במדבר רבה כ״אBamidbar Rabbah 21

Section 1א׳

פִּינְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן (במדבר כה, יא), אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּדִין הוּא שֶׁיִּטֹּל שְׂכָרוֹ, (במדבר כה, יב): לָכֵן אֱמֹר הִנְנִי נֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם, גָּדוֹל הַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁנָּתַן לְפִנְחָס, שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְנַהֵג אֶלָּא בְשָׁלוֹם, וְהַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, יז): דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם. וְאִם בָּא אָדָם מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ שׁוֹאֲלִין לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, וְכֵן שַׁחֲרִית שׁוֹאֲלִין לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, וּבְאֶמֶשׁ כָּךְ שׁוֹאֲלִין בְּשָׁלוֹם, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹתְמִין פּוֹרֵס סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם עַל עַמּוֹ, הַתְּפִלָּה חוֹתְמִין בְּשָׁלוֹם, בְּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים חוֹתְמִין בְּשָׁלוֹם. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא אֵין כְּלִי מַחְזִיק בְּרָכָה אֶלָּא שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים כט, יא): ה' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן ה' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם.

“Pinḥas, son of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest, has caused My wrath to be withdrawn from the children of Israel, in that he was zealous on My behalf among them, and I did not destroy the children of Israel in My zealotry” (Numbers 25:11). “Pinḥas, son of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest” – the Holy One blessed be He said: By right, he should receive his reward: “Therefore, say: Behold, I am giving him My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25:12) – great is peace, which He gave to Pinḥas, as the world is conducted only through peace, and the Torah in its entirety is peace, as it is stated: “Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its pathways are peace [shalom]” (Proverbs 3:17). If a person comes from the road, one greets him with peace [shalom]. Likewise in the morning, one greets him with peace. And at night, likewise, one greets with peace. Shema Yisrael concludes with the blessing: Who spreads a canopy of peace over His people. One concludes the Amida with peace. One concludes the Priestly Benediction with peace. Rabbi Shimon be Ḥalafta said: The only vessel that holds blessing is peace, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. (Psalms 29:11).

Section 2ב׳

וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה אֶל ה', יִפְקֹד ה' וגו' (במדבר כז, טו-טז), הֲלָכָה אִם רָאָה הַרְבֵּה אֻכְלוּסִין שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם חֲכַם הָרָזִים, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין פַּרְצוּפוֹתֵיהֶן דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה, כָּךְ אֵין דַּעְתָּן שָׁוִין זֶה לָזֶה, אֶלָּא כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד יֵשׁ לוֹ דֵעָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (איוב כח, כה): לַעֲשׂוֹת לָרוּחַ מִשְׁקָל, לָרוּחוֹת שֶׁל כָּל בְּרִיָּה וּבְרִיָּה. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהוּא כֵּן, שֶׁכֵּן משֶׁה מְבַקֵּשׁ מִן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּשְׁעַת מִיתָה אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ דַּעְתָּן שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, וְאֵין דַּעְתָּן שֶׁל בָּנֶיךָ דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה, וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי מִסְתַּלֵּק מֵהֶן בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְּךָ מַנֵּה עֲלֵיהֶם מַנְהִיג שֶׁיְהֵא סוֹבְלָם לְאֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי דַעְתּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יִפְקֹד ה', הָרוּחַ אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא הָרוּחֹת, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה מה, יא): הָאֹתִיּוֹת שְׁאָלוּנִי עַל בָּנַי וְעַל פֹּעַל יָדַי תְּצַוֻּנִי. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנָּשָׂא אִשָּׁה וְהָיָה לוֹ שׁוֹשְׁבִין, בְּכָל זְמַן שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ כּוֹעֵס עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִין מְפַיֵּס וּמִתְרַצֶּה הַמֶּלֶךְ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, בָּא הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִין לָמוּת הִתְחִיל מְבַקֵּשׁ מִן הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְּךָ תֵּן דַּעְתְּךָ עַל אִשְׁתְּךָ. אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ, אִם אַתָּה מְצַוֵּנִי עַל אִשְׁתִּי צַוֵּה אֶת אִשְׁתִּי עָלַי שֶׁתְּהֵא זְהִירָה בִּכְבוֹדִי. כִּבְיָכוֹל כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַד שֶׁאַתָּה מְצַוֵּנִי עֲלֵיהֶם יִפְקֹד ה', צַוֵּה אוֹתָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ זְרִיזִין בִּכְבוֹדִי, מַה כְּתִיב (במדבר כח, ב): צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי, תְּחִלָּה הַסְדֵּר לָהֶן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת.

