CHAPTER XLVII THE ZEAL OF PHINEAS [66A. i.] RABBI ELAzAR, son of 'Arakh, said: When the Holy One, blessed be He, descended upon Mount Sinai to give the Torah to Israel, sixty myriads [ רבוא, “ten thousand.” See T.B. Sabbath, 88a; and cf. Cant. Rab. on Cant. 3:7.] of the ministering angels descended with Him, corresponding to the sixty myriads of the mighty men of Israel, and in their hands were swords and crowns, [ Cf. Wisdom xviii. 16; Cant. Rab. on Cant. 8:4; Ex. Rab. xxix. 2; Ẓohar, Ex. 193b; Pesiḳta, pp. 107b, 124b; and the Targumim on Ex. 33:5. See ‘Arukh, s.v. זיינותּ ,זוניאות ,זיינאותּ, and Pesiḳta Rabbathi, pp. 98b, 154a.] and they crowned the Israelites with [ The first editions add: “with the diadem of.”] the Ineffable Name. [ See supra, p. 22, and Bacher, T. ii. 118.] All those days, whilst they had not done that deed, [ The making of the golden calf.] they were as good as [ The first editions read: “They were better than the ministering angels.”] the ministering angels before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Angel of Death did not hold sway over them, and they did not discharge any excretions [ See T.B. Joma, 75b; and cf. Num. Rab. 7:4. The gnostics held similar views with reference to Jesus; see F. C. Conybeare, Myth, Magic, and Morals, p. 232.] like the children of man; but when they did that deed the Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with them, and He said to them: I thought that ye would be [ The first editions add: “before Me.”] like the ministering angels, as it is said, "I said, Ye are angels, [ “Elohim”; cf. Judg. 13:22. The quotation in our MS. ends here, but it is continued in the first editions.] and all of you sons of the Most High" (Ps. 82:6). But now, "Nevertheless, ye shall die like men" (ibid. 7).
Rabbi Jehudah said: As long as a man is dressed in his garments of glory, he is beautiful in his appearance [ This reminds one of the English proverb: “Fine feathers make fine birds.”] and in his honour; [ The first editions add: “and in his glory.”] so were the Israelites when they apparelled themselves with that Name—they were good before the Holy One, blessed be He, like the ministering angels. But when they did that deed (of the golden calf), the Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with them. [ The first editions add: “and He said to them: ‘Put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee’” (Ex. 33:5).] || In that night the same [ “The same” is in the MS. only.] sixty myriads of ministering angels [ See the different account in T.B. Sabbath, loc. cit.; according to this version, “One hundred and twenty myriads of ministering angels” were present at the Revelation at Sinai.] descended, [ The first editions add: “Corresponding to the sixty myriads of the strong men of Israel.”] and they severally took from each one of them what they had put upon them, and they became bare, [ Cf. supra, p. 98.] not according to their own wish, as it is said, [ The quotation is wanting in the MS.; it occurs in the first editions.] "And the children of Israel stripped themselves" (Ex. 33:6). It is not written here, [ The first editions read: “‘They were stripped off,’ but ‘they stripped themselves’ with all their strength.” The later editions modify the last words and read: “against their will.”] "the children of Israel took away," but "the children of Israel stripped themselves." Some say by itself (their adornment) was stripped off. [ Or, “it peeled off.”]
Rabbi said: At every place where Israel sat down [ The verb here means “to sit down” or “to abide.”] in the wilderness, they made idols [ See Ex. Rab. xli. 11: “wherever you find a reference to sitting down you find some stumbling block” (occurring to the Israelites). Cf. also T.B. Synhedrin, 107a.] for themselves, as it is said, "And the people sat down to eat and to drink" (ibid. xxxii. 6). What is written here? "And they rose up to play" (ibid.); they commenced to worship idols. One verse says, "And Israel abode in Shittim" (Num. 25:1). What is written here? "And the people began to commit whoredom [ In the MS. the quotation ends here: it is continued in the first editions.] with the daughters of Moab" (ibid.). They commenced to be immoral. [ The first editions add: “This is idolatry.”]
Rabbi Jehudah said: "The counsel of the wicked is far from me" (Job 21:16). This (text) refers to the counsel of Balaam, the wicked, who advised Midian, and there fell of Israel twenty-four thousand men. He said to them: You will not be able to prevail against this people, unless they have sinned before their Creator. They made for themselves booths [ Or “shops”; cf. Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 242; Num. Rab. 20:23; T.B. Synhedrin, 82b; and T.J. Synhedrin 10:2. 28d.] outside the camp of Israel, and they sold all kinds of merchandise of the market. The young men of Israel went beyond the camp of Israel and they saw the daughters of Midian, who had painted [ In the Book of Jashar (lxxxv. 54) we read: “The children of Moab took all their daughters and wives of beautiful appearance and comely form and dressed them in gold and silver and costly raiment.” See T.B. Synhedrin, 106a; Siphrê, Num. § 131; T.J. Synhedrin, loc. cit.; cf. T.B. Synhedrin, 82b; Num. Rab., loc. cit.; Tanchuma, Balaḳ, § xxvii., and Jalḳuṭ, Num. § 771; Pal. Targum to Num. 25:1; Midrash Agadah, Num., p. 147. Twelve miracles were connected with Phineas’ deed; see Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, vol. iii. p. 387, and Pal. Targum, Num. 25:8.] their eyes like harlots, and they took wives of them, and went astray || after them, as it is said, "And the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab" (Num. 25:1). [ In the 1st ed. the entire section is wanting; in the 2nd ed. the words “they sold… camp of Israel” are omitted.]
