פרשת בלק תשי"ט - חטאו של בלעם

And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him: ‘If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.’

לך עם האנשים GO WITH THE MEN — On that road which a man is resolved to go, he is allowed to go (Makkot 10b).

And God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD placed himself in the way for an adversary against him.—Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.—

If the men have come to call you. It seems correct to explain the matter as follows: At the beginning Hashem prevented Bil'am so that he should not curse the Jewish People for they are blessed. Why, then, should he go with them since he will not curse them and they did not need him for any other purpose? This is what Hashem said to him (v. 12), Do not go with them! You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” Bil'am certainly informed them of Hashem's response. Afterwards, Balak sent emissaries to him a second time because he did not believe the response. Rather, he honored Bil'am even more with dignitaries who were greater in number and of higher rank, and he promised to increase his honor and reward. Bil'am responded that the matter does not depend on money or on his willingness. Rather, everything is in Hashem's hands. Bil'am then asked Hashem again what He shall command him, which was acceptable of him to do so. For what did Bil'am know of Hashem's intentions? It is always good to seek counsel from Hashem, as He guides [even] sinners along the [proper] path. Hashem could certainly inform him what to respond to the emissaries, or He could tell Bil'am a prediction for the future. And behold, Hashem said to Bil'am, I have already make known to you that you shall not be able to curse the people, for they are blessed. But now that they have returned to you, if the men have come only to call you. In other words, if they desire that you go with them on condition that you do not curse the people, as I informed you from the beginning, arise and go with them. However, whatever I will say to you, you will do — even if I shall command you to bless the people, you will do so with no fear of Balak. This is the meaning of, if the men have come to call you. This was Hashem's intention from the beginning, that Bil'am should go with the emissaries after he informed them that he will not curse the people and that he will conduct himself only as Hashem commands him, for Hashem's desire is that Israel should receive a blessing from the prophet of the Nations. It was incumbent upon Bil'am to relate this to Balak's dignitaries and say to them, Behold, Hashem has permitted me only to answer your call — but on condition that I shall not curse the people, and also on condition that if Hashem shall command me to bless them that I shall do so. If you are not satisfied with this, then leave me. For Balak had said a second time, if you would just please come and curse this people for me” (v. 17). He did not want Bil'am to predict the future or any purpose except to curse the people. Bil'am, due to his great desire to go with them, did not inform them of this; he said nothing to them. Instead, Bil’am arose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the Moavite dignitaries (v. 21). Therefore, Hashem showed anger because he went (v. 22). If Bil'am would have informed them, he would not have gone. Furthermore, Bil'am besmirched the name of Hashem by going with them because, in going with them under the impression that Hashem had given approval, the emissaries thought that Hashem had granted permission to curse the people and that He retracted what He said at first, You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (v. 12), as Bil'am had said to them. When the emissaries saw yet again that Bil'am would not curse them, they thought that afterwards Hashem would change His mind again, or that He was teasing them as a person might do, and Heaven forbid to think that Hashem acts in such a way; Hashem is eternally the God of Israel.

עם שרי מואב [HE WENT] WITH THE PRINCES OF MOAB — his heart alike with their hearts (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 8).

וחרבו שלופה בידו AND HIS SWORD DRAWN IN HIS HAND — He (God) said: This wicked man has abandoned the tools of his own craft, — for the offensive weapons of the heathen peoples consist in the sword, — and he is attacking them with his mouth which is their metier; I will take his implement and come against him with his own metier. Thus, indeed, was his end (Numbers 31:8): “And Balaam the son of Beor they slew by the sword” (Midrash Tanchuma 4:7:23).

גדר מזה וגדר מזה A FENCE BEING ON THIS SIDE AND A FENCE ON THAT SIDE — The term גדר without further definition is one of stone (and that is why in the next verse it is called a קיר which is a term for a stone wall; cf. Leviticus 14:37—40).

גם אתכה הרגתי SURELY NOW ALSO THEE HAD I SLAIN — This is an inverted sentence, and it is the same as גם הרגתי אותך — I would also have slain thee, as much as to say: not only would this delay have happened to you through me, but death also.

לך עם האנשים GO WITH THE MEN — On that road which a man is resolved to go, he is allowed to go (Makkot 10b).

לך עם האנשים GO WITH THE MEN — On that road which a man is resolved to go, he is allowed to go (Makkot 10b).

האמנם לא אוכל כבדך AM I NOT ABLE INDEED TO HONOUR YOU — He prophesied unwittingly that he (Balaam) would eventually leave him in disgrace (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 10).

And God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD placed himself in the way for an adversary against him.—Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.—

לשטן לו [AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD STOOD IN THE WAY] FOR AN OBSTRUCTION AGAINST HIM — It was an Angel of Mercy מלאך ה׳, an angel of the Lord,( the designation of God as a God of Mercy), and he wished to deter him from sinning — so that he should not sin and perish (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 8).

And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

... [T]he Holy One has pity on the honor of the creatures/b’riyot (here meaning “people”) and knows their needs. And He shut the mouth of the beast/b’heimah, for if she would speak, they could not make her serve or stand up to her /bah, for [there was] this silent one from the animals (the ass) and this wise one from the sages (Bil`am) – [and] when she spoke he could not stand up to her.

... [T]he Holy One has pity on the honor of the creatures/b’riyot (here meaning “people”) and knows their needs. And He shut the mouth of the beast/b’heimah, for if she would speak, they could not make her serve or stand up to her /bah, for [there was] this silent one from the animals (the ass) and this wise one from the sages (Bil`am) – [and] when she spoke he could not stand up to her.

And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam: ‘What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?’

... [T]he Holy One has pity on the honor of the creatures/b’riyot (here meaning “people”) and knows their needs. And He shut the mouth of the beast/b’heimah, for if she would speak, they could not make her serve or stand up to her /bah, for [there was] this silent one from the animals (the ass) and this wise one from the sages (Bil`am) – [and] when she spoke he could not stand up to her.