“Moses spoke to the Lord, saying” (Numbers 27:15). “May the Lord, God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation” (Numbers 27:16). “Moses spoke to the Lord.… May the Lord…appoint” – halakha: If one sees numerous multitudes of people, he recites: Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who knows all secrets. Just as their faces are not similar to one another, so their dispositions are not identical to one another, but rather, each has a disposition of his own. Likewise, it says: “To set the calibration of the wind [laruaḥ]” (Job 28:25) – of the spirits of each and every person. Know that it is so, as thus Moses requested from the Holy One blessed be He at the time of death; he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, the dispositions of each and every one are revealed and known before You, and the dispositions of Your children are not similar to one another. When I depart, I implore You, appoint a leader over them who will bear each and every one in accordance with his dispositions,’ as it is stated: “May the Lord, [God of the spirits]…appoint.” It does not say “spirit,” but rather “spirits.” “Command the children of Israel, and say to them: My offering, My food, for My fires, for a pleasing aroma to Me, you shall take care to present to Me at its appointed time” (Numbers 28:2). That is what the verse said: “They asked Me about what is coming; will you command Me about My sons and about My handiwork?” (Isaiah 45:11). To what is this matter comparable? It is to a king who married a woman, and he had a groomsman. Any time the king would be angry at his wife, the groomsman would placate him and he would be reconciled with his wife. The groomsman was dying, and he began asking the king: ‘I implore you, please direct your attention to your wife.’ The king said to him: ‘If you are commanding me regarding my wife, command my wife in my regard that she should be careful regarding my honor.’ So, as it were, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Instead of you commanding Me: “May the Lord…appoint” (Numbers 27:16), command them that they should be diligent regarding My honor.’ What is written: “Command the children of Israel…My offering, My food” – first set for them the order of the offerings.

Section 3ג׳

מָה רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיַחֵס פִּינְחָס אַחַר מַעֲשֶׂה זֶה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּדְקַּר זִמְרִי בֶּן סָלוּא, אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים שִׁשָּׁה שֵׁמוֹת יֵשׁ לוֹ לְזִמְרִי, זִמְרִי, בֶּן סָלוּא, וְשָׁאוּל, בֶּן כְּנַעֲנִית, וּשְׁלֻמִיאֵל, בֶּן צוּרִי שַׁדָּי. זִמְרִי, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה עַל אוֹתָהּ מִדְיָנִית כְּבֵיצָה הַמּוּזֶרֶת. בֶּן סָלוּא, בֵּן שֶׁסִּלָּא עֲוֹן מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ. שָׁאוּל, שֶׁהִשְׁאִיל עַצְמוֹ לַעֲבֵרָה. בֶּן הַכְּנַעֲנִית, שֶׁעָשָׂה מַעֲשֵׂה כְנָעַן, וּמַה שְׁמוֹ, שְׁלֻמִיאֵל. אַתְּ מוֹצֵא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּדְקַר זִמְרִי עָמְדוּ הַשְּׁבָטִים עָלָיו וְאָמְרוּ רְאִיתֶם בֶּן פּוּטִיאֵל זֶה שֶׁפִּטֵּם אֲבִי אִמּוֹ עֲגָלִים לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים הָרַג נָשִׂיא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, לְפִיכָךְ בָּא הַכָּתוּב לְיַחֲסוֹ: פִּינְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן. (במדבר כה, יב): לָכֵן אֱמֹר הִנְנִי נֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁעֲדַיִן הוּא קַיָּם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (מלאכי ב, ה): בְּרִיתִי הָיְתָה אִתּוֹ הַחַיִּים וְהַשָּׁלוֹם וָאֶתְּנֵם לוֹ מוֹרָא וַיִּירָאֵנִי וּמִפְּנֵי שְׁמִי נִחַת הוּא. (במדבר כה, יג): וְהָיְתָה לוֹ וּלְזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו, וַיְכַפֵּר, וְכִי קָרְבָּן הִקְרִיב שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ כַּפָּרָה, אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל הַשּׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרִיב קָרְבָּן. (במדבר כה, יד): וְשֵׁם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמֻּכֶּה אֲשֶׁר הֻכָּה אֶת הַמִּדְיָנִית, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְעַסֵּק בְּשִׁבְחָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לְפַרְסֵם בָּעוֹלָם, כָּךְ מִתְעַסֵּק בִּגְנוּתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים לְפַרְסְמָן בָּעוֹלָם, פִּינְחָס, פִּרְסְמוֹ לְשֶׁבַח. וְזִמְרִי, לִגְנַאי. עֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (משלי י, ז): זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב. (במדבר כה, יד): נְשִׂיא בֵית אָב לַשִּׁמְעֹנִי, שֶׁכָּל הַפּוֹגֵם אֶת עַצְמוֹ פּוֹגֵם אֶת מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ עִמּוֹ, זִמְרִי בֶּן סָלוּא, הַכָּתוּב מִתַּמֵּהַּ עָלָיו (קהלת י, ח): וּפֹרֵץ גָּדֵר יִשְׁכֶנּוּ נָחָשׁ, אָבִיו קִנֵּא עַל הַזְּנוּת תְּחִלָּה (בראשית לד, כה): וַיִּקְחוּ שְׁנֵי בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי, וְזֶה פָּרַץ גָּדֵר שֶׁגָּדַר אָבִיו. (במדבר כה, טו): וְשֵׁם הָאִשָּׁה הַמֻּכָּה, רֹאשׁ אֻמּוֹת בֵּית אָב וגו', לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ עַד הֵיכָן נָתְנוּ הַמִּדְיָנִים עַצְמָן, שֶׁבַּת מֶלֶךְ הִפְקִירוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לא, ח): וְאֶת מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן הָרְגוּ עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם, צוּר גָּדוֹל מִכֻּלָּם, מֶלֶךְ הוּא וְהִפְקִיר אֶת בִּתּוֹ, מִי לֹא הָיָה מַפְקִיר, וּלְפִי שֶׁבִּזָּה אֶת עַצְמוֹ וּפִרְסֵם אֶת בִּתּוֹ בְּקָלוֹן גְּרָעוֹ הַכָּתוּב וּכְתָבוֹ שְׁלִישִׁי, אֲבָל הוּא מֶלֶךְ שֶׁבְּכֻלָּם רֹאשׁ אֻמּוֹת בֵּית אָב בְּמִדְיָן הוּא.

