민수기 31:5의 주석

וימסרו SO THERE WERE HANDED OVER … [A THOUSAND OF EVERY TRIBE] — This serves to tell you in what high esteem the shepherds of Israel were really held — how dear they were to Israel. Up until they had heard of his approaching death what does it state? That Moses felt constrained to exclaim about them, “They are almost ready to stone me”! (Exodus 17:14). But when they heard that Moses’ death was associated with the execution of vengeance upon Midian (cf. v. 2), they refused to go to war until they were “handed over” against their own will (Sifrei Bamidbar 157:3).

וימסרו, to Moses by the representatives of each tribe.

וימסרו, even under protest, something that could be due to Moses’ death having been linked to the conclusion of this campaign (verse 2). Israelites, in order to prolong Moses’ life might refuse to join this expedition. (compare Sifri 157)

וימסרו מאלפי ישראל, “they were handed over from amongst the thousands of Israelites, etc.” Our sages in Sifri Mattot 157 comment on this that these men had not volunteered but had been drafted against their will due to their love of Moses; they knew that Moses’ death would result from their waging this war and they did not want to contribute to Moses’ death.

They refused to go until they were handed over against their wishes. For if not so, it should have said, “Moshe took twelve thousand…”

V. 5. מסר וימסרו kommt in תנ׳׳ך nur hier und V. 16 vor. Rabbinisch ist es der ganz gewöhnliche Ausdruck für übergeben, überliefern. Hier entspricht der Ausdruck dem ganzen angedeuteten Verhältnisse. Jeder Stamm übergab Mosche das zu seiner Vertretung bei Ausführung dieser Gesamtaufgabe von ihm aus ihm ausgewählte tausend,

וימסרו מאלפי ישראל, “there were ‘delivered’ from the thousands of Israelite men of military age, etc.” These men were not volunteers but conscripts as Rashi has explained. G-d had told Moses to select these conscripts by means of lots. (Bamidbar Rabbah 22,3.)