Midrasch zu Bamidbar 25:18

The Israelites sang ten songs because of the ten miracles performed in their behalf. The first was in Egypt, as is said: You shall have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed (Isa. 30:29). The second was at the Red Sea, as it is said: Then Moses sang (Exod. 15:1). The third was at the well: Then Israel sang this song (Num. 21:16). The fourth took place when Moses said: And it came to pass when Moses had made an end of writing (Deut. 31:24). The fifth: Then spoke Joshua to the Lord (Josh. 10:12). The sixth: Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam (Judg. 5:6); the seventh: And David spoke unto the Lord the words of this song (II Sam. 22:1); the eight: A song at the dedication of the House; of David (Ps. 30:1). Did David actually dedicate the House (Temple)? The fact is that Solomon dedicated it, but inasmuch as David had set his heart upon erecting it, the song of dedication was ascribed to him. A similar example is contained in the verse And his sister stood far off (Exod. 2:4). Was she not the sister of both of them? Indeed she was, but inasmuch as she had devoted herself to Moses’ welfare, she is referred to by his name. Another instance of this is contained in the verse And the two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers took (Gen. 34:25). Was she not the sister of each of the tribal ancestors? She was indeed, but because these two had devoted themselves to her welfare, she is mentioned with their names. Another illustration is contained in the verse Cozbi the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister (Num. 26:18). Was she actually a sister to all of them? (Hardly!) She was called their sister because she was deeply devoted to her people.

(Ibid. 20) "Then Miriam the prophetess took": Where do we find that Miriam was a prophetess? She said to her father (Amram): In the end, you will beget a son who will be the savior of Israel from Egypt — (Ibid. 2:1) "And there went a man (Amram) from the house of Levi and took the daughter of Levi, (Yocheved — after he had separated from her because of Pharaoh's decree to drown the males) (2) "And she conceived and bore a son … (3) and could conceal him no longer…" — whereupon her father rebuked her, saying: My daughter, where is your prophecy? But she stood fast to her prophecy, viz. (4) "And his sister stood from afar to know what would be done with him," "standing" ("yetzivah") signifying prophecy, viz. (Amos 9:1) "I saw the L rd standing on the altar", and (I Samuel 3:10) "And the L rd came and He stood, etc.", and (Devarim 31:14) "Call Joshua and stand, etc." (Exodus, Ibid.) "from afar": "from afar" everywhere signifies the Holy Spirit, viz. (Jeremiah 31:2) "From afar the L rd appeared to me." (Exodus, Ibid.) "to know": "Knowing" signifies the Holy Spirit, viz. (Isaiah 11:9) "for the earth will be filled with knowing of the L rd, etc." (Exodus, Ibid.) "what would be done with him": "Doing signifies the Holy Spirit, viz. (Amos 3:7) "For the L rd G d will not do a thing unless He has revealed His secret to His servants the prophets." (Exodus 15:20) "Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron": Was she not (also) the sister of Moses? Why, then, "the sister of Aaron"? __ Because Aaron risked his life for his sister (viz. Numbers 12:2), she was called by his name. Similarly, (Genesis 34:25) "Shimon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah." Now was she not the sister of all of the tribes? Why, then, "the brothers of Dinah"? __ Because they risked their lives for her, she was called their sister. Similarly, (Numbers 25:18) "Kazbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister." Now was she their (Midian's) sister? Was he (Tzur, her father,) not "the head of the peoples of a father's house in Midian" (viz. (Numbers 25:15)? Why, then, "their (Midian's) sister'? __ Because she risked her life for her people, they were called by her name.

"Assail the Midianites" - Why? "For they assailed you" (Numbers 25:18). From here the sages said, 'rise and kill the one who comes to kill you.

4 (Numb. 25:17) “Harass the Midianites”: Why? (As in Numb. 25:18,) “Because they are harassing you.” Hence the sages have said, “If someone comes to kill you, act first to kill him.”⁷Ber. 62b; Sanh. 72a. R. Simeon says, “Whoever causes a person to sin is worse than the one who kills him. Because whoever kills [a person] kills him in this world, but he [still] has a share in the world to come. However, the one who causes him to sin kills him in this world and for the world to come. Two peoples encountered Israel with the sword, and two with sin: The Egyptians and the Edomites with the sword. [Thus it is stated (of the Egyptians] (in Exod. 15:9), “The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will empty my sword.’” [And Edom did the same, as stated] (in Numb. 20:18), “But Edom said unto him, ‘You shall not pass through me, or else I will come out to meet you with the sword.’” Moreover, two [peoples encountered them] with sin, the Moabites and the Ammonites. Concerning the ones who encountered them with the sword, it is written (in Deut. 23:8), “You shall not abhor an Edomite …; you shall not abhor an Egyptian.” But concerning the ones who encountered them with sin to cause Israel to sin, it is stated (according to Deut. 23:4), “No Ammonite or Moabite shall come into [the assembly of the Lord] even to the tenth generation, forever.”

5 (Numb. 25:17) “Harass the Midianites”: Even though I have written (in Deut. 20:10), “When you draw near unto a city to fight against it, you shall offer terms of peace (shalom) unto it”; however, in regard to these [peoples] you shall not do this; (according to Deut. 23:7), “You shall not seek their welfare (shalom) and benefit.” You find that the one who came to them with the trait of mercy, in the end came to disgrace, war and distress. And who [was that]? David, as stated (in II Sam. 10:2), “David said, ‘I will do kindness with Hanun son of Nahash.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You are transgressing My word, as I wrote (in Deut. 23:7), ‘You shall not seek their welfare and benefit,’ and you are doing acts of kindness with them? (Eccl. 7:12) ‘Do not be greatly righteous,’ such that a man should not forego [what is written in] the Torah. And this one is sending [word] to console the Children of Ammon and to do kindness and good to him?” And in the end, he came to disgrace [as stated] (in II Sam. 10:4), “So Hanun seized David’s courtiers, clipped off one side of their beards and cut away half of their garments at the buttocks, and sent them off.” And he came to war with four nations: Aram-Naharayim, with the kings of Zova, with the kings of Maakha and with Children of Ammon. And it is written (about this in II Sam. 10:9), “Joab saw that there was a battle line against him [both front and rear].” What caused this to David? That he sought to do good to those about whom the Holy One, blessed be He, told him, “You shall not seek their welfare.” Hence it is written (Numb. 25:17), “Harass the Midianites.”