds like liberty, heiruth).” What is the meaning of Pi-Hahiroth? It was a place that was fixed for unchastity. And because they sheltered themselves [from it] in their leaving, it was called Pi-Hahiroth. But these [Moabite women] because they made themselves available to the people, it is written, (in Numb. 25:1), “the people began to go whoring [unto the daughters of Moab].” (Numb. 25:1) “The people began”: Every place that “the people” is mentioned, it is an expression of shame; but every place that “Israel” is mentioned, it is an expression of commendation: (In Numb. 11:1,) “Now the people were as murmurers [speaking evil in the ears of the Lord]”; (in Numb. 21:5,) “So the people spoke against God and against Moses”; (in Numb. 14:1,) “and the people wept on that night”; (in Numb. 14:11), “Until when will the people anger Me”; (in Exod. 32:25,) “And Moses saw that the people were wild”; (in Exod. 32:1,) “and the people gathered together against Aaron”; and similarly in all of them. (Numb. 25:1) “The people began to go whoring.” Throw a stick into the air,⁶⁸Gk.: aer. [and] it falls to its place of origin (i.e., its root).⁶⁹For this proverb in other contexts, see Gen. R. 53:15; 86:6. The one who had begun with the whoredom at first, finished with it in the end. Their matriarchs (i.e., the matriarchs of Ammon and Moab) began with whoredom (according to Gen. 19:31-34), “And the first-born said to the younger, ‘Let us give our father to drink […].’ So it came to pass on the next day that the first-born said unto the younger […].” She (the first-born) had instructed her in whoredom, and for that reason the Holy One, blessed be He, had pity on the younger and did not expose her. Rather (according to vs. 35), “and she slept with him”; but with reference to the elder, it is written (in vs. 33), “and slept with her father.”⁷⁰Thus in the case of the elder, her incest was specifically mentioned. In the case of the one who began in whoredom at first, her daughters (i.e., the daughters of Moab) went after her to finish [it, as stated (in Numb. 25:1), “the people began] to go whoring unto the daughters of Moab.” (Numb. 25:2) “And they invited the people to the sacrifices for their gods”: Thus they (i.e., daughters of Moab) were going by the counsel of Balaam, as stated (in Numb. 31:16), “Here these women at the bidding of Balaam made the Children of Israel.”⁷¹ySanh. 10:2 (28cd); Sanh. 106a; PRE 47. They made themselves curtained stalls and installed harlots in them with every object of delight in their hands. Now a girl would have an old woman as an agent, for an old woman would be in front of the shop. During the time that Israel was passing by on the way to the marketplace, the woman would say to him, “Young man, surely you want objects of linen which have come from Beth-Shean!” Then she would show them to him and say to him, “Come inside and you will see fine things”; and when the old woman would tell him a high price, the girl would [give him] a lower one. From then on the girl would tell him, “You are like one of the family. Sit down and choose for yourself.” Now a jug of wine was placed by her, since the wine of gentiles had not yet been forbidden. Then out comes the girl, perfumed and adorned, and seduces him and says to him, “Why do you hate us, when we love you? Take for yourself this article gratis. We all are children of a single man, children of Terah, the father of Abraham. So do you not want to eat from our sacrifices and from our cooking? Here are calves and cocks for you; slaughter them according to your own precepts, and eat.” Immediately she has him drink the wine, and then the Satan burned within him, so that he became a fool for her, as stated (in Hos. 