“And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel saying, this is the word which God has commanded.” (Bamidbar, 30:2) “All the prophets prophesied with ‘Ko,’ ‘thus [spoke God],’ Moshe was superior to them all, saying, ‘Ze haDavar,’ ‘this is the word’” (Sifrei Mattot, 2).⁷⁸ Moshe’s level of prophecy only occurred in this (Moshe’s) generation. That is to say, all the prophets had a mission to Israel in conveying of their prophecies according to the particular time in which it was said and according to the power of their understanding. They would prophesize within these parameters. It occurred to them in their prophetic spirit that whichever particular word of prophecy they were speaking was enduring for all eternity. Yet truly, there were changes according to the quality of each generation. On this, “Moshe Rabeynu’s level of prophecy was superior to them all, prophesizing with ‘this is the word.’” This means that he understood the prophecy according to its time and place, understanding that a prophecy is only relevant for a particular time, and later God may desire something else. This is why the Parsha’s discussion of the laws of vows opens with “this is the word,” even though it is a commandment incumbent on every generation. This is understood from the Gemara (Baba Batra, 120a–b), “from sacrifices slaughtered outside.”⁷⁹ Nonetheless it is introduced with “this is the word,” for one who vows not to do something does so according to the level of his understanding that this abstention will bring him to the service of God. He also understands that this action has nothing inherently good about it. Therefore it is said, “this is the word,” for one must understand that the particular action is only temporarily forbidden to him, and that God can give him the power to receive all the good of the world without being disconnected from the service of the Divine. (When one vows he accepts upon himself to abstain from something permitted, that he won’t eat this food or won’t speak to this person et al, because he knows that he cannot serve God with this action. Zeh hadavar is to say that after the vow is no longer relevant he needs to know that God can give him all manner of goodness from any action that he might have for a vowed to abstain from for a period of time.)

footnotes: ⁷⁸ One explanation: The prophets of Israel received their prophecy in a vision or a dream, but Moshe, the greatest of all prophets, would see God’s word clearly and lucidly before him, saying, “this is the matter, this is the word.” ⁷⁹ “From sacrifices slaughtered outside” of the temple, and afterwards brought to the temple. This command is introduced with “this is the word,” and ends saying that it is for “all generations.” The Gemara compares it with the laws of breaking vows, saying that both are relevant in all generations, and then depending on the time and place.

“A man who makes a vow .…” (Bamidbar, 30:3) This is as it is written (Tehilim, 104:24), “How great are Your works, God, You have made them all with wisdom, You have filled the land with your possessions.” Here is the root of the matter of the prohibition of vows. Truly, all the boundaries and “fences” (used to protect the source of the law), whether involving an action, or whether involving refraining from an action, are included in the 613 mitzvot. The 613 mitzvot are necessary in every time, for all of Israel, without any kind of change or deviation from the source in any form. Still, we find situations in the world that are temporarily forbidden. In such a case, if one deems it necessary to forbid himself something, or (a legal authority) declares something forbidden to his whole generation, delineated to a specific time, thus it would only carry the weight of a rabbinical prohibition and a “fence.” For this reason, the Torah gives us the discussion of vows, where for the specific time each fence is deemed necessary it will be included in the Torah and carry the weight of a scriptural prohibition. Then when it becomes necessary it will be like one of the 613 mitzvot delivered to Moshe, different only in that it can be changed according to the specific time. Thus any time one takes upon himself a vow, delineating his actions by refraining from something, he is completing the entire structure of the Torah. This is as we have in the Gemara (Shabbat, 119b), “all who say, ‘[thus the heavens and the earth] were completed,’ it is if he is made a partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the act of creation.” For the entire purpose of the creation of the world was in order for us to praise God, and at the time each one stands to give praise and thanks for this creation, he is completing it, or made a partner in it, as it were. Similarly, when making a “fence” or a vow for a specific period of time, one is completing the honor of the Torah. On this it is written, “how great are your works, God … You fill the land …” This means “You fill the land,” even now at each and every moment, “with Your possessions,” that is, with the completion of the Torah, to make this completion with words and fences to form Torah-ordained prohibitions.

“A man who makes a vow .…” (Bamidbar, 30:3) It is said in the tractate Nedarim (vows) (10a), “what is konam? [Used as a proclamation when one makes a vow of abstinence.] Rabbi Yochanan said it comes from a foreign language. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said that it is a term that sages reserved for vows.” This is similar to what is written (Job, 28:28), “The fear of God is wisdom, to turn from evil is understanding.” Wisdom is when one considers everything carefully, understanding with his approval that the action is proper to do, and separating himself from that which is not proper. Understanding is when his heart is refined to such a degree that nothing against God’s will enters it, nor will he desire anything against the will of the blessed One. For all whose hearts are not yet refined need boundaries and “fences,” so as not to come to failure. Therefore Rabbi Yochanan said that all the terms used for vows of abstention are from foreign languages. In the eyes of the sages foreign languages were likened to stammering, and thus it is with one who has not internalized the concept of understanding, having it fixed in his heart so as not to need the boundaries and fences (of the law). Therefore it is called a “foreign language.”⁸⁰ Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, “it is a term separated for vows by the sages.” Each one explained konam according to the root of his soul. Rabbi Yochanan was completely righteous from his birth. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, however (a famous Ba’al Teshuva), understood according to his root that “[the Divine attribute of] ‘great mercy’ is a staff tilting those unworthy to the side of mercy” (Rosh Hashanah, 17a). He saw how even those terms from foreign languages were designated by the sages, for God in his great compassion will not abandon any intention for the sake of Heaven even if it is not yet complete.

footnotes: ⁸⁰ Uncertainty as to God’s will is likened to the uncertainty or even confusion of stammering.

