Midras Bilangan 25:14: Midrash Tanchuma, Bamidbar Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Vayikra Rabbah

(Numb. 25:14:) “And the name of the slain man of Israel...” Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, is concerned with the praise of the righteous to publicize³Rt.: PRSM. Cf. Gk.: parresia (“boldness in speaking out”). them throughout the world, so is he concerned with the disgrace of the wicked to publicize them throughout the world. He publicized Phinehas for praise and publicized Zimri for disparagement. About them is it stated (in Prov. 10:7), “The remembrance of a righteous one is for a blessing, but the name of the wicked shall rot.” (Numb. 25:14, cont.:) “Zimri ben Salu, the prince of a clan.” The sages said Zimri had three names: Zimri ben Salu; and Saul the son of the Canaanite woman; and Shelumiel ben Zurishaddai. [He was called] Zimri because of the fact that he became like an addled (hamuzeret) egg (as a result of engaging in multiple acts of intercourse); ben Salu because he evoked [shehisli] the sins of his family; Saul [Shaul] because he lent [shehishil] himself to sin; the son of the Canaanite woman because of the fact that he performed an act of Canaan. And what is his [true] name? Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai. (Numb. 25:14, cont.:) “Zimri ben Salu, the prince of a clan,” as whoever discredits himself discredits his family along with himself. (Numb. 25:14, cont.:) “Zimri ben Salu, the prince of a clan.” The verse is astounded by him (in Eccl. 10:8), “The one who breaks through a barrier will be bitten by a snake.”⁴“To break through a barrier” means “to transgress.” [As it was] his [ancestor Simeon) who was the first to display zeal against harlotry, as stated (in Gen. 34:25), “then two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, [the brothers of Dinah, each] took [his sword]….” And [yet] this (Zimri) broke through the barrier which his [ancestor] had made. (Numb. 25:15:) “And the name of the Midianite woman who was slain [was Cozbi bat Zur; Zur was the tribal head of a clan in Midian].” [These words are there] to inform you how far the Midianites hatred went. Thus they had abandoned a daughter of kings in to shame, as stated (in Numb. 31:8), “[And along with their other victims] they killed the kings of Midian:…, Zur.” Zur was the greatest of them all; and [since] he abandoned his daughter, who would not abandon [his own daughter]? But because he had disgraced himself and abandoned his daughter to shame, the text has demoted him and numbered him third (on the list). He was, however, the king of them all, as stated (in Numb. 25:15), “[Zur] was leader of the nations of the clan [in Midian].”

“Which cannot be measured and cannot be counted,” Rabbi Simlai said: What is this matter? Does one who says that they have a number then say that there is no number – “cannot be measured and cannot be counted”? Rather, when they are not performing the will of the Omnipresent, they have a number, as they are no fewer than six hundred thousand; “the number will be” [then there will be a number]. When they are performing the will of the Omnipresent, they have no number, but rather, “which cannot be measured and cannot be counted.”
Another matter, “which cannot be measured and cannot be counted,” Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Does one who says that they have a number then say that there is no number; “cannot be measured and cannot be counted”? If they have no number, how do they have a number? When it says: “The son of the Israelite woman went out…” (Leviticus 24:10), “He brought his household near, by man; and Akhan, son of Karmi…was indicated” (Joshua 7:18), “The name of the man of Israel who was slain…Zimri son of Salu” (Numbers 25:14); these have a number.⁴³The unrighteous have a number. The righteous cannot be counted. But the righteous, “which cannot be measured and cannot be counted.”

(Numb. 25:14:) AND THE NAME OF THE SLAIN MAN OF ISRAEL. Just as the Holy One is concerned with the praise of the righteous to publicize¹⁶Rt.: PRSM. Cf. Gk.: parresia (“boldness in speaking out”). them throughout the world, so is he concerned with disgrace of the wicked to publicize them throughout the world.¹⁷Tanh., Numb. 8:2. Phinehas was due praise. About him is stated (in Prov. 10:7): THE REMEMBRANCE OF A RIGHTEOUS ONE IS FOR A BLESSING. Zimri was due disrepute. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT THE NAME OF THE WICKED SHALL ROT.