Midrash sobre Números 25:12

(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.

(Numb. 25:12:) SAY, THEREFORE: I HEREBY GRANT MY COVENANT OF PEACE. And so it says (in Mal. 2:5:) MY COVENANT WAS WITH HIM. <A COVENANT OF> LIFE AND PEACE.

Whence do we know that the service on the altar, of a priestly son born of a divorced woman or a Chalutza is lawful? Said R. Juda in the name of Samuel: "The passage says (Num. 25, 13) And it shall be unto him and unto his seed after him; i.e., whether it be legal or illegal seeds." The father of Samuel said: "From the following (Deut. 33, 11) Bless, O Lord, his substance, and receive favorably the work of his hands; i.e., even the work of the Chulin should be received favorably." R. Jannai said: "We may infer from the following (Ib. 26, 3) And thou shalt come unto the priest that may be in those days. Is it possible to think that a man will go to a priest who does not live in his days? We must therefore say that the passage refers to a priest who was fit, but afterwards became ineligible [through an unlawful marriage]." Whence do we know that the service of a priest with a blemish is considered defective? Said R. Juda in the name of Samuel: "The passage reads (Num. 25, 12) Wherefore say: Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace; i.e., the word Shalom means when he is perfect without a blemish, but not when something is missing in his body. How can you take it to mean perfect, since it is written Shalom, which means peace? Said R. Nachman: "The letter Vav of Shalom is shortened and looks like Yud, [hence it may read Shalem, perfect]."

Alternatively, "proclaim peace unto it" (Deuteronomy 20), See how great is the power of peace. Come see, a human of flesh and blood, if one has an enemy and wonders what to do to the enemy. What does one do? One goes and honors another greater than the enemy so that as to do evil to the enemy. But the Holy One of Blessing is not like that, rather all the idol worshipers anger God, and they sleep and all the souls rise up to him. From where do we know this? As it says, "He in Whose hand is the spirit of all life" (Job 12:10). And in the morning God returns to each and every one their soul. From where do we know this? As it says "He gives breath to the people upon it" (Isaiah 42:5). Alternatively: A human of flesh and blood, if one's friend does evil to them, it does not leave their heart for ever. But the Holy One of Blessing is not so, rather Israel was in Egypt and the Egyptians enslaved them with mortar and brick, and after all the evil they did to Israel, the Torah has mercy on them and it says "You shall not abhor an Egyptian for you were a stranger in his land" (Deut.23:8), but rather pursue peace as it is written "seek peace and pursue it". (Psalms 34:15) Another interpretation: what is "seek peace and pursue it"? A story about Rabbi Meir: he was sitting and teaching, etc, that woman went home and it was Friday evening, and she discovered that her [Shabbat] light had gone out and her husband asked her: 'where were you, out this late?' and she answered: 'I was listening to Rabbi Meir expound on Torah.' And that man was a nincompoop, and told her: 'the only way you are getting into my house is if you spit on the face of Rabbi Meir'. And he expelled her from the house. Eliahu Hanavi, may he be mentioned for good, revealed all this to Rabbi Meir, and said to him: 'it was because of you that this woman was expelled from her house.' And Eliahu Hanavi, may he be mentioned for good, informed him of all the drama. What did Rabbi Meir do?He went and sat in the big Beit Midrash, and that woman came to pray and he saw her, and pretended to be blinking [with discomfort], and said in a loud voice: 'who here knows an incantation over the eye? And she said: I know. And she spit on his face. He said to her: now go and tell your husband: I did spit on Rabbi Meir's face, he said: go back to your husband. See! How great is the power of peace. Another word: Rabbi Akiva said: know how great is the power of peace! The Holy One of Blessing said that when a man feels jealous towards his wife the very Holy Name of God which is written in sanctity is to be erased in water, in order to send [a bomb of] peace between a sotah and her husband. Resh Lakish said: so great is peace that Scripture said lying words in order to set peace between Yosef and his brothers. At the time of their father's death they were afraid that he would take revenge upon them, and what did they say "your father commanded before his death to say: such you will say to Yosef [please forgive your brothers' offense and guilt] (Gen. 50:16-17) and we do not find such a command from Yaakov our father, rather, scripture said lying words because of the ways of peace. Another interpretation: Beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to Tzion, as it says: "Ask for the peace of Jerusalem" (Ps. 122:6). Another interpretation: So beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to the heaven, as it says: "The Maker of Peace on His heights / oseh shalom bimromav" (Job 25:2). Alternatively: So beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to near ones and far ones, as it says "Peace peace, to the far and to the near" (Isaiah 57:19). Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing did not give it to the wicked, as it says "There is no peace, said Ad-nai, for the wicked" (Isaiah 48:22). Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to Pinchas as his reward, as it says "Behold I give him my covenant of peace". (Numbers 25:12). Alternatively: So great is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing doesn't announce to Jerusalem that they will be redeemed except in peace, as it says "Announce peace..." (Isaiah 52:7). Alternatively: R. Levi said: so beloved is peace, that all the closings of blessings are in peace. The reading of the Shema closes in peace: "Spread a sukah of peace", prayer closes in peace, the priestly blessing closes in peace "And He shall give to you peace". Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing only comforts Jerusalem with peace. From where do we know this? As it is written "Behold I will extend peace to her like a river" (Isaiah 66:12). David said, 'I asked to hear what the Holy One of Blessing says about Israel, and I heard that God busies Godself with their peace', as it says "I will hear what God Ad-nai will speak, God will speak peace to His people, and unto his followers" (Psalms 85:9). R. Shimon Ben Chalafta said: See how beloved peace is, when the Holy One of Blessing wanted to bless Israel he found no vessel that could hold all the blessings to bless them with except for peace. From where do we know this? As it says "Ad-nai will give strength to his people, Ad-nai will bless his people with peace" / Ad-nai oz l'amo yiten. (Psalms 29:11)

The VAV in הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום Behold I give him My covenant of peace (Numbers 25:12) is small²in modern scrolls this letter is not written small, but broken in the middle because I give him, never to delay, My covenant of peace, a complete covenant.

"Assail the Midianites" - Why? "For they assailed you" (Numbers 25:18). From here the sages said, 'rise and kill the one who comes to kill you.

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.

(Bamidbar 25:12) "Therefore, say: Behold, I give to him My covenant to be to him a covenant of peace": … whereby we are apprised that there descended from him twelve high-priests in the first Temple, whereby in the second Temple there were eighty high-priests, whose lives began to be shortened because they sold the high-priesthood for money. Once, a man sent by his son two urns of silver rimmed with silver (as a bribe), and another, two urns of gold rimmed with gold" — whereupon they said "The foal has outweighed the menorah."