📖 Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 47
Chapter 47 of Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
Verses
Verse 1
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ אוֹמֵר: כְּשֶׁיָּרַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַר סִינַי לִיתֵּן הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, יָרְדוּ עִמּוֹ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שֶׁל מַלְאָכִים כְּנֶגֶד שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שֶׁל גִּבּוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבִידָם זִינוֹת וּפְטָרוֹת, וְעִטְּרוּ אֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל כֶּתֶר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ. וְכָל אוֹתָן הַיָּמִים עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּאוּ לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, הָיוּ טוֹבִים לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, וְלֹא מָשַׁל בָּהֶם מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, וְלֹא הִשְׁלִיכוּ צוֹאָה כִּבְנֵי אָדָם. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁעָשׂוּ מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, כָּעַס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ: סָבוּר הָיִיתִי שֶׁתִּהְיוּ כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם וּבְנֵי עֶלְיוֹן כֻּלְּכֶם״. עַכְשָׁו ״אָכֵן כְּאָדָם תְּמוּתוּן וּכְאַחַד הַשָּׂרִים תִּפֹּלוּ״.
THE ZEAL OF PHINEAS 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 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, and they crowned the Israelites with the Ineffable Name. All those days, whilst they had not done that deed, they were as good as 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 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 like the ministering angels, as it is said, "I said, Ye are angels, and all of you sons of the Most High" (Ps. 82:6). But now, "Nevertheless, ye shall die like men" (Ps. 82:7).
Verse 2
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אֵימָתַי? כְּשֶׁאָדָם לוֹבֵשׁ בִּגְדֵי תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ, יָפֶה בְּמַרְאֵהוּ וּבִכְבוֹדוֹ. כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ לוֹבְשִׁין אוֹתוֹ הַשֵּׁם, הָיוּ טוֹבִים לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁעָשׂוּ מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, כָּעַס עֲלֵיהֶם. וּבְאוֹתָהּ הַלַּיְלָה יָרְדוּ אוֹתָם שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שֶׁל מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְלָקְחוּ מֵהֶם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מַה שֶּׁנָּתְנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְנִמְצְאוּ עֲרוּמִים שֶׁלֹּא בִּרְצוֹנָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם״. אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן ״וַיְנַצְּלוּ״ אֶלָּא ״וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ״. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: מֵאֵלָיו הָיָה נִקְלָף.
Rabbi Jehudah said: As long as a man is dressed in his garments of glory, he is beautiful in his appearance and in his honour; 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. || In that night the same sixty myriads of ministering angels descended, and they severally took from each one of them what they had put upon them, and they became bare, not according to their own wish, as it is said, "And the children of Israel stripped themselves" (Ex. 33:6). It is not written here, "the children of Israel took away," but "the children of Israel stripped themselves." Some say by itself (their adornment) was stripped off.
Verse 3
רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: כָּל יְשִׁיבוֹת שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר עָשׂוּ בָהֶם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם לֶאֱכֹל וְשָׁתוֹ״. מַה כָּתוּב שָׁם? ״וַיָּקֻמוּ לְצַחֵק״ – הִתְחִילוּ עוֹבְדִים עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וּכְתִיב אַחַר אוֹמֵר: ״וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים״, מַה כָּתוּב שָׁם? ״וַיָּחֶל הָעָם לִזְנוֹת״ – הִתְחִילוּ בִּזְנוּת.
Rabbi said: At every place where Israel sat down in the wilderness, they made idols for themselves, as it is said, "And the people sat down to eat and to drink" (Ex. 32:6). 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 with the daughters of Moab" (ibid.). They commenced to be immoral.
Verse 4
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, כְּתִיב (איוב כב, יח): ״וַעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים רָחֲקָה מֶנִּי״, זֶה עֲצָתוֹ שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע שֶׁיָּעַץ לְמִדְיָן וְנָפְלוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף. שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם: ״אֵין אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִין לִפְנֵי הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי אִם חָטְאוּ לִפְנֵי קוֹנֵיהֶם״. וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם חֲנֻיּוֹת חוּץ לְמַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָיוּ מוֹכְרִין כָּל מִמְכָּרָן בַּשּׁוּק. וְכֵן עָשׂוּ, וְהָיוּ בַּחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹצְאִין חוּץ לְמַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וְרוֹאִין אֶת בְּנוֹת מִדְיָן שֶׁהָיוּ כּוֹחֲלוֹת עֵינֵיהֶן כְּזוֹנוֹת וְלָקְחוּ מֵהֶן נָשִׁים וְתָעוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיָּחֶל הָעָם לִזְנוֹת אֶת בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב״.
