NUM367 Do not grow angry even when reprimanding someone for a wrongdoing. The Talmud (Psochim 66b) states that Moshe was punished for his anger at the officers for having allowed the Midianite women to remain alive. Basing itself on this verse, the Talmud says that if a wise person becomes angry, he will forget his knowledge. In his anger, Moshe forgot the laws dealing with the Midianite vessels. Consequently, Eliezer, instead of Moshe, taught these laws to the soldiers (verse 21). Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv pointed out that Moshe's rebuke was correct. The soldiers had erred and deserved censure. Moshe's only wrong was his emotion of anger. Even when a person should rebuke someone, he must remain calm and be careful not to grow angry. (Chochmah Umussar, vol. 1, p. 161).