בלק - סיפור בהמשכים (על חטא בעל פעור)

אא

וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּשִּׁטִּ֑ים וַיָּ֣חֶל הָעָ֔ם לִזְנ֖וֹת אֶל־בְּנ֥וֹת מוֹאָֽב׃ וַתִּקְרֶ֣אןָ לָעָ֔ם לְזִבְחֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אכַל הָעָ֔ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן׃ וַיִּצָּ֥מֶד יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבַ֣עַל פְּע֑וֹר וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה קַ֚ח אֶת־כׇּל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְהוֹקַ֥ע אוֹתָ֛ם לַיהֹוָ֖ה נֶ֣גֶד הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְיָשֹׁ֛ב חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־שֹׁפְטֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִרְגוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֲנָשָׁ֔יו הַנִּצְמָדִ֖ים לְבַ֥עַל פְּעֽוֹר׃ וְהִנֵּ֡ה אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בָּ֗א וַיַּקְרֵ֤ב אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֔ית לְעֵינֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה וּלְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהֵ֣מָּה בֹכִ֔ים פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ וַיַּ֗רְא פִּֽינְחָס֙ בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיָּ֙קׇם֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֥ח רֹ֖מַח בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ וַ֠יָּבֹ֠א אַחַ֨ר אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־הַקֻּבָּ֗ה וַיִּדְקֹר֙ אֶת־שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֚ת אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־קֳבָתָ֑הּ וַתֵּֽעָצַר֙ הַמַּגֵּפָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיִּהְי֕וּ הַמֵּתִ֖ים בַּמַּגֵּפָ֑ה אַרְבָּעָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָֽלֶף׃ {פ} פנחס וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ פִּֽינְחָ֨ס*(בספרי ספרד ואשכנז נהוג לכתוב פִּֽינְחָ֨ס ביו״ד זעירא) בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֜ר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן הֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־חֲמָתִי֙ מֵעַ֣ל בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּקַנְא֥וֹ אֶת־קִנְאָתִ֖י בְּתוֹכָ֑ם וְלֹא־כִלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּקִנְאָתִֽי׃ לָכֵ֖ן אֱמֹ֑ר הִנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֥ן ל֛וֹ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י שָׁלֽוֹם׃*(בספרי ספרד ואשכנז וי״ו קטיעא) וְהָ֤יְתָה לּוֹ֙ וּלְזַרְע֣וֹ אַחֲרָ֔יו בְּרִ֖ית כְּהֻנַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר קִנֵּא֙ לֵֽאלֹהָ֔יו וַיְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וְשֵׁם֩ אִ֨ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל הַמֻּכֶּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֻכָּה֙ אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֔ית זִמְרִ֖י בֶּן־סָל֑וּא נְשִׂ֥יא בֵֽית־אָ֖ב לַשִּׁמְעֹנִֽי׃ וְשֵׁ֨ם הָֽאִשָּׁ֧ה הַמֻּכָּ֛ה הַמִּדְיָנִ֖ית כׇּזְבִּ֣י בַת־צ֑וּר רֹ֣אשׁ אֻמּ֥וֹת בֵּֽית־אָ֛ב בְּמִדְיָ֖ן הֽוּא׃ {פ} וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ צָר֖וֹר אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם׃ כִּ֣י צֹרְרִ֥ים הֵם֙ לָכֶ֔ם בְּנִכְלֵיהֶ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִכְּל֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם עַל־דְּבַר־פְּע֑וֹר וְעַל־דְּבַ֞ר כׇּזְבִּ֨י בַת־נְשִׂ֤יא מִדְיָן֙ אֲחֹתָ֔ם הַמֻּכָּ֥ה בְיוֹם־הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה עַל־דְּבַר־פְּעֽוֹר׃ וַיְהִ֖י אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמַּגֵּפָ֑ה {פ} ...

Numbers 25:1-26:1

While Israel was staying at Shittim, the menfolk profaned themselves by whoring with the Moabite women, who invited the menfolk to the sacrifices for their god. The menfolk partook of them and worshiped that god. Thus Israel attached itself to Baal-peor, and יהוה was incensed with Israel. יהוה said to Moses, “Take all the ringleaders and have them publicly impaled before יהוה, so that יהוה’s wrath may turn away from Israel.” So Moses said to Israel’s officials, “Each of you slay those of his men who attached themselves to Baal-peor.” Just then a certain Israelite man came and brought a Midianite woman over to his companions, in the sight of Moses and of the whole Israelite community who were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. When Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he left the assembly and, taking a spear in his hand, he followed the Israelite man into the chamber and stabbed both of them, the Israelite man and the woman, through the belly. Then the plague against the Israelites was checked. Those who died of the plague numbered twenty-four thousand. יהוה spoke to Moses, saying, “Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the Israelites by displaying among them his passion for Me, so that I did not wipe out the Israelite people in My passion. Say, therefore, ‘I grant him My pact of friendship. It shall be for him and his descendants after him a pact of priesthood for all time, because he took impassioned action for his God, thus making expiation for the Israelites.’” The name of the Israelite man who was killed, the one who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, chieftain of a Simeonite ancestral house. The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur; he was the tribal head of an ancestral house in Midian. יהוה spoke to Moses, saying, “Assail the Midianites and defeat them— for they assailed you by the trickery they practiced against you—because of the affair of Peor and because of the affair of their kinswoman Cozbi, daughter of the Midianite chieftain, who was killed at the time of the plague on account of Peor.” When the plague was over, יהוה said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,

