| 13Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place from where you will see them; however, you will see only a part of them, not all of them and curse them for me from there. |
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יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו בָּלָ֗ק לְךָ־נָּ֨א אִתִּ֜י אֶל־מָק֤וֹם אַחֵר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְאֶ֣נּוּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אֶ֚פֶס קָצֵ֣הוּ תִרְאֶ֔ה וְכֻלּ֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִרְאֶ֑ה וְקָבְנוֹ־לִ֖י מִשָּֽׁם: |
| curse them for me: Heb. וְקָבְנוֹ לִי. This term is in the imperative: Curse them for me! |
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וְקָבְנוֹ־לִי:
לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, קַלְּלֵהוּ לִי:
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| 14He took him to the field of the lookouts, to the peak of the mountain, and he built seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on [each] altar. |
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ידוַיִּקָּחֵ֨הוּ֙ שְׂדֵ֣ה צֹפִ֔ים אֶל־רֹ֖אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֑ה וַיִּ֨בֶן֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֔ת וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ: |
| the field of the lookouts: There was a high spot from where a lookout stands on guard in case an army approaches the city. |
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שְׂדֵה צֹפִים:
מָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ הָיָה שֶׁשָּׁם הַצּוֹפֶה עוֹמֵד לִשְׁמֹר אִם יָבֹא חַיִל עַל הָעִיר:
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| to the peak of the mountain: Balaam was not as great a diviner as Balak. Balak foresaw that a breach was destined to break into Israel from there, and indeed, Moses died there. He thought that the curse could take effect upon them there, and [he thought,] “This is the breach that I see.” - [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:19] |
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רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה:
בִּלְעָם לֹא הָיָה קוֹסֵם כְּבָלָק, רָאָה בָלָק שֶׁעֲתִידָה פִרְצָה לְהִפָּרֵץ בְּיִשָׂרָאֵל מִשָּׁם, שֶׁשָּׁם מֵת מֹשֶׁה, כְּסָבוּר שֶׁשָּׁם תָּחוּל עֲלֵיהֶם הַקְּלָלָה וְזוֹ הִיא הַפִּרְצָה שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה (תנחומא):
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| 15He said to Balak, "Stand here next to your burnt offering and I will be chanced on here. |
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טווַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב כֹּ֖ה עַל־עֹֽלָתֶ֑ךָ וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י אִקָּ֥רֶה כֹּֽה: |
| I will be chanced on here: By the Holy One, blessed is He. |
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אִקָּרֶה כֹּה:
מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,:
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| I will be chanced on: Heb. אקָּרֶה in the passive form. |
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אִקָּרֶה:
לְשׁוֹן אִתְפַּעֵל:
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| 16The Lord chanced upon Balaam and placed something into his mouth. He said, "Return to Balak and so you shall speak." |
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טזוַיִּקָּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיָּ֥שֶׂם דָּבָ֖ר בְּפִ֑יו וַיֹּ֛אמֶר שׁ֥וּב אֶל־בָּלָ֖ק וְכֹ֥ה תְדַבֵּֽר: |
| and placed something into his mouth: What is meant by this placing? What would Scripture had lacked had it [simply] said, “Return to Balak and so shall you speak”? However, when he [Balaam] heard that he was not permitted to curse, he said, “Why should I return to Balak to upset him?” So the Holy One, blessed is He, put a bridle and a bit into his mouth, [so to speak,] as a man goads his beast with a bit to lead it wherever he wants. He [God] said to him, You shall return to Balak against your will. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:20] |
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וַיָּשֶׂם דָּבָר בְּפִיו:
וּמַה הִיא הַשִּׂימָה הַזֹּאת? וּמֶה חָסֵר הַמִּקְרָא בְּאָמְרוֹ "שׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק וְכֹה תְדַבֵּר"? אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹמֵעַ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִרְשֶׁה לְקַלֵּל אָמַר מָה אֲנִי חוֹזֵר אֵצֶל בָּלָק לְצַעֲרוֹ? וְנָתַן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רֶסֶן וְחַכָּה בְּפִיו, כְּאָדָם הַפּוֹקֵס בְּהֵמָה בְּחַכָּה לְהוֹלִיכָהּ אֶל אֲשֶׁר יִרְצֶה, אָמַר לוֹ עַל כָּרְחֲךָ תָּשׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק (שם):
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| 17When he came to him, he was standing next to his burnt offering, and the Moabite dignitaries were with him, and Balak said to him, "What did the Lord speak?" |
