| 1Israel settled in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of the Moabites. |
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אוַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּשִּׁטִּ֑ים וַיָּ֣חֶל הָעָ֔ם לִזְנ֖וֹת אֶל־בְּנ֥וֹת מוֹאָֽב: |
| in Shittim. That is its name. — [Sanh. 106a] |
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בַּשִּׁטִּים.
כָּךְ שְׁמָהּ:
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| to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab. As a result of Balaam’s advice, as is stated in [the chapter entitled] "Cheilek’ (Sanh. 106a). |
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לִזְנוֹת אֶל־בְּנוֹת מוֹאָֽב.
עַל יְדֵי עֲצַת בִּלְעָם, כִּדְאִיתָא בְחֵלֶק (סנהדרין ק"ו):
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| 2They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and prostrated themselves to their gods. |
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בוַתִּקְרֶ֣אןָ לָעָ֔ם לְזִבְחֵ֖י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אכַל הָעָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲו֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן: |
| and prostrated themselves to their gods. When his urge overcame him, and he said to her, “Submit to me,” she took out an image of Peor from her bosom and said to him, “Bow down before this.” - [Sifrei Balak 1] |
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וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן.
כְּשֶׁתָּקַף יִצְרוֹ וְאוֹמֵר לָהּ הִשָּׁמְעִי לִי, וְהִיא מוֹצִיאָה לוֹ דְּמוּת פְּעוֹר מֵחֵיקָהּ וְאוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ הִשְׁתַּחֲוֵה לָזֶה:
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| 3Israel became attached to Baal Peor, and the anger of the Lord flared against Israel. |
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גוַיִּצָּ֥מֶד יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבַ֣עַל פְּע֑וֹר וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| Peor. [פְּעוֹר was so named] because before it they bared פּוֹעֲרִין their anus before it and relieved themselves. This was the manner of its worship. - [Sifrei Balak 1] |
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פְּעוֹר.
עַל שֵׁם שֶׁפּוֹעֲרִין לְפָנָיו פִּי הַטַּבַּעַת וּמוֹצִיאִין רְעִי, וְזוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ (סנהדרין ס'):
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| and the anger of the Lord flared against Israel. He sent a plague upon them. |
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וַיִּֽחַר־אַף ה' בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל.
שָׁלַח בָּהֶם מַגֵּפָה:
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| 4The Lord said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and hang them before the Lord, facing the sun, and then the flaring anger of the Lord will be removed from Israel. |
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דוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה קַ֚ח אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְהוֹקַ֥ע אוֹתָ֛ם לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה נֶ֣גֶד הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְיָשֹׁ֛ב חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| Take all the leaders of the people. to judge those who worshipped Peor. — [Sanh. 35a] |
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קַח אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁי הָעָם.
לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הָעוֹבְדִים לִפְעוֹר:
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| and hang them. The [idol] worshippers. |
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וְהוֹקַע אוֹתָם.
אֶת הָעוֹבְדִים:
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| and hang them. Heb. הוֹקַע. This refers to [death by] hanging, as we find with the sons of Saul [where a similar expression is used,] “and we shall hang them (הוֹקַעֲנוּם) for the Lord” (II Sam. 21:6), and there hanging is specifically mentioned. Idolatry is [punishable] by stoning, and all those stoned are also hanged [as is stated in Sanh. 45b according to Rabbi Eliezer]. |
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וְהוֹקַע.
הִיא תְלִיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בִּבְנֵי שָׁאוּל "וְהוֹקַעֲנוּם לַה'" (שמואל ב כ״א:ו׳) וְשָׁם תְּלִיָּה מְפֹרֶשֶׁת (סנהדרין ל"ד); עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בִּסְקִילָה וְכָל הַנִּסְקָלִין נִתְלִין (סנהדרין מ"ה):
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| facing the sun. for all to see. The Midrash Aggadah (Mid. Tanchuma Balak 19) says: The sun identified the sinners, for the cloud folded back from the area above him and the sun shone on him. — |
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נֶגֶד הַשָּׁמֶשׁ.
