(16) Yet they are the very ones who, at the bidding of Balaam, induced the Israelites to trespass against Adonai in the matter of Peor, so that Adonai’s community was struck by the plague.
(1) While Israel was staying at Shittim, the people profaned themselves by whoring with the Moabite women,
Now let us try to understand why the Torah deferred mentioning Balaam's complicity in the matter of Peor till after his death at the hands of the Israelites, described in this sidra. why was not Balaam's responsibility for the matter of Peor recorded in the context of that story?
Evidently, the Torah wished to teach us a special lesson.
Though it was Balaam who instigated the daughters of Midian to strike a blow at the purity of Jewish family life, though he was the evil genius who thought out the plan, the moral responsibility ultimately rested on the Israelites themselves. They were guilty.
Nehama Leibowitz
וַיָּ֣חֶל הָעָ֔ם לִזְנ֖וֹת...׃
(1) ...and the people began to commit harlotry...
The narrative only recorded the sin of the Israelites and their retribution. Every individual is responsible for their own acts. Provocation does not free the victim of responsibility.
Nehama Leibowitz
Everything that may abide the fire, you will make it go through the fire...
(Numbers 31:23)
"Everything that may abide the fire" - that is the yetzer ha-ra, the evil inclination, "you will make it go through the fire." The yetzer ha-ra can only be destroyed by fire - the fire of Torah. Our Sages tell us (Kiddushin 29): "I created the yetzer ha-ra and created the Torah as an antidote.
Simhat HaRegel
Why does the Torah state "who went to the battle" rather than "who came from the battle"? After all, the war had already been fought. Hovat HaLevavot tells of the righteous man who saw a soldier coming back from a victorious battle. The soldier was proud and overjoyed. The righteous man said to him: "You have been victorious in an easy battle, but you have to worry about a much more serious matter which you are facing, and that is the battle against the evil inclination." That is what Eleazar told the men who were returning:”You are returning as victors in the battle against Midian, and you are proud of that fact. Know, though, that now the difficult battle is just beginning, that of the evil inclination.
Yitav Lev
This is the law of the Torah which Adonai commanded Moses…only the gold…
(Numbers 31:21)
The word “only” indicates that something is excluded. Gold is the biggest disturbance to the fulfillment of the laws of the Tora and its commandments.
חזק חזק ונתחזק
Be strong, be strong, and may we be strengthened!