Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did the Torah command to kill the male children and women in Numbers 31:17?
A: According to Rashi and other commentators, this command was specific to the war against Midian due to their role in leading Israel into sin through the incident of Baal Peor (Numbers 25). The males were killed to prevent future conflict, and the women who had relations with men were killed because they were directly involved in the seduction that caused Israel to sin. This was a unique wartime commandment, not a general rule.
Q: How do Jewish sources reconcile this harsh command with Torah's value of life?
A: The Talmud and commentators explain that this was an exceptional case of a milchemet mitzvah (obligatory war) to eliminate an existential threat to Israel's spiritual survival. The Midrash notes that the Midianite women had deliberately seduced Jewish men into idolatry, which endangered the entire nation. The Torah values life profoundly, but also commands defending the spiritual integrity of the Jewish people when necessary.
Q: What lesson can we learn from Numbers 31:17 today?
A: The Rambam teaches that this episode demonstrates the seriousness of influences that can lead Jews away from Torah. While we don't apply this literally today, it teaches the importance of being vigilant against spiritual threats and maintaining strong Jewish identity. The verse reminds us that sometimes extreme measures are needed to protect the community from destructive influences.
Q: Why were only certain women killed according to this verse?
A: Rashi explains that only women who had been with men ('knowing man') were killed because they were of marriageable age and had potentially participated in the seduction at Baal Peor. Young girls who hadn't been with men were spared, as they weren't involved in the sin and could potentially convert and marry into Israel under Torah law (as seen later in the chapter).
Q: Does this commandment apply to other nations besides Midian?
A: No, the Rambam (Hilchot Melachim) clarifies that this was a specific command regarding Midian due to their unique role in causing Israel to sin. The laws of war with other nations are different. The Talmud (Sotah 35b) notes that Joshua later made peace with the Gibeonites, showing that destruction wasn't the automatic approach with all enemies.
Context in the Torah
This verse (Numbers 31:17) appears in the aftermath of the war against Midian, where Bnei Yisrael were commanded to take vengeance for the Midianites' role in leading them to sin through the incident of Baal Peor (Numbers 25). The command to kill the male children and women who had relations with men is a specific wartime directive given under unique circumstances.
Rashi's Explanation
Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) explains that the male children were to be killed because they would eventually grow up to be enemies of Israel, following the ways of their fathers. The women who had known men were targeted because they were the ones who, at the advice of Bilaam, seduced the Israelite men into idolatry and immorality at Baal Peor (Rashi on Numbers 31:16).
Moral and Halachic Considerations
Midrashic Insights
The Midrash (Tanchuma, Matot 3) elaborates that the women of Midian were particularly cunning in their seduction, using tactics that bypassed normal resistance. Thus, their elimination was necessary to prevent future spiritual harm to Israel. The male children, if left alive, would perpetuate the enmity of Midian.
Contemporary Orthodox Perspective
Orthodox Jewish thought emphasizes that such commands were specific to that time and place, under direct prophetic instruction. They are not applicable today, as we lack the divine guidance of prophecy to issue such directives. The episode is studied as a lesson in the severity of spiritual corruption and the need for vigilance against influences that lead to idolatry or immorality.