Simeon and Levi were exceedingly zealous because of the immorality, as it is said, "And they said, As with an harlot [ Thus far the quotation in the MS.; it is continued in the first editions. The next sentence occurs in our MS. only.] should he deal with our sister?" (Gen. 34:81). Each man took his sword and they slew the men of Shechem. The prince of the tribe of Simeon [ See T.B. Synhedrin, loc. cit.] did not remember that which his ancestor [ Simeon, son of Jacob, was zealous for the honour of his sister Dinah.] had done, and he did not rebuke the young men of Israel, but he himself came [ The Venice edition adds: “with immorality.”] publicly [ פדהסיא, παῤῥησία, “openly.”] to the Midianitish woman for an immoral purpose, as it is said, "Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, [ Thus far the quotation in the MS.; it is continued in the first editions. The next sentence occurs in our MS. only.] who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri… a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites" (Num. 25:14).
All the princes with Moses, Eleazar, and Phineas saw the angel who was to destroy the people, [ The first editions read: “the angel of death.”] and they sat down and wept, and they did not know what to do. Phineas saw how Zimri went publicly to the Midianitish woman for an immoral purpose, and he was moved by a great zeal, [ To slay a prince, chief of one of the tribes.] and he snatched the spear out of the hand of Moses, and ran after (Zimri) and pierced him through the back, through the pudenda, and the spear went into the belly of the woman. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, gave a good reward to him and to his sons with the food of the shoulder. [ The first editions read: “gave him the food of the maw. Moreover He strengthened his arms (so that) he fixed the spear in the earth, and they were found hanging from the top of the spear, the one above the other, the man above the woman.” See Pal. Targum, Num., loc. cit.] And the jaws were separated, the jaws of the man (from) the jaws of the woman; therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him and his sons a good reward with the food of the cheeks, [ The first editions read: “Gave him for food the cheeks.” The gifts referred to were portions of certain sacrifices.] as it is said, "And they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, [ In the MS. the quotation ends here; it is continued in the first editions. For the Biblical account of the narrative see Num. 25:8. On this section see Gaster, Jeraḥmeel, p. xcvii and lv. 10–12, and Ginzberg, op. cit. p. 389.] and the two cheeks, and the maw" (Deut. 18:3).
He arose like a great spiritual leader [ דיין, “judge” or spiritual leader. See Ex. Rab. xxxiii. 5 and T.B. Synhedrin, loc. cit.] and he judged Israel, [ The first editions read: “a judge for Israel.”] as it is said, "Then stood up Phineas, || and he executed judgment" (Ps. 106:30). What is the meaning of this expression, "And he executed judgment"? Like a great judge. Just as thou dost say, [ This is an unusual form of introducing a quotation from the Bible in this book.] "And he shall pay as the judges determine" (Ex. 21:22). And he smote the young men of Israel [ The first editions add here: “and they drew them throughout all the corners of the camp of Israel.”] so that all Israel should see and fear, as it is said, "And all Israel shall hear, and fear" (Deut. 21:21). [ The quotation is given by the MS. only.] The Holy One, blessed be He, saw what Phineas had done, and forthwith was He filled with compassion; the plague was stayed, as it is said, "And so the plague was stayed" (Num. 16:50).
Rabbi Eliezer said: He called [ The first editions read: “The Holy One, blessed be He, changed.” See Jalḳuṭ, Num., loc. cit.] the name of Phineas by [ The text literally means “like.” Phineas flies in the heavens (see Pal. Targum to Num. 31:8) by invoking the Ineffable Name. This is also done by Elijah; cf. Basset, Les Apocryphes éthiopiens, vii. p. 26; a parallel story occurs in the conflict between Peter and Simon Magus (see Hastings’ D.B. iv. p. 523).] the name of Elijah [ According to the Midrash Elijah was from Jerusalem of the tribe of Benjamin; see Ex. Rab. xl. 4; Gen. Rab. 71:9; Tanna de bê Elijahu Rab. 18 pp. 97 f. and note 57; and Tanna de bê Elijahu Ẓuṭṭa xv. p. 199 (end). Cf. Tosaphoth on T.B. Baba Mezi’a, 113b.] —Elijah of blessed memory, [ See supra, p. 2.] (who was) of those who repented in Gilead, for he brought about the repentance of Israel [ See T.B. Synhedrin, 106b, and Siphrê, Num., loc. cit.] in the land of Gilead. The Holy One, blessed be He, gave him the life of this world and the life of the world to come, [ See T.B. Mo’ed Ḳaṭan, 26a, “Elijah lives on”; cf. Ps. 106:30, where Phineas is spoken of by the Psalmist.] as it is said, [ “‘Behold, I give my covenant of peace,’ and it is written: ‘My covenant was with him.’” This is the reading in the Jalḳuṭ, Num., loc. cit., and is probably the most correct version preserved. “My covenant was with him” refers to Elijah, who is called the “angel.” Phineas is also called the “angel”; see Lev. Rab. 1:1.] "My covenant was with him [ The quotation ends here in the MS.; it is continued in the first editions.] of life and peace" (Mal. 2:5). He gave to him and to his sons a good reward, [ The first editions add: “between the righteous and the wicked.”] in order that (he might have) the everlasting priesthood, as it is said, "And it shall be unto him, and to his seed [ The MS. reads “sons” instead of “seed after him,” which is the MT. and the reading in the first editions.] after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood" (Num. 25:13).
