Balaam - a Bad Example of Leadership?

(4) Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, (5) sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor in Pethor, which is by the Euphrates, in the land of his kinsfolk, to invite him, saying, “There is a people that came out of Egypt; it hides the earth from view, and it is settled next to me. (6) Come then, put a curse upon this people for me, since they are too numerous for me; perhaps I can thus defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whomever you bless is blessed indeed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”

(Devarim, Ibid. 10) "And there shall not arise in Israel again a prophet such as Moses": But among the nations, there did arise. And who was he? Bilam the son of Beor. But there is a difference between the prophecy of Moses and the prophecy of Bilam. Moses did not know who was speaking to him, and Bilam did know, viz. (Bamidbar 24:16) "The speech of the hearer (Bilam) of the words of the Almighty." Moses did not know when He would speak to him until He did so. Bilam did know, viz. "and the knower of the knowledge of the Most High." Moses did not speak with Him unless he was standing, viz. (Devarim 5:28) "And you, here, stand with Me." And Bilam spoke with Him when he was fallen, viz. (Bamidbar 24:4) "The vision of the Almighty shall he see, fallen and his eyes uncovered." To whom may he be compared? To the king's cook, who knows the expenses of the royal table.

...there was nothing in the world that the Holy One, Blessed be God, did not reveal to Balaam, who surpassed even Moses in the wisdom of sorcery

“And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him” – it is taught: “There has not arisen another prophet in Israel like Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:10) – in Israel one has not arisen, but among the nations of the world he has arisen, so that there will not be recourse for the nations of the world to say: Had we had a prophet like Moses, we would have worshipped the Holy One blessed be He. What prophet did they have like Moses? This was Bilam son of Beor. However, there is a disparity between Moses’ prophecy and Bilam’s prophecy. There were three qualities that existed in Moses that did not exist in Bilam. Moses would speak with God standing, as it is stated: “But you, stand here with Me and I will speak to you…” (Deuteronomy 5:28). With Bilam, God would speak to him only when he was fallen, as it is stated: “Fallen with open eyes” (Numbers 24:4). Moses, God would speak to him mouth to mouth, as it is stated: “Mouth to mouth I will speak to him” (Numbers 12:8), but regarding Bilam, “the utterance of one who hears the sayings of God” (Numbers 24:4), as he would not speak to him mouth to mouth. Moses, God would speak to him face-to-face, as it is stated: “Adonai would speak to Moses face-to-face” (Exodus 33:11), but with Bilam, God would speak in parables, just as it says: “God proclaimed his parable and said…” (Numbers 23:7).
There were three qualities that existed in Bilam that did not exist in Moses. Moses would not know who was speaking with him; Bilam would know who was speaking with him, as it is stated: “The utterance of one who hears the sayings of God, the vision of the Almighty he will see” (Numbers 24:4). Moses did not know when the Holy One blessed be God would speak with him, but Bilam would know when the Holy One blessed be God would speak with him, as it is stated: “He knows the knowledge of the Most High” (Numbers 24:16). They stated a parable: It is analogous to the king’s slaughterer, who knew what the king would offer on his table and knew how many expenditures the king would outlay for his table. So, Bilam would know what the Holy One blessed be God was destined to speak with him. Bilam, God would speak with him whenever he wished, as it is stated: “Fallen with open eyes” (Numbers 24:4). He would fall on his face and immediately, he was open eyed regarding what God asked. But Moses, He would not speak with him whenever he wished. Rabbi Shimon says: To Moses, too, He would speak whenever he wished, as it is stated: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him,” immediately, “he heard the Voice speaking with him.”

(16) Yet they are the very ones who [allowed themselves to be enticed by the women of the land], at the bidding of Balaam, induced the Israelites to trespass against יהוה in the matter of Peor, so that יהוה’s community was struck by the plague.

Three prominent kings mentioned in the Bible and four prominent commoners who are described in the Bible as men of great wisdom have no share in the World-to-Come. The four commoners are: Balaam, son of Beor; Doeg the Edomite; Ahithophel; and Gehazi.

§ The mishna teaches that four prominent commoners, Balaam, Doeg, Ahithophel, and Gehazi, have no share in the World-to-Come. The Gemara elaborates: The name Balaam is interpreted as a contraction of: Without a nation [belo am], or one who has no share in the World-to-Come with the Jewish nation. Alternatively, the name Balaam is interpreted as one who wore down the Jewish people [bila am]. He is the son of Beor, one who engaged in bestiality [be’ir].

(1) Now Balaam, seeing that it pleased יהוה to bless Israel, did not, as on previous occasions, go in search of omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness. (2) As Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him. (3) Taking up his theme, he said: Word of Balaam son of Beor, Word of the man whose eye is true, (4) Word of one 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!