Midrash su Numeri 31:1

(Numb. 31:1, 2, 6:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING: EXACT VENGEANCE FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL <ON THE MIDIANITES>. […. WITH THE VESSELS OF THE SANCTUARY AND THE TRUMPETS FOR SOUNDING THE ALARM IN HIS HAND.] Let our master instruct us: How many sustained blasts (teqi'ot) does one blow on eve of the Sabbath to detach the people from labor?⁷Tanh.,Numb. 9:2. Thus have our masters taught (in Suk. 5:5): ONE BLOWS THREE SUSTAINED BLASTS TO HAVE THE PEOPLE CEASE FROM LABOR.⁸See Shab. 35b. How? The hazzan of the congregation takes the trumpets and goes up to the roof at the highest point in the city and blows. <Thereupon> whoever is far from the city leaves his work. Then he comes again and blows a second time. <Thereupon> those who are nearer enter the city. When he blows a third time, they place the hammin⁹I.e., the Sabbath food kept warm from Friday. in the oven and light the <Sabbath> lights. <If> he has finished blowing <while> the pot was on the stove, they set it on the ground. If there was a light in a woman's hand, she set it on the ground. The Sabbath is sanctified with trumpets, and so also are New Moons and Festivals, as stated (in Numb. 10:10): WHEN YOU HAVE A DAY OF REJOICING, AT YOUR FIXED FESTIVALS, AND ON YOUR NEW MOONS, YOU SHALL BLOW THE TRUMPETS. Moreover, when they moved out <from camp>, they blew the trumpets to move out, as stated (in Numb. 10:6): WHEN YOU BLOW a [SECOND] SHORT BLAST (teru'ah), THE CAMPS <PLACED TO THE SOUTH> SHALL MOVE OUT…. Also when <the congregation> met together, they blew the trumpets, as stated (in vs. 7): WHEN THE CONGREGATION ASSEMBLES, YOU SHALL BLOW <SUSTAINED BLASTS AND NOT SHORT ONES>. And when an enemy oppresses you, you shall blow the trumpets, as stated (in vs. 9): AND WHEN YOU GO TO WAR IN YOUR LAND AGAINST AN ENEMY WHO OPPRESSES YOU, YOU SHALL BLOW THE TRUMPETS. And when they went to take vengeance against Midian, they carried out their vengeance with trumpets, as stated (in Numb. 31:6): WITH THE VESSELS OF THE SANCTUARY AND THE TRUMPETS FOR SOUNDING THE ALARM (teru'ah) IN HIS HAND.

4 (Numb. 22:4) “So Moab said unto the elders of Midian”: What is the relevance of [mentioning] the elders of Midian here? It is simply that they saw Israel conquering in a way that was not customary for conquerors. They said, “Their leader (i.e., Moses) was raised in Midian. Let us learn through them what his character is like.” The elders of Midian said to them, “His power is only in his mouth.” They said to them, “We also will bring someone against them who has power in his mouth.” (Numb. 22:4) “So Moab said unto the elders of Midian”: Do you not find that the Midianites were at war with the Moabites? It is so stated (in Gen. 36:35), “[and Hadad ben Bedad,] who smote Midian in the plain of Moab, [reigned in his place].” Moreover, the hatred between them had existed from time immemorial. The matter is comparable to two dogs who were hostile to each other.⁴Sifre, Numb. 31:1-2 (157); Sanh. 105a. [When] a wolf came against one of them, his companion said, “If I do not help him, [the wolf] will kill this [dog] today. [Then] tomorrow he will come against me.” Therefore Moab formed an alliance with Midian. (Numb. 22:4, cont.) “As the ox licks up [the grass of the field]”: Just as the ox has its power in its mouth, so do they have their strength in their mouth. Just as everything an ox licks up has no sign⁵Gk.: semeion. of blessing, [so] also whatever these lick up have no sign of blessing. Just as an ox gores with its horns, [so] also do these gore with their prayer, as stated (according to Deut. 33:17), “and his horns are the horns of a wild ox, [and with them he gores the nations].” (Numb. 22:4, cont.) “Now Balak ben Zippor was king of Moab at that time”: But was he not formerly a prince, as stated (in Numb. 31:8)), “Evi, Rekem, [Zur].”⁶According to Enoch Zundel in his commentary, ‘Ets Yosef, Balak is to be identified with Zur. So also Issachar Ber Ashkenazi in his commentary, Mattenot Kehunnah, on Numb. R. 20:4; Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1954), vol. III, p. 353; vol. VI, p. 136, n. 791. It is simply that when Sihon was killed they made him king in his place. (Numb. 22:4, cont.) “At that time”: As it was the time that caused it for him.

(Bamidbar 31:1-2) "And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: Take the revenge of the children of Israel, etc.": This is in praise of the leaders of Israel. They do not depart from the world until they take Israel's revenge, which is the revenge of Him who spoke and brought the world into being. "from the Midianites": But were the Moavites not the initiators? As it is written (Bamidbar 22:4) "And Moav said to the elders of Midian, etc." and (Ibid. 7) "And the elders of Moav went and the elders of Midian, etc." They had never made peace with each other — except when it came to warring with Israel. An analogy: Two sheep dogs were always at odds with each other, until a wolf came to snatch a lamb from the flock, when one of them, standing up against it, the other said: If I don't help him now, he will kill the lamb and then will turn against me and kill me — whereupon they made peace with each other and took on the wolf. Likewise, Moav and Midian were never at peace with each other, viz. (Bereshit 36:35) "… who smote Midian in the field of Moav." But when they came to make war against Israel, they made peace with each other. Why, then, "from the Midianites"? For they "counseled" against Israel. "the Midianites" — they "inveighed" ("midaynin") against Israel.