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יזוַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וְהִנּ֤וֹ נִצָּב֙ עַל־עֹ֣לָת֔וֹ וְשָׂרֵ֥י מוֹאָ֖ב אִתּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ בָּלָ֔ק מַה־דִּבֶּ֖ר יְהֹוָֽה: |
| and the Moabite dignitaries were with him: Above (verse 6) it says, “all the Moabite dignitaries.” However, since they saw that there was no hope, some of them left, and only some of them remained. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:20] |
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וְשָׂרֵי מוֹאָב אִתּוֹ:
וּלְמַעְלָה הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְכָל שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב", כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ תִקְוָה הָלְכוּ לָהֶם מִקְצָתָם וְלֹא נִשְׁאֲרוּ אֶלָּא מִקְצָתָם:
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| What did the Lord speak?: This is an expression denoting derision, as if to say, You are not your own master. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:20] |
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מַה־דִּבֶּר ה':
לְשׁוֹן צְחוֹק הוּא זֶה, כְּלוֹמַר אֵינְךָ בִרְשׁוּתְךָ (שם):
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| 18He took up his parable and said, "Arise, Balak, and hear; listen closely to me, son of Zippor. |
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יחוַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר ק֤וּם בָּלָק֙ וּֽשֲׁמָ֔ע הַֽאֲזִ֥ינָה עָדַ֖י בְּנ֥וֹ צִפֹּֽר: |
| Arise, Balak: Since he saw that he was mocking him, he intended to taunt him, “Stand on your feet; you have no right to sit, for I have been sent to you as an emissary of the Omnipresent!” - [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:20] |
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קוּם בָּלָק:
כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָהוּ מְצַחֵק בּוֹ, נִתְכַּוֵּן לְצַעֲרוֹ — "עֲמֹד עַל רַגְלֶיךָ, אֵינְךָ רַשַּׁאי לֵישֵׁב, וַאֲנִי שָׁלוּחַ אֵלֶיךָ בִשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם" (שם):
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| son of Zippor: Heb. בְּנו ֹצִפֹּר. This [use of the ‘vav’ as a suffix to denote the construct form] is biblical style, as in, “beasts (חַיְתוֹ) of the forest” (Ps. 104:20); “beasts (וְחַיְתוֹ) of the earth” (Gen. 1:24); “to a spring (לְמַעְיְנוֹ) of water” (Ps. 114:8). |
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בְּנוֹ צִפֹּֽר:
לְשׁוֹן מִקְרָא הוּא זֶה, כְּמוֹ "חַיְתוֹ יָעַר" (תהלים נ') "וְחַיְתוֹ אֶרֶץ" (בראשית א'), "לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם" (תהילים קי"ד):
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| 19God is not a man that He should lie, nor is He a mortal that He should relent. Would He say and not do, speak and not fulfill? |
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יטלֹ֣א אִ֥ישׁ אֵל֙ וִֽיכַזֵּ֔ב וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם וְיִתְנֶחָ֑ם הַה֤וּא אָמַר֙ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְדִבֶּ֖ר וְלֹ֥א יְקִימֶֽנָּה: |
| God is not a man that He should lie: He has already promised them to bring them to and give them possession of the land of the seven nations, and you expect to kill them in the desert?- [See Mid. Tanchuma Mass’ei 7, Num. Rabbah 23:8] |
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לֹא אִישׁ וגו':
כְּבָר נִשְׁבַּע לָהֶם לַהֲבִיאָם וּלְהוֹרִישָׁם אֶרֶץ שִׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת וְאַתָּה סָבוּר לַהֲמִיתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר?:
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| Would He say…: Heb. הַהוּא. This is in the form of a question. And the Targum [Onkelos] renders, “who later relent.” They reconsider and change their minds. |
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הַהוּא אָמַר וגו':
בִּלְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְתָיְבִין וּמִתְמַלְּכִין — חוֹזְרִים וְנִמְלָכִין לַחֲזֹר בָּהֶם:
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| 20I have received [an instruction] to bless, and He has blessed, and I cannot retract it. |
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כהִנֵּ֥ה בָרֵ֖ךְ לָקָ֑חְתִּי וּבֵרֵ֖ךְ וְלֹ֥א אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה: |
| I have received [instruction] to bless: You ask me, What did God speak? [My answer is] I received from Him [instruction] to bless them. |
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הִנֵּה בָרֵךְ לָקָחְתִּי:
אַתָּה שׁוֹאֲלֵנִי "מַה דִּבֶּר ה'?", קִבַּלְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָם:
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| and He has blessed, and I cannot retract it: He has blessed them, and I will not retract His blessing. |
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וּבֵרֵךְ וְלֹא אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה:
הוּא בֵּרֵךְ אוֹתָם וַאֲנִי לֹא אָשִׁיב אֶת בִּרְכָתוֹ:
