(ו) וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶ֥לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֖ה לַצָּבָ֑א אֹ֠תָ֠ם וְאֶת־פִּ֨ינְחָ֜ס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לַצָּבָ֔א וּכְלֵ֥י הַקֹּ֛דֶשׁ וַחֲצֹצְר֥וֹת הַתְּרוּעָ֖ה בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (ז) וַֽיִּצְבְּאוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יי אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כׇּל־זָכָֽר׃ (ח) וְאֶת־מַלְכֵ֨י מִדְיָ֜ן הָרְג֣וּ עַל־חַלְלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־אֱוִ֤י וְאֶת־רֶ֙קֶם֙ וְאֶת־צ֤וּר וְאֶת־חוּר֙ וְאֶת־רֶ֔בַע חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֑ן וְאֵת֙ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֔וֹר הָרְג֖וּ בֶּחָֽרֶב׃
(6) Moses dispatched them on the campaign, a thousand from each tribe, with Pinchas son of Elazar the priest serving on the campaign, equipped with the sacred utensils and the trumpets for sounding the blasts. (7) They took the field against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and slew every male. (8) The kings of Midian were killed with the rest of those who were slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also put Bilaam son of Beor to the sword.
אתם ואת פינחס. מַגִּיד שֶׁהָיָה פִינְחָס שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם (ספרי); וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הָלַךְ פִּינְחָס וְלֹא הָלַךְ אֶלְעָזָר? אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה מִי שֶׁהִתְחִיל בַּמִּצְוָה, שֶׁהָרַג כָּזְבִּי בַת צוּר, יִגְמֹר; דָּ"אַ — שֶׁהָלַךְ לִנְקֹם נִקְמַת יוֹסֵף אֲבִי אִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַמְּדָנִים מָכְרוּ אֹתוֹ" (בראשית ל"ז); וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהָיְתָה אִמּוֹ שֶׁל פִּינְחָס מִשֶּׁל יוֹסֵף? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִבְּנוֹת פּוּטִיאֵל" (שמות ו') — מִזֶּרַע יִתְרוֹ שֶׁפִּטֵּם עֲגָלִים לַעֲ"זָ, וּמִזֶּרַע יוֹסֵף שֶׁפִּטְפֵּט בְּיִצְרוֹ (סוטה מ"ג); דָּבָר אַחֵר — שֶׁהָיָה מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה (שם):
אתם ואת פינחס [MOSES SENT THEM … TO THE WAR], THEM AND PINCHAS — But why did Pinchas go and Elazar did not go? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “He who made a beginning with this meritorious work, in that he slew Kozbi the daughter of Zur, let him complete it”. — Another explanation why Pinchas and not Elazar went is that he went to take vengeance for Joseph, his mother’s ancestor, as it is said, (Genesis 37:36) “And the Midianites sold him [unto Egypt]”. And from where do we know that Pinchas’ mother was of the family of Joseph? Because it is said, (Exodus 6:25) that she was “one of the daughters of Putiel” ...Another explanation: Pinchas went because he was the high priest anointed for war purposes.
(כה) וְאֶלְעָזָ֨ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֜ן לָקַֽח־ל֨וֹ מִבְּנ֤וֹת פּֽוּטִיאֵל֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד ל֖וֹ אֶת־פִּֽינְחָ֑ס אֵ֗לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַלְוִיִּ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃
(25) And Aaron’s son Elazar took as wife one of Putiel’s daughters, and she bore him Pinchas. Those are the heads of the ancestral houses of the Levites by their families.
מבנות פוטיאל. מִזֶּרַע יִתְרוֹ שֶׁפִּטֵּם עֲגָלִים לַעֲ"זָ, וּמִזֶּרַע יוֹסֵף שֶׁפִּטְפֵּט בְּיִצְרוֹ (סוטה מ"ג):
מבנות פוטיאל ONE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF PUTIEL — of the family of Jethro who used to fatten (פטם) calves for idolatrous sacrifice, or of the family of Joseph who overcame (פטפט) his passion. [Sotah 43a]
"וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ". שִׁבְעָה שֵׁמוֹת נִקְרְאוּ לוֹ: יֶתֶר, יִתְרוֹ, חֶבֶר, חֹבָב, בֶּן רְעוּאֵל, פּוּטִיאֵל, קֵנִי. יֶתֶר, שֶׁהוֹתִיר פָּרָשָׁה אַחַת בַּתּוֹרָה. יִתְרוֹ, שֶׁהוֹתִיר בְּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. חֶבֶר, שֶׁנִּתְחַבַּר לַמָּקוֹם. חֹבָב, שֶׁהָיָה חָבִיב לַמָּקוֹם. בֶּן רְעוּאֵל, שֶׁהָיָה כְרֵעַ לַמָּקוֹם. פּוּטִיאֵל, שֶׁנִּפְטַר מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. קֵנִי, שֶׁקִּנָּא לַשָּׁמַיִם, וְקִנָּה לוֹ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה.