במדבר כ״ה:א׳-כ״ו:א׳

(א) וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּשִּׁטִּ֑ים וַיָּ֣חֶל הָעָ֔ם לִזְנ֖וֹת אֶל־בְּנ֥וֹת מוֹאָֽב׃ (ב) וַתִּקְרֶ֣אןָ לָעָ֔ם לְזִבְחֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אכַל הָעָ֔ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן׃ (ג) וַיִּצָּ֥מֶד יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבַ֣עַל פְּע֑וֹר וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

(ד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה קַ֚ח אֶת־כׇּל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְהוֹקַ֥ע אוֹתָ֛ם לַיהֹוָ֖ה נֶ֣גֶד הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְיָשֹׁ֛ב חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ה) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־שֹׁפְטֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִרְגוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֲנָשָׁ֔יו הַנִּצְמָדִ֖ים לְבַ֥עַל פְּעֽוֹר׃

(ו) וְהִנֵּ֡ה אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בָּ֗א וַיַּקְרֵ֤ב אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֔ית לְעֵינֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה וּלְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהֵ֣מָּה בֹכִ֔ים פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

(ז) וַיַּ֗רְא פִּֽינְחָס֙ בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיָּ֙קׇם֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֥ח רֹ֖מַח בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (ח) וַ֠יָּבֹ֠א אַחַ֨ר אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־הַקֻּבָּ֗ה וַיִּדְקֹר֙ אֶת־שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֚ת אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־קֳבָתָ֑הּ וַתֵּֽעָצַר֙ הַמַּגֵּפָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ט) וַיִּהְי֕וּ הַמֵּתִ֖ים בַּמַּגֵּפָ֑ה אַרְבָּעָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָֽלֶף׃ {פ}

(י) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יא) פִּֽינְחָ֨ס*(בספרי ספרד ואשכנז נהוג לכתוב פִּֽינְחָ֨ס ביו״ד זעירא) בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֜ר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן הֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־חֲמָתִי֙ מֵעַ֣ל בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּקַנְא֥וֹ אֶת־קִנְאָתִ֖י בְּתוֹכָ֑ם וְלֹא־כִלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּקִנְאָתִֽי׃ (יב) לָכֵ֖ן אֱמֹ֑ר הִנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֥ן ל֛וֹ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י שָׁלֽוֹם׃*(בספרי ספרד ואשכנז וי״ו קטיעא) (יג) וְהָ֤יְתָה לּוֹ֙ וּלְזַרְע֣וֹ אַחֲרָ֔יו בְּרִ֖ית כְּהֻנַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר קִנֵּא֙ לֵֽאלֹהָ֔יו וַיְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

(יד) וְשֵׁם֩ אִ֨ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל הַמֻּכֶּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֻכָּה֙ אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֔ית זִמְרִ֖י בֶּן־סָל֑וּא נְשִׂ֥יא בֵֽית־אָ֖ב לַשִּׁמְעֹנִֽי׃ (טו) וְשֵׁ֨ם הָֽאִשָּׁ֧ה הַמֻּכָּ֛ה הַמִּדְיָנִ֖ית כׇּזְבִּ֣י בַת־צ֑וּר רֹ֣אשׁ אֻמּ֥וֹת בֵּֽית־אָ֛ב בְּמִדְיָ֖ן הֽוּא׃ {פ}

(טז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יז) צָר֖וֹר אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם׃ (יח) כִּ֣י צֹרְרִ֥ים הֵם֙ לָכֶ֔ם בְּנִכְלֵיהֶ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִכְּל֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם עַל־דְּבַר־פְּע֑וֹר וְעַל־דְּבַ֞ר כׇּזְבִּ֨י בַת־נְשִׂ֤יא מִדְיָן֙ אֲחֹתָ֔ם הַמֻּכָּ֥ה בְיוֹם־הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה עַל־דְּבַר־פְּעֽוֹר׃ (א) וַיְהִ֖י אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמַּגֵּפָ֑ה {פ} ...

Numbers 25:1-26:1

(1) While Israel was staying at Shittim, the menfolk*menfolk NJPS “people”; cf. Exod. 14.6, Num. 21.33. See the Dictionary under ‘am. profaned themselves by whoring*profaned themselves by whoring Others “began to commit harlotry.” with the Moabite women, (2) who invited the menfolk to the sacrifices for their god. The menfolk partook of them and worshiped that god. (3) Thus Israel attached itself to Baal-peor, and יהוה was incensed with Israel. (4) יהוה said to Moses, “Take all the ringleaders*ringleaders Lit. “heads of the people.” and have them publicly*publicly Others “in face of the sun.” impaled before יהוה, so that יהוה’s wrath may turn away from Israel.” (5) So Moses said to Israel’s officials, “Each of you slay those of his men*his men I.e., those under each official’s command when the militia is mustered. Lit. “his [salient] participants.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. who attached themselves to Baal-peor.” (6) Just then a certain Israelite man*man Lit. “participant whose involvement defines the depicted situation.” came and brought a Midianite woman over to his companions, in the sight of Moses and of the whole Israelite community who were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. (7) When Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he left the assembly and, taking a spear in his hand, (8) he followed the Israelite man into the chamber and stabbed both of them, the Israelite man and the woman, through the belly. Then the plague against the Israelites was checked. (9) Those who died of the plague numbered twenty-four thousand. (10) יהוה spoke to Moses, saying, (11) “Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the Israelites by displaying among them his passion for Me, so that I did not wipe out the Israelite people in My passion. (12) Say, therefore, ‘I grant him My pact of friendship. (13) It shall be for him and his descendants after him a pact of priesthood for all time, because he took impassioned action for his God, thus making expiation for the Israelites.’” (14) The name of the Israelite man who was killed, the one who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, chieftain of a Simeonite ancestral house. (15) The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur; he was the tribal head of an ancestral house in Midian. (16) יהוה spoke to Moses, saying, (17) “Assail the Midianites and defeat them— (18) for they assailed you by the trickery they practiced against you—because of the affair of Peor and because of the affair of their kinswoman Cozbi, daughter of the Midianite chieftain, who was killed at the time of the plague on account of Peor.” (1) When the plague was over, יהוה said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,

