And the name of the man of Yisrael who was struck, who was struck with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, a prince of a father’s house of the Shimoni.
English: R. Yochanan said: Why was he called Zimri son of Salu? Zimri — because he became like a spoiled egg; son of Salu — because he caused the sins of his family to be examined.
Type of Learning
Name midrash (shem → pe’ulah).
What Is Learned
The Torah’s naming of the sinners encodes the nature of the deed and its public shame.