Midrash su Genesi 19:33

(Exodus 15:1) "For He is high on high": He exalted me, and I exalted Him. He exalted me in Egypt, viz. (Exodus 4:22) "My first-born son is Israel," and I exalted Him in Egypt, viz. (Isaiah 20:29) "The song will be for you, as on the night of the sanctification of the festival (of Pesach), and rejoicing of heart as one going with flute to come to the mountain of the L rd, to the Rock of Israel." Variantly: He exalted me at the (Red) Sea, viz. (Exodus 14:19) "And the angel of G d who went before the camp of Israel, etc." I, likewise, exalted Him at the sea and chanted song before Him, viz. "I shall sing to the L rd for He is high on high." Variantly: "for He is high on high": He is exalted (now) and is destined to be exalted, viz. (Isaiah 2:12) "For there is a day for the L rd of hosts over all the exalted and high and against all the uplifted — and he will be brought low", and (Ibid. 13) "against all the lofty and exalted cedars of Levanon", and (Ibid. 16) "against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the splendid palaces", and (Ibid. 17) "the height of man will be lowered, and the pride of men will be brought down, and the L rd alone will be exalted on that day", and (Ibid. 18) "all the false gods will disappear." Variantly: "for high on high": He exalts Himself over the exalted. With what the nations of the world exalt themselves before Him, He exacts punishment of them. In the generation of the flood, (Iyyov 21:10) "His (the evildoer's) bull begets, and does not fail. His cow bears without miscarriage," (11) "they send out their young, (sprightly) as sheep; their children prance about." (12) "they raise (their voices) with drum and harp; they rejoice at the sound of the flute." What do they say? (15) "What is the Almighty that we should serve Him, and what will we gain if we pray to Him?" They say: What do we need Him for? Only for a drop of rain? We have wells and pits — (Genesis 2:6) "A vapor rose from the earth and watered the entire face of the ground!" The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: Fools, do you vaunt yourselves before Me with the good that I bestowed upon you!" With that (itself) I will exact punishment of you! As it is written (Ibid. 7:12) "And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights." They set their eyes (["eineihem" for erotic gazing]), the higher (the males) upon the lower (the female) in order to vent their lust, and the Holy One Blessed be He opened against them wells ("mayanoth" [like "eineihem"]) from above and below to destroy them, as it is written (Ibid. 11) "On this day, all the fountains of the great deep burst, and the windows of heaven were opened." And thus do you find with the men of the tower (of Bavel) that with what they vaunted themselves before Him, He exacted punishment of them. As it is written (Genesis 11:4) "And they said: Let us build for ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves lest we be scattered, etc." (Ibid. 6-8) "And the L rd said … Let us go down, etc…. And the L rd scattered them from there, etc." And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that with what they vaunted themselves before Him, He exacted punishment of them. As it is written (Iyyov 28:5-8) "A land from which bread had issued forth — its place was overturned, as if (consumed by) fire. A place of sapphire were its stones, and dusts of gold were there. (And now it is) a path unknown (i.e., unfrequented) by brigands, and unseen by the falcon's eye, untrodden by the haughty (beasts) and not crossed by the lion." The Sodomites said: We need no men to come to us. Food "sprouts" from us, and silver and gold and precious stones and pearls sprout from us. Let us come and forget the way of the wayfarer from our land — At which the Holy One Blessed be He said to them: Fools that you are! Do you vaunt yourselves in the good that I have bestowed upon you! You have said: Let us forget the Torah of the foot (i.e., the wayfarer) from our land. I, likewise, will "forget" you from the world, viz. (Ibid. 4) "A stream (of fire and brimstone) burst forth from its source (upon Sodom and Gomorrah), who (i.e., the people of Sodom) caused the (codes of the) wayfarer to be forgotten." And (Ibid. 12:6) "The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who anger G d dwell secure." Where from? From what? (Ibid.) "from what G d has brought into his (the evildoer's) hand." And thus is it written (Ezekiel 16:50) "And they (the men of Sodom) were haughty and committed abomination before Me, and I removed them (from the world) when I saw (their ways). And (Ibid. 49) "Behold, this was the sin of Sodom, your