החטא ועונשו
מעשה זמרי
מעשה פנחם

במדבר כ״ה:ד׳-ה׳

Numbers 25:4-5

(4) יהוה said to Moses, “Take all the ringleaders*ringleaders Lit. “heads of the people.” and have them publicly*publicly Others “in face of the sun.” impaled before יהוה, so that יהוה’s wrath may turn away from Israel.” (5) So Moses said to Israel’s officials, “Each of you slay those of his men*his men I.e., those under each official’s command when the militia is mustered. Lit. “his [salient] participants.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. who attached themselves to Baal-peor.”

למה להוקיע את ראשי העם?

רש"י על במדבר כ״ה:ד׳

קח את כל ראשי העם. לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הָעוֹבְדִים לִפְעוֹר:

והוקע אותם. אֶת הָעוֹבְדִים:

Rashi on Numbers 25:4

(1) קח את כל ראשי העם TAKE ALL THE HEADS OF THE PEOPLE, to judge those who worshipped Peor (Sanhedrin 35a), (2) והוקע אותם AND HANG THEM — those who worshipped it (not the heads of the people). (3) והוקע — This is “hanging”, just as we find in the case of Saul’s sons, (II Samuel XXL 6) “And we will kill them by הוקעה unto the Lord”, and there (II Samuel vv. 12—13) hanging is distinctly mentioned (Sanhedrin 34b). It is true that idolatry (the sin committed here) is punishable by stoning, but all who were stoned were also hanged (Sanhedrin 45b). (4) נגד השמש AGAINST THE SUN — i.e., in the sight of everyone. A Midrashic statement is: the sun made known who were the sinners, for the cloud rolled itself up from in front of him (the sinner) so that the sun shone upon him (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 19).

אם משה לוקח את ראשי העם לשפוט את העובדים - למה הציווי עליו "והוקע (אתה) אותם" ולא "ויוקיעו אותם"?

סנהדרין ל״ה א

[ו]כתיב (במדבר כה, ד) ויאמר ה' אל משה קח את כל ראשי העם אם העם חטאו ראשי העם מה חטאו אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אמר לו הקב"ה למשה חלק להם בתי דינין מ"ט אילימא משום שאין דנין שנים ביום אחד והאמר רב חסדא לא שנו אלא בשתי מיתות אבל במיתה אחת דנין אלא כדי שישוב חרון אף מישראל:

Sanhedrin 35a

And it is written: “And Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, took sackcloth and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured upon them from heaven; and she suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night” (II Samuel 21:10). It is clear from this verse that the bodies of the children of Saul remained exposed outdoors; presumably, they were hung. The Gemara discusses the incident of the Israelites who worshipped the idol of Peor in the wilderness. And it is written: “And the Lord said unto Moses: Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them unto the Lord facing the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel” (Numbers 25:4). The Gemara asks: If the nation transgressed, in what manner did the chiefs of the people transgress? The verse does not record a transgression of the chiefs, so why were they punished? Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: The reason for selecting the chiefs of the tribes was not to punish them. Rather, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: Apportion courts for the chiefs of the tribes, and each court will judge and punish the transgressors of its tribe. The Gemara asks: What is the reason that multiple courts were needed for this? If we say that it is due to the principle that a court does not judge two cases of capital law in one day, and there were many cases to be judged, that cannot be the reason. But doesn’t Rav Ḥisda say: This principle was taught only with regard to two different types of death imposed by a court, as each case needs sufficient time to be fully investigated on its own merits. But the court does judge multiple cases of one type of death, i.e., one transgression, on the same day. The Gemara explains: Rather, the reason for the appointment of multiple courts was in order that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel. The fierce anger of God would remain until those who engaged in idol worship were punished. Therefore, it was necessary to try them in due haste. § The mishna teaches: In cases of monetary law, the court may conclude the deliberations and issue the ruling even on that same day, whether to exempt the accused or to find him liable. In cases of capital law, the court may conclude the deliberations and issue the ruling even on that same day to acquit the accused, but must wait until the following day to find him liable. The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? Rabbi Ḥanina said: The verse states prophetically concerning Jerusalem after the destruction of the First Temple: “She that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers” (Isaiah 1:21). The verse associates lodging, or waiting overnight, with justice. And Rava says that these matters are derived from here: “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve [ashru] the oppressed [ḥamotz]” (Isaiah 1:17). This is interpreted: Praise [ashru] the judge who delays [meḥametz] his verdict before he pronounces it. And the other amora, Rabbi Ḥanina, who did not derive this halakha from this verse, interprets it as meaning: Relieve the robbery victim [ḥamotz], but not the robber [ḥometz], as do the wicked judges. The Gemara asks: And the other amora, Rava, what does he do with this verse: “She that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers”? The Gemara answers: Rava interprets it in accordance with the statement that Rabbi Elazar says that Rabbi Yitzḥak says, as Rabbi Elazar says that Rabbi Yitzḥak says: Every fast day on which the distribution of charity [tzedaka] is left overnight, this is considered as if one spilled the blood of the poor people, as they fasted all day in the expectation that they would receive charity before the day was over in order to purchase food with which to break their fasts. As it is stated: “She that was full of justice [tzedek], righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.” The Gemara clarifies: And this statement applies with regard to the delaying of the distribution of bread and dates, which are ready to be consumed; but with regard to the delaying of the distribution of money, wheat, and barley, we have no problem with it. § After teaching that in cases of capital law, the verdict may not be issued on the same day as the deliberations, the mishna states: Therefore, the court does not judge cases of capital law on certain days, neither on the eve of Shabbat nor on the eve of a Festival. The Gemara asks: What is the reason for this? What does the halakha that the verdict may not be issued on the same day as the deliberations have to do with not judging cases on those days? The Gemara explains: It is because it is not possible to conduct the trial on the eve of Shabbat or the eve of a Festival. As, how should we act? If we say that we should judge him on Shabbat eve and conclude his verdict on Shabbat eve, perhaps we would see a reason to find the accused liable, and in this situation the court is required to perform a suspension of the trial until the following day, as the court may not issue a verdict in cases of capital law on the same day as the deliberations. If we say: We should judge him on Shabbat eve and conclude the verdict on Shabbat, and, if he is found liable, kill him on Shabbat, that cannot be done, as the murder of one liable to receive court-imposed capital punishment does not override Shabbat. And if we say: We should kill him at night, after the conclusion of Shabbat, that cannot be done, as we require that the capital punishment be administered facing the sun, during the daytime. And if we say: We should judge him on Shabbat eve, conclude his verdict on Shabbat, and kill him on Sunday, you are found to have caused a delay in his verdict, as the accused will have to wait overnight knowing he is condemned to death. And if we say: We should judge him on Shabbat eve and conclude his verdict on Sunday, the judges will forget their reasons for their positions in the interim. And even though two judges’ scribes are standing before them, and they write the statements of those who acquit the accused and the statements of those who find him liable, and they write that which emerged from the mouths of the judges, i.e., their tentative verdict, the hearts of people [enashei] are forgetful [inshei], and they will forget the reasons. Therefore, it is not possible to begin deliberations in cases of capital law on a Shabbat eve or a Festival eve. § The Gemara discusses a related matter: Reish Lakish said to Rabbi Yoḥanan: And the burial of a corpse with no one to bury it [met mitzva] should override Shabbat by means of an a fortiori inference: If with regard to the Temple service, which overrides Shabbat, yet the burial of a met mitzva overrides it, based on the interpretation of the term written with regard to a nazirite: “Or for his sister” (Numbers 6:7); the Gemara pauses its recounting of the question of Reish Lakish and cites a baraita that teaches this halakha. As it is taught in a baraita: The verses state with regard to a nazirite: “All the days that he consecrates himself unto the Lord he shall not come near to a dead body. He shall not make himself impure for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die” (Numbers 6:6–7). Why must the verse state all of these relatives? It teaches that if a nazirite was going to slaughter his Paschal offering or to circumcise his son

