וַיִּקָר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם. אָמַר לוֹ: רָשָׁע, מָה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה. אָמַר, אֶת שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת עָרַכְתִּי. מָשָׁל לְשֻׁלְחָנִי שֶׁהָיָה מְשַׁקֵּר בַּמִּשְׁקָלוֹת, בָּא בַּעַל הַשּׁוּק הִרְגִּישׁ בּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: מָה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה, מַעֲלֶה וּמְשַׁקֵּר בַּמִּשְׁקָל. אָמַר לוֹ: כְּבָר שָׁלַחְתִּי דּוֹרוֹן לְבֵיתְךָ. אַף כָּךְ בִּלְעָם, רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ, מָה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה, רָשָׁע. אָמַר לוֹ: אֶת שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת עָרַכְתִּי. אָמַר לוֹ: טוֹב אֲרֻחַת יָרָק (משלי טו, יז), טוֹבָה סְעוּדָה שֶׁאָכְלוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים, מִשְּׁוָרִים אוֹ מִפָּרִים שֶׁאַתָּה מַקְרִיב עַל יָדְךָ בְּשִׂנְאָה. וַיָּשֶׂם ה' דָּבָר בְּפִי בִּלְעָם, שֶׁעִקֵּם אֶת פִּיו וּפְקָמוֹ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁקּוֹבֵעַ מַסְמֵר בַּלּוּחַ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, מַלְאָךְ הָיָה מְדַבֵּר. וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: שׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק וְכֹה תְּדַבֵּר. וַיָּשָׁב אֵלָיו וְהֵנָּה נִצָּב עַל עוֹלָתוֹ הוּא וְכָל שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב, שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹמְדִים וּמְצַפִּים מָתַי יָבֹא וְיֹאמַר. וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר, מִן אֲרָם יַנְחֵנִי בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, מִן הָרָמִים הָיִיתִי מִמְּחִיצַת הָאָבוֹת, הִנְחַנִי וְהוֹרִידַנִי בָּלָק לְבֹר שַׁחַת. יַנְחֵנִי, יִנְהֵנִי, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אֲמַר: נְהֵה עַל הֲמוֹן מִצְרַיִם (יחזקאל לב, יח). דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִן אֲרָם, עַם רָם שֶׁל מַעְלָן הָיִיתִי, וְהוֹרִידַנִי בָּלָק מִן כְּבוֹדִי. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה. לְמִי שֶׁמְּהַלֵּךְ עִם הַמֶּלֶךְ, רָאָה לִסְטִים, הֵנִיחַ אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְטִיֵּל עִם הַלִּסְטִים. כְּשֶׁחָזַר אֵצֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ, לְךָ עִם אוֹתָן שֶׁטִּיַּלְתָּ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתֵּלֵךְ עִמִּי. כָּךְ בִּלְעָם נִזְקַק לְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ. כְּשֶׁנִּזְדַּוֵּג לְבָלָק, נִסְתַּלְּקָה הֵימֶנּוּ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְחָזַר לִהְיוֹת קוֹסֵם כְּבַתְּחִלָּה, כְּדִכְתִיב, וְאֶת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הַקּוֹסֵם וְגוֹ' (יהושע יג, כב). לְכָךְ אָמַר, רָם הָיִיתִי וְהוֹרִידַנִי בָּלָק. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִן אֲרָם יַנְחֵנִי בָּלָק מֵהַרְרֵי קֶדֶם, הֻשְׁוֵינוּ שְׁנֵינוּ לִהְיוֹת כְּפוּיֵי טוֹבָה. שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי אַבְרָהָם אֲבִיהֶם, לֹא הָיָה בָּלָק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי בְּשַׁחֵת אֱלֹהִים אֶת עָרֵי הַכִּכָּר וְגוֹ' (בראשית יט, כט). וְאִלּוּלֵי אַבְרָהָם, לֹא פָּלַט לוֹט מִסְּדוֹם, וְאַתָּה מִבְּנֵי בָנָיו שֶׁל לוֹט. וְאִלּוּלֵי יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם, לֹא עָמַדְתִּי אֲנִי בָּעוֹלָם. שֶׁלֹּא זָכָה לָבָן לְבָנִים אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת יַעֲקֹב. שֶׁבִּתְחִלָּה בָּאָה רָחֵל עִם הַצֹּאן. אִלּוּ הָיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים, הֵיאַךְ בִּתּוֹ רוֹעָה. וּמִשֶּׁהָלַךְ יַעֲקֹב לְשָׁם, נִתְּנוּ לוֹ בָּנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת דִּבְרֵי בְּנֵי לָבָן (בראשית לא, א). וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, נִחַשְׁתִּי וַיְבָרְכֵנִי ה' בִּגְלָלְךָ (שם ל, כז). וַאֲנִי מִבְּנֵי בָנָיו שֶׁל לָבָן. אִלּוּלֵי אַבְרָהָם וְיַעֲקֹב, אֲנִי וְאַתָּה לֹא עָמַדְנוּ בָּעוֹלָם. לְכָה אָרָה לִי יַעֲקֹב. מִי שֶׁהוּא מְאָרֵר לְבָנָיו שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, לְעַצְמוֹ הוּא מְאָרֵר. שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב: וּמְקַלְּלֶךָ אָאֹר (שם יב, ג). וְאוֹמֵר: אֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר, וּמְבָרֲכֶיךָ בָּרוּךְ (שם כז, כט). לְכָה אָרָה לִי יַעֲקֹב, וּלְכָה זֹעֲמָה יִשְׂרָאֵל. אִלּוּ לְאֻמָּה אַחֶרֶת בִּקֵּשׁ שֶׁאֲקַלֵּל, כְּגוֹן בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם, מֵהַפִּילַגְשִׁים הָיִיתִי יָכֹל. אֶלָּא בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב. יֵשׁ מֶלֶךְ שֶׁבּוֹרֵר לְעַצְמוֹ מָנָה, וְעָמַד אֶחָד וְאָמַר גְּנַאי עָלֶיהָ, כְּלוּם יֵשׁ לוֹ חַיִּים. וְאֵלּוּ נַחֲלָתוֹ וְחֶבְלוֹ וּסְגֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי חֵלֶק ה' עַמּוֹ וְגוֹ' (דברים לב, ט). וּכְתִיב: וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה (שמות יט, ה). וּלְכָה זֹעֲמָה יִשְׂרָאֵל. מֶלֶךְ שֶׁנָּטַל עֲטָרָה וּנְתָנָהּ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, וְאָמַר אָדָם עָלֶיהָ שֶׁאֵינָהּ כְּלוּם, יֵשׁ לוֹ חַיִּים. וְאֵלּוּ כְּתִיב בָּהֶם, יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר (ישעיה מט, ג). מָה אֶקֹּב, לֹא קָבָה אֵל. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִין לְקַלֵּל, לֹא נִתְקַלֵּל. שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס יַעֲקֹב לִטֹּל אֶת הַבְּרָכוֹת, נִכְנַס בְּמִרְמָה, דִּכְתִיב: וְאֶת עוֹרוֹת גְּדָיֵי הָעִזִּים (בראשית כז, טז). אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו, מִי אַתָּה. אָמַר לוֹ: עֵשָׂו בְּכוֹרֶךָ, הַמּוֹצִיא שֶׁקֶר מִפִּיו, אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהִתְקַלֵּל. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה (שם פסוק לג). וְהֵיאַךְ אֲנִי מְקַלְּלָן. לֹא קָבֹה אֵל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מָה אֶקֹּב, לֹא קָבֹה אֵל. בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, לִגְיוֹן שֶׁמּוֹרֵד בַּמֶּלֶךְ, חַיָּב מִיתָה. וְאֵלּוּ כָּפְרוּ בּוֹ וּמָרְדוּ בּוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ לָעֵגֶל, אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל (שמות לב, ד), לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְכַלּוֹתָם בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה. אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא זָז מֵחִבָּתָן אֶלָּא לִוָּה עֲלֵיהֶם עַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד, וְלֹא פָּסְקוּ מֵהֶם הַמָּן וְהַבְּאֵר. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, אַף כִּי עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ זֶה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ' וַיַּעֲשׂוּ נְאָצוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לֹא עֲזַבְתָּם בַּמִּדְבָּר, אֶת עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן לֹא סָר מֵעֲלֵיהֶם בְּיוֹמָם וְגוֹ', וּמַנְךָ לֹא מָנַעְתָּ מִפִּיהֶם, וּמַיִם נָתַתָּ לָהֶם לִצְמָאָם (נחמיה ט, יח-כ). הֵיאַךְ אוּכַל אֲנִי לְקַלְּלָם. מָה אֶקֹּב, לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה מְצַוֶּה אוֹתָם עַל הַקְּלָלוֹת וְעַל הַבְּרָכוֹת, בַּבְּרָכוֹת הָיָה מַזְכִּירָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם (דברים כז, יב). וּבַקְּלָלוֹת לֹא הָיָה מַזְכִּירָם, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר, וְאֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ עַל הַקְּלָלָה (שם פסוק יג). וְעוֹד, כְּשֶׁהֵם חוֹטְאִין וְאוֹמֵר לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם קְלָלָה, אֵינוֹ כְּתִיב שֶׁהוּא מְבִיאָהּ. אֲבָל בַּבְּרָכוֹת הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ מְבָרְכָן, כִּי כֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע וְגוֹ', וּנְתָנְךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ עֶלְיוֹן וְגוֹ', יְצַו ה' אִתְּךָ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה (דברים כח, א-ח). וּבַקְּלָלוֹת כְּתִיב: וְהָיָה אִם לֹא תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל ה' וְגוֹ' וּבָאוּ עָלֶיךָ (שם פסוק טו), מֵעַצְמָן. אֲבָל