sister. She and her daughters had pride, surfeit of bread, and peaceful serenity — wherefore she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy. And thus is it written (Genesis 13:10) "Before the L rd destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it (Sodom) was like the Garden of the L rd, like the land of Egypt." What is written afterwards? (Genesis 19:33) "And they (the daughters of Lot) made their father drink wine that night." Whence did they have wine in the cave? The Holy One Blessed be He "readied" it for them, as in (Yoel 4:18) "And it will be on that day, that the mountains will drip wine. (If the Holy One Blessed be He thus "readies" (things) for His angerers, how much more so for the doers of His will!) And thus do you find with the Egyptians, that with what they vaunted themselves, He exacted punishment of them, (Exodus 14:7) "And he (Pharaoh) took six hundred chariots and all (the other) chariots of Egypt," and it is written (Ibid. 15:4) "The chariots of Pharaoh and his host He cast into the sea, etc." And thus with Sisra, with what they vaunted themselves before Him, punishment was exacted of them, (Judges 9:13) "And Sisra massed all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, etc.", and it is written (Ibid. 5:20) "The stars fought from heaven. From their courses they fought against Sisra." And thus do you find with Samson, the mighty. With what he vaunted himself, punishment was exacted of him, viz. (Ibid. 14:3) "And Samson said to his father: Take her for me, for she is just in my eyes," and it is written (Ibid. 16:21) "And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. And they brought him down to Azzah." R. Yehudah says: The beginning of his lapse was in Azzah; therefore, his punishment was in Azzah. And thus with Avshalom — With what he vaunted himself, punishment was exacted f him, viz. (II Samuel 14;25-26) "And as Avshalom there was no man so beautiful in all of Israel … and when he shaved his head, etc." He as an "eternal Nazirite," who had to shave once every twelve months, viz. (Ibid. 15:7-8) "And it was at the end of forty years that Avshalom said to the king, etc." R. Yossi Haglili says: He was a "Nazirite of days," who shaved once in thirty days, viz. (Ibid. 14:26) "And it was from days to days that he shaved, etc." Rebbi says: He shaved every Sabbath eve, this being the norm for princes. What happened in the end? (Ibid. 18:9) "And Avshalom was encountered by David's servants, and Avshalom was riding on a mule…" (and he was undone by his hair and was killed.) And thus Sancheriv — With what he vaunted himself, punishment was exacted of him, viz. (II Kings 19:23) "Through your envoys you have blasphemed the L rd, etc.", and (Ibid. 24) "It is I (Sancheriv), who have drawn and drunk the water of strangers, etc.", and (Ibid.) "An angel of the L rd went out and smote in the Assyrian camp one hundred and eighty-five thousand, etc." They said: The greatest of them commanded one hundred and eighty-five thousand, and the smallest of them no less than two thousand, viz. (18:24) "So how can you refuse anything even to the deputy of one of my master's lesser servants, etc." (Ibid. 19:21-22) is the thing that the L rd spoke concerning him … Whom have you blasphemed, etc." and (Isaiah 10:32) "This same day at Nov he shall stand and waver his hand, etc." And thus with Nevuchadnezzar — With what he vaunted himself, punishment will be exacted of him, viz. (Ibid. 14:13-14) "And you said in your hearts … I will mount the heights of a cloud, etc." What is written afterwards? (Ibid. 15) "Instead, you will be brought down to Sheol, etc." And thus with. And thus with. And thus with Tyre and Malchah — With what they vaunted themselves, punishment was exacted of them. As it is written (Ezekiel 17:3) "Tyre, you have said: I am the quintessence of beauty, etc." And of Malchah it is written (Ibid. 28:2) "You have set your heart like the heart of G d, etc." And about Tyre it is written (Ibid. 26:3) "Behold, I (the L rd) am against you, O Tyre, etc." And about Malchah it is written (Ibid. 28:10) You will die the death of the uncircumcised, etc." — whence we find that with what the nations of the world vaunted themselves punishment was exacted of them — wherefore it is written "for He is high on high." (Exodus 15:1) "A horse and its rider He has cast into the sea": Now was there only one horse and one chariot? Is it not written (Ibid. 14:7) "And he took six hundred choice chariots"? __ When Israel does the will of the L rd, its foes oppose it, as it were, with one horse and its rider. Similarly, (Devarim 20:1) "When you go out to war against your enemy and you see horse and