The Torah opens the scene quietly:

וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל
בַּשִּׁטִּים,

וַיָּחֶל הָעָם לִזְנוֹת אֶל־בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב.

— “And Yisrael dwelled in Shittim, and the people began to
stray after the daughters of Moav.” (בַּמִּדְבָּר כ״ה:א׳)

One verse.

No battle cries.

Just the gentle pull of desire. Of loneliness. Of spiritual
disarmament.

Bilam, the wicked prophet, fails to curse Am Yisrael. But
before leaving, he whispers to Balak:

“אֱלֹקֵיהֶם
שֶׁל אֵלּוּ שׂוֹנֵא זִמָּה הוּא”

— “Their G-d despises immorality.” (סנהדרין ק״ו)

And with that advice, the Moabite plan begins. Royal
daughters of Midyan and Moav are sent to seduce the Israelites—not just with
beauty, but with hospitality, charm, and warmth.

At first, they are selling textiles , and clothing - an old
woman at front.

You want to see the better things - come to the back where there is a beautiful
young girl waiting she’s hospitable

She offers wine.

Then, herself .

Then, a request:

“הִשְׁתַּחֲוֵה
לְפְעוֹר”

— Bow to Pe’or. Just once. Just a formality.

It wasn’t just זְנוּת.

It was ideology cloaked in love.

A theological ambush.

There’s a profound Midrash:

“תָּבֹוא הָאֵם וּתְקַנֵּחַ צֹאָת בְּנָה” –

“Let the mother come and clean up the mess of her child.”

(Tanchuma, Chukat 8)

The child? Klal Yisrael, who sinned with the Egel HaZahav.

The mother? The Parah Adumah, the red heifer whose ashes bring purity.

But what’s the connection?

The Chet Ha’Egel wasn’t wild rebellion—it was panic wrapped in reason. Moshe was delayed. Maybe gone. They needed a leader. An intermediary. Their intentions were leshem Shamayim. But the Alexandrer Rebbe, the Yismach Yisrael, teaches:

“Sometimes the greatest mistake… is thinking we understand.”

That was their error.

They thought they were doing the right thing. They rationalized. They overreached.

So along comes the Parah Adumah—the antidote. A mitzvah that defies reason. A chok. A decree.

Even Shlomo HaMelekh, wisest of men, said:

“אָמַרְתִּי אֶחְכָּמָה – וְהִיא רְחוֹקָה מִמֶּנִּי” –

“I thought I could understand—but it is far from me.” (Kohelet 7:23)

🇺🇸 Better Than Fireworks: Giants, Mountains & Miracles

🕗 July 4th | 7:30 AM Shacharit • Followed by Breakfast & Shiur

This Independence Day, come for breakfast—and stay for a battle that shook the heavens.

A mountain lifted, ants sent by Heaven, and the “worm of Yaakov” that crushed a giant.

Discover how Moshe Rabbeinu defeated Og with nothing but spirit, and how you can too.

Better than fireworks. Bigger than Bashan.