"And Yithro heard": Yithro had seven names: Yether, Yithro, Chovav, Reuel, Chever, Putiel, Keni. Yether — he added (yiter) a section in the Torah; Yitro — he was "abundant" (yiter) in good deeds. Chovav — he was beloved (chovev) by the L–rd. Reuel — he was a "friend" (rea) to the L–rd. Chever — he was a "companion" (chaver) to the L–rd. Putiel — he overcame idolatry. Keni — he was zealous (kinei) for Heaven and he acquired (kanah) Torah.
וכלי הקדש. זֶה הָאָרוֹן וְהַצִּיץ, שֶׁהָיָה בִּלְעָם עִמָּהֶם וּמַפְרִיחַ מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן בִּכְשָׁפִים וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ פוֹרֵחַ עִמָּהֶם, הֶרְאָה לָהֶם אֶת הַצִּיץ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם חָקוּק בּוֹ וְהֵם נוֹפְלִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם" בְּמַלְכֵי מִדְיָן — שֶׁנּוֹפְלִים עַל הַחֲלָלִים מִן הָאֲוִיר:
וכלי הקדש AND THE UTENSILS OF HOLINESS … [WERE WITH THEM] — these were the Ark and the Golden Plate of the Headband — Because Bilaam was with the Midianites, through enchantment he made the kings of Midian float in the air and he himself floated with them, Pinchas showed them the Golden Headband upon which the Divine Name was engraved and they immediately fell to the ground. On this account it is said (v. 8) of the Kings of Midian that they were killed “upon those who had been slain”, meaning that they fell from the air upon those who had already been killed.
זה הארון והציץ. משום דשניהם נקראו קדש דכתיב בפרשת במדבר סיני בסופו, ולא יבאו לראות כבלע את הקודש. וגבי ציץ כתיב בפרשת תצוה ועשית ציץ וגומר קודש ליי:
This refers to the Ark and the Golden Headplate. Because both are termed “holy,” as it is written [concerning the Ark] (Bamidbar 4:20), “They shall not come in to see when the holy is being covered.” And concerning the Headplate, it is written (Shemot 28:36), “Make a Headplate … holy to Hashem.”
כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִנְקוֹם נִקְמַת מִדְיָן מָֽצְאוּ שָׁם בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר. וְכִי מַה בָא לַעֲשׂוֹת. בָּא לִיטּוֹל שָׂכָר עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף שֶׁמֵּתוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עַל יָדוֹ בַשִּׁיטִּים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ פִּינְחָס. לָא דְבָרְייָךְ עֲבַדְתְּ וְלָא דְבָלָק עֲבַדְתְּ. לָא דָבָרְייָךְ עֲבַדְתְּ. דָּמַר לָךְ. לָא תֵיזִיל עִם שְׁלוּחֵי בָלָק וַאֲזַלְתְּ. וְלָא דְבָלָק עֲבַדְתְּ. דַּאֲמַר לָךְ. אַיְזִיל לַייַט יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵרַכְתְּנוֹן. אַף אֲנִי אֵינִי מְקַפְּחָךְ שְׂכָרָךְ. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב וְאֶת־בִּלְעָ֥ם בֶּן־בְּע֖וֹר הַקּוֹסֵ֑ם הָֽרְג֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל עַל חַלְלֵיהֶֽם. מָהוּ עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם. שֶׁהָיָה שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־חַלְלֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר. עַל חַלְלֵיהֶֽם. מַה חַלְלֵיהֶם אֵין בָּהֶן מַמָּשׁ אַף הוּא אֵין בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ. דָּבָר אַחֵר. עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם. שֶׁהָיָה צָף כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־חַלְלֵיהֶם. וְהָיָה פִינְחָס מַרְאֶה לוֹ אֶת הַצִּיץ וְהוּא שׁוֹקֵעַ וְיוֹרֵד. דָּבָר אַחֵר. עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם. אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנָּֽתְנוּ לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׂכָרוֹ מִשָּׁלֵם וְלֹא קִיפְּחוּהוּ.
When Israel came to exact vengeance from Midian, they found there Bilaam ben Beor. What did he do there? He came to collect his wages for the 24000 of Israel who died at Shittim. Pinchas told him, you followed neither your Creator nor Balak. You did not follow your Creator, Who told you, do not go with Balak's messengers, but you went. You did not follow Balak who told you to come and curse Israel, but you blessed them. I also will not hold back your wages. That is what is written: The Children of Israel slew Bilaam ben Beor the sorcerer on top of their slain. What means on their slain? That he was as important as all their slain. Another explanation, on their slain. Just as their slain were irrelevant, so he was irrelevant. Another explanation, on their slain. He was flying over their corpses, but Pinchas showed him the [High Priest’s] diadem and he fell down. Another explanation, on their slain. This teaches that Israel paid him his wages in full and did not hold back.