הַבְּרָכוֹת, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ מְבִיאָן. הֱוֵי, מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קָבָה אֵל. כִּי מֵרֹאשׁ צוּרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שִׂנְאָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע, שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ בִּרְכָתוֹ אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה. לָאָדָם שֶׁבָּא לָקוֹץ אֶת הָאִילָן. מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּקִי, קוֹצֵץ אֶת הָעֲנָפִים כָּל עָנָף וְעָנָף וּמִתְיַגֵּעַ. וְהַפִּקֵּחַ מְגַלֶּה אֶת הַשָּׁרָשִׁים וְקוֹצֵץ. כָּךְ אָמַר אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע, מָה אֲנִי מְקַלֵּל כָּל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט, הֲרֵינִי הוֹלֵךְ לְשָׁרְשֵׁיהֶם. בָּא לִיגַע, מְצָאָן קָשִׁים. לְכָךְ אָמַר, כִּי מֵרֹאשׁ צוּרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי מֵרֹאשׁ צוּרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ, אֵלּוּ הָאָבוֹת. וּמִגְּבָעוֹת אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ, אֵלּוּ הָאִמָּהוֹת. הֵן עַם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן. כְּשֶׁהוּא מְשַׂמְּחָן, אֵין אֻמָּה שְׂמֵחָה עִמָּהֶם, אֶלָּא הַכֹּל לוֹקִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ה' בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָר (דברים לב, יב). וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב. כְּשֶׁהָאֻמּוֹת שְׂמֵחִין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הֵן אוֹכְלִין עִם כָּל מַלְכוּת וּמַלְכוּת וְאֵין עוֹלֶה לָהֶם מִן הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב. מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב. מִי יוּכַל לִמְנוֹת מִצְוֹת שֶׁהֵם עוֹשִׂים בֶּעָפָר, לֹא תַּחְרֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמוֹר (שם כב, י), לֹא תִּזְרַע כַּרְמְךָ כִּלְאָיִם (שם פסוק ט), וְאָסַף אִישׁ טָהוֹר אֶת אֵפֶר הַפָּרָה (במדבר יט, ט), וּמִן הֶעָפָר אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בְּקַרְקַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן (שם ה, יז), שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים וְגוֹ' (ויקרא יט, כג), וְכֵן כֻּלָּם. וּמִסְפָּר אֶת רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל הָרְבִיעוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם, מִי יוּכַל לִמְנוֹת אוּכְלֻסִין שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מֵאוֹתָם שֶׁהֵם חוֹטְפוֹת וּמְחַבְּבוֹת אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ הַמְעַט קַחְתֵּךְ אֶת אִישִׁי (בראשית ל, טו), הִנֵּה אֲמָתִי בִּלְהָה בֹּא אֵלֶיהָ, וַתֵּרֶא לֵאָה כִּי עָמְדָה מִלֶּדֶת וְגוֹ' (שם פסוק ג-ט), וַתִּקַּח שָׂרַי אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם אֶת הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית שִׁפְחָתָהּ וְגוֹ' (שם טז, ג). תָּמֹת נַפְשִׁי מוֹת יְשָׁרִים. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה. לְטַבָּח שֶׁבָּא לִשְׁחֹט פָּרָתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, הִתְחִיל צוֹפֶה הַמֶּלֶךְ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ רוֹאֶה, הִתְחִיל מַשְׁלִיךְ אֶת הַסַּכִּין וּמְשַׁפְשֵׁף בָּהּ לְמַלֵּא אֶת הָאֵבוּס לְפָנֶיהָ. הִתְחִיל לוֹמַר, תֵּצֵא נַפְשִׁי שֶׁבָּאתִי לְשׁוֹחֲטָהּ, וַהֲרֵינִי זְנַחְתִּיהָ. כָּךְ בִּלְעָם אָמַר, תֵּצֵא נַפְשִׁי שֶׁבָּאתִי לְקַלֵּל וַאֲנִי מְבָרֵךְ, תָּמֹת נַפְשִׁי מוֹת יְשָׁרִים. (Numb. 23:4:) “Then God encountered Balaam.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You evil man! What are you doing?” (Ibid., cont.:) “And [Balaam] said unto him, ‘I have prepared the seven altars [and offered a ram and a bull on each altar].’” [The matter] is comparable to a money-changer who lies about the weights. When the head of the marketplace came, he noticed him. He said to him, “What are you doing inflating and lying about the weights?” [The money changer then] said to him, “I have already sent a gift46Gk.: doron. to your house.” So also it was in the case of Balaam. The holy spirit cried out to him. It said to him, “You evil man! What are you doing.” He said to it (in Numb. 23:4), “I have prepared the seven altars [and offered a ram and a bull on each altar].” It said to him (in Prov. 15:17), “’Better a meal of vegetable greens [where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred in it].’ Better the dinner of unleavened bread and bitter herbs which Israel ate in Egypt, than bulls which you offer with hands of [hatred].” (Numb. 23:5:) “So the Lord put a word (davar) in Balaam's mouth,” which twisted his mouth and pierced it,47Both “twisted” and “pierced” connote the use of a bit on a horse. as one would drive a nail into a board. R. Eliezer (understanding davar as word) says, “An angel was speaking.” But R. Joshua says, “[It was] the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated, (in Numb. 23:5), “Return unto Balak and speak thus.” (Numb. 23:6:) “So he returned unto him, and there he was standing beside his burnt offerings with all the ministers of Moab,” who stood anxiously awaiting [the time] when he would come and speak. (Numb. 23:7:) “So he took up his theme and said, ‘From Aram, Balak the king of Moab has brought me, from the hills of the east.’” I was one of the exalted ones,48Ramim. The midrash links this word with ARAM in Numb. 23:7. but Balak has brought me down to the pit of corruption.49Numb. R. 20:19; also above, Lev. 5:1 and the notes there. (Ibid.:) “Brought me (yanheni, rt.: nhh),” [is to be understood] just as you say (in Ezek. 32:18), “bring (rt.: nhh) the masses of Egypt [and cast them down… unto the lowest part of the netherworld along with those who go down to the pit].”50Thus Numb. 23:7 comes to mean that Balak BROUGHT (rt.: NHH) Balaam down to the grave. The unusual Biblical translation is necessary to fit the sense of the midrash. Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram.” I was with the highest (ram) of the high, and Balak has brought me down from my glory. [The matter] is comparable to one who was walking with the king. When he saw [some] robbers,51Gk.: lestai. he left the king and toured along with the robbers. When he returned to be with the king, the king said to him, “Go with whomever you have toured with, because it not possible for you to walk with me again.” Similarly Balaam had been bound to the holy spirit. When he paired himself with Balak, the holy spirit departed from him. So he returned to being a diviner as in the beginning. Thus it is stated (at his execution in Josh. 13:22), “Balaam ben Beor the diviner….” Therefore did he say, “I was high up (ram), and Balak brought me down.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram, Balak the king of Moab has brought me, from the hills of the east.” [Balaam] said to [Balak], “We are alike, even both of us, for being ungrateful, because were it not for our father Abraham, there would have been no Balak. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 19:29), ‘And it came to pass that when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot away.’ Except for Abraham, he would not have delivered Lot from Sodom; and you are one of the children of the children of Lot.52As a Moabite, Balak was descended from Moab, the son of Lot. See Gen. 19:37. Moreover, if it were not for their father Jacob, I should not have been present in the world, because Laban had sons only through the merit of Jacob, since it is written at the beginning (in Gen. 29:9), ‘Rachel came with the sheep.’ Now if he had sons, how was his daughter a shepherdess? As soon as Jacob came there, sons were given to him, as stated (in Gen. 31:1), ‘Now he heard the things that Laban's sons [were saying].’53Jewish tradition gives three views on Balaam’s relation to Laban: That he was Laban himself, that he was Laban’s nephew, and that he was Laban’s grandson. See Ginzberg, vol. III, p. 354; vol.. V, p. 303, n. 229; vol. VI, pp. 123f., nn. 722f.; p. 130, n. 764. And it also says [that Laban said] (in Gen. 30:27), ‘I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.’ So if it were not for their ancestors, you and I would not have been present in the world”. (Numb. 23:7, cont.:) “Come, curse Jacob for me.” Whoever curses the Children of Jacob is cursing himself, since it is stated (in Gen. 12:3), “and the one who curses you, I will curse.” It also says (in Gen. 27:29), “cursed be those who curse you,54See above, Gen. 6:16. and blessed be those who bless you.” (Numb. 23:7:) “Come, curse [Jacob] for me.” If you had told me to curse another people, for example, the Children of Abraham from the concubines, I would have been able [to do so]. But Jacob? When a king selects a portion for himself, and someone else gets up and speaks disparagingly about it, will he keep his life? Now these people are the Holy One, blessed be He’s, heritage, His portion, and His treasure. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 32:9), “For the Lord's share is His people; Jacob the portion of His heritage.” And it is written (in Exod. 19:5), “and you shall be My treasure.” (Numb. 23:7, cont.:) “And come, denounce Israel.” When a king takes a crown and puts it on his head, and someone says of it that it is nothing, will he keep his life? Now in regard to these people it is written about them (in Is. 49:3), “Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” (Numb. 23:8:) “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” When they deserved to be cursed, they were not cursed, when Jacob went in to receive the blessings. It is written (in Gen. 27:16), “Then [she clothed his arms and the hairless part of his neck] with the skins of goat kids.” His father said to him (in Gen. 27:18), “Who are you?” He said to him (in vs. 19), “I am Esau, your first-born.” Does not the one who puts forth a lie with his mouth deserve to be cursed? Yet not only [was he not cursed], but he was blessed; as stated (in Gen. 27:33), “he shall also be blessed.” So how do I curse them? (In the words of Numb. 23:8) “God has not cursed.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” According to universal custom, when a legion55Lat.: legio. rebels against the king, it incurs the penalty of death. Now since these denied and revolted against Him, when they said to the calf (in Exod. 32:4), “This is your God, O Israel,” did they not, therefore, deserve to have Him destroy them at that time? [Still] He did not cease to cherish them. Instead He had clouds of glory accompany them. Nor did He withhold the manna and the well from them. And so it says (in Neh. 9:18-20), “Even though they had made themselves a molten calf […], You in Your great mercies did not abandon them in the desert […]; and You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth […].” How can I curse them? This [question] is related (to Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” When He commanded them concerning the blessings and the curses, He mentioned them (as the people) in connection with the blessings where it is stated (in Deut. 27:12), “These shall stand [on Mount Gerizim] for blessing the people;” but He did not mention them in connection with the curses. Thus it is stated (in vs. 13), “And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse.” Moreover, when they sin and He plans to bring a curse upon them, it is not written that He Himself is bringing them (i.e., the curses); but with respect to the blessings, He Himself is blessing them; for so it says (in Deut. 28:1, 8), “And it shall come to pass that, if you diligently obey […], the Lord your God will set you high [over all the nations of the earth]. The Lord will command the blessing to be with you.” But with respect to the curses, it is written (according to Deut. 28:15), “And it shall come to pass that, if you do