2020/5780
Near the beginning of this week’s double Parashah, Parshiot Mattot and Masei, after Hakadosh Baruch Hu tells Moshe Rabbeinu, “Nikom Nikmat Bnei Yisrael MeEt HaMidyanim VeAchar Teaseif El Amecha,” “Take revenge on the Midyanites for what they did to Klal Yisrael, and then afterward you (Moshe Rabbeinu) shall be gathered to your people” (BeMidbar 31:2). The rest of the Perek then goes on to describe the battle as well as the subsequent victory and apportioning of the spoils. This is quite a perplexing commandment as it says in the Torah, ”Derachehah Darchei Noam VeChol Netivoteha Shalom,” “Its (the Torah’s) ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace” (Mishlei 3:17)? To attack Midyan out of revenge and not out of defense is certainly not “Darchei Noam”! Not only does this command seem to be an act of revenge, but also somewhat similar to the Mitzvah of Mechiyat Amalek, eradication of Amalek. The Torah in our Perek, just as it does by the command to eradicate Amalek, describes Moshe Rabbeinu commanding Klal Yisrael to kill not only the women which they bring back as captives but also the male children, leaving only the female children alive. How do we explain this somewhat disturbing command?
Rashi (BeMidbar 31:2 s.v. MeEt HaMidyanim) explains why Hakadosh Baruch Hu commanded Klal Yisrael to war with Midyan, and not Moav, who had previously hired Bilam to curse Klal Yisrael which is the reason the Torah gives for the war in Pasuk Tet Vav. In his first answer, Rashi explains that the Moavim had a justification as they were scared. As the Torah writes,“Vayagar Moav MiPnei HaAm Meod Ki Rav Hu Vayakatz Moav Mipnei Bnei Yisrael,” “Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel” (Bemidbar 22:3). Klal Yisrael was a powerful nation; they had Hashaem on their side! So it was understandable that Midyan did something like hiring Bilaam. Midyan, however, intruded on a conflict that was not theirs and therefore deserved retribution for their actions. But this still does not seem to explain the extent of the Nekama that was commanded upon them.
Rabbeinu Bachya (BeMidbar 31:2 s.v. Achar Teaseif) quotes a Midrash, which asks why Hashem commanded Moshe Rabbeinu to avenge Bnei Yisrael, while Moshe Rabbeinu, when telling the nation, commanded them to avenge Hashem. The Midrash answers that Moshe Rabbeinu had told Hashem that had Klal Yisrael been Areilim or idol worshippers, Midyan would not have hated us, but they hate us because of the Torah and Mitzvot which You gave to us. Therefore, it is Your Nekama, a vengeance for Hashem, for which we act. The Midrash then ends off by saying that therefore, “HaOmed Neged Yisrael Keilu Omed Neged HaKadosh Baruch Hu,” “Whoever stands against Klal Yisrael is as if he is standing against Hashem” (ibid).
In a similar note, Rav Shimshon Refael Hirsch explains that the war against Midyan was due to the fact that Midyan had attacked the two pillars of the Torah, Tzniut and belief in Hashem, during the incident of Shittim, where the Midyanites sent their daughters to commit licentiousness with the Jews and coerce worship of Baal Peor from Klal Yisrael. This is why, Rav Hirsch says, Moshe Rabbeinu addressed the nation and not the leaders. An attack of moral degeneracy and spiritual coercion, to attempt to take Klal Yisrael away from Hashem and His Torah, requires a response on the part of the entire nation. Thus, explains Rav Hirsch, the attack was specifically on Midyan and not Moav. Moav only sought to destroy us physically while Midyan aimed to destroy us spiritually. In the words of Rav Hirsch, “HaOyev HaAmiti Shel Yisrael Eino Zeh SheMevakesh ET Ovdano HaGufni Elah HaZomem Et Moto HaMusri VeHaRuchni”. “The true enemy is not the one that wishes to destroy us physically, but rather the one that plots our moral and spiritual death”.With both the perspective of Rabbeinu Bachya and Rav Hirsch in mind, it is possible to answer our question. While it is true that the Torah is described as, “Derachehah Darchei Noam,” “Its ways are those of pleasantness”, but that is only when it does not concern an attack on Hashem and His Torah. However, when someone assaults our core, the spirituality and morality of the Jewish people we must respond. Following such an affront, maintaining obedience to “Derachehah Darchei Noam” would be a Chillul Hashem. Therefore, when Midyan caused Klal Yisrael to sin to such a high degree in the wake of such great Nissim like the Ananei HaKavod, the Slav, the Mun, and the Be’er, the response had to be similar to that of the Mitzvah of Mechiyat Amalek.