לְעֵין כֹּל. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מוֹדִיעַ אֶת הַחוֹטְאִים, הֶעָנָן נִקְפָּל מִכְּנֶגְדּוֹ וְהַחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת עָלָיו:
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| 5Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you shall kill the men who became attached to Baal Peor. |
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הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה אֶל־שֹֽׁפְטֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִרְגוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֲנָשָׁ֔יו הַנִּצְמָדִ֖ים לְבַ֥עַל פְּעֽוֹר: |
| Each of you shall kill the men. Each one of the Israelite judges executed two, and there were eighty-eight thousand Israelite judges, as is stated in Sanhedrin [18a]. |
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הִרְגוּ אִישׁ אֲנָשָׁיו.
כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִדַּיָּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה הוֹרֵג שְׁנַיִם, וְדַּיָּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל שְׁמוֹנַת רִבּוֹא וּשְׁמוֹנַת אֲלָפִים כִּדְאִיתָא בְסַנְהֶ' (דף י"ח:):
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| 6Then an Israelite man came and brought the Midianite woman to his brethren, before the eyes of Moses and before the eyes of the entire congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. |
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ווְהִנֵּ֡ה אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בָּ֗א וַיַּקְרֵ֤ב אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֔ית לְעֵינֵ֣י משֶׁ֔ה וּלְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהֵ֣מָּה בֹכִ֔ים פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
| Then an Israelite man came. The tribe of Simeon gathered around Zimri, who was their prince, and they said to him, “We have been sentenced to death, yet you sit there [and remain silent] etc.,” as it is related in [the chapter of] Elu hen hanisrafin’ (Sanh. 82a). |
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וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא.
נִתְקַבְּצוּ שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל שִׁמְעוֹן אֵצֶל זִמְרִי שֶׁהָיָה נָשִׂיא שֶׁלָּהֶם, אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אָנוּ נִדּוֹנִין בְּמִיתָה וְאַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּאֵלּוּ הֵן הַנִּשְׂרָפִין (סנהדרין פ"ב):
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| the Midianite woman. Cozbi the daughter of Zur (see verse 15). |
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אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִית.
כָּזְבִּי בַת צוּר:
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| before the eyes of Moses. They said to him, “Moses, is this one forbidden or is she permitted? If you say it is forbidden, who permitted for you the daughter of Jethro…?” as is stated there (Sanh. 82a). |
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לְעֵינֵי משֶׁה.
אָמְרוּ לוֹ, מֹשֶׁה, זוֹ אֲסוּרָה אוֹ מֻתֶּרֶת? אִם תֹּאמַר אֲסוּרָה, בַּת יִתְרוֹ מִי הִתִּירָהּ לְךָ, וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא הָתָם:
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| while they were weeping. The law [that anyone cohabiting with a non-Jewish woman is to be executed by zealots] eluded him. [Therefore,] they all burst out weeping. At the incident of the golden calf Moses [successfully] confronted six hundred thousand as it says, “He ground it until it was powder…” (Exod. 32:20), yet here he appeared so helpless? However, [this happened] so that Phinehas should come and take what was due to him. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 20] |
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וְהֵמָּה בֹכִים.
נִתְעַלְּמָה מִמֶּנּוּ הֲלָכָה, גָּעוּ כֻלָּם בִּבְכִיָּה; בָּעֵגֶל עָמַד מֹשֶׁה כְּנֶגֶד שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּטְחַן עַד אֲשֶׁר דָּק" וְגוֹ' (שמות ל"ב), וְכָאן רָפוּ יָדָיו? אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבֹא פִינְחָס וְיִטֹּל אֶת הָרָאוּי לוֹ (תנחומא):
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| 7Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen saw this, arose from the congregation, and took a spear in his hand. |
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זוַיַּ֗רְא פִּֽינְחָס֙ בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֔ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיָּ֨קָם֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֥ח רֹ֖מַח בְּיָדֽוֹ: |
| Phinehas…saw. He saw the deed and reminded himself of the law. He said to Moses, “I learned from you, ‘If someone cohabits with an Aramean [heathen] woman, zealots have a right to strike him [dead].’ ” He replied to him, “Let the one who reads the letter be the agent to carry it out.” Immediately,“he took a spear in his hand….” - [Sanh. 82a] |
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וַיַּרְא פִּֽינְחָס.