אבן עזרא על במדבר כ״ה:ד׳

והוקע אותם. הטעם על הנצמדי' והעד שהוא כתוב ויאמר משה אל שופטי ישראל:

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 25:4

(1) AND HANG THEM. The reference is to those who were joined.4Not to the chiefs of the people. The text is vague. Hence I.E.’s comment. The proof text is, And Moses said unto the judges of Israel (v. 5).5I.E. identifies the chiefs with the judges. (2) AND HANG THEM. Ve-hoka otam (and hang them) is similar to va-yaki’um (and they hanged them) in and they hanged them in the mountain (II Sam. 21:9). It is to be understood in accordance with the words of the Aramaic translation.6Onkelos renders u-ketol de-chayyav ketol: execute those who are guilty of a capital crime. However, I.E.’s reference might be to Targum Jonathan, who renders ve-hiki’um, u-tzelovinun as, and hang them (Krinsky). However, it should also be noted that u-tzelovinun can also be rendered, and crucify them. The proof text is, In the face of the sun.7That the reference is to public execution. For they were hung in the mountain so that all in the vicinity could see them executed. The meaning of in the face of the sun is, in public. Compare, in the sight of this sun (II Sam. 12:11).8The entire clause reads, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. The next verse continues, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

ומה קרה בסוף?

אבן עזרא על במדבר כ״ה:ה׳

הרגו איש את אנשיו. הטעם מאיזה שבט יהיו וידוע כי הרגו ואם לא הזכיר הכתוב:

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 25:5

(1) SLAY YE EVERY ONE HIS MEN. From whatever tribe they may be. It is known that they slew,9Those who worshipped pe’or. even though Scripture does not mention this.10That the judges slew those who worshipped pe’or.

רמב"ן על במדבר כ״ה:ה׳:א׳

הרגו איש אנשיו כל אחד ואחד מדייני ישראל היה הורג שנים ודייני ישראל שבעה רבוא ושמונת אלפים כדאיתא בסנהדרין (יח) לשון רש"י (רש"י על במדבר כ״ה:ה׳) ולא הבינותי זה שיהיו הנצמדים שנדונו רבים מט"ו רבוא רובע ישראל וחלילה ואין דיני נפשות בדיין אחד אלא בסנהדרין של עשרים ושלשה ועדיין יהיו מרובין ואין החסרון בחומש הפקודים (במדבר כו נא) כל כך וכל הנצמדים מתו דכתיב (דברים ד ג) כי כל האיש אשר הלך אחרי בעל פעור השמידו ה' אלהיך מקרבך אבל פירוש איש אנשיו שיהרגו השופטים כל הנצמדים כל ב"ד וב"ד ידון את שבטו ואת אלפו כדכתיב (שם א טו) ואקח את ראשי שבטיכם ואתן אותם ראשים עליכם שרי אלפים ושרי מאות ושוטרים לשבטיכם אחר כך מצאתי בגמרא ירושלמי בפרק חלק (סנהדרין פ"י ה"ב) כך וכמה הם שופטי ישראל שבע רבוא ושמונת אלפים ושש מאות אמר להן כל חד מנכון יקטלון תרין נמצאו ההרוגים חמש עשרה רבוא ושבעת אלפים ומאתים אם כן נאמר לדעתם שנתרבו ישראל בין מנין למנין הרבה מאד