4:11), “Harlotry, wine and young wine sway the heart.” There are also those who say [that] Balaam commanded them not to have them drink the wine, so that they would not be judged as those who are drunk, but as willful sinners. When he sought her out, she said to him, “I am not listening to you until you slaughter it [as a sacrifice] to Peor and bow down to it.” But he would say, “I am not bowing down to idolatry.” And she would say to him, “You only need to reveal yourself to it.” And [since] he had become a fool for her, he would do so. This is what the masters said, “One who reveals himself (to defecate) to Baal Peor – this is its worship” (Sanh. 64a). It is so stated (Numb. 25:2), “and they bowed down to their gods.” (Numb. 25:3) “Thus Israel was joined (rt.: tsmd) to Baal Peor”: At the beginning, they went in chastely, but at the end they went as many teams of pairs, like a pair (tsemed) of oxen. Another explanation: Like a man tied to his work; joined (rt.: tsmd) [to Baal Peor] like bracelets (rt.: tsmd). R. Levi said, “This was more serious than the [sin of the golden] calf, for while in reference to the calf, it is written (in Exod. 32:2), ‘Take off the gold rings,’ here [it is written] (in Numb. 25:3), ‘was joined (rt.: tsmd) [to Baal Peor,]’ like bracelets (rt.: tsmd)]. Because of the calf about three thousand fell, but here (according to Numb. 25:9) [the number fallen is] twenty-four thousand.” (Numb. 25:4) “[…] Take all the heads of the people, and impale them [before the Lord in the sun].” R. Judan said, “He hanged the heads of the people, because they had not protested about the people.” R. Nehemiah said, “He did not hang them. Rather the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, ‘Appoint Sanhedrin⁷²Sanhedraot. Gk. plural: synhedria. heads for them, and let them judge whoever went to Peor.’ He said to him, ‘But who will make such a one known?’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘I will expose them. In the case of whoever has gone astray, the cloud shall be peeled back from upon him, and the sun shall shine upon him in the midst of the congregation. Then they will know anyone who has gone astray and hang him.’” You know for yourself that it is so, as stated (in Numb. 25:5), “So Moses said unto the judges of Israel, ‘Each of you kill [those of] his own people [who have been joined to Baal Peor].’”

(Gen. 9:27:) MAY GOD ENLARGE (YPT) JAPHETH (YPT); but, nevertheless, (ibid., cont.): LET HIM DWELL IN THE TENTS OF SHEM.⁸⁶Gen. R. 36:8. Now all these things happened because of the wine. Thus, wherever you find wine, you find a downfall. And so with Noah < it was > on account of wine. And likewise with the tribes. When they sat down to eat, they sold their brother Joseph. So also in Shittim (according to Numb. 25:2): AND < THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB > INVITED THE PEOPLE TO SACRIFICE TO THEIR GODS. So also in the making of the golden calf, < that too > was on account of wine (according to Exod. 32:6): AND THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK. Moreover, the tribes only went into exile because of wine, as stated (in Is. 5:11): WOE TO THOSE WHO RISE EARLY IN THE MORNING TO PURSUE STRONG DRINK. (Amos 6:6:) THOSE WHO DRINK < STRAIGHT > FROM THE WINE BOWLS. And the tribes of Judah and Benjamin also only went into exile because of wine, as stated (in Is. 28:7): AND THESE ALSO ARE MUDDLED BY WINE. The Holy One said: In this world it has turned into a stumbling block, but in the world to come I am turning the wine into fresh grape juice, as stated (in Joel 4:18 [3:18]): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS ON THAT DAY THE MOUNTAINS SHALL FLOW WITH FRESH GRAPE JUICE.⁸⁷See Lev. R. 12:5.

