Billam's Blessing Bonanza

(19) Anyone who has these three things is from the students of Abraham, our father, and [anyone who has] three other things is from the students of Bilaam the evildoer: [one who has] a good eye, a humble spirit and a small appetite -- is from the students of Abraham, our father. [One who has] an evil eye, a haughty spirit and a broad appetite - is from the students of Bilaam the evildoer. What [difference] is there between the students of Abraham, our father, and the students of Bilaam the evildoer? The students of Abraham, our father, eat in this world and possess the next world, as it is stated (Proverbs 8:21), "There is what for those that love Me to inherit, and their treasuries will I fill." But the students of Bilaam the evildoer inherit Gehinnom (Purgatory) and go down to the pit of destruction, as it is stated (Psalms 55:24), "And You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; the people of blood and deceit, they will not live out half their days; and I will trust in You."

(17) I will reward you richly and I will do anything you ask of me. Only come and damn this people for me.” (18) Balaam replied to Balak’s officials, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, big or little, contrary to the command of the LORD my God. (19) So you, too, stay here overnight, and let me find out what else the LORD may say to me.” (20) That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If these men have come to invite you, you may go with them. But whatever I command you, that you shall do.” (21) When he arose in the morning, Balaam saddled his ass and departed with the Moabite dignitaries. (22) But God was incensed at his going; so an angel of the LORD placed itself in his way as an adversary. He was riding on his she-ass, with his two servants alongside.

Another thing, "God, your God, guards for you." (Deut. 7:2) What does it mean, "guards"? Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: Everything that Israel consumes in this world is due to the power of the blessings that Billam the Wicked One blessed them. But, the blessings of our ancestors they are guarded until the future to come, as it says, "God, your God, guards for you..."

Another thing, Rabbi Chelbo said: This is similar to a story of an orphan that grows up in the house of a land lord. The orphan's food, drink, and clothing were all from the landlord. The landlord even taught the child a trade. This orphan was of the opinion that all they ate, drank, and their clothing were all due to their innate reward. The landlord said to the child: (Your Life!!) HA!! All that you eat and the clothing you wear, it is all due to the barrels of water you fill for me, and due to the tree you cut down for me, but your merit bound up and waiting for you. So it is that everything Israel eats in this world is due to the hardships that befall them, but their reward is bundled and waiting for the future to come.

(4) Word of him who hears God’s speech, Who beholds visions from the Almighty, Prostrate, but with eyes unveiled: (5) How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel! (6) Like palm-groves that stretch out, Like gardens beside a river, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the water; (7) Their boughs drip with moisture, Their roots have abundant water. Their king shall rise above Agag, Their kingdom shall be exalted. (8) God who freed them from Egypt Is for them like the horns of the wild ox. They shall devour enemy nations, Crush their bones, And smash their arrows. (9) They crouch, they lie down like a lion, Like the king of beasts; who dare rouse them? Blessed are they who bless you, Accursed they who curse you!

R. Yochanan said: "From the blessings of that evil man, you can learn his heart's intention: He wanted to say that they should not have synagogues and study halls [as deduced from], How goodly are your tents O Jacob (Numbers 24:5)-- the Divine Presence should not rest upon them; Thy dwellings O Israel -- their kingdom shall not endure; As valleys stretched out (Numbers 24:6) -- they should not have olive trees or vineyards; As gradens by the river-side -- they shall not emit a pleasant fragrance; As aloes planted of the Lord -- their kings should not be tall; As cedars beside the waters -- they shall not have a king who is the son of a king; Water shall flow from his branches -- their kingdom should not rule over other nations; And their roots shall be in many waters -- their kingdom should not be strong; And their king shall be higher than Agag -- their kingdom should not be awe-inspiring; And their kingdom shall be exalted -- Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said they all reverted to curses except for the synagogues and study halls, as it says [Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam;] but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee (Deuteronomy 23:6) -- curse and not curses.

(5) !מה טובו אהליך יעקב; a reference to the Torah academies. [the word אהל in that sense dates back to Genesis 25,27 where Yaakov is described as יושב אהלים a dweller in tents.” It was also used in this sense by Noach when he blessed his son Shem (Genesis 9:27) We find it even more prominently as possessing this meaning in Exodus 33,7 “anyone desirous of finding the presence of God would go out to the Tent of Testimony.”

(5) משכנותיך, a reference to the synagogues of the Jews all over, as well as to their Temples when these existed. The reason that Bileam said מה טובו, an unusual formulation, is that he wanted to make plain that the Torah academies are not only of benefit to the people who study in them, but that they also are good in a transitive sense, i.e. their very existence is of benefit to the entire nation. The very name יעקב also contains such a dual meaning. On the one hand it appears to have a negative connotation, but it also symbolises עקב a heel, something at the tail end of matters, meaning after everything else has already disappeared the עקב still remains, endures. The name “Israel” that was added to Yaakov’s name was justified by this thought, that its bearer had come out of a confrontation with celestial forces and had survived, had endured. If Israel could contend with celestial forces successfully, it would certainly be able to do so with terrestrial forces, i.e. עם אנשים, (Genesis 32,29).

How good are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel - [this can be understood] through "make your Torah (study habits) fixed" - Jacob is a lower level and Israel is a higher level. And this is the explanation of "how good are your tents Jacob", that you make your work temporary. "Your dwelling places, Israel" is your Torah (study habits) should be fixed.

The Sages taught: One who goes to measure the grain on their threshing floor recites: May it be Your will, O Lord, our God, that You send blessing upon the product of our hands. If one began to measure the grain they say: Blessed is The One Who sends blessing upon this pile of grain. If one measured and afterward recited this blessing, this is a prayer made in vain, because blessing is found neither in a matter that is weighed, nor in a matter that is measured, nor in a matter that is counted. Rather, it is found in a matter concealed from the eye, as it is stated: “The Lord will command blessing with you in your storehouses.”