Initially, when Rav Kahana asked Rav what punishment was due to someone who is intimate with a Nochris in public who was not killed by a zealous person - he could not recall the answer.

He remembered however, following a dream that Rav Kahana related to him, based on a Pasuk in Mal'achi. "Bagdah Yehudah" he said, referred to Avodah-Zarah. He interpreted ...

... "ve'So'evah Ne'es'sah be'Yisrael ... " - as homosexuality.

... "Ki Chilel Yehudah es K'dosh Hash-m" - as prostitution.

... "u'Ba'al Bas Keil Neichar" - as having relations with a Nochris.

And the Pasuk concludes "Yachris Hash-m la'Ish Asher Ya'asenah ... ". Rav interpreted the words ...

... "Er ve'Onah be'Ohalei Ya'akov" - with regard to a sinner who is a Talmid-Chacham, and who will leave no children or grandchildren who are Talmidei-Chachamim.

... "u'Magish Minchah la'Hashem Tzevakos" - with regard to a sinner who is a Kohen, and who will leave no children or grandchildren who will bring a Minchah to Hash-m (i.e. who will serve in the Beis-Hamikdah).

Rebbi Chiya bar Avuyah ...

... extrapolates from the Pasuk "u'Ba'al bas Eil Neichar" - that if someone who has relations with a Nochris, it is as if he had married a foreign god (because otherwise, gods don't have daughters.

... says - that the skull of Yehoyakim was left lying at the gates of Yerushalayim, and on it was written 'Od ve'Zos Acheres' (This and another one).

When Rebbi P'reida's grandfather once came across a skull - and twice tried to bury it - the earth simply rejected it ...

... so he concluded that it must be the skull of Yehoyakim, about which the Navi Yirmiyah prophesied 'Kevuras Chamor Yikaver' (he would be buried like a donkey, which are not buried in the normal manner).

What prompted ...

... him to wrap it in silks and place it in a box - was the fact that it was not Kavod for a king's skull to be left lying in the open like that.

... his wife to burn it - was the neighbor's comments that it must be the skull of Rebbi P'reida's first wife, whom he could not forget.

Rebbi P'reida's grandfather's final words on the subject were - that the prophetic words 'Zos ve'Od Achares' written on the skull had now been fulfilled, since not only did Yehoyakim not receive a proper burial, but his skull was also burned).

When Rav Dimi arrived from Eretz Yisrael, he stated that it was the Beis-Din of the Chashmona'im who decreed on 'Nashga' - the acronym of Nidah, Shifchah, Goyah, Eishes Ish.

In this context, we must interpret ...

... 'Nidah" to mean - that even though Halachically, there is no such thing as Nidah by Nochrim, the fact that she is technically a Nidah is a desecration of Kedushas Yisrael.

... 'Shifchah' - that Yisrael are considered the master nation, and the Nochrim, like a Shifchah.

... 'Eishes Ish' - that (like we just explained by Nidah) Chazal took into account the fact that it resembles Eishes Ish, even though, min ha'Torah, 'Eishes Ish' does not pertain to them, only 'Be'ulas Ba'al' (as we have already learned).

When Ravin arrived (from Eretz Yisrael), he presented it as 'Nashgaz'. The 'Zayin' stands for - Zonah (a prostitute).

The reason that ...

... Ravin rejected Rav Dimi's version is - because, as we jut explained, there is no Ishus by Nochrim (and, in his opinion neither did the Rabbanan institute it).

... Rav Dimi rejected Ravin's version is - because Nochrim do not tend to make their wives Hefker.

Rav Chisda rules that if someone asks a Rav whether he may go ahead and kill a Bo'el Aramis - he is told that he may not (since the obligation only applies to someone who acts spontaneously).

Rabah bar bar Chanah Amar Rebbi Yochanan says the same thing, adding that had Zimri ...

... separated from Kozbi - and Pinchas would have then killed him, he would have been Chayav Misah (because the concession to kill them outside of Beis-Din only applies whilst they are actually involved in the act).

... turned round and killed Pinchas (in self-defense) - he would have been Patur.

What prompted Zimri to do what he did - was his tribe (Shimon)'s request, that the judges appointed by Moshe were beginning to kill the sinners (mainly from Shimon), and that he should intervene on their behalf.

He responded - by taking twenty-four thousand people with him, and accosting Kozbi.