והנכון בעיני בענין הפרשה כי מתחלה נאמר (במדבר כ״ה:ג׳) ויצמד ישראל לבעל פעור ויחר אף ה' בישראל כי יצא הקצף מלפני ה' החל הנגף והשם ברחמיו אמר למשה שישפטו השופטים ויתלו הנצמדים ולא יספה האף צדיק עם רשע ומשה צוה כן לשופטים וכאשר נאספו כל העדה פתח אהל מועד לעשות כדבר משה ועוד הנגף הווה בהם והנה העז השמעוני הזה ויקרב אל אחיו את המדינית למרוד במשה ובשופטים ולעשות כן בפרהסיא כי נשיא וגדול היה ורבים עוזרים לו או כמו שאמרו רבותינו (סנהדרין פב) שאמרו לו שבטו אנו נדונין מיתה ואתה שותק והנה התחילו משה והשופטים לבכות ויעמד פנחס ויפלל ותעצר המגפה ולא נדון אחד מכל העם ביד השופטים כי השם אמר (במדבר כ״ה:ד׳) והוקע אותם וישוב חרון אף ה' מישראל וכבר שב אפו ולכך לא הזכיר הכתוב ויעשו כן שופטי ישראל ויתכן שתהיה כוונת האגדה הנזכרת לומר שיהיו ההרוגים לפי המצוה יותר מחמש עשרה רבוא לומר שהיו החוטאים רבים אבל חסך עליהם ענין פנחס והנה נשארו מן הנצמדים והקב"ה השמידם אחר כן טרם עברם את הירדן זהו שכתוב (דברים ד ג ד) כי כל האיש אשר הלך אחרי בעל פעור השמידו ה' אלהיך מקרבך ואתם הדבקים בה' אלהיכם חיים כלכם היום:

Ramban on Numbers 25:5:1

[AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL]: ‘SLAY YE EVERY ONE HIS MEN [THAT HAVE JOINED THEMSELVES UNTO BAAL-PEOR].’ “Each one of the judges of Israel killed two [men, as the word anashav — his ‘men,’ in the plural, indicates], and the judges of Israel were seventy-eight thousand, as is stated in Tractate Sanhedrin.” This is Rashi’s language. But I cannot understand this, that [we should say that] those who joined themselves [to Baal-peor] who were judged [liable to death] were more than a hundred and fifty thousand — a quarter [of the total population] of Israel! Heaven forbid! [Moreover], cases punishable by death [cannot be decided] by [only] one judge, but [require] a court of twenty-three judges. And [even if we were to say that two people were killed by each court of twenty-three judges], they would still be very many people! And the difference between the [two] censuses is not so great, although all those who joined themselves to Baal-peor died, as it is written, for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Eternal thy G-d hath destroyed them from the midst of thee.
But the meaning of every one his men is that the judges should kill all those who joined themselves [to Baal-peor], that is to say, each court should judge [the men of] its own tribe and its [groups of] thousands, as it is written, So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and full of knowledge, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds … and officers, ‘tribe by tribe’. And afterwards I found in the Gemara Yerushalmi [the following statement] in the Chapter Cheilek: “And how many were the judges of Israel? Seventy-eight thousand and six hundred. Moses said to them: ‘Each one of you should kill two.’ Thus you find that those killed were one hundred and fifty-seven thousand and two hundred.” If so, we must say that according to their opinion [that of these Rabbis] the Israelites increased very remarkably between the [time of the first] census and the [second] census [in order to make up the loss of the many people killed because of this sin of Baal-peor]!
The correct interpretation of the meaning of this section [of the Torah] appears to me to be that at first it says, And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor; and the anger of the Eternal was kindled against Israel, [meaning] that there is wrath gone out from the Eternal; the plague is begun; and G-d in His mercy told Moses that the judges should [first] try and then hang those who joined themselves [to Baal-peor], so that the wrath will not indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked. And Moses gave this command to the judges; and when all the congregation was assembled at the door of the Tent of Meeting to do as Moses commanded, and the plague was still raging amongst them, this Simeonite [Zimri the son of Salu] brazenly brought unto his brethren a Midianite woman to rebel against Moses and the judges, and to do so publicly, because he was a prince and a great man and [knew that] many would come to his help. Or it may be [that he dared to do this publicly] because, as our Rabbis have said, [the people of] his tribe complained to him: “We are being sentenced to death, and you keep quiet!” Then [when Zimri came forth] Moses and the judges began weeping, and Phinehas stood up, and wrought judgment, and so the plague was stayed. Thus none of the people was [actually] sentenced by the judges, for G-d had said, and hang them up unto the Eternal in face of the sun, that the fierce anger of the Eternal may turn away from Israel, and His anger had already turned away [by the action of Phinehas, so that the judges no longer had to proceed with the execution of the judgment]. It is for this reason that Scripture does not say: “and the judges of Israel did so [as they had been commanded].”
It is possible that the intention of the text mentioned [above as to the number of men slain in this episode is not that they were actually killed, but means, as explained above], that according to [the strict] command [of G-d] there ought to have been more than one hundred and fifty thousand killed, meaning to say that there were many sinners, but the act of Phinehas protected them. Thus there remained [many of those] who had joined themselves [to Baal-peor], and the Holy One, blessed be He, destroyed them later on before they crossed over the [river] Jordan. This is [the meaning of] the verse which says, for all the men that followed after Baal-peor, the Eternal thy G-d hath destroyed them from the midst of thee. But ye that did cleave unto the Eternal your G-d are alive every one of you this day.
Pinchas

במדבר רבה כ׳:כ״ג

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה קַח אֶת כָּל רָאשֵׁי הָעָם וְהוֹקַע אֹתָם,

רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר רָאשֵׁי הָעָם תָּלָה עַל שֶׁלֹא מִיחוּ בִּבְנֵי אָדָם.

רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר לֹא תָּלָה רָאשֵׁי הָעָם, אֶלָּא אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה הוֹשֵׁב לָהֶן רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרִיּוֹת וְיִהְיוּ דָּנִים כָּל מִי שֶׁהָלַךְ לִפְעוֹר.

Bamidbar Rabbah 20:23

(23) “The people began to engage in harlotry with the daughters of Moav” – come and see what is written upon their exodus from Egypt: “Speak to the children of Israel, and they will return and encamp before Pi HaḤirot” (Exodus 14:2).What is Pi HaḤirot? It is a place designated for harlotry. Because they conducted themselves chastely, it was called Pi HaḤirot.79Harlotry is not mentioned explicitly, but rather ḥirot, an allusion to ḥerut, freedom. But these, who abandoned themselves to the men,80The Etz Yosef writes that this should read "women" instead of "men." it is written “the people began to engage in harlotry [with the daughters of Moav].”
“The people began” – every place that it says “the people,” it is an expression of denigration, but everywhere that it says “Israel,” it is an expression of praise. “The people were as complainers” (Numbers 11:1); “the people spoke against God and against Moses” (Numbers 21:5); “the people wept that night” (Numbers 14:1); “until when will this people scorn Me?” (Numbers 14:11); “Moses saw the people, that it was exposed” (Exodus 32:25); “the people assembled around Aaron” (Exodus 32:1), and likewise, all of them.
“The people began to engage in harlotry” – cast a staff into the air, it falls on its place of origin. The one who began with harlotry initially, ultimately completed it. Their mothers began with lewdness.81Lot and his daughter were the ancestors of Moav (Genesis 19:30–37). “The elder said to the younger…let us give our father wine to drink, and we will lie…it was the next day and the elder said to the younger: Behold, I lay last night…” (Genesis 19:31–32, 34). Her sister taught her; that is why the verse spared the younger, and did not state what she had done explicitly, but rather, “she lay with him” (Genesis 19:35). But regarding the elder it is written: “She lay with her father.” She who began with harlotry initially, her daughters completed the task after her; “to engage in harlotry with the daughters of Moav."
“They invited the people to the offerings of their gods, and the people ate, and prostrated themselves to their gods” (Numbers 25:2).
“They invited the people to the offerings of their gods” – they went in accordance with his82Bilam’s. counsel, as it is stated: “Behold, they were for the children of Israel, by the word of Bilam, to commit trespass against the Lord” (Numbers 31:16). They crafted curtains for them and seated harlots in them and in their hands were all types of precious vessels. An elderly woman would sit outside and watch over the young woman, who was inside the shop. When an Israelite would pass to purchase an object in the market, the elderly woman would say to him: 'Young man, do you not want linen garments from Beit She’an?' She would show him and say: 'Go inside and you will see fine objects.’ The elderly woman would say for more,83A more expensive price. and the young woman for less. From that point on, the young woman would say: 'You are like a member of the household, choose for yourself.' There was a bottle of wine with her, and the wine of gentiles had not yet been prohibited. A young woman would come out adorned and perfumed and seduce him. She would say to him: 'Why is it that we love you and you hate us? Take this vessel for yourself at no cost. Is it not that “we are all the children of one man” (Genesis 42:11), the sons of Teraḥ, father of Abraham? You do not wish to eat from our slaughter and from our cooking, we have calves and roosters; slaughter in accordance with your mitzva and eat.' Immediately, she would give him wine to drink and Satan was inflamed within him, and he strayed after her, as it is stated: “Harlotry, wine and new wine capture the heart” (Hosea 4:11).
Some say: Bilam commanded them not to give them to drink, so they would not be judges as those intoxicated with wine, but rather as intentional sinners. When he would proposition her, she would say to him: ‘I will not submit to you until you slaughter this to Peor, and prostrate yourself to it.’ He would say: ‘To idolatry I do not prostrate myself.’ She would say to him: ‘You are doing nothing more than exposing yourself.’84Worship to Peor was undertaken by means of defecating before it. He strayed after her and did so. This is what the Sages said: One who defecates to Baal Peor, that is its worship, as it is stated: “They prostrated themselves to their gods.”85After having worshiped Peor by defacating, they then proceeded also to bow down to Peor.
“Israel adhered to Baal Peor, and the wrath of the Lord was enflamed against Israel” (Numbers 25:3).
“Israel adhered [vayitzamed] to Baal Peor” – initially, they would enter discreetly, but ultimately, they would enter in pairs [tzemidim], as in a yoke [tzemed] of cattle. Alternatively, like a person who is constant [tzamid] in his labor. Vayitzamed – like “bracelets [tzmidim] on her hands” (Genesis 24:22). Rabbi Levi said: This is a harsher decree than the calf, as regarding the calf it is written: “Remove the gold rings” (Exodus 32:2), but here, vayitzamed, like bracelets.86There they donated earrings for idolatry, but here, bracelets, which are larger. At the calf, three thousand fell, but here, twenty-four thousand.
“The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them for the Lord opposite the sun, and the enflamed wrath of the Lord will be withdrawn from Israel” (Numbers 25:4).
“The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them” – Rabbi Yudan said they hanged the leaders of the people because they did not reprove the people. Rabbi Neḥemya said: He did not hang the leaders of the people, but rather, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: 'Empanel for them heads of the Sanhedrin, and they will judge all those who went to Peor.'87“Hang them” means: Have the leaders of the people hang the sinners. He said: 'Who will inform them?' He said to him: ‘I will publicize them. Anyone who erred, the cloud will move from above him and the sun will shine upon him in the midst of the congregation. Everyone will know who erred and will hang him.’ Know that it is so: “So Moses said to Israel's officials: Each of you slay those of his men [who attached themselves to Baal Peor]” (Numbers 25:5).

