Midras Pengkhotbah 10:8: Midrash Tanchuma, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael

(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].”

(Fol. 27b) (II. Kin., 7, 9) If we say, We will enter into the city, There is the famine in the city, and we will die. But why did they not take into consideration that should they fall in the hands of the enemy, they would then be killed immediately? We must therefore say that for a life of short duration nobody cares. An objection was raised from the following: One must not interfere with the Minim and must not cure himself by them, even to delay death for but a few hours. As it happened to ben Dama, the son of Ismael's sister, who was bitten by a snake; Jacob of the village of Sechania came to heal him by means of infidelity, but R. Ismael would not permit it. The patient, however, said to him: "Ismael, my brother, let him cure me and I will bring you evidence from the Scripture that such is allowed." But ere finished, his soul departed, and R. Ismael exclaimed: "Happy art thou, ben Dama, that thy body was pure and thy soul left thee in purity, and thou hast not transgressed the decision of thy colleagues, who say (Ecc. 10, 8) And whoso breaketh through a defence, a serpent shall bite him." With means of heresy, it is different, for it is attractive and he may be induced to follow them. It was stated above, 'And hast not transgressed the decision of the colleagues who say (Ecc. 10, 8) And whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.' But he himself was bitten by a serpent? R. Ismael referred to the words of the Rabbis which are like the bite of a serpent. But what had ben Dama to say [to justify it]? As R. Nachmeni b. Isaac said: (Lev. 18, 5) And he shall live with them, but not he shall die with them. R. Ismael, however, maintains that such is allowed only privately, but not in public; as we are taught in the following Baraitha: R. Ismael used to say: "Whence do we know that if one is told to worship idols, under the threat of being killed, that he may worship and not be killed? From the above-cited verse — And he shall live with them, but not he shall die with them. Perhaps one will say that this may be done publicly, therefore it is written (Ib. 22, 32) And ye shall not profane My holy name, etc."

(Numb. 25:14, cont.:) ZIMRI BEN SALU, <PRINCE OF A CLAN BELONGING TO THE SIMEONITES>. Whoever discredits himself discredits his family along with himself. It is astounding what is written about him (in Eccl. 10:8): THE ONE WHO BREAKS THROUGH <A BARRIER>¹⁸“To break through a barrier” means “to transgress.” Cf. the parallels in Tanh., Numb. 8:2, and Numb. R. 21:3, which supply a fuller reference to Eccl. 10:8. is a son (i.e., Zimri). His ancestor (Simeon) was the barrier maker. He 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>…. But this <Zimri> broke through the barrier which his ancestor had made.