(Numb. 31:2) “Exact vengeance [for the Children of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered unto your people]”: R. Judah said, “If Moses had wanted to live for several [more] years, he could have remained alive; as the Holy One, blessed be He, had made his death dependent upon the vengeance against Midian. It is simply to show you the praise of Moses, as he said, ‘For the sake of my remaining alive, I shall delay the Children of Israel's vengeance on Midian?’ [Rather] immediately (in vs. 3), ‘Moses spoke unto the people, saying, “Arm some of your number (anashim) for the army, and let them fall on Midian.”’”
[The word,] anashim, [implies that they were] righteous. So also elsewhere (in Exod. 17:9), “Choose anashim for us.” And so too (in Job 4:13), “in the falling of slumber upon anashim.” (Numb. 31:3, cont.) “To render the vengeance of the Lord against Midian”: The Holy One, blessed be He, had said (in vs. 2), “the vengeance of the Children of Israel”; but Moses says (here in vs. 3), “the vengeance of the Lord.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “It is your judgment that is called for, because they caused Me to harm you.” [But] Moses said, “Master of the world, if we had been uncircumcised or practitioners of star worship or had denied [the binding force of] the commandments, they would not have persecuted us. But [they have done so precisely] because of the Torah and commandments which You have given. The vengeance, therefore, is Yours,” (as in Numb. 31:3), “to render the vengeance of the Lord against Midian.”
(Numb. 31:6) “Then Moses sent them”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in vs. 2), “’Take vengeance,’ by yourself,” and he sent others? It was simply because he had been raised in Midian, he said, “It is not right for me to oppress those who have done good to me.” The proverb says, “Do not cast a stone into a cistern from which you have drunk water.” ...
And why did He send Phinehas (instead of someone else)? He said, “Whoever has begun a commandment should finish it. [Phinehas] has (according to Numb. 25:11) ‘turned around My wrath’ and smote the Midianite woman. Let him finish the commandment [that he undertook].” (Numb. 31:6, cont.)...
“And they gather the army against Midian […. …] and they killed [Balaam ben Beor] with the sword”: Now what was he doing there? He had simply gone to receive a reward for the twenty-four thousand from Israel that had fallen through his counsel. And about him is it stated (in Prov. 26:27), “He who digs a pit will fall in it.” (Numb. 31:11-12)
“Then they took all the plunder…. And they brought unto Moses and Elazar the Priest”: [This text serves] to show their excellence, for they did not want to take the spoils without permission. Rather they had brought all of it before them; and [only] after that, they took [them with his permission]. (Numb. 31:13)
“Then Moses, Elazar the Priest, and the princes of the congregation went out to meet them”: [This text serves] to show Moses' humility, for they all were disciples of his disciples.
(Numb. 25:2:) “And they invited the people to the sacrifices for their gods.” Thus they (i.e., daughters of Moab) were going by the counsel of Balaam, as stated (in Numb. 31:16), “Here these women at the bidding of Balaam made the Children of Israel.” They made themselves curtained stalls and installed harlots in them with every object of delight in their hands. Now a girl would have an old woman as an agent, for an old woman would be in front of the shop. During the time that Israel was passing by on the way to the marketplace, the woman would say to him, “Young man, surely you want objects of linen which have come from Beth-Shean!” Then she would show them to him; and when the old woman would tell him a high price, the girl would [give him] a lower one. From then on the girl would tell him, “You are like one of the family. Sit down and choose for yourself.” Now a jug of Ammonite wine was placed by her, since the wine of gentiles had not yet been forbidden.
Then out comes the girl, perfumed and adorned, and seduces him and says to him, “Why do you hate us, when we love you? Take for yourself this article gratIs. We all are children of a single man, children of Terah, the father of Abraham. So do you not want to eat from our sacrifices and from our cooking? Here are calves and cocks for you; slaughter them according to your own precepts, and eat.” Immediately she has him drink the wine, and then the Satan burned within him, so that he became a fool for her. There are also those who say [that] Balaam commanded them not to have them drink the wine, so that they would not be judged as those who are drunk, but as willful sinners. When he sought her out, she would say, “Slaughter this cock and we will cook it and eat with you, and I will be at your disposal.” When he came to slaughter it, she said to him, “I am not listening to you until you slaughter it [as a sacrifice] to Peor.” Since he had become a fool for her, he would slaughter it to Peor and eat with her. So they would be joined to each other. It is therefore written (in Numb. 25:2-3), “And they invited the people [to the sacrifices for their gods, so that the people ate and bowed down to their gods]. Thus Israel was joined (rt.: tsmd) to Baal Peor,” like bracelets (rt.: tsmd). R. Levi said, “This was more serious than the [sin of the golden] calf, [for while in reference to the calf it is written (in Exod. 32:3), ‘So all the people took off [the gold rings that were in their ears],’ here [it is written] (in Numb. 25:3), ‘Thus Israel was joined (rt.: tsmd) [to Baal Peor,]’ like bracelets (rt.: tsmd)]. Because of the calf about three thousand fell, but here (according to Numb. 25:9) [the number fallen is] twenty-four thousand.”
The sages taught: Two wise men arose in the world, one from Israel and one from the nations of the world. Balaam was from the nations of the world, while Ahitophel was from Israel; but both of them were lost from this world and from the world to come. [Two strong men arose in the world, one was from Israel and one from the nations of the world. Samson was from Israel, while Goliath was from the nations of the world; but both of them were lost from the world.] Two wealthy men arose in the world, Korah from Israel and Haman from the nations of the world; but both of them were lost from the world. Why? Because their gift was not from Heaven. So also you find among the children of Gad and the children of Reuben that they were very wealthy and had a lot of livestock, but they loved the livestock and resided outside the land of Israel. For that reason they were the first of the tribes to go into exile, as stated (in I Chron. 5:26): AND HE CARRIED THEM INTO EXILE, i.e., THE REUBENITES AND THE GADITES. [Who brought <the exile> on them? <It happened> because they had separated themselves from their siblings for the sake of their livestock. And where is it shown? From what they read on the subject (in Numb. 32:1): NOW THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD HAD MUCH LIVESTOCK.]