When Zimri accosted Kozbi, she initially declined on the basis of her father's instructions to seduce Yisrael's leader (Moshe).

Zimri's responded - by pointing out that not only was he also a leader of a tribe (Shelumiel ben Tzurishaday, the Nasi of Shimon), but that his great-grandfather Shimon (the second-born of Ya'akov) was senior to Levi, Moshe's great-grandfather (who was only the third son of Ya'akov).

He then - grabbed Kozbi by the hair and took her before Moshe, whom he asked whether she was permitted or not, and if not, who had then allowed him to marry a daughter of Yisro (also from Midyan).

Moshe and the men who were with him reacted - by weeping.

He did not do what Pinchas did - because he forgot the Halachah.

Rav explains the Pasuk "va'Yar Pinchas ben Elazar" to mean - that Pinchas saw what happened and remembered the Halachah ('Ra'ah Ma'aseh, ve'Nizkar Halachah' [if Moshe forgot the Halachah, Pinchas remembered it]).

He reminded Moshe that, when he came down from Har Sinai - he had taught them 'ha'Bo'el es ha'Kutis, Kana'in Pog'in Bo'.

When he referred to his grandfather's brother, he meant to Moshe (his grandfather Aharon's brother).

Moshe replied - 'Karyana de'Igresa Ihu Lehavi Parvanka' ('The one who reads the letter is the one who should carry out its instructions').

When, to explain "va'Yar Pinchas", Shmuel quotes the dictum "Ein Chochmah, ve'Ein Tevunah ve'Eitzah Neged Hash-m", he means - that Pinchas recalled the Halachah that when there is a Chilul Hash-m, it is not the time to give honor to one's Rebbe, but to act, which explains why Pinchas went ahead and killed Zimri and Kozbi, and did not wait for Mosha to do it.

According to Rebbi Yitzchak Amar Rebbi Elazar, he saw an angel - who began killing the people. He then removed the metal from the tip of his wooden spear - to hide his true intentions from the B'nei Shimon (as we shall now see).

We learn from the words "va'Yikach Romach be'Yado" - that it is forbidden to enter the Beis-Hamedrash (from where he now set out on his mission) with a weapon.

To gain entry into the tent where Zimri and Kozbi were, he complained to the B'nei Shimon - that he did not see why the B'nei Shimon were greater than the B'nei Levi (his tribe). Why, he asked, should they have all the fun, whilst his tribe practiced restraint.

The B'nei Shimon responded with - 'Let him enter; he has only come to enjoy himself. And it seems that the Tzadikim have permitted it!'

Pinchas experienced - six miracles.

The first miracle was that Zimri did not separate from Kozbi (which would have forbidden Pinchas to take any action). Zimri might have also called out for help, but miraculously did not.

The third miracle was that Pinchas (who was not an experienced swordsman) pierced Zimri and Kozbi in exactly the right spot, and the fourth miracle was that, as he picked them up, they did not slide off the sword (to demonstrate that he killed them for their sin, and not for any personal reason).

The miracle that occurred ...

... as he carried them through the tent entrance was - that an angel raised the lintel for Pinchas to carry them through without having to bend down (which would have caused the Zimri and Kozbi to fall off).

... after that was - that another angel began killing the B'nei Shimon, to keep them occupied looking after their dead, leaving them no time to kill Pinchas for having killed their Nasi.

When depositing them in front of Hash-m, Pinchas declared 'What, for these two, twenty-four thousand of Yisrael had to die'?

According to Rebbi Elazar, the Pasuk writes "va'Ya'amod Pinchas va'Yefalel", and not va'Yispalel" - to hint that his prayers achieved wonders (from the word 'Pela'os'), as we shall now see.

As a result of his prayers ...

... Hash-m answered the Angels, who wanted to kill him for his brazenness - that he had inherited his zealousness from his ancestor Levi (who, together with his brother Shimon, had killed the town of Sh'chem in their zealousness for their daughter. But he was also an averter of anger the grandson of an averter of anger (Aharon who, like Pinchas, stopped a plague [with the Ketores]).

... the Torah answered the tribes (who accused him of acting brashly because he was the grandson of 'Puti', alias Putiel, Yisro - who had fattened calves for Avodah-Zarah), by referring to him as Pinchas ben Elazar ben Aharon ha'Kohen (who represented Yisrael before Hash-m).