(Numb. 25:2:) AND THEY INVITED THE PEOPLE TO THE SACRIFICES FOR THEIR GODS. Thus they (i.e., daughters of Moab) were going by the counsel of Balaam, as stated (in Numb. 31:16): HERE THESE WOMEN <AT THE BIDDING OF BALAAM> MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL…. ¹¹⁶Tanh., Numb. 7:13; Numb. R. 7:23, cont.; ySanh. 10:2 (28cd); Sanh. 106a; PRE 47. They made themselves curtained stalls and installed harlots in them with every object of delight in their hands. Now a girl would have an old woman as an agent, for an old woman would be in front of the shop. During the time that Israel was passing by on the way to the market place, the woman would say to him: Surely you want objects of linen which have come from Beth-shean! Then she would show them to him; and when the old woman would tell him a high price, the girl would <give him> a lower one. From then on the girl would tell him: You are like one of the family. Sit down. Now a jug of Ammonite wine was placed by her, since the wine of star worshipers had not yet been forbidden. Then out comes a girl, perfumed and adorned, who seduces him and says to him: Why do you hate us, when we love you. Take for yourself this article gratis. We all are children of a single man, children of Terah, the father of Abraham. So do you not want to eat from our sacrifices and from our cooking? Here are calves and cocks for you which we have slaughtered according to your own precepts. So eat. Immediately she has him drink the wine. Then Satan (STN) burned within him, so that he fell madly in love (ShTH)¹¹⁷In the unpointed Hebrew text ShTH appears somewhat similar to the Hebrew spelling of Satan. The S in Satan is a sin and looks exactly like the Sh in “fell madly in love.” (ShTH). Note also that the T in Satan and the T in ShTH are both tet. with her.

Variantly: "And Israel sat in Shittim": in the place of sitoth ("straying" [from the L-rd]). When Israel were in the desert, a place devoid of seed, figs, wine, and pomegranates, they came and waged war against Sichon and Og, who fell into their hands, and they took all that was theirs. That kinG-dom was proud and haughty, though they had only four provinces worthy of the name — Asia, Alexandria, Carthaginia, and Antiochia, while these (Sichon and Og) had sixty cities, all worthy of "kingdom," viz. (Devarim 3:4) "… sixty cities, the entire province of the palace, the kingdom of Og in the Bashan." Israel came and waged war against them and they fell into their (Israel's) hands. But when Israel was surfeited with the spoils, they began "spoiling" the spoils — they tore apart garments and cast them away and tore apart beasts and cast them away — for they sought only vessels of silver and gold, viz. (Devarim 3:7) "and every beast and the spoil of the cities we 'spoiled' unto ourselves." "They came and sat in Shittim," in the place of sitoth. At that time Ammonim and Moavim arose and built markets for themselves from Beth Hayeshimoth until Har Hashaleg, where they installed harlots, old ones outside and young ones within, who sold flaxen garments. When an Israelite would eat and drink and make merry and go out to promenade and to buy something from the old one, she would offer it to him at cost, whereupon the young one would call out to him from within, saying "Come and buy it for less," and he did so. The same, the next day and the day after. The third day she would say to him "Come inside and pick for yourself — you're like one of the family." He obliged. The pitcher near her was full of Ammoni wine, the wine of idolators having not yet been forbidden to Israelites. She: "Would you like to drink some wine?" He obliged, and when the wine burned in him he said to her "Consent to me," at which she took an image of Peor from under her breast-band and said to him: "My master, if you want me to consent to you, bow down to this." He: "Can I bow down to idolatry?" She: "What difference does it make to you? I am only asking that you bare yourself before him." (The sages ruled that baring oneself to Peor is its mode of worship.) The wine burned in him and he said "Consent to me." She: "If you want me to consent to you, 'veer off' from the Torah of Moses." And he did so, as it is written (Hoshea 10:10) "They veered off to shame (i.e., to idolatry); and they became detestable (to Me) in loving (the daughters of Moav)." In the end, they reverted to (their practice of) making idolatrous banquets for them to which they invited them, as it is written (Bamidbar 25:2) "And they (the Moavite women) called the people to the sacrifices of their gods, etc." R. Elazar b. Shamua says: Just as a nail cannot be removed from a door without wood (attached), so, an Israel cannot leave Peor without souls (i.e., without adhesions thereof). Once, Pinchas from the district of Ariach was rolling (wine-) jars, when the spirit of Peor assaulted him, whereupon he brandished the spit against it and it fled. It returned to him the second night, saying "Why did you curse me." Pinchas: "I won't do it again." Once, Sabbatia of Ullas hired out his donkey to a gentile woman. When she came to the outskirts of the province, she said to him: "Wait until I bare myself in its temple." After she left, he said to her "Wait for me until I go in and do as you did." She: "But you are a Jew!" He: "What difference does it make to you?" He went in, (did his "devotions,") and wiped himself on the nose of Peor — whereupon the gentiles praised him, saying "No one ever equaled you in this (worship)." Once, a governor came from abroad to bow down to Peor. When he said to them "Bring a bullock or a ram, which we sacrifice to it," they said to him "We don't worship him in that manner. All you have to do is bare yourself before it" — whereupon he loosed his cohorts upon them, who split their skulls, (the governor) saying "Woe unto you and to your error!" Not so, (i.e., not as the governor) the Israelites, of whom it is written (Bamidbar 25:3) "And Israel attached itself to Ba'al Peor (at that time) and the L-rd was wroth with Israel." (4) "And the L-rd said to Moses: Take all the heads (i.e., judges of the people, and hang them (the Peor worshippers) up … in the face of the sun." (5) "And Moses said to the judges of Israel: Slay each (of you) his (two) men that have joined themselves to Ba'al Peor." The tribe of Shimon came to Zimri: "You are sitting in peace while we are being slaughtered!" — whereupon he gathered 24,000 of his tribe, came to Kozbi, and said to her: "Consent to me." She: I will consent only to the greatest of you, (someone) like Moses your master." He: "I, too, am the chief of a tribe. And, what is more, I am greater than he, (Shimon) being second (of the womb of Leah), while he (Levi) is (only) third," saying which he seized her and stood her in the midst of all of Israel, viz. (Ibid. 6) "And, behold, a man of the children of Israel came, and he brought near to his brothers the Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and they wept at the door of the tent of meeting." At that time Pinchas cried out "Is there no one here who is ready to kill and to be killed! Where are the lions?" (Bereshit 48:9) "A lion's whelp is Judah," (Devarim 33:32) "Dan is a lion's whelp" — whereupon he began to shout. Seeing that all remained silent, he arose from his sanhedrin, took out his spear and placed it (i.e., the blade) in his (hollow) belt, supported himself on its haft, and left. (Seeing him about to enter her tent,) they called out to him "Pinchas, where are you going?" He replied: "Is Levi always to be greater than Shimon?" ("Zimri can do it, so can I,") — at which they said "Let him go in" — whereupon the perushim (the "devout" among them) permitted the thing. Once he entered, the L-rd performed six miracles: the first: Normally they would have separated (upon his entrance), but the angel kept them joined. The second: The angel sealed their mouths so that they could not cry out. The third: He transfixed them (with the spear) in their (conjoined) genitals, for the "benefit" of the skeptics, so that they not deny their cohabitation and maintain that he had gone in for the same purpose. The fourth: They did not slide off from the spear but remained in their places. The fifth: The angel lifted the lintel so that they both could appear to all slung from his shoulders. The sixth: When he left, the men of his (Zimri's) tribe, rose up to kill him, and the angel fought them off. When Pinchas saw that too much havoc was being wrought by the angel, he cast them to the ground and stood up and intervened, viz. (Psalms 106:30-31) "And Pinchas arose and intervened, and the plague ceased, and it was reckoned to his merit." And six more miracles were performed for him: The seventh: The blade of the spear was lengthened until it transfixed both bodies and projected upwards. The eighth: The arm of Pinchas was strengthened (to support such a burden). The ninth: The haft did not break. The tenth: Their blood did not descend on Pinchas so that he not become tamei. The eleventh: The Holy One Blessed be He kept them alive so that they not die and cause Pinchas to become tamei. The twelfth: The uppermost (to be thrust through) is the lower on the spear (when it is lifted), but in this instance, Zimri was overturned upon Kozbi, as in the act, so that all of Israel could see that their death was ordained.