Rabbi Elazar of Modein said: Phineas arose, and pronounced the ban [ On the ban and the bread of the Cutheans see supra, p. 301.] upon Israel by the mystery of the Ineffable Name, and with the script which was written on the tables (of the Law), and by the ban of the celestial Court of Justice, [ Cf. Liturgy of Evening of Day of Atonement, introduction to כל נדרי.] and by the ban of the terrestrial Court of Justice, that a man of Israel should not drink the wine of the nations [ For the parallel in the New Testament see 1 Cor. viii. 1 ff. and ibid. x. 20 f., and the parallel passages.] unless it had been trodden by the feet, as it is said, "And as for my sheep, that which ye have trodden with your feet [ The quotation ends here in the MS.; it is continued in the first editions.] they eat, and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet" [ The Venice edition adds here: “For all the wine of the heathens is poured out for idolatrous purposes and for immoral purposes.”] (Ezek. 34:19). Because all the wine of the nations was devoted to idolatry and immorality, for they took the first of their new wine for idolatry and immorality, [ The orgies in connection with the Bacchic rites illustrate this statement.] as it is said, "Whoredom and wine [ The quotation ends here in our MS. The first editions continue thus: “Another verse says: ‘Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of flesh’” (Prov. 23:20).] || and new wine take away the heart" (Hos. 4:11).
Rabbi Phineas said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Do ye remember what those Midianites did to you, for twenty-four thousand men fell in Israel? But before "thou art gathered in," [ i.e. before thy death.] arise, execute vengeance, [ The first editions add: “on them.”] (as it is said, [ The MS. omits “as it is said,” and reads only the first two words of the verse; the first editions have: “as it is said.”] ) "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterwards shalt thou be gathered unto thy people" (Num. 31:2). [ The command to punish the Midianites on account of the Peor idolatry was not put into execution immediately. Moreover, the punishment of the Amalekites was to be deferred until the Israelites had possession of the Holy Land.]
What did Moses do? He took a thousand men [ See Siphrê, Num. § 157, and cf. Tanchuma (Buber), Maṭṭoth, p. 79b, for the meaning: “two thousand from each tribe.”] (and) a prince [ “a prince” occurs in the MS. only; it is apparently an error.] from each tribe of the tribes of Israel. Behold, (there were) twelve thousand (men), and he who had been zealous because of the immorality, was the prince [ Phineas, see T.B. Soṭah, 43a; Siphrê, Num., loc. cit.; and cf. 1 Chron. 9:20.] over them. The [ The first editions read: “They took the holy vestments.”] holy vestments and the trumpets of alarm [ תרועה, “alarm.”] were in his hand, [ The first editions read: “in their hand.”] and they went, and they took captive the daughters of Midian, and they brought them (to the camp). [ The first editions read here: “And Moses heard, and he went forth to meet them, and he saw them.”] (Moses) said to (Phineas): Because of these did not twenty-four thousand men of Israel fall? as it is said, "Behold, these [ The preceding verse says: “And Moses said unto them: Have ye saved all the women alive?”] caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, [ The quotation ends here in the MS. and in the first editions.] to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor" (ibid. 16); and he began to be angry with them, as it is said, "And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host" (ibid. 14). [ See Jalḳuṭ, Num. § 785, which quotes the Siphrê Ẓuṭṭa; see also Siphrê, Num., loc. cit.] During his anger the Holy Spirit departed from him. Hence thou mayest learn that the impetuous [ קפדן, “hot-tempered,” “impatient.”] man destroys his wisdom. [ Cf. Eccles. 7:7, and see Eccles. Rab. on Eccles. 7:7.] Eleazar saw [ The first editions read: “He (i.e. God) called to Eleazar.”] and he heard (the voice) behind (Moses), [ It passed by Moses, who failed to hear the Divine message.] as it is said, "And Eleazar the priest said [ In the MS. the quotation ends here; it is continued in the first editions.] unto the men of war… This is the statute of the Law which the Lord hath commanded Moses" (ibid. 21). He [ Eleazar; see Siphrê, Num., loc. cit., and cf. T.B. Pesachim, 66b, and Aboth de R. Nathan (a) i. p. 2a.] said to them: He [ God.] commanded Moses and He did not command me.