chariot." Now was there only one horse and one chariot? __ When Israel does the will of the L rd, etc." "a horse and its rider": When a horse is tied to its rider, and the rider to the horse, they rise and descend to the depths without separating. When a man throws two vessels into the sea they immediately separate, but here: "a horse and its rider" together He cast into the sea. One verse (here) states "ramah vayam" ("He lifted into the sea"), and another, (Ibid. 9) "yarah vayam" ("He cast into the sea'). How are these two verses to be reconciled? "ramah" — they rose to the heights; "yarah" — they descended to the depths. Variantly: When Israel saw the plenipotentiary of the kingdom (Egypt) falling, they began to exult. And thus do you find, that the Holy One Blessed be He is not destined to exact punishment of the kingdoms in time to come without first exacting punishment of their plenipotentiaries, viz. (Isaiah 24;21) "And it will be on that day that the L rd will exact punishment of the hosts of heaven on high, etc.", and (Ibid. 14:12) "How you have fallen from heaven, glowing morning star" (the plenipotentiary of Bavel), followed by (Ibid.) "How you (Nevuchadnezzar) have been scooped down to the earth, you who cast lots over the nations!" And (Ibid. 34:5) "For My sword has been sated in the heavens," followed by (Ibid.) "Behold, it shall descend upon Edom, etc." "a horse and its rider": The Holy One Blessed be He brings horse and rider, stands them in judgment, and says to the horse: Why did you pursue My children? The horse: An Egyptian spurred me on against my will, viz. (Ibid. 14:23) "And Egypt pursued, etc." The L rd to Egypt: Why did you pursue My children? The Egyptian: The horse spurred me on against my will, viz. (Ibid. 15:19) "When the horse of Pharaoh came with its chariot and its riders, etc." What does the L rd do? He mounts the man of the horse and judges both of them together, viz. "a horse and its rider He cast into the sea." Antoninos asked Rabbeinu Hakadosh: When a man dies and his body disintegrates, how can the Holy One Blessed be He stand him in judgment? Rabbeinu Hakadosh: Before you ask be about the body, which is tamei (impure), ask me about the soul, which is pure (i.e., How can that stand for judgment?) (Rabbeinu Hakadosh, continuing:) This may be compared to (the instance of) a king of flesh and blood, who had a beautiful orchard, etc. (see Sanhedrin 91a and b). Issi b. Yehudah says: It is written here "horse," unqualified (i.e., the punishments of the horse are not specified), and, elsewhere, "horse," qualified, viz. (Zechariah 12:4) "I will smite every horse with craze, and its rider with distraction. But I will open My eyes to the house of Yehudah, and every horse of the peoples I will smite with blindness," and (Ibid. 14:12) "And this will be the plague with which the L rd will strike all the peoples who massed against Jerusalem, etc.", and (Ibid. 15) "And thus (i.e., as that of the men) will be the plague of the horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass, etc." Just as in the qualified, five smitings, so, in the unqualified, five smitings.

Rabbi Azarya began: “Do not see wine in its redness, for one who sets his eye on the cup will walk the straight path” (Proverbs 23:31). Rabbi Azarya said: “Do not see wine in its redness [yitadam]” – as he will lust [yitav] for menstrual blood [dam] and for the blood of discharge [ziva]. “For one who directs his eye to the cup [kos]” – kis is written, a euphemism;¹This is a euphemism for licentiousness. that is what you say: “We will have one purse [kis] for all of us” (Proverbs 1:14). “Will walk the straight path”²The midrash understands this phrase in the verse to be ironic. – ultimately his wife says: I have seen like a red rose, and he does not separate from her. Rabbi Asi said: If he is a Torah scholar, he will ultimately purify the ritually impure, and impurify the ritually pure.
Alternatively, “do not see wine in its redness” – it will certainly cause him to flush. “For one who sets his eye on the cup” – he fixes his eyes on the cup and the storekeeper fixes his eye on the purse. “Will walk the straight path [bemeisharim]” – ultimately, he will render his house a plain [meishra].³Meaning it will be empty. He says: Whatever this bronze cup does an earthenware cup does, and he sells it and drinks wine with its proceeds. Whatever this bronze pot does an earthenware pot does, and he sells it and drinks wine with its proceeds. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Raddifa said in the name of Rabbi Ami: Ultimately, he will sell all the vessels in his house and drink wine with [what he gets for] them.
