Rhymes for Kids

Regarding the 1000 troops from each shevet that Moshe Rabbeinu needed to send to fight a war against Midian in this week’s parsha, Midrash teaches:

”אֶלֶף לַמַטֶה... “ יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִ ים שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים מִכָל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט שָׁלַח, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִ ים שְׁלשֶׁת אֲלָפִים מִכָל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט: שְׁנֵים עָשָר אֶלֶף מְשַׁמְרִ ים אֶת כְלֵיהֶם...וּשְׁנֵים עָשָר אֶלֶף לִתְׁפִלָה .[במדבר רבה, מטות כב, סימן ב]

“One thousand per shevet” Some say that Moshe sent 2000 [troops] from each shevet, while others say that Moshe sent 3000 [troops] from each shevet: [Twelve thousand to battle,] twelve thousand to guard the weapons,...and twelve thousand for tefilla. [Bamidbar Rabba, Mattos 22:2]