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 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 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).
Verse 5
שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי קִנְּאוּ עַל הַזְּנוּת הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, שֶׁאָמְרוּ ״וַיֹּאמְרוּ הַכְזוֹנָה יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת אֲחוֹתֵנוּ״, וְלָקְחוּ אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ וְהָרְגוּ אֶת אַנְשֵׁי שְׁכֶם. וְהַנָּשִׂיא שֶׁל שֵׁבֶט שִׁמְעוֹן לֹא זָכַר מַה עָשָׂה זְקֵנוֹ וְלֹא גָּעַר בְּבַחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא בָּא בִּזְנוּת עַל הַמִּדְיָנִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְשֵׁם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמֻּכֶּה״ וְכוּ'.
Simeon and Levi were exceedingly zealous because of the immorality, as it is said, "And they said, As with an harlot 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 did not remember that which his ancestor had done, and he did not rebuke the young men of Israel, but he himself came publicly to the Midianitish woman for an immoral purpose, as it is said, "Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri… a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites" (Num. 25:14).
Verse 6
וְכָל הַנְּשִׂיאִים וּמֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר וּפִינְחָס רָאוּ מַלְאַךְ הַמַּשְׁחִית לָעָם, וְהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִים וּבוֹכִים וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת. רָאָה פִּינְחָס אֶת זִמְרִי שֶׁבָּא בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא בִּזְנוּת עַל הַמִּדְיָנִית, וְקִנֵּא קִנְאָה גְּדוֹלָה וְחָטַף מִיָּדוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה אֶת הָרֹמַח, וַיָּרָץ מֵאַחֲרָיו וּדְקָרוֹ מֵאַחֲרֵי בֵּיתוֹ, וַיַּנַּח הָרֹמַח בְּקֻבָּתָהּ שֶׁל הָאִשָּׁה. לְפִיכָךְ נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שָׂכָר טוֹב לוֹ וּלְבָנָיו בְּמַאֲכַל הַזְּרוֹעַ. וְנִתְפַּזְּרוּ הַלְּחָיַיִם, הַלֶּחִי שֶׁל הָאִישׁ וּלְחָיַיִם שֶׁל אִשָּׁה. לְפִיכָךְ נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שָׂכָר טוֹב לְבָנָיו בְּמַאֲכַל הַלְּחָיַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנָתַן לַכֹּהֵן הַזְּרֹעַ וְהַלְּחָיַיִם״.
All the princes with Moses, Eleazar, and Phineas saw the angel who was to destroy the people, 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, 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. 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, as it is said, "And they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw" (Deut. 18:3).
Verse 7
קָם כְּדַיָּין גָּדוֹל וְשׁוֹפֵט וְשָׁפַט אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּעֲמֹד פִּינְחָס וַיְפַלֵּל״. מָה הַלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה ״וַיְפַלֵּל״? כְּדַיָּן גָּדוֹל. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר: ״וְנָתַן בִּפְלִלִים״. וְהָיָה מַכֶּה אֶת בַּחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִירָאוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁמְעוּ וְיִירָאוּ״. וְרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַה שֶ��ׁעָשָׂה פִּינְחָס, וּמִיָּד נִתְמַלֵּא רַחֲמִים וְעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה.
He arose like a great spiritual leader and he judged 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, "And he shall pay as the judges determine" (Ex. 21:22). And he smote the young men 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 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).
Verse 8
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: קָרָא שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל פִּינְחָס בִּשְׁמוֹ אֵלִיָּה, אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב מִתּוֹשָׁבֵי הַגִּלְעָד, שֶׁעָשָׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּשׁוּבָה [עַל יָדוֹ] בְּהַר גִּלְעָד, וְנָתַן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שָׂכָר טוֹב וּלְבָנָיו הַצַּדִּיקִים לְמַעַן כְּהֻנַּת עוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָיְתָה לּוֹ וּלְזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו בְּרִית כְּהֻנַּת עוֹלָם״.
