In Parshat Matot, Bamidbar 31:21, after the soldiers
returned from the war with Midian the pasuk says: “Elazar HaCohen said to the
soldiers who came to the war (habaim lamilchama): This is the statute of the
Torah which God commanded Moshe…”
Why does it say that the soldiers “came to the war” if the
war with Midian was already over? Shouldn’t it say that the soldiers “came from
the war”?
Rabbi M.M of Kotzk answers that the physical war with Midian
was over, but now they will begin to embark on a new war, a spiritual war
against the inclination to transgress the mitzvoth of the Torah.
Yitav Lev adds that after a victory the soldiers may become
haughty and therefore they will have to pay special attention to work on
fighting this haughtiness. In the next few psukim, we learn about purifying
utensils (hagalat kelim). Just as we have to remove the impure and unkosher
from the utensils, so too do we have to take out any haughtiness in our
character.
Shaar Bat Rabim answers the question of the Ramban of why we
weren’t commanded in purifying utensils after the battles of Sichon and Og
which took place previously. The answer is that in the battle against Midian,
Moshe sent 12,000 soldiers who were carefully selected based on their
righteousness. There was therefore more of a chance for them to get haughty. By
being taught about purifying their vessels, they received the covert message
that they must remove negativity and pollution from their souls.
Each victory against evil is a time to rejoice, but we must
remember that the salvation is from God and instead of becoming haughty, we
should look for more places to help continue to make the world a better place.
Plant a Tree in Israel! http://support.jnf.org/site/TR/Events/SecurePages?px=3090178&pg=personal&fr_id=1010
