פירוש על במדבר 31:14

ויקצף משה על פקודי החיל AND MOSES WAS ANGRY WITH THE פקודי החיל — WITH THOSE APPOINTED OVER THE ARMY — This serves to teach you that every misdeed of a generation is attributed to the leaders since these have the power to protest (Sifrei Bamidbar 157:5).

ויקצוף על פקודי החיל, “He was angry at the commanders of the troops.” He did not display anger at Pinchas seeing that Hashem Himself had granted him the covenant of peace.

V. 14. פקודי החיל, sind diejenigen, denen die Heeresmacht als Leitern anvertraut war, die also deren Heereshandlungen zu leiten hatten und dafür verantwortlich waren.

שרי האלפים ושרי המאות, “the chiefs of thousands and the chiefs of hundreds.” A total of 132 men. The verse teaches that misconduct by the common people is always blamed on their leaders, the ones who have the authority and power to stop such misconduct by the people and who fail to do so (Sifri on our verse).