ואולי - ראשי העם תלה, כי הם שחטאו
למשל - זמרי בן סלוא
והוקע אותם = את ראשי העם

אור החיים על במדבר כ״ה:י״ד

ושם איש ישראל. קשה ממה נפשך אם חפץ ה' לגלות המוכים היה לו להזכירם בשעת מעשה כשאמר (כ"ה ו') והנה איש מבני ישראל שם היה מקום להזכירו ולומר והנה איש וגו' זמרי וגו', וכשהזכיר גם כן המדינית היה לו להזכיר שמה, ואם תורה כסתה עליהם כדרך שכסתה על המקושש בשבת למה נמלך להזכיר שמם והוצרך גם כן להוסיף עוד תיבות יתירות בתורה שאם היה מזכיר שמם למעלה לא היה צריך לומר פ"ב ושם איש וגו' ושם האשה וגו':

אכן הנה האדון ברוך הוא אינו חפץ לזלזל אפילו ברשעים לפרסם מי בעלי דברים המתועבים, ומקושש יוכיח, גם במה שלפנינו תראה שלא גילה אותם בשעת מעשה אלא דוקא אחר שהזכיר שבח פנחס אשר פעל ועשה מהמפעל הטוב שקנא לה' וכפר על בני ישראל זכר גם כן כי לא קנא באדם פחות אלא באדם גדול נשיא בית אב עם האשה ראש הקליפות ואביה מלך כאומרו ראש אומות בית אב ונתעבה במיתה בזויה לעין כל, ובכל כיוצא בזה שמו יתברך מתקדש, לזה יחסה לומר בת מלך היא, והגם שיש זלזול לאיש ישראל לא יגרע מצדיק עינו כדרך אומרו (משלי י׳:ז׳) זכר צדיק לברכה הגם ששם רשעים ירקב באמצעות כן,

ואולי כי להודיעך בא הכתוב שלא השיג השבת החמה וכו' אלא באמצעות דבר זה שעשה הקנאה בנשיא ונתקדש שמו קידוש גדול ונכנעה כח הס"מ ומאס העון כל כך בעיני כל בזה השיב חמה ויכפר וגו' אבל זולת זה הגם שהיה מקנא לה' באדם הדיוט לא היה משיג כל הדרגות הרשומות.

