Rashi on TanakhNumbers 25

In Shittim. This was its name.

Acting promiscuously with the daughters of Moav. As a result of Bil’am’s advice, as stated in “Chelek.”

And prostrated themselves before their gods. When he was overcome by lust, and asked her to submit to him, she drew a statue of Pe’or from her bosom toward him and said, ‘Prostrate yourself before this’!

Pe’or. Because they bared, their buttocks before it and relieved themselves — this is the way it was worshipped.

The rage of Adonoy flared against Yisroel. He sent a plague on them.

Take all the leaders of the people. To pass judgement on those who worshipped Pe’or.

And hang them. The worshippers.

וְהוֹקַע . This refers to hanging, as we find concerning the sons of Shaul, “and let us hang them for [the sake of] God.” and there, hanging is specified, idolatry is [punished] with stoning, and all those stoned are hung.

Facing the sun. In full public view. Midrash Aggadah: The sun identifies the sinners. The cloud rolls back from the area above him, and the sun shines on him.

Each of you must execute his men. Each of the Israelite judges executed two men, and there were eighty eight thousand Israelite judges, as stated in Sanhedrin.

Behold, a man came from among Bnei Yisroel. The tribe of Shimon gathered around Zimri, who was their leader, and said to him, “We are being sentenced to death, and you sit by, etc.,” as stated in “Eilu Hein Hanisrafin.”

The Midianite woman. Kozbi, daughter of Tzur.

Before the eyes of Moshe. They said to him, “Moshe, is she forbidden or permitted? If you say ‘forbidden,’ who permitted the daughter of Yisro to you? etc.” as stated there.

Who were weeping. The halachah was concealed from him [that anyone having relations with a gentile woman is to be executed by the zealous], so they all burst into tears. At the golden calf, Moshe stood against six hundred thousand, as it is said, “he ground it into powder, etc.,” yet here he was enfeebled? But this was in order that Pinchas might come and take what was appropriately his.

Pinchas. . .saw. He saw the incident and remembered the halachah. He said to Moshe, “I received from you [the teaching] that anyone having relations with a gentile woman is to be executed by the zealous.” He replied to him, “Let the one who reads the correspondence serve as its executor.” Instantly, “he took a spear in his hand, etc.”

אֶל הַקֻבָּה . Into the tent.

Through her belly. As in “the jaws and the uterus.” He struck precisely at Zimri’s male organ and her female organ, so everyone saw that he did not kill them needlessly. Many miracles were performed for him, etc., as stated there.

Pinchas the son of Elozor, the son of Aharon the kohein. Because the tri es disparaged him, [saying] ‘Have you seen that son of “Puti,” whose mother’s father fattened calves for idol worship, and who murdered the chieftain of a tribe of Israel?’ Therefore, Scripture traces his lineage to Aharon.

By his vengeance for Me. By avenging My vengeance — by his rage where I should have been enraged. קִנְאָה always denotes someone enflamed to avenge something. Enportment, “flaming anger,” in Old French.

My covenant [of] peace. To be a covenant of peace for him like a man who harbors gratitude and favor towards someone who benefitted him. Here, too, the Holy One, Blessed is He, expressed to him His peace.

It shall be. To him — this covenant of Mine.

A covenant of eternal kehunah. Although the kehunah had already been given to Aharon’s descendants, it was given solely to Aharon and his sons who were annointed with him, and to their generations who would be borne after their annointment. Pinchas, however, who was born before, and was not annointed, was not included in the kehunah until here. Similarly, we learned in Zevachim, ‘Pinchas was not rendered a kohein until he killed Zimri.’

For his God. For the sake of his God, like הַמְקַנֵּא אַתָּה לִי, “are you zealous ‘for’ me?” and קִנֵּאתִי לְצִיּוֹן, “for the sake of Tzion.”

The name of the Israelite man, etc. Where he mentions the relationship of the saint for praise he mentions the relationship of the wicked for shame.

Leader of a paternal house of Shimon. Of one of the five paternal houses of the tribe of Shimon. Another interpretation: To proclaim the merit of Pinchas. Although this one was a leader, he did not refrain from avenging the desecration of the Name [of God]. This is why Scripture informs you of the identity of the one who was killed.

The name of the slain woman, etc. To inform you of the hatred of the Midianites, who abandoned a princess to promiscuous behavior in order to entice the Israelites into sinning.

The national leader. One of the five kings of Midian, “Evi, Rekem, Tzur, etc.” He was the most prominent of all of them, as it is said, “the national leader,” but because he debased himself by abandoning his daughter, he is counted third.

Of a paternal house. There were five paternal houses in Midian, Eiphah, Eipher, Chanoch, Avidah, and Eldoah. This one was the king of one them.

Antagonize. Like זָכוֹר, “remember,” שָׁמוֹר,”keep,” meaning ongoing action. It is incumbent upon you to act with hostility toward them.

For they antagonized you, etc., in the matter of Pe’or. Since they abandoned their daughters to promiscuity in order to cause you to stray after Pe’or. However, He did not order the destruction of Moav, Because of Rus [Ruth], who was destined to emanate from them, as we state in Bava Kama.