Rabbi Aḥa said: There was an incident involving a certain person who sold all the vessels in his house and drank wine with [what he got for] them. His sons said: This father of ours is not leaving us anything. What did they do? They gave him to drink, they lifted him up and carried him, and placed him in a certain cemetery. Some wine merchants passed the gate of the cemetery and heard the angaria [military unit commandeering provisions] was in the city. They unloaded their burden in that cemetery. They said: Let us go and see what is being said in the city. The old man awoke from his slumber and saw a wineskin that had been placed above his head. He untied it and put it in his mouth and drank. He drank until he fell asleep. After three days, his sons said: Should we not go and see how our father is doing? They went and found him and there was a wineskin in his mouth. They said: Here, too, your Creator has not forsaken you. Since you have it from Heaven, we don’t know what we to do with you. They made an arrangement among themselves that each of them [in turn] would provide him with drink on each day.
It is written:⁴These verses relate to the drinker of wine referred to above, and describe the results of drunkenness. “You will be like one lying in the midst of the sea, like one who lies atop a mast” (Proverbs 23:34). You will be like this ship that is becalmed on the high seas.⁵Some understand this to mean: “like a ship that is tossed on the high seas.” “Like one who lies atop a mast,” – like a rooster that sits on a rope and goes constantly to and fro; like a captain who sits atop a mast and goes constantly to and fro. “They struck me, but I did not feel it” (Proverbs 23:35) – they struck him, but he did not feel. “They beat me, but I did not know” – they exploit him, but he is unaware. He drinks five kustin⁶A measure of liquid volume, about a third of a liter. of beer and they say to him: ‘You drank ten kustin.’ If you say that he will awaken from his sleep and forget it, Scripture says [about the drunk]: “When will I awaken? I will continue to seek it” (Ibid.).
]“To whom is there woe? To whom alas? To whom strife? To whom talk? To whom wounds without cause? To whom redness of eyes? To those who linger over wine”] (Proverbs 23:29-30). “To whom is there woe? To whom alas?” Rav Huna said: To one who does not toil in Torah study. “To whom strife?” – to whom disputes? “To whom talk” – to whom prattle? “To whom wounds without cause” – to whom wounds for nothing? “To those who linger over wine” (Proverbs 23:30).
There was an incident involving a certain man who was accustomed to drink twelve kistin of wine every day. One day he drank eleven kistin, and he lay down but sleep would not come. He awoke in the dark and went to the storekeeper. He said to him: ‘Sell me one kista.’ He [the storekeeper] said to him: ‘I will not open for you, because it is dark and I fear the watchmen.’ He directed his eyes and saw a hole in the door. He said to him: ‘Give me from it through the hole, you will position it inside and I will drink it outside.’ He did so for him. He drank and fell asleep before the door. The watchmen passed by him; they thought he was a thief, they struck him and they wounded him. They proclaimed about him: “To whom wounds without cause” – to whom wounds for nothing? “To whom redness of eyes” – to whom eyes red like the sun?
All these befall whom? “Those who linger over wine” – this is one who enters the store first and leaves last. “To those who come to assess the mixture” – to one who hears that this [particular] person has fine wine and pursues him. What is written about him at the end? “Its [wine’s] end is that it bites like a serpent and secretes [poison] like an adder” (Proverbs 23:32). Just as this adder separates between death and life, so wine separated between Adam and Eve, as Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: The tree from which Adam the first man ate was a grape [vine]. That is what is written: “Their grapes are grapes of gall, bitter clusters for them” (Deuteronomy 32:32). These brought bitterness to the world.
Alternatively, “and secretes [yafrish] like an adder” – just as this adder separates [mafrish]⁷The verb lehafrish can mean both to secrete and to separate. between death and life, so, wine separated between Noah and his sons for enslavement. That is what is written: “He drank from the wine and was intoxicated and he was exposed inside the tent” (Genesis 9:21), as a result⁸ Subsequently, Noah’s son Ham, father of Canaan, “saw the nakedness of his father.” he [Noah] said: “Cursed is Canaan [a slave of slaves he shall be to his brothers]” (Genesis 9:25).
“And secretes [yafrish] like an adder” – just as this adder separates [mafrish] between death and life, so wine separated between Lot and his daughters for mamzerut.⁹The status of a child born from incest. That is what is written: “They gave their father to drink that night” (Genesis 19:33), as a result he said: “Lot’s two daughters conceived from their father” (Genesis 19:36).