For having atoned for K'lal Yisrael Pinchas was rewarded with a covenant of peace and - with everlasting Kehunah.

Rav Nachman Amar Rav explains the significance of the four hundred and twenty four Be'ilos that Zimri made with Kozbi - in that they made him weak, rendering him incapable of retaliating (though this would weaken the first two miracles which we discussed earlier). The connection with the Pasuk in Mishlei "Zarzir Mosnayim O Tayash" is - that the numerical value of "Zarzir" is four hundred and twenty four (see Agados Maharsha).

The continuation "u'Melech Alkom Imo" means - that Hash-m (who is called 'Melech Alkom) was on his side, and had he known that, he would not have needed to wait for Zimri to become weak.

The Beraisa disagrees with Rav Nachman Amar Rav. According to the Tana - Zimri had sixty Be'ilos with Kozbi.

When the Tana says 'Ad she'Na'aseh ke'Beitzah ha'Muzeres', he means - that his testicles became soft like scrambled eggs from the vast amount of seed and the many Be'ilos.

And he also describes him - as a row (of plants) full of water.

Rav Kahana describes the place where they lay as being sixty Amos. According to Rav Yosef quoting a Beraisa Kozbi's womb measured - one Amah (though it is not clear what these measurements mean).

Although, as Rav Sheishes says, Kozbi's real name was Sh'vilna'i, the Torah nevertheless calls her 'Kozbi' - because she let down her father (who had ordered her to go for Moshe exclusively, as we explained earlier).

Others say that Kozbi is the acronym of 'Kus bi Am Zeh' - because she said to her father 'Destroy this nation through me'.

And the meaning of ...

... the saying 'What is Sh'vilna'i doing between the canes and the willows', or 'among the canes' means -that it is a secluded place, and that one can therefore assume that she is there, in order to commit adultery.

... 'Gafsah le'Imah' means - that by virtue of the fact that people tend to refer to a Zonah (a harlot) as a 'Zonah bas Zonah', she branded her mother as being a Zonah, too.

Zimri actually had five names. We have already explained that his real name was 'Sh'lumiel ... ' and that he was called 'Zimri' because 'she'Na'aseh ke'Beitzah ha'Muzeres'. He was called 'ben Salu' - because he either caused the people to describe his family as a sinful one or because he caused Hash-m to examine their sins.

His fourth name was 'Shaul' because he lent himself out for sin. And he was called 'ben ha'Cana'anis' - because he behaved like the Cana'anim (who were a highly immoral nation).

When Rav Acha bar Huna asked Rav Sheishes whether a Kohen who served be'Tum'ah is Chayav Misah or not, he resolved the She'eilah from our Mishnah - Kohen she'Shimesh be'Tum'ah, Ein Echav ha'Kohanim Mevi'in Oso le'Beis-Din ... ', and if he was Chayav Misah, why not just leave the sinner to die at the Hand of Hash-m?

We counter this argument however - by suggesting that if he was not Chayav Misah, how could we allow the Kohanim to kill him (the exact opposite viewpoint [as we argued earlier])?

The problem with this from the various Mishnahs that we just learned, beginning with 'Mi sha'Lakah ve'Shanah ... ' is - that the sinners there are all put to death, even though they only seem to have transgressed a plain La'v?

We nevertheless reconcile the theory with our Mishnah which rules ...

... 'Mi she'Lakah ve'Shanah, Beis-Din Machnisin Oso le'Kipah' (even though no Chiyuv Misah is mentioned there) - by establishing the Mishnah like Rebbi Yirmiyah Amar Resh Lakish, by Malkiyos of Chayvei Kerisus (as we learned earlier).

... 'Gonev es ha'Kisva' - by establishing it by someone who steals a 'K'li Shareis', like Rav Yehudah (which has its source in the Torah ["ve'Lo Yavo'u Lir'os", as we learned earlier]).

... 'ha'Mekalel es ha'Kosem' because of its similarity to Mevarech es Hash-m (as Tani Rav Yosef taught us earlier).

... 'Bo'el es ha'Kutis' - because, as we learned above, Rav accepted Rav Kahana's dream, that a Kohen she'Shimesh be'Tum'ah is indeed Chayav Misah bi'Yedei Shamayim.