“Take vengeance of the children of Israel on the Midianites and afterwards you will be gathered unto your people.” (Bamidbar, 31:2) Midian teaches of illusion.⁸¹ in Hebrew, virtually the letters of Midian, here meaning an impure imagination. Moshe was called the wisdom of all of Israel, as explained in Parshat Tetsave (under the passage beginning “Go command”). Here the Holy One, blessed be He is saying to Moshe that when the power of illusion (Midian) is removed from the heart of Israel, then the children of Israel will not need to use their wisdom⁸² in order to know God’s will. Then, even without thinking, their intentions will be according to God’s will.

footnotes: ⁸¹ Imagination, Dimion ⁸² They will not need the living Moshe, the source of their wisdom.

“And they waged war on Midian .…” (Bamidbar, 31:7) “And they waged war,” (yits’be’u in Hebrew) is similar to the word “finger” (etsba in Hebrew), meaning that each of the warriors was directed to the goal of the war as clearly as if they were all pointing with one finger. All of Israel equally was given the Torah to guard in its totality, yet at times the evil inclination comes to the heart of Israel from the power of the nations, depending on the particular kind of inclination according to the character of the nation it comes from. Thus Israel must guard itself more in that aspect of Torah more than any other in order not to come to a point of failure. Also here, Moshe Rabeynu chose the specific warriors who would fight Midian, choosing the people who could stand against the evil inclination of the Midianites. Furthermore, “wage war” (yits’be’u) comes directly from the word for army (tseva), referring to the way each troop is bannered, “displaying their colors,” as it were, for those who were chosen were exemplifying certain characteristics in Israel that they could use in order to stand against the Midianites.

“And Moshe was angry [that they had not killed the Midianite women] … behold, they caused Israel to treacherously act against God concerning Pe’or .…” (Bamidbar, 31:14–16) Here Moshe Rabeynu showed Pinchas that he had made the same mistake that Zimri and all those involved with (the illicit lewdness of) Pe’or had made, their mistake being that they saw these Midianites possessed Kedusha. We find Zimri claiming to Moshe (Sanhedrin, 82a), “Who made Yitro’s daughter, a Midianite, permitted for you to marry?” His claim is that just as Moshe Rabeynu understood that Tsipporah was connected to him in his soul, so is Cosbi connected to Zimri, as in the writing of the Ari”zal, that Cosbi was a reincarnation of Dinah, and he was of Shchem. Pinchas saw his mistake and killed him, as is explained there, for God did not choose this matter to come about this way in the world. Here Moshe Rabeynu showed Pinchas that he is now making the same mistake in letting the Midianites live, as it erroneously occurred to him that he could bring them into a state of Kedusha. For here they did not actually see the action (as with Zimri), and it seemed to Pinchas that they would be permitted to live, yet Moshe Rabeynu understood that at the depths they are forbidden. (At the same time) Moshe Rabeynu showed Pinchas that in the action of Pe’or there was some reason to suppose that these souls would be permitted (to live), for in truth, from a certain facet there was a connection to their souls.

“And Elazar haCohen said to the men of war who were coming to battle .…” (Bamidbar, 31:21) It seems as if it should have been said, “who came from the battle,” as it said earlier (in verse 14). Yet truly, since Moshe Rabeynu’s rage had been kindled, when he said, “you let all the females live,” they had an answer to give him to justify their action.⁸³, 20:11). However, Elazar haCohen saw that if they had given an answer to contradict Moshe Rabeynu, they would have done irreparable damage. At this time Moshe Rabeynu was standing with absolute clarity on every matter directly to the life of the world to come, with no connection whatsoever to this world. Until now it was within Moshe Rabeynu’s power to be forgiving, but at this moment he was not able to be forgiving. Elazar haCohen understood this and why it was happening, so he quickly signaled Israel not to, God forbid, contradict Moshe Rabeynu at this time. With the intention of the heart of Israel to come and enter into an argument with Moshe, they were “coming to battle,” as it were, for the battle here was now between them and Moshe Rabeynu. So here Elazar taught them the laws of purifying the vessels of idolaters, for even a prohibition that had “absorbed” anger by the one who taught it is not to be regarded. When they heard that a vessel that had absorbed impurity was forbidden, they said, let us go and offer a sacrifice to complete what we cannot do with our thought alone. So too rust, which our sages taught must be removed before the purification process [see Rashi here], hints at anger.⁸⁴ This is why Pinchas (Elazar’s son) was called “an appeaser of My wrath, the son of one who appeased my wrath,” and we see as mentioned above how Elazar managed to appease God’s wrath (by making peace in Israel).

footnotes: ⁸³ In other words, they could say that if they were truly correct at this time, he would not have displayed any anger, as with all the other times he spoke God’s word to them. See Rashi on this verse, which says that when one enters the realm of anger, he is liable to make an error, such as the incident of Moshe with the rock (Bamidbar ⁸⁴ In this way Elazar diverted them from entering into controversy with Moshe, who was in a state not comprehensible by those in this world.