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Numbers 31:35 - Captive virgins' fate questioned?

Numbers 31:35 - במדבר 31:35

Hebrew Text

וְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם מִן־הַנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדְעוּ מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אָלֶף׃

English Translation

and thirty two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.

Transliteration

Venefesh adam min-hanashim asher lo-yadu mishkav zachar kol-nefesh shnayim ushloshim elef.

Hebrew Leining Text

וְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֔ם מִ֨ן־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדְע֖וּ מִשְׁכַּ֣ב זָכָ֑ר כׇּל־נֶ֕פֶשׁ שְׁנַ֥יִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים אָֽלֶף׃
וְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֔ם מִ֨ן־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדְע֖וּ מִשְׁכַּ֣ב זָכָ֑ר כׇּל־נֶ֕פֶשׁ שְׁנַ֥יִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים אָֽלֶף׃

🎵 Listen to leining

Parasha Commentary

Context of the Verse

This verse appears in Bamidbar (Numbers) 31:35, describing the spoils of war taken by Bnei Yisrael from Midian, specifically the women who had never been intimate with a man. The count of 32,000 virgins is part of a larger tally of captives and plunder.

Rashi's Explanation

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) comments on this verse by noting that these women were separated from the rest because they were pure (betulot) and had not engaged in forbidden relations. He connects this to the earlier command in Bamidbar 31:18, where Moshe instructs Bnei Yisrael to spare only the virgin women, as they were not involved in the sin of seduction (referring to the incident with Balaam and the Midianite women in Bamidbar 25).

Halachic Implications

The Rambam (Maimonides) discusses the laws of eshet yefat to'ar (a beautiful captive woman) in Hilchot Melachim (Laws of Kings 8:2-3), which may be relevant here. While this verse does not directly address those laws, the principle of distinguishing between women who had relations and those who had not reflects the Torah's emphasis on moral purity, even in wartime.

Midrashic Insights

  • The Midrash Tanchuma (Matot 3) explains that the 32,000 virgins were spared because they had not participated in the immoral behavior that led to Bnei Yisrael's downfall in the incident of Peor.
  • The Sifrei (Bamidbar 157) emphasizes that the counting of these women separately highlights the importance of distinguishing between the innocent and the guilty, a recurring theme in Torah justice.

Moral and Ethical Lessons

This verse teaches that even in the context of war, the Torah demands ethical conduct and discernment. The separation of the virgins underscores the principle that not all members of an enemy nation are equally culpable, and innocence must be recognized and preserved.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is not quoted in the Talmud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Numbers 31:35 mean when it mentions women who 'had not known man'?
A: The verse refers to virgin women who were captured in battle against Midian. According to Rashi and traditional Jewish sources, these women had never been intimate with a man, making them permissible for marriage under Torah law (unlike married women who were forbidden). This distinction was important for maintaining purity and proper family structure in Israel.
Q: Why does the Torah specify the exact number (32,000) of virgin women?
A: The Torah often gives precise numbers to teach us that every individual matters to Hashem. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 106b) explains that exact counts show Divine providence in all details. Ramban notes this also demonstrates the large size of the Midianite population that opposed Israel.
Q: What lesson can we learn today from Numbers 31:35 about warfare in the Torah?
A: This verse teaches that even in war, the Torah establishes ethical boundaries. As Rambam explains in Melachim 8:1, Jewish soldiers were commanded to distinguish between combatants and innocent civilians. The separation of virgin women shows the Torah's concern for protecting those uninvolved in hostilities.