במדבר, פרק ל״א, פסוק ג׳

The conflict with Midian was not a conventional territorial or military struggle, but a spiritual and moral punitive campaign. Instead of attempting to conquer the Israelites by force, the enemy sought to collapse them from within through the temptation of sin. Consequently, entering this battle required absolute purity, pure intentions, and total devotion. Moses demonstrated immense dedication in initiating this campaign. He knew full well that his own death was inextricably tied to its conclusion, yet he did not delay the mission. He acted immediately and joyfully, without any personal bias or sadness over his impending passing [רש״י, גור אריה, מזרחי, ברכת אשר]. This selfless approach stands in sharp contrast to Joshua, who later delayed his battles against the Canaanite kings in an attempt to prolong his own life, a decision for which he was punished with shortened years [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה]. The Israelites, however, understood the implications of this campaign and were reluctant to go to war, hoping to extend Moses's life. Therefore, it was necessary to draw lots or strongly encourage them to volunteer [צאינה וראינה, שפתי כהן].

When calling the people to prepare for the campaign, the instruction to mobilize carries two complementary meanings. The primary approach among commentators is that it refers to the physical arming and equipping of weapons for battle [רש״י, רבנו בחיי, אבן עזרא]. A second perspective understands the call as an act of extraction or detachment, demanding that the fighters completely disconnect themselves from their civilian lives and homes in order to commit fully to military service [רש״ר הירש, תורה תמימה, אם למקרא]. Moses specifically sought out righteous, God-fearing individuals for this task, rather than simply gathering able-bodied men [רש״י, מזרחי, גור אריה]. Because Midian was a relatively small nation of tent dwellers, a small, elite group of warriors was sufficient [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The demand for profound righteousness was essential for several reasons. First, the soldiers needed spiritual merit to overcome the ancestral merit of Abraham, from whom the Midianites descended [שפתי כהן]. Second, the fighters had to be entirely free from the very sins of sexual immorality and idolatry that the Midianite women had recently enticed the Israelites into committing. For this reason, Moses did not select the men himself. Instead, he asked those who knew themselves to be pure and upright in heart to volunteer, ensuring that their true weapons in this battle would be their good deeds [אור החיים, אדרת אליהו].

The warriors were instructed to maintain a position of spiritual superiority over Midian. Because sin degrades a person, the fighters had to stand firmly in goodness and holiness, completely untainted by the surrounding impurity [אור החיים]. Establishing this pure intention from the very beginning ensured that the campaign was entirely for the sake of Heaven, which in turn would protect them during the battle [העמק דבר].

The ultimate purpose of the campaign was to execute punishment and bring about the vengeance of God [שד״ל]. Notably, God initially commanded Moses to avenge the Israelites, but Moses adjusted the message, framing it as the vengeance of God. He did this to convey that anyone who stands against Israel is essentially standing against God [רש״י, שפתי חכמים]. The hostility of other nations toward Israel stems from their opposition to the Torah and its Commandments; thus, an attack on Israel is an affront to the honor of Heaven [צאינה וראינה, בכור שור, חזקוני, שפתי כהן]. While God focused compassionately on the twenty-four thousand Israelites who died in the recent plague, Moses emphasized the desecration of God's name and the deliberate uprooting of faith orchestrated by the Midianites [הכתב והקבלה]. Unlike Moab, whose hostility was driven by political and military fear, Midian acted out of a burning, ideological hatred. By weaponizing sexual temptation to destroy the Israelites spiritually, Midian forfeited its right to exist as a nation [רש״ר הירש, חזקוני]. Through his careful framing, Moses directed the warriors toward a pure objective. They were not to fight out of personal revenge for their fallen brothers, but out of zeal for God and a desire to cleanse the world of Midianite corruption [אור החיים].