not obey […], then [all these curses] shall come upon you,” [i.e.,] of their own accord. Ergo (in Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” (Numb. 23:9:) “For from the top of the rocks I see him,” in order to make the hatred of that evil man (i.e., Balaam) known to you. As from his blessing you may know his thoughts. To what is he comparable? To someone who came to chop down a tree. One who is not an expert chops off the branches one at a time and becomes tired, but the clever one exposes the roots and [then] chops it down. Similarly that wicked man said, “How shall I curse each and every tribe? Rather I will go to their roots.” When he came to touch them, he found them hard [to cut]. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 23:9), “For from the top of the rocks I see him.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:9), “For from the top of the rocks,” these are the patriarchs; (ibid., cont.) “and from the hills I behold him,” these are the matriarchs. (Numb. 23:9, cont.:) “Here is a people dwelling alone.” When He makes them rejoice, no nation rejoices along with them. Rather they are all afflicted, [as stated (in Deut. 32:12),] “The Lord alone did lead him, and there was no foreign god with him.” (Numb. 23:9, cont.:), “And they shall not be reckoned (rt.: hshb) among the nations.” But when the nations are rejoicing in this world, they (i.e., the Children of Israel) eat with each and every kingdom, and no one is charging [such pleasures] against their account (rt: hshb).56In other words the pleasures that Israel enjoys in this world are not to be deducted from their pleasures in the world to come. It is so stated (in Numb. 23:9, cont.), “and they shall not be reckoned (rt.: hshb) among the nations.” (Numb. 23:10:) “Who has counted the dust of Jacob?” Who is able to count the commandments which they carry out upon the dust: (In Deut. 22:10,) “You shall not plow with an ox and an ass together”; (in Deut. 22:9,) “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed”; (in Numb. 19:9,) “Then someone clean shall gather the ashes of the heifer”; (in Numb. 5:17,) “[Then the high priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel] and some of the dust which is on the floor of the tabernacle”; (in Lev. 19:23,) “[Moreover, when you come into the land and plant any tree for food, you shall count its fruit as forbidden,] three years it shall be forbidden to you, [it shall not be eaten]”; and so on with all of them. (Numb. 23:10, cont.:) “Or numbered the sand (rb') of Israel,” [i.e.,] their copulations (rt.: rb').57For this interpretation, cf. Nid. 31a. Who can number the masses58Gk.: ochloi. that have emerged from them, from those women who seize on and cherish the commandments (of procreation), as stated (in Gen. 30:15), “But she said to her, ‘Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband?’” [And so too (in Gen. 30:3, 9),] “Here is my maid Bilhah; go into her.” “When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, [she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife].” [And so too (in Gen. 16:3),] “So Abraham's wife Sarai took her maidservant Hagar the Egyptian… [and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife].” (Numb. 23:10, cont.:) “Let me die the death of the upright.” The matter is comparable to a butcher who came to slaughter a cow that belonged to a king. The king began to take notice. When [the butcher] realized [what was happening], he began by discarding the knife, then giving [the cow] a rubdown [and] filling the feeding trough for it. He began to say, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to slaughter it; but observe that I have [now given it sustenance].” Similarly Balaam said, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to curse, but I will bless [them].” Ergo (in Numb. 23:10), “let me die the death of the upright!”