Deification of defacation? The inside story of Ba'al Pe'or

The opening portion of yesterday’s Torah reading concluded told of Pinchas’s exploits and reward – the conclusion of the sorry story of Israel’s entrapment in idolatry and immorality. While all idolatry is strictly opposed and prohibited by the Torah, there is something particularly unusual and unsettling about the worship of Ba’al Pe’or which draws the attention of the sages.

On Sanhedrin (60b), we read that the mode of worship of Ba’al Pe’or was defecation in front of it. In Rabbi S. R. Hirsch’s understanding, such a public act which goes against an innate human feeling of dignity and self-respect was deeply symbolic. It was intended to convey and internalize the message that humans are no different to animals – who feel no shame in publicly defecating. The public display of immorality that followed was a similar failing, not only sinning but performing the sin in a way which belied the usual human feelings of shame of committing sexual acts in public.

The philosophy of Pe’or worship in this telling is a complete abandonment of human dignity and shame – what Rav Hirsch called an almost Darwinian declaration that humans are not distinct from the animal kingdom. In keeping with this suggestion, the prophet Hoshea (9:10) described those who worshipped Ba’al Pe’or as having separated themselves for dedication to shame.

Judaism Reclaimed approaches the episode of Bila’am based on a midrashically-enhanced idea that, as representative prophet of the 70 nations, Bila’am sought to have Israel’s special chosen status revoked. Several verses openly state that Israel was not particularly worthy of leaving Egypt, receiving the Torah and entering the Land in their own right – they were mostly riding on the coattails of the Avot.

God clearly rejected Bila’am’s petition and doubled-down on Israel’s continued suitability as chosen nation to represent His word and teachings the world. Bila’am, it would seem, attempted to have the last laugh – seeking to demonstrate that he could lure the Jews to surrender not only their special enhanced status but even their very human dignity and Tzelem Elokim spark.

In light of this explanation we can gain a new appreciation for the verses stated in Devarim 4:3-4:

Your eyes have seen what God did at Baal Peor, for every man who went after Baal Peor, Hashem your God has exterminated from your midst. But you who cleave to Hashem your God are alive, all of you, this day.

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