What did the Holy One blessed be He see that led Him to trace Pinḥas’s lineage after that incident? When Zimri son of Salu was stabbed, the Sages said that Zimri had six names: Zimri, son of Salu; Shaul, son of the Canaanite woman; Shelumiel, son of Tzurishadai; Zimri – because he became upon that Midianite woman like a rotten [hamuzeret] egg. Son of Salu – a son who magnified [sila] his family’s iniquity. Shaul – as he lent [shehishil] himself for transgression. Son of the Canaanite woman – as he performed a Canaanite act. What was his name? Shelumiel. You find that when Zimri was stabbed, the tribes stood near him and said: Have you seen, this son of Putiel, whose mother’s father fattened calves for idol worship, killed a prince of Israel? That is why the verse came to trace his lineage: “Pinḥas, son of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest.” “Therefore, say: Behold, I am giving him My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25:12). “Therefore, say: Behold, I am giving him My covenant of peace” – as he is still alive. Likewise it says: “My covenant was with him, life and peace, and I gave it to him for the fear that he feared Me, and because he was in awe of My name” (Malachi 2:5). “It shall be for him, and for his descendants after him, a covenant of an eternal priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and he atoned for the children of Israel” (Numbers 25:13). “It shall be for him, and for his descendants after him…and he atoned” – did he sacrifice an offering, that atonement is stated in his regard? It is, rather, to teach you that anyone who sheds the blood of the wicked, it is as though he sacrificed an offering. “The name of the Israelite man who was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, prince of a Simeonite patrilineal house” (Numbers 25:14). “The name of the Israelite man who was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman” – just as the Holy One blessed be He engages in praise of the righteous to publicize it in the world, so, He engages in defamation of the wicked to publicize them in the world. Pinḥas, He publicized him for praise; Zimri, for defamation. In their regard it is stated: “The memory of the righteous is for blessing, and the name of the wicked will rot” (Proverbs 10:7). “Prince of a Simeonite patrilineal house” – as anyone who tarnishes himself, tarnishes his family with him. “Zimri son of Salu” – the verse is astonished in his regard: “One who breaches a fence, a serpent will bite him” (Ecclesiastes 10:8). His ancestor was initially zealous regarding harlotry, as it is stated: “The two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, took [each man his sword…and slew all the males]” (Genesis 34:25), and this one breached the fence that his ancestor had established. “And the name of the Midianite woman who was slain: Kozbi daughter of Tzur; he was head of the nations of a patrilineal house in Midian” (Numbers 25:15). “And the name of the…woman who was slain…he was head of the nations of a patrilineal house…” – to inform you of the extent to which the Midianites devoted themselves [to cause Israel to sin]. They even renounced a king’s daughter, as it is stated: “They killed the kings of Midian among those who were slain [Evi, and Rekem, and Tzur, and Ḥur, and Reva, the five kings of Midian]” (Numbers 31:8) – Tzur was the greatest of them all. He was a king and renounced his daughter; who would not renounce? Because he demeaned himself and publicized his daughter in disgrace, the verse demoted him and wrote him third. But he was the king over all of them: “He was head of the nations of a patrilineal house in Midian.”