The story of the Israelites and their encounter with the daughters of Moab is a stark reminder. It's a tale of temptation, idolatry, and the devastating consequences of losing sight of our values.
The Torah tells us, "The people began to engage in harlotry with the daughters of Moav" (Numbers 25:1). But Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers, doesn't just leave it there. It delves into the context, drawing a fascinating parallel. Remember the Exodus? "Speak to the children of Israel, and they will return and encamp before Pi HaḤirot" (Exodus 14:2). What's Pi HaḤirot? According to Bamidbar Rabbah, it’s a place associated with harlotry. But because the Israelites behaved chastely then, it was called Pi HaḤirot– hinting at ḥerut, freedom.
The text contrasts this with the story at hand: "But these, who abandoned themselves to the women, it is written ‘the people began to engage in harlotry [with the daughters of Moav].’" Notice something? The text uses the term "the people" here, not "Israel." Bamidbar Rabbah points out a pattern: "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." Think about it: "The people were as complainers" (Numbers 11:1); "the people spoke against God and against Moses" (Numbers 21:5). It's a subtle but powerful distinction.
The text drives home a critical point: actions have roots. "The people began to engage in harlotry – cast a staff into the air, it falls on its place of origin." This isn’t just a random event; it’s part of a pattern. Bamidbar Rabbah even connects it back to the story of Lot and his daughters (Genesis 19:30–37). Remember that story? "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.’" The implications are clear: "She who began with harlotry initially, her daughters completed the task after her; ‘to engage in harlotry with the daughters of Moav.’"
But how did it all unfold? "They invited the people to the offerings of their gods, and the people ate, and prostrated themselves to their gods" (Numbers 25:2). According to Bamidbar Rabbah, they were following Bilam’s advice: "Behold, they were for the children of Israel, by the word of Bilam, to commit trespass against the Lord" (Numbers 31:16). The text paints a vivid picture. They crafted curtains, seated harlots within, and stocked their hands with precious vessels. An elderly woman acted as a lookout, luring Israelites with the promise of fine goods from Beit She’an.
The temptation was multifaceted. They’d offer wine (before it was prohibited to drink wine made by gentiles), and say things like, "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?" They even offered kosher-style food. "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." A young woman would come out adorned and perfumed and seduce him.
The trap was set. "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)." Then came the ultimate test. "I will not submit to you until you slaughter this to Peor, and prostrate yourself to it." At first, the Israelite might resist: "To idolatry I do not prostrate myself." But she'd minimize it: "You are doing nothing more than exposing yourself." And tragically, many succumbed. "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.'"
The consequences were severe. "Israel adhered [vayitzamed] to Baal Peor, and the wrath of the Lord was enflamed against Israel" (Numbers 25:3). Vayitzamed – initially, they would enter discreetly, but ultimately, they would enter in pairs [tzemidim], as in a yoke [tzemed] of cattle. Or, like a person who is constant [tzamid] in his labor.
Rabbi Levi offers a chilling comparison: "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." The scale of the tragedy was immense. At the calf, three thousand fell, but here, twenty-four thousand.
So, what was the response? "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). Rabbi Yudan suggests they hanged the leaders for failing to properly reprove the people. Rabbi Nehemya offers a different interpretation: God instructed Moses to empanel heads of the Sanhedrin, a rabbinical court, to judge those who went astray with Peor.
The story concludes with a stark reminder of accountability: "So Moses said to Israel's officials: Each of you slay those of his men [who attached themselves to Baal Peor]" (Numbers 25:5).
What do we take away from this disturbing narrative? It’s a potent reminder of the seductive power of temptation, the importance of staying true to our values, and the devastating consequences of succumbing to external pressures. It's a call to be vigilant, to choose wisely, and to remember that our actions have far-reaching consequences, echoing through generations. Can we learn from the mistakes of the past? Can we resist the allure of the fleeting and prioritize the enduring? That's the challenge this ancient story lays before us.