רָאָה מַעֲשֶׂה וְנִזְכַּר הֲלָכָה — אָמַר לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה מְקֻבַּלְנִי מִמְּךָ הַבּוֹעֵל אֲרַמִּית קַנָּאִין פּוֹגְעִין בּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ "קַרְיָנָא דְּאִגַּרְתָּא אִיהוּ לֶיהֱוֵי פַּרְוַנְקָא", מִיָּד ויקח רמח בידו וגו' (סנהדרין פ"ב):
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| 8He went after the Israelite man into the chamber and drove [it through] both of them; the Israelite man, and the woman through her stomach, and the plague ceased from the children of Israel. |
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חוַיָּבֹ֠א אַחַ֨ר אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־הַקֻּבָּ֗ה וַיִּדְקֹר֙ אֶת־שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֚ת אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־קֳבָתָ֑הּ וַתֵּֽעָצַר֙ הַמַּגֵּפָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| into the chamber. Into the tent. |
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אֶל־הַקֻּבָּה.
אֶל הָאֹהֶל:
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| through her stomach. Heb. קֳבָתָהּ, as in, “the jaw and the maw (וְהַקֵּבָה)” (Deut. 18:3). He aimed for the male organ of Zimri and her female organs and everyone saw that he had not killed them for nothing. Many miracles happened to him…, as it is related there (Sanh. 82b). |
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אֶל־קֳבָתָהּ.
כְּמוֹ "וְהַלְּחָיַיִם וְהַקֵּבָה" (דברים י"ח), כִּוֵּן בְּתוֹךְ זַכְרוּת שֶׁל זִמְרִי וְנַקְבוּת שֶׁלָּהּ וְרָאוּ כֻלָּם שֶׁלֹא לְחִנָּם הֲרָגָם, וְהַרְבֵּה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ כו', כִּדְאִיתָא הָתָם:
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| 9Those that died in the plague numbered twenty four thousand. |
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טוַיִּֽהְי֕וּ הַמֵּתִ֖ים בַּמַּגֵּפָ֑ה אַרְבָּעָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָֽלֶף: |
| 10The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: |
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יוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 11Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. |
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יאפִּֽינְחָ֨ס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֜ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן הֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־חֲמָתִי֙ מֵעַ֣ל בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּקַנְא֥וֹ אֶת־קִנְאָתִ֖י בְּתוֹכָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־כִלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּקִנְאָתִֽי: |
| Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen. Since the tribes were disparaging him, saying, Have you seen the son of Puti, whose mother’s father [Jethro] fattened (פִּטֵּם) calves for idols (See Rashi, Exod. 6:25), and who killed a chieftain of an Israelite tribe? For this reason, Scripture traces his pedigree to Aaron. — [Sanh. 82b, Num. Rabbah 21:3, Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2] |
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פִּֽינְחָס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן.
לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ הַשְּׁבָטִים מְבַזִּים אוֹתוֹ — הַרְאִיתֶם בֶּן פּוּטִי זֶה שֶׁפִּטֵּם אֲבִי אִמּוֹ עֲגָלִים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהָרַג נְשִׂיא שֵׁבֶט מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל? לְפִיכָךְ בָּא הַכָּתוּב וְיִחֲסוֹ אַחַר אַהֲרֹן (סנהדרין פ"ב):
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| by his zealously avenging Me. Heb. אֶת קִנְאָתִי בְּקַנְאוֹ, by his avenging My vengeance, by his releasing the wrath that I should have released. The term קִנְאָה always denotes someone motivated to take vengeance for some matter, in old French, enprenemant. |
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בְּקַנְאוֹ אֶת־קִנְאָתִי.
בְּנָקְמוֹ אֶת נִקְמָתִי — בְּקָצְפּוֹ אֶת הַקֶּצֶף שֶׁהָיָה לִי לִקְצֹף; כָּל לְשׁוֹן קִנְאָה הוּא הַמִּתְחָרֶה לִנְקֹם נִקְמַת דָּבָר, אנפרט"מנט בְּלַעַ"ז:
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| 12Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of peace. |
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יבלָכֵ֖ן אֱמֹ֑ר הִֽנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֥ן ל֛וֹ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י שָׁלֽוֹם: |
| My covenant of peace. That it should be a covenant of peace for him. Just as a man owes gratitude and favor to someone who did him a favor, so here God expressed to him His feelings of peace. |
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אֶת־בְּרִיתִי שָׁלֽוֹם.