בחרב. הוּא בָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֶחֱלִיף אֻמָּנוּתוֹ בְּאֻמָּנוּתָם, שֶׁאֵין נוֹצְחִים אֶלָּא בְּפִיהֶם וְעַל יְדֵי תְפִלָּה וּבַקָּשָׁה, וּבָא הוּא וְתָפַשׂ אֻמָּנוּתָם לְקַלְּלָם בְּפִיו, אַף הֵם בָּאוּ עָלָיו וְהֶחֱלִיפוּ אֻמָּנוּתָם בְּאֻמָּנוּת הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁבָּאִין בַּחֶרֶב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה" (בראשית כ"ז):
בחרב [BILAAM ALSO … THEY SLEW] WITH THE SWORD — He came against Israel exchanging his specialty for their specialty, for they conquer only through their mouth — through prayer and petition, and he came and availed himself of their specialty to curse them with his mouth. They, therefore, also came against him and exchanged their specialty for the specialty of the heathen peoples who come with the sword, as it is said, (Genesis 27:40) “And by thy sword shalt thou live.”
(לח) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו אֶל־אָבִ֗יו הַֽבְרָכָ֨ה אַחַ֤ת הִֽוא־לְךָ֙ אָבִ֔י בָּרְכֵ֥נִי גַם־אָ֖נִי אָבִ֑י וַיִּשָּׂ֥א עֵשָׂ֛ו קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃ (לט) וַיַּ֛עַן יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִ֖יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו הִנֵּ֞ה מִשְׁמַנֵּ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה מֽוֹשָׁבֶ֔ךָ וּמִטַּ֥ל הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם מֵעָֽל׃ (מ) וְעַל־חַרְבְּךָ֣ תִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְאֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ תַּעֲבֹ֑ד וְהָיָה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּרִ֔יד וּפָרַקְתָּ֥ עֻלּ֖וֹ מֵעַ֥ל צַוָּארֶֽךָ׃
(38) And Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, Father? Bless me too, Father!” And Esau wept aloud. (39) And his father Isaac answered, saying to him, “See, your abode shall enjoy the fat of the earth And the dew of heaven above. (40) Yet by your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; But when you grow restive, You shall break his yoke from your neck.”
(לג) וּבְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן עֵיפָ֤ה וָעֵ֙פֶר֙ וַחֲנ֔וֹךְ וַאֲבִידָ֖ע וְאֶלְדָּעָ֑ה כׇּל־אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י קְטוּרָֽה׃ {ס}
(33) The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Enoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the descendants of Keturah.
(א)ובני מדין עיפה ועפר וגו'. יי ראשי עכומ"ז על כן העמידו חמשה מלכים לכל אומה מלכה דכתיב את אוי ואת רקם ואת צור ואת חור וגו' חמשת מלכי מדין (מדבר ל"א):
(1)And the sons of Midian: Ephah and Epher, etc. five heads of nations. Therefore, they appointed five kings, each one its king, as it is written (Num. 31:8): “Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, etc., the five kings of Midian.”
ואת מלכי וגו' חמשת וגו'. טעם שהוצרך הכתוב להזכיר מניינם, לומר שנהרגו יחד זה עם זה וראו זה את זה במפלתן. ואומרו מלכי מדין פעם ב' אולי שנתכוין בכפל הדברים לומר שהרגום בידיעה שהם מלכי מדין ולא בהסח הדעת:
ואת מלכי..חמשת מלכי מדין, "and the kings of Midian….-the five kings of Midian." The reason that the Torah spelled out their number (i.e. 5), something we had already counted ourselves, was to tell us that they were all killed next to one another so that all the soldiers could count the bodies of these five kings whom they had slain. The reason why the Torah repeats that they were kings may have been to tell us that they were killed by soldiers who knew full well that these five men were kings. They were not the victims of random killings.
ואת צור. אביה של כזבי. חמשת מלכי מדין. הוצרך לכתוב חמשת, ללמדך שהשוו חמשתן בעצה אחת לפורענות על ישראל.
ואת צור, “and Tzur;” the father of Cozbi חמשת מלכי מדין, “the five kings of Midian.” The reason the Torah wrote the word חמשת מלכי מדין as if mentioning their names did not already tell us that there five such kings, is to tell us that all five were of one mind concerning their hostility against Israel. The construct form חמשת reflected this.