Pinchas 25:15 · unit 2 — Bilam advised Balak to deploy their daughters

Parashas Pinchas · Passuk 25:15

The Complete Passuk

וְשֵׁם הָאִשָּׁה הַמֻּכָּה הַמִּדְיָנִית כָּזְבִּי בַת־צוּר רֹאשׁ אֻמּוֹת בֵּית־אָב בְּמִדְיָן הוּא׃

And the name of the Midianite woman who was struck was Kozbi daughter of Tzur; he was head of nations of a father’s house in Midian.

Chabad.org — 25:15

Source Citation

Torah Temimah: Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 10:2

Sefaria — Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 10:2

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר לֵיהּ בִּלְעָם לְבָלָק, אֱלֹהֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ שׂוֹנֵא זִמָּה הוּא, הַעֲמִידוּ בְּנוֹתֵיכֶם בְּזִמָּה וְאַתֶּם שׁוֹלְטִין בָּהֶם… הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב רֹאשׁ אֻמּוֹת בֵּית אָב בְּמִדְיָן הוּא.

English: Bilam said to Balak: The God of these people hates immorality; set your daughters in immorality and you will rule over them… This is what is written: “head of nations of a father’s house in Midian is he.”

Type of Learning

Narrative background for Midian’s role at Peor.

What Is Learned

The plague strategy was counsel from Bilam; Midian’s leadership is implicated in the trap.