King Yannai’s Advice to His Wife Shelamzion
King Yannai said to his wife [before he died]: Do not be afraid of the Pharisees, and neither [should you fear] from those who are not Pharisees [i.e., the Sadducees]; rather, [beware] of the hypocrites who appear like Pharisees, as their actions are like the act of [the wicked] Zimri and they request [a] reward like [that of the righteous] Phinehas [see Numbers 25].
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
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