Or HaChaim on Numbers 25:14

(1) ושם איש ישראל, And the name of the Israelite man, etc. If G'd was so interested in our knowing the names of the people Pinchas slew why did the Torah not report this at the time it reported Pinchas' deed in the last Parshah? If the Torah had mentioned these names at that time it could have saved at least a half a sentence here! (2) G'd has made it a rule not to belittle even the wicked unless there is a compelling reason. We know that in the case of the person who collected wood on the Sabbath and who was subsequently executed the Torah did not reveal his name at all (Numbers 15,32-36). In our instance the Torah revealed the names well after the occurrence because there was a compelling reason but not until after G'd had praised Pinchas for what he did and we have learned of the beneficial effects of his deed. Having recorded that G'd not only approved of what Pinchas had done but rewarded him publicly, the Torah explained that Pinchas had taken very great personal risks as the two victims involved were very highly placed individuals. When the persons for whose sake one displays just jealousy on behalf of G'd are aristocrats, higly placed, this makes the act of sanctifying G'd's name even more meritorious. Although in the process of mentioning their names, the Torah publicly displayed its contempt for the sinner, it only followed approved practice as we know from Proverbs 10,7 "the memory of the just is a source of blessing whereas the name of the wicked will rot." Perhaps the positioning of the names of the victims at this point was meant to hint that if these two individuals had not been so highly placed, Pinchas' deed would not have sufficed to turn away G'd's wrath and bring about atonement for the entire people. When Samael saw to what extent a man like Pinchas despised someone guilty of sleeping with a Midianite, his own power was weakened. Had the individuals in question been ordinary people Pinchas could not have accomplished as much through his display of jealousy on behalf of G'd as the personal danger to which he exposed himself at the hands of the victims' surviving relatives would have been much less. (3) Perhaps the reason the Torah did not mention the name of the victims in 25,6 where we would have expected it was that at that point Pinchas had not yet carried out his deed but had only planned it. As long as he had not carried out his plan it would not have been seemly for the Torah to reveal the names of prospective victims. Once Pinchas had completed his deed the names of the wicked had to be mentioned in order to publicise them. (4) המכה אשר הכה, that was slain, who was slain, etc. why was the verb "was slain" repeated here twice? Besides, why did the verse commence by mentioning the nationality of the Jewish victim before mentioning the occasion, whereas when the Midianite woman is named the occasion is mentioned before her nationality is mentioned? (5) All this can best be explained by reference to Berachot 18 where we are told that the wicked are referred to as dead even while they are still physically alive. The reason for this is that the power of evil, which is another word for the power of death already clings to the wicked. I have mentioned repeatedly that the name people are known by is the name of their soul. G'd placed a variety of "names" on earth as the Talmud in Berachot 7 says about Psalms 46,9: ראו מפעלות ה׳ אשר שם שמות בארץ, "come and see what the Lord has done, He has wrought desolation on earth." The Talmud suggests that we do not read the word shamot in that verse with the vowel patach but with the vowel tzeyreh so that the meaning of the word desolation is changed to "names." When a human being sins his soul becomes tarnished or injured in that the evil he did clings to it. This is the real meaning of Proverbs 10,8 that the "name" of the wicked will rot, i.e. his soul will rot. This explains an enigmatic story in the Talmud Yuma 83 where Rabbi Meir is described as examining people's names and thereby arriving at conclusions about their character. When he and his colleagues arrived at a certain inn they asked the innkeeper his name. Rabbi Meir concluded after hearing the man's name that he was a wicked person. In our situation, a Jew who sleeps with a Midianite woman causes his soul to become tarnished; this is what the Torah means when it describes the name of the Israelite as being מכה, struck by a fatal blemish even before Pinchas had a chance to inflict bodily death upon him. The words אשר הכה, teach that for all practical purposes the man had already been fatally injured prior to Pinchas stabbing him. When the Torah wanted to tell us about what happened to Zimri's soul, it wrote: "and the name of the man who had been struck etc." The idea is that from the moment he committed his abominable act his soul had already sustained a fatal injury. The reason the Torah emphasises: "Israelite," is to tell us that a Jewish soul could not survive an act of such a wilfully committed abomination. As to the physical killing of Zimri's body, the Torah refers to this by the words אשר הכה, "who was struck." The reason the Torah wrote אשר הכה את המדינית, "he who was struck down with the Midianite woman," was to inform us that the soul of the Jewish man was struck down because of his intimate association with the Midianite woman." The act of sleeping with her constituted a fatal blow to his soul. (6) The Torah also alludes to another point when writing את המדינית. When the Torah describes how the wife of Potiphar tried to seduce Joseph (Genesis 39,10), we read that Joseph refused לשכב אצלה, להיות עמה "to sleep beside her and to be with her." Our sages in Yuma 35 comment that the words לשכב אצלה refer to Joseph sharing her life in this world, whereas the words להיות עמה refer to Joseph's refusal to be her companion in the world to come. If we take this comment as our cue, we can understand the words הכה את המדינית as telling us that the Israelite's being smitten meant that he would not be with that woman in the hereafter. We must assume that Zimri died before becoming a penitent as Pinchas stabbed him while he was engaged in the act. This answers the question why the word: "he was struck" was repeated in the Torah's description of events. It also explains why the word איש ישראל had to precede the report of his being struck to teach us that the name, i.e. the soul had been struck before the body was killed. When the Torah got around to mentioning the name of the Midianite woman, the fact that she was struck is mentioned only once, as she did not have a soul rooted in holy domains that she could be deprived of. She was also not especially mentioned prior to what happened to her as she was considered as dead already while she was fully alive; essentially what happened to her was nothing new, except that her death became manifest. We have mentioned on repeated occasions that the names of the various cults which the pagans practice are the names of spiritually negative forces, קליפות. (7) There is yet another way of approaching our verse, based on a kabbalistic approach. It is based on the principle that "sparks" of sanctity which have become exiled for one reason or another to one region or another, are not to be perceived as lost forever. Eventually, somehow they will find their way back to their holy origin. When the Torah speaks of the "name of the Israelite man," this is a hint that even after such a self-debasing encounter as he had indulged in with the Midianite woman the Torah still refers to Zimri as איש ישראל, "an Israelite man." This teaches that he had not been totally uprooted from his holy origin. The word המכה refers to what Pinchas had done to him. By adding the words את המדינית, "with the Midianite woman," the Torah indicates that rather than having been smitten with perdition of his soul he had only been smitten with losing his Midianite partner, i.e. that particular evil partner he had acquired. As a result of their physical union her characteristics had clung to his soul. This act of clinging to his soul is described by the term הכאה, a fatal blow. This teaches that by becoming Pinchas' victim Zimri's soul was released from the negative spiritual force his soul had absorbed from Kosbi. His death acted as his atonement, converted the damage into something transient rather than enduring. As soon as he and she parted company physically, Zimri's soul no longer bore the imprint of that fateful association.. His death purified his soul. This explains why the Torah could refer to him as "an Israelite man" only after he had been killed. If this approach is correct in terms of our השקפה, please accept this as my interpretation of this verse.

סיפור בהמשכים

חלק ראשון - ההתרחשות הגלויה
חלק שני - מאחורי הקלעים, השלמות

במדבר ל״א:ט״ז

(טז) הֵ֣ן הֵ֜נָּה הָי֨וּ לִבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר בִּלְעָ֔ם לִמְסׇר־מַ֥עַל בַּיהֹוָ֖ה עַל־דְּבַר־פְּע֑וֹר וַתְּהִ֥י הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה בַּעֲדַ֥ת יְהֹוָֽה׃

Numbers 31:16

(16) Yet they are the very ones who, at the bidding of Balaam, induced*induced Meaning of Heb. hayu … limsor uncertain. the Israelites to trespass against יהוה in the matter of Peor, so that יהוה’s community was struck by the plague.

נחמה ליבוביץ
נראה שלקח גדול ומוסר השכל רצתה התורה ללמדנו על יד כך. אם כי הייתה היוזמה של בלעם, והא שיעץ לשלוח את בנות מדין למחנה ישראל כדי לפגוע בבבת עינם, בטוהר חיי המין, אם כי המסית והמדיח בלעם הוא, אך האשמים - ישראל: "ויחל העם לזנות". לא סיפרה התורה שם אלא את חטאם של ישראל ואת עונשם. כי אחריות המעשה על עושהו, והאחריות אישית היא. ואין המוסת פטור הימנו מפני שהסיתו המסית. "דברי הרב ודברי התלמיד - דברי מי שומעין?"
אולם המסית אינו פטור מעונש, ולכן בפרשה אשר מסופר בה על עונשו של בלעם "ואת בלעם בן בעור הרגו בחרב" - שם מסופר על חטאו של בלעם - "הן הנה היו לבני ישראל בדבר בלעם..."