שֶׁתְּהֵא לוֹ לִבְרִית שָׁלוֹם, כְּאָדָם הַמַּחֲזִיק טוֹבָה וְחַנּוֹת לְמִי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ טוֹבָה, אַף כָּאן פֵּרֵשׁ לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁלוֹמוֹתָיו:
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| 13It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of kehunah, because he was zealous for his God and atoned for the children of Israel." |
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יגוְהָ֤יְתָה לּוֹ֙ וּלְזַרְע֣וֹ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו בְּרִ֖ית כְּהֻנַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר קִנֵּא֙ לֵֽאלֹהָ֔יו וַיְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| It shall be. This covenant of Mine [mentioned in the previous verse] shall be for him. |
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וְהָיְתָה לּוֹ.
בְרִיתִי זֹאת:
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| an eternal covenant of kehunah. Although the kehunah had already been given to Aaron’s descendants, it had been given only to Aaron and his sons who were anointed with him, and to their children whom they would beget after their anointment. Phinehas, however, who was born before that and had never been anointed, had not been included in the kehunah until now. And so, we learn in [Tractate] Zevachim [101b], “Phinehas was not made a kohen until he killed Zimri.” |
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בְּרִית כְּהֻנַּת עוֹלָם.
שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְּנָה כְהֻנָּה לְזַרְעוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, לֹא נִתְּנָה אֶלָּא לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ עִמּוֹ וּלְתוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁיּוֹלִידוּ אַחַר הַמְשָׁחָתָן, אֲבָל פִּינְחָס שֶׁנּוֹלַד קֹדֶם לָכֵן וְלֹא נִמְשַׁח לֹא בָא לִכְלַל כְּהֻנָּה עַד כָּאן; וְכֵן שָׁנִינוּ בִזְבָחִים (דף ק"א) לֹא נִתְכַּהֵן פִּינְחָס עַד שֶׁהֲרָגוֹ לְזִמְרִי:
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| for his God. Heb. לֵאלֹהָיו, for the sake of his God, as in (11:29), “Are you zealous for my sake (לִי)?” and (Zech. 8:2), “I am zealous for Zion (לְצִיּוֹן)”-for the sake of Zion. |
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לֵֽאלֹהָיו.
בִּשְׁבִיל אֱלֹהָיו, כְּמוֹ "הַמְקַנֵּא אַתָּה לִי" (במדבר י"א), "וְקִנֵּאתִי לְצִיּוֹן" (זכריה ח') — בִּשְׁבִיל צִיּוֹן:
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| 14The name of the Israelite man who was killed, who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu, the chieftain of the Simeonite paternal house. |
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ידוְשֵׁם֩ אִ֨ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל הַמֻּכֶּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֻכָּה֙ אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֔ית זִמְרִ֖י בֶּן־סָל֑וּא נְשִׂ֥יא בֵֽית־אָ֖ב לַשִּׁמְעֹנִֽי: |
| The name of the Israelite man. In the place it [Scripture] traces the lineage of the righteous man for praise, it traces the lineage of the wicked man for shame. — [Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2, Num. Rabbah 21:3] |
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וְשֵׁם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וגו'.
בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיִּחֵס אֶת הַצַּדִּיק לְשֶׁבַח, יִחֵס אֶת הָרָשָׁע לִגְנַאי (תנחומא):
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| the chieftain of the Simeonite paternal house. Of one of the five paternal houses belonging to the tribe of Simeon. Another interpretation: To proclaim the praise of Phinehas, for although he [Zimri] was a chieftain, he [Phinehas] did not refrain from acting zealously against a profanation of the Divine Name. This is why Scripture tells us the name of the one who was slain. — [Mid. Aggadah] |
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נְשִׂיא בֵֽית־אָב לַשִּׁמְעֹנִֽי.
לְאֶחָד מֵחֲמֵשֶׁת בָּתֵּי אָבוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ לְשֵׁבֶט שִׁמְעוֹן; דָּבָר אַחֵר — לְהוֹדִיעַ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל פִּינְחָס, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזֶּה הָיָה נָשִׂיא, לֹא מָנַע אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִלְּקַנֵּא לְחִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם, לְכָךְ הוֹדִיעֲךָ הַכָּתוּב מִי הוּא הַמֻּכֶּה:
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| 15And the name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, a national leader of a paternal house in Midian. |
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טווְשֵׁ֨ם הָֽאִשָּׁ֧ה הַמֻּכָּ֛ה הַמִּדְיָנִ֖ית כָּזְבִּ֣י בַת־צ֑וּר רֹ֣אשׁ אֻמּ֥וֹת בֵּֽית־אָ֛ב בְּמִדְיָ֖ן הֽוּא: |
| The name of the slain… woman…. To inform you of the hatred of the Midianites [toward Israel], for they submitted a princess to prostitution to entice Israel into sin. — [Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2, Num. Rabbah 21:3] |
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וְשֵׁם הָֽאִשָּׁה הַמֻּכָּה וגו'.
לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שִׂנְאָתָן שֶׁל מִדְיָנִים — שֶׁהִפְקִירוּ בַּת מֶלֶךְ לִזְנוּת כְּדֵי לְהַחֲטִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל (שם):
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| a national leader. One of the five Midianite kings: “Evi, Rekem, Zur…” (31:8). He was the most prominent of them all, as it says, “a national leader.” But because he degraded himself by abandoning his daughter, he is listed only as the third [king]. — [Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2] |
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רֹאשׁ אֻמּוֹת.
אֶחָד מֵחֲמֵשֶׁת מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן "אֶת אֱוִי וְאֶת רֶקֶם וְאֶת צוּר" וְגוֹ' (במדבר ל״א:ח׳), וְהוּא הָיָה חָשׁוּב מִכֻּלָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "רֹאשׁ אֻמּוֹת", וּלְפִי שֶׁנָּהַג בִּזָּיוֹן בְּעַצְמוֹ לְהַפְקִיר בִּתּוֹ, מְנָאוֹ שְׁלִישִׁי (שם):
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| a paternal house. There were five paternal houses in Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Elda’ah (Gen. 25:4). This was the king of one of them. |
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בֵּֽית־אָב.
חֲמִשָּׁה בָתֵּי אָבוֹת הָיוּ לְמִדְיָן: "עֵיפָה וָעֵפֶר וַחֲנֹךְ וַאֲבִידָע וְאֶלְדָּעָה" (בראשית כ"ה), וְזֶה הָיָה מֶלֶךְ לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם:
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| 16The Lord spoke to Moses saying: |
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טזוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 17Distress the Midianites, and you shall smite them. |
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יזצָר֖וֹר אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם: |
| Distress. Heb. צָרוֹר, like זָכוֹר, ‘remember,’ (Exod. 20:8), and שָׁמוֹר, ‘keep’ (Deut. 5:12); a term describing a continual action [as if to say,] You must [constantly] show hostility toward them. |
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צָרוֹר.
כְּמוֹ זָכוֹר, שָׁמוֹר, לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה — עֲלֵיכֶם לְאַיֵּב אוֹתָם:
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| 18For they distress you with their plots which they contrived against you in the incident of Peor and in the incident of Cozbi their sister, the daughter of the Midianite chieftain, who was slain on the day of the plague [that had come] because of Peor. |
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יחכִּ֣י צֹֽרְרִ֥ים הֵם֙ לָכֶ֔ם בְּנִכְלֵיהֶ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִכְּל֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם עַל־דְּבַ֣ר פְּע֑וֹר וְעַל־דְּבַ֞ר כָּזְבִּ֨י בַת־נְשִׂ֤יא מִדְיָן֙ אֲחֹתָ֔ם הַמֻּכָּ֛ה בְּיֽוֹם־הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה עַל־דְּבַ֥ר פְּעֽוֹר: |
| For they distress you… in the incident of Cozbi. By submitting their daughters for prostitution so as to entice you to stray after Peor. He did not order the destruction of Moab for the sake of Ruth, who was destined to issue from them, as is stated in [Tractate] Bava Kamma [38b]. |
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כִּי צוררים הֵם לָכֶם וגו' עַל־דְּבַר פְּעוֹר.
שֶׁהִפְקִירוּ בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם לִזְנוּת, כְּדֵי לְהַטְעוֹתְכֶם אַחַר פְּעוֹר. וְאֶת מוֹאָב לֹא צִוָּה לְהַשְׁמִיד, מִפְּנֵי רוּת שֶׁהָיְתָה עֲתִידָה לָצֵאת מֵהֶם, כִּדְאָמְרִינַן בְּבָבָא קַמָּא (לח ב):
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