Midrash sobre Êxodo 6:25

(Numb. 25:11) “Phinehas ben Elazar […].” What reason did the Holy One, blessed be He, have for tracing the lineage of Phinehas after this act (of slaying Zimri in Numb. 25:8)?¹Numb. R. 21:3. [The reason was] that, when Zimri was pierced along with Cozbi, the tribes rose up against [Phinehas] and said, “Did you see the son (actually, grandson) of Puti? This man, whose mother's father²Thus Puti was actually Phinehas’ maternal grandfather, whose full name was Putiel. So Exod. 6:25. fattened calves for idolatry, has killed a tribal prince of Israel!” Therefore Scripture has come to trace his lineage [through his paternal grandfather] (in Numb. 25:11), “Phinehas the son of Eliezer, [who is] the son of Aaron the priest.” (Numb. 25:12:) “Therefore I hereby grant My covenant of peace.” Great is the peace that He gave, as the world only functions according to peace. And the Torah is [likewise] completely peace, as stated (Prov. 3:17), “Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.” If someone comes from a journey, we inquire of his peace (wellbeing). So too in the morning, we inquire of his peace, and in the evening we inquire of his peace. And we read the recital of the Shema and we conclude [its blessings] with peace, “who spreads the cover of peace.” And in prayer, we conclude, “Who blesses His people Israel with peace.” (Numb. 25:12:) “Therefore I hereby grant [My covenant of peace],” as he still survives. And so it says (in Mal. 2:5), “My covenant was with him, [a covenant of] life and peace.” (Numb. 25:13:) “And it shall belong to him and to his seed after him […, because he was zealous for his God] and atoned for the Children of Israel.” Since atonement is spoken of in connection with him, did he offer a sacrifice? [The mention of atonement is] simply to teach you that when anyone sheds the blood of the wicked, it is as if he had offered a sacrifice.

Let us go back to the beginning of the section (i.e., to Numb. 25:10–11). What reason did the Holy One have for tracing the lineage of Phinehas after this act (of slaying Zimri in Numb. 25:8)?¹⁴Tanh., Numb. 8:1; Numb. R. 21:3. <The reason was> that, when Zimri ben Salu was pierced along with Cozbi bat Zur, the tribes rose up against him and said: Did you see ben Puti? This man, whose mother's father¹⁵Thus Puti was actually Phinehas’ maternal grandfather, whose full name was Putiel. So Exod. 6:25. fattened calves for star worship, has killed a tribal prince of Israel! Therefore Scripture has come to trace his lineage <through his paternal grandfather> (in Numb. 25:11): PHINEHAS BEN ELIEZER, BEN AARON THE PRIEST.

R. Elazar said: "Always shall a man join a respectable family, for we see that when Moses married the daughter of Jethro, Jonathan [mentioned above] was the outcome, and when Aaron married the daughter of Aminadab, the outcome was Pinchas." But was not Pinchas also a descendant of Jethro? Behold, it is written (Ex. 6, 25) Elazar took one of the daughters of Putiel for a wife, and she bore unto him Pinchas. Does Putiel not refer to Jethro, who used to fatten animals for idolatry? Nay, this Putiel refers to Joseph, who conquered his passion at the incident of Potiphar. But is it not said elsewhere that the tribes spurned Pinchas, saying: See the descendant of Puti, whose grandfather had fattened calves for idols? (Fol. 110) We must therefore say that [both names are applicable. And] if his mother's father was a descendant of Joseph, his mother's mother was a descendant of Jethro; or if his mother's father was a defendant of Jethro, his mother's mother was a descendant of Joseph. This can also beproved by the fact that the Putiel is spelled in the plural." Raba said: "If one is about to marry, he ought first to investigate the character of the bride's brothers, as it is said: (Ib., ib. 33) And Aaron took Elisheba the daughter of Aminadab, the sister of Nachshon. For what purpose is the sister of Nachshon written? Since the passage says that she was the daughter of Aminadab, is it then not evident that she was the sister of Aminadab? Hence this is an intimation that one who is about to marry should investigate the brothers of his prospective bride." It was taught in a Baraitha that the majority of the children resemble the brothers of their mother.

The Holy One, Blessed Be He, said to him, “He who keeps the fig tree shall eat its fruit” (Prov. 27:18). Your sons sat idly by and did not study the Torah. Joshua served you faithfully and showed you great honour. It was he who rose early in the morning and remained late at night at your House of Assembly. He used to arrange the benches and spread the mats. Seeing that he has served you with all his might, he is worthy to serve Israel, for he shall not lose his reward.