A sharp transition marks the final encampment of the Israelites in the desert, just moments before they enter the land of Canaan. Following forty years of a protected, sin-free existence, a sudden and severe moral and spiritual collapse occurs. What begins as physical desire quickly spirals into idolatry and ultimately leads to a devastating plague.
The downfall takes place at Shittim, located in the plains of Moab [רש״י, אבן עזרא]. However, the nature of their stay reveals the root of the sin. The primary approach among commentators is that rather than setting up a temporary camp like an army or passing travelers, the Israelites settled down. They sought tranquility, permanence, and physical pleasure in the material world. This newfound complacency eroded their boundaries and paved the way for transgression [תורה תמימה, דעת זקנים, שפתי כהן, מלבי״ם].
The environment itself seemed to influence the transgressors. Some suggest that a unique local spring produced waters that naturally aroused lust and promiscuity [רבנו בחיי, רא״ש, צאינה וראינה, שפתי כהן]. Furthermore, the name of the location is associated with wandering outside the camp in search of pleasure [אור החיים]. Others connect the name to foolishness, noting that a person only commits a sin when a spirit of folly enters them, causing them to stray from the proper path [תורה תמימה, רא״ש, חומש קה״ת].
As the sin took hold, the perpetrators effectively stripped themselves of their sanctity, becoming profane [אור החיים, רבנו בחיי, אברבנאל, בכור שור, הדר זקנים]. The commentators agree that the initial group to fall were not the righteous among the nation, but rather the mixed multitude and the lower classes. The dignified title of Israel is reserved only for those who maintained their holiness and resisted the immediate pull of the transgression [רבנו בחיי, רא״ש, אור החיים, הכתב והקבלה, צרור המור, רש״ר הירש].
The spiritual descent was gradual. The evil inclination operated in stages, initially aiming only for physical promiscuity without any thought of idolatry. It was only through this intense sexual temptation that the sinners were eventually lured into bowing down to the gods of Moab [ספורנו, שד״ל]. This collapse, coming after decades of asceticism in the desert, was not merely a natural outburst of repressed desire. Rather, it was the result of a calculated scheme devised by Balaam. Knowing that God despises lewdness, Balaam advised the enemies of the Israelites to ensnare them through the seduction of women, thereby stripping away God's divine protection [רש״י, רמב״ן, גור אריה, מזרחי].
An interesting distinction emerges between the women of Moab and the women of Midian. Initially, the Israelites themselves took the initiative, going out to seek the Moabite women [קונטרס חיבה יתירה, שד״ל]. The Moabites, whom some describe as possessing an inherently promiscuous nature tracing back to the daughters of Lot [רבנו בחיי], lured the men in by selling everyday goods, wine, and food. Their actions were local and lacked institutional coordination. In stark contrast, the Midianites strategically executed Balaam's advice on a national scale. They willingly offered up their most prominent women, sending them directly into the Israelite camp with the orchestrated goal of seducing the men and drawing them into the worship of Baal Peor [רמב״ן, אברבנאל, שד״ל].