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| and He has blessed: Heb. וּבֵרֵךְ, like וּבִרֵךְ. This is the rule of the letter ‘reish’ as in אוֹיֵב חֵרֵף (Ps. 74:18), like חִרֵף and similarly, וּבֹצֵע בֵּרֵךְ (ibid. 10:3)-one who praises and blesses the thief, saying, “Do not be afraid because you will not be punished; you will be all right,” angers the Holy One, blessed is He. But one cannot say that וּבֵרֵךְ is a noun, for if so, it would be punctuated with a short ‘pathach’ [’segol’] and the accent would be on the first syllable וּבֵרֶךְ. However, since it is a verb in the active form, it is punctuated with a short ‘kamatz’ [’tzeireh’], and the accent is on the last syllable. |
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וּבֵרֵךְ:
כְּמוֹ וּבִרֵּךְ, וְכֵן הִיא גִזְרַת רֵי"ש, כְּמוֹ (תהלים ע"ד) "אוֹיֵב חֵרֵף" כְּמוֹ חִרֵּף, וְכֵן (שם מ') "וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ" — הַמְהַלֵּל וּמְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַגּוֹזֵל וְאוֹמֵר אַל תִּירָא כִּי לֹא תֵעָנֵשׁ, שָׁלוֹם יִהְיֶה לְךָ, מַרְגִּיז הוּא לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא; וְאֵין לוֹמַר ברך שֵׁם דָּבָר, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה נָקוּד בְּפַתָּ"ח קָטָן וְטַעְמוֹ לְמַעְלָה, אֲבָל לְפִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן פִּעֵל, הוּא נָקוּד קָמָץ קָטָן וְטַעְמוֹ לְמַטָּה:
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| 21He does not look at evil in Jacob, and has seen no perversity in Israel; the Lord, his God, is with him, and he has the King's friendship. |
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כאלֹֽא־הִבִּ֥יט אָ֨וֶן֙ בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹֽא־רָאָ֥ה עָמָ֖ל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּתְרוּעַ֥ת מֶ֖לֶךְ בּֽוֹ: |
| He does not look at evil in Jacob: According to the Targum [Onkelos it means: I have looked. There are no idol worshippers in Jacob]. Another interpretation: Its literal meaning can be expounded beautifully. The Holy One, blessed is He, does not look at evil in Jacob. When they transgress His word, He does not deal punctiliously with them to scrutinize their wicked deeds and their iniquity in violation of His law. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20] |
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לֹֽא־הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַֽעֲקֹב וגו':
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר אַחֲרֵי פְשׁוּטוֹ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ מִדְרָשׁ נָאֶה לֹֽא־הִבִּיט הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא און שֶׁבְּיַעֲקֹב — כְּשֶׁהֵן עוֹבְרִין עַל דְּבָרָיו אֵינוֹ מְדַקְדֵּק אַחֲרֵיהֶם לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּאוֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם וַעֲמָלָן שֶׁהֵן עוֹבְרִין עַל דָּתוֹ —
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| perversity: Heb. עָמָל connotes transgression, as in “conceives mischief (עָמָל)” (Ps. 7:15) [and as in] “For You look at mischief (עָמָל) and provocation” (ibid. 10:14), since a transgression is distressing for the Omnipresent [and עָמָל primarily means hardship and toil]. |
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עָמָל:
לְשׁוֹן עֲבֵרָה, כְּמוֹ "וְהָרָה עָמָל" (תהלים ז'), "כִּי אַתָּה עָמָל וָכַעַס תַּבִּיט" (שם י'), לְפִי שֶׁהָעֲבֵרָה הִיא עָמָל לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם:
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| the Lord, his God, is with him: Even if they anger Him and rebel against Him, He does not move from their midst. |
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ה' אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ:
אֲפִלּוּ מַכְעִיסִין וּמַמְרִים לְפָנָיו, אֵינוֹ זָז מִתּוֹכָן:
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| and he has the King’s friendship: וּתְרוּעַת, an expression denoting love and friendship, as in, “the friend of (רֵעֶה) David” (II Sam. 15:37), and in “and has given her to his companion (לְמֵרֵעֵהוּ)” (Jud. 15:6). Similarly, Onkelos renders, “the Presence of their King is among them.” |
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וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּֽוֹ:
לְשׁוֹן חִבָּה וְרֵעוּת, כְּמוֹ (שמואל ב ט"ו) "רֵעֶה דָּוִד" — אוֹהֵב דָּוִד, (שופטים ט"ו) "וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְמֵרֵעֵהוּ", וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וּשְׁכִינַת מַלְכְּהוֹן בֵּינֵהוֹן":
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| 22God has brought them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness. |
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כבאֵ֖ל מֽוֹצִיאָ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם כְּתֽוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם לֽוֹ: |
| God has brought them out of Egypt: You said, “Behold the people coming out of Egypt” (22:11). They did not come out by themselves, but God brought them out. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20] |
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אֵל מֽוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרָיִם:
אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ "הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם", לֹא יָצָא מֵעַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא הָאֱלֹהִים הוֹצִיאָם:
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| with the strength of His loftiness: Heb. כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם, in accordance with the power of His loftiness (רוּם) and height. Similarly, “and… abundant silver (תּוֹעָפוֹת)” (Job 22:25); they are terms denoting strength. I maintain that it תּוֹעֲפוֹת is a term cognate with [a similar word in the phrase] “and let the birds fly (יְעוֹפֵף)” (Gen. 1:20) [which denotes] something flying to lofty heights, expressing great power. Thus, כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם means flying high. Another interpretation: כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם means the power of 're’emim’ and our Rabbis say (Git. 68b) that this refers to demons. |
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כְּתֽוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם לֽוֹ:
כְּתֹקֶף רוּם וְגֹבַהּ שֶׁלּוֹ, וְכֵן "וְכֶסֶף תּוֹעָפוֹת" (איוב כ"ב) לְשׁוֹן מָעוֹז הֵמָּה, וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן "וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף" (בראשית א') — הַמְעוֹפֵף בְּרוּם וְגֹבַהּ, תֹקֶף רַב הוּא זֶה, וְתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם — עֲפִיפַת גֹּבַהּ; דָּבָר אַחֵר, תּוֹעֲפוֹת רְאֵם — תֹּקֶף רְאֵמִים, וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אֵלּוּ הַשֵּׁדִים (עי' גיטין ס"ח):
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| 23For there is no divination in Jacob and no soothsaying in Israel. In time it will be said to Jacob and Israel, 'What has God wrought?' |
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כגכִּ֤י לֹא־נַ֨חַשׁ֙ בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹא־קֶ֖סֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כָּעֵ֗ת יֵֽאָמֵ֤ר לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מַה־פָּעַ֖ל אֵֽל: |
| For there is no divination in Jacob: They are worthy of blessing since there are no diviners or soothsayers among them. |
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כִּי לֹא־נַחַשׁ בְּיַֽעֲקֹב:
כִּי רְאוּיִים הֵם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם מְנַחֲשִׁים וְקוֹסְמִים:
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| In time it will be said to Jacob and Israel: There will come another time like this, when the love [God has] for them will be revealed to all, for they will be seated before Him and learn Torah from His mouth. Their place will be further in [closer to the Divine Presence] than the ministering angels. They will ask them, “What has God wrought?” This is the meaning of what is stated, “your eyes shall behold your Teacher” (Isa. 30:20). Another interpretation: [The phrase] יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב is not in the future tense [“it shall be said to Jacob”] but in the present tense. [Thus, the meaning is:] They have no need for a diviner or sorcerer, for any time it is necessary to tell Jacob and Israel what God has wrought and what decrees He enacted on high, they do not need diviners or soothsayers, but the decrees of the Omnipresent are transmitted to them through their prophets, or the Urim and Tummim inform them [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20]. Onkelos, however, does not render [it in] this manner.[Onkelos renders: For the diviners do not wish that good should be bestowed upon Jacob, nor do soothsayers desire the greatness of Israel. At this time, it will be told to Jacob what God has wrought.] |
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כָּעֵת יֵֽאָמֵר לְיַֽעֲקֹב וגו':
עוֹד עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת עֵת כָּעֵת הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר תִּגָּלֶה חִבָּתָן לְעֵין כֹּל, שֶׁהֵן יוֹשְׁבִין לְפָנָיו וּלְמֵדִים תּוֹרָה מִפִּיו וּמְחִצָּתָן לִפְנִים מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְהֵם יִשְׁאֲלוּ לָהֶם מה פעל אל? וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו ל') "וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ". דָּבָר אַחֵר — יאמר ליעקב אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה, אֵינָן צְרִיכִין לִמְנַחֵשׁ וְקוֹסֵם, כִּי בְכָל עֵת שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה פָּעַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּמַה גְּזֵרוֹתָיו בַּמָּרוֹם, אֵינָן מְנַחֲשִׁים וְקוֹסְמִים אֶלָּא נֶאֱמַר לָהֶם עַל פִּי נְבִיאֵיהֶם מַה הִיא גְזֵרַת הַמָּקוֹם, אוֹ אוּרִים וְתֻמִּים מַגִּידִים לָהֶם (תנחומא); וְאֻנְקְלוֹס לֹא תִרְגֵּם כֵּן:
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| 24Behold, a people that rises like a lioness and raises itself like a lion. It does not lie down until it eats its prey and drinks the blood of the slain." |
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כדהֶן־עָם֙ כְּלָבִ֣יא יָק֔וּם וְכַֽאֲרִ֖י יִתְנַשָּׂ֑א לֹ֤א יