במדבר, פרק ל״ד, פסוק כ׳

The list of leaders appointed to divide the land of Israel holds subtle clues about the history and spiritual standing of the tribes. When looking closely at the representative for the tribe of Simeon, a distinct detail emerges: unlike most leaders on the list, he is not given the title of prince. Commentators offer different perspectives for this omission [רב נסים גאון]. From a practical standpoint, Simeon's territory was entirely absorbed into the land of Judah, making an independent prince unnecessary for their portion of the land division. On a moral level, the title was removed as a punishment and a mark of shame due to the grave sin of their former leader, Zimri son of Salu, who had been a prince of the tribe.

Interestingly, the leaders of the tribes listed immediately before and after Simeon, Judah and Benjamin, also lack the title of prince. While there are specific reasons for their omissions, such as Judah's representative already holding the title since the time of the spies, and Benjamin's leader being a prophet, this arrangement reveals a deep sense of divine compassion. God values the dignity of His creations and sought to mask Simeon's disgrace. By ensuring that the neighboring tribes on the list also lacked the title, God prevented Simeon from standing out in its shame [פני דוד].

Despite this kindness, a delicate distinction remains between Simeon and its neighbors. When mentioning Judah and Benjamin, only the name of the tribe is used. However, when referring to Simeon, an extra phrase is added, calling them the children of the tribe. Typically, the title of prince is paired with this phrasing, as a leader is appointed over the children of a tribe. Because the title was omitted for positive reasons regarding Judah and Benjamin, the extra phrasing was unnecessary. For Simeon, however, it was deliberately kept to emphasize the glaring absence of the title that should have followed it. This subtle detail signals that Simeon's missing title is a mark of disgrace, unlike the honorable omissions of its neighbors [פני דוד].