Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the context of Numbers 31:15, where Moshe asks, 'Have you saved all the women alive?'
A: This verse occurs after the battle against Midian, where Bnei Yisrael were commanded to take vengeance for the Midianites' role in leading them to sin (Baal Peor). Moshe was upset because the soldiers spared the Midianite women, who were partly responsible for the moral downfall of the Jewish people (Rashi on Numbers 31:15).
Q: Why was Moshe angry that the Midianite women were spared?
A: Moshe was angry because these women had previously enticed the Jewish men into idolatry and immorality at Baal Peor (Numbers 25). By sparing them, the soldiers risked allowing further spiritual harm to the nation (Ramban on Numbers 31:15).
Q: What lesson can we learn from Moshe's reaction in this verse?
A: This teaches the importance of removing harmful influences, even if it seems harsh. Spiritual dangers can be more destructive than physical ones, and we must be vigilant in protecting our values (based on Talmud, Sanhedrin 106a).
Q: How does this verse relate to Jewish law (Halacha) today?
A: While we don't face identical situations today, the principle remains: we must distance ourselves from influences that could lead us away from Torah values, whether in relationships, business, or entertainment (Rambam, Hilchot De'ot 6:1).
Q: Were all the Midianite women really killed? What about converts?
A: The Torah later mentions that some Midianite girls were spared (Numbers 31:18). Jewish tradition teaches that those who sincerely rejected idolatry could convert (Rashi on Numbers 31:18), showing that the issue was their harmful behavior, not their ethnicity.
Context of the Verse
The verse (Bamidbar 31:15) appears in the context of the war against Midian, where Moshe rebukes the officers of the Israelite army for sparing the Midianite women. This follows the command from Hashem to wage war against Midian due to their role in leading Bnei Yisrael astray through the incident of Baal Peor (Bamidbar 25:1-9).
Rashi's Explanation
Rashi (Bamidbar 31:15) explains that Moshe's rebuke, "הַחִיִּיתֶם כָּל־נְקֵבָה" ("Have you saved all the women alive?"), emphasizes the grave error in sparing the women. These were the very women who, under Balaam's counsel (Sanhedrin 106a), seduced Bnei Yisrael into idolatry and immorality, causing a plague that killed 24,000 Jews. By allowing them to live, the officers contradicted the divine directive to eliminate the threat entirely.
Rambam's Perspective
Rambam (Hilchot Melachim 6:4) discusses the laws of wartime conduct, stating that in a milchemet mitzvah (obligatory war), such as the war against Midian, the enemy must be completely subdued to prevent future spiritual harm. Sparing the women demonstrated a lack of vigilance in fulfilling this mitzvah, as their survival posed an ongoing risk of leading Israel astray.
Midrashic Insights
Halachic Implications
The Gemara (Yevamot 60b) derives from this episode that in wars against enemies like Amalek or Midian—where the threat is existential or spiritual—there is no room for leniency. The principle of "לא תחיה כל נשמה" ("do not let any soul live," Devarim 20:16) applies strictly to prevent recurrence of evil.
Moral Lesson
This incident teaches the balance between compassion and justice. While mercy is a core Jewish value, it must not override the imperative to eradicate evil when divinely commanded. As the Netziv (Ha'amek Davar, Bamidbar 31:15) notes, the officers' error was applying peacetime ethics to a wartime scenario requiring unwavering resolve.