174. As soon as BILAAM noticed Pinchas, he flew into the air and his two sons with him, Yunus and Yumbrus. You might say that they died during the episode of the calf, since they are the ones who created and formed THAT CALF. It was surely so, and it is written: "And there fell of the people that day about 3,000 men" (Shemot 32:28). Didn't they know how to figure and account for such a small number? Haven't we found then accounting for other higher and much greater censuses? The scripture there knew how to count and here it is written: "About 3,000 men," MEANING THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW PRECISELY. It is only because these were the sons of Bilaam, Yunus and Yumbrus, who were equal to 3,000 men.