Alternatively, “and secretes like an adder” – just as this adder separates between death and life, so wine separated between Aaron and his sons for death, as it is taught: Rabbi Shimon says: The sons of Aaron died only because they entered the Tent of Meeting intoxicated with wine. Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Levi said: This is comparable to a king who had a loyal member of his household. He found him standing at the entrance of his house, and he decapitated him without saying anything and appointed another member of his household in his stead. We do not know the reason that he killed the first one. It is only from what he commanded the second one and said to him: ‘Do not enter the house’ that we know why he killed the first one. Likewise, “Fire emerged from before the Lord and consumed them” (Leviticus 10:2) – we do not know the reason they died. It is only from what he commanded Aaron and said to him “You shall not drink wine or intoxicating drink” (Leviticus 10:9), that we know that they died only due to the wine.
Alternatively, “and secretes like an adder” – just as this adder separates between death and life, so wine separated between the ten tribes and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin for exile. That is what is written: “Woe! Those who rise early in the morning pursue intoxicating drink; those who tarry late, wine will inflame” (Isaiah 5:11), as a result: “Therefore, My people is exiled for lack of knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13).
Alternatively, “and secretes like an adder” – just as this adder separates between death and life, so wine separated the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin for exile. That is what is written: “These too erred with wine and strayed with intoxicating drink” (Isaiah 28:7); these and those.¹⁰Not only the ten tribes of Israel but also the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were eventually exiled.
Alternatively, “and secretes like an adder” – just as this adder separates between death and life, so wine separated between kingdom and kingdom for death. That is what is written: “Belshatzar said, as he tasted the wine” (Daniel 5:2), as a result it says: “During that night, Belshatzar the Chaldean king was killed” (Daniel 5:30).
Alternatively, “and secretes like an adder” – just as this adder separates between death and life, so wine separated between Aḥashverosh and Vashti for death. That is what is written: “On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine” (Esther 1:10) – as a result he became angry and killed her.

The men of Sodom were punished with the very thing (by which) they exalted themselves. Concerning them it is written: As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire. The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold. That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath the falcon’s eye seen it; the proud beasts have not trodden it, nor hath the lion passed thereby (Job 28:5–8). They said: There is no reason why we should permit men to travel over our highways, for they deprive us of our food, silver, gold, precious stones, and pearls. Let us abrogate the law of unrestricted travel in our land. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, told them: Since you have become arrogant because of the good things I lavished upon you, I will cause you to be forgotten in the world, as it is said: He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot that passeth by; they hang afar from men (ibid., v. 4). It is written also: A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease … the tents of the robbers prosper (ibid. 12:5). What happened to them for this? In whatsoever God hath brought into their hand (ibid., v. 6). Thus it says: Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and careless ease was in her and her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy (Ezek. 16:49). Likewise it says; Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah they were like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt (Gen. 13:10). But after that is written: And they made their father drink wine that night (ibid. 19:33). Where did they obtain the wine for the meal? The Omnipresent provided the wine for the meal, as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters; and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord (Joel 4:18). Now, if the Holy One, blessed be He, provided for those who angered Him, surely He would do as much for those who performed His will.

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].’”

(Numb. 25:1): THE PEOPLE BEGAN…. Throw a stick into the air,¹¹³Gk.: aer. <and> it falls to its place of origin (i.e., the ground).¹¹⁴For this proverb in other contexts, see Gen. R. 53:15; 86:6. The one who had begun with the whoredom at first, reconciled himself to it in the end. Their matriarchs (i.e., the matriarchs of Ammon and Moab) began with whoredom (according to Gen. 19:33–34): AND THE FIRST-BORN CAME AND SLEPT WITH HER FATHER…. <SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE NEXT DAY> THAT THE FIRST-BORN SAID UNTO THE YOUNGER: <SEE, LAST NIGHT I SLEPT WITH MY FATHER>…. She (the first-born) had instructed her in whoredom, and for that reason the Holy One 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.¹¹⁵Thus 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) were the first to reconcile themselves to whoredom. (Numb. 25:1:) <WHILE ISRAEL WAS STAYING AT SHITTIM,> THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO GO WHORING UNTO THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB.

Similarly, (Bereshith 13:10) "And Lot lifted his eyes and he saw the entire plain of the Jordan, that it was all watered (mashkeh)," and (Ibid. 19:33) "And they gave to drink (vatashkena [like "mashkeh"]) their father wine on that night (in order to cohabit with him)." Now where could they find wine in the cave? It was "in readiness" for them for that time, viz. (Yoel 4:18) "And it shall be on that day that the mountains shall drip wine." If the Holy One Blessed be He thus "accommodates" those who anger Him, how much more so those who do His will!