Rabbi Eliezer said: He called the name of Phineas by the name of Elijah—Elijah of blessed memory, (who was) of those who repented in Gilead, for he brought about the repentance of Israel 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, as it is said, "My covenant was with him of life and peace" (Mal. 2:5). He gave to him and to his sons a good reward, in order that (he might have) the everlasting priesthood, as it is said, "And it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood" (Num. 25:13).
Verse 9
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: עָמַד פִּנְחָס וְחָרַם עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּסוֹד שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ וּבַכְּתָב הַנִּכְתָּב עַל הַלּוּחוֹת, וּכְחֵרֶם בֵּית דִּין הָעֶלְיוֹן וּכְחֵרֶם בֵּית דִּין הַתַּחְתּוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתֶּה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִיֵּינָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אִם בְּרֶפֶשׁ רַגְלֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְצֹאנִי מִרְמַס רַגְלֵיכֶם״. שֶׁכָּל יֵינָם שֶׁל גּוֹיִם לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְלִזְנוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״זְנוּת יַיִן וְתִירוֹשׁ יִקַּח לֵב״, וְכָתוּב אַחֵר אוֹמֵר: ״אַל תְּהִי בְסֹבְאֵי יָיִן בְּזֹלְלֵי בָשָׂר לָמוֹ״.
Rabbi Elazar of Modein said: Phineas arose, and pronounced the ban 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, and by the ban of the terrestrial Court of Justice, that a man of Israel should not drink the wine of the nations 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 they eat, and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet" (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, as it is said, "Whoredom and wine || and new wine take away the heart" (Hos. 4:11).
Verse 10
רַבִּי פִּנְחָס אוֹמֵר: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, ״זְכוּרִים אַתֶּם מָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ לָכֶם הַמִּדְיָנִים הַלָּלוּ, שֶׁנָּפְלוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף אִישׁ? אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁלֹּא תֵאָסֵף, קוּם נְקֹם נִקְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל״.
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," arise, execute vengeance, (as it is said,) "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterwards shalt thou be gathered unto thy people" (Num. 31:2).
Verse 11
מָה עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם? לָקַח אֶלֶף אִישׁ מִכָּל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט, הֲרֵי שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֶלֶף, וְהַמְקַנֵּא עַל הַזְּנוּת נָשִׂיא עֲלֵיהֶם, וְלָקְחוּ אֶת כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת הַתְּרוּעָה בְּיָדוֹ וְהָלְכוּ וְשָׁבוּ אֶת בְּנוֹת מִדְיָן וְאָמַר: ״לֹא עַל אֵלּוּ נָפְלוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף?״ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם״. הִתְחִיל כּוֹעֵס עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּקְצֹף מֹשֶׁה עַל פְּקוּדֵי הֶחָיִל״ וּבְכַעֲסוֹ נִסְתַּלְּקָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מֵעָלָיו. מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁהַקַּפְּדָן מְאַבֵּד אֶת כָּל חָכְמָתוֹ, וְרָאָה אֶלְעָזָר וְקִבֵּל מֵאַחֲרָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לא, כא): ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֶל אַנְשֵׁי הַצָּבָא וְכוּ' זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אֶת מֹשֶׁה״. אָמַר לָהֶם: ״לְמֹשֶׁה צִוָּה וְאוֹתִי לֹא צִוָּה״.
What did Moses do? He took a thousand men (and) a prince 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 over them. The holy vestments and the trumpets of alarm were in his hand, and they went, and they took captive the daughters of Midian, and they brought them (to the camp). (Moses) said to (Phineas): Because of these did not twenty-four thousand men of Israel fall? as it is said, "Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor" (Num. 31:16); and he began to be angry with them, as it is said, "And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host" (Num. 31:14). During his anger the Holy Spirit departed from him. Hence thou mayest learn that the impetuous man destroys his wisdom. Eleazar saw and he heard (the voice) behind (Moses), as it is said, "And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war… This is the statute of the Law which the Lord hath commanded Moses" (Num. 31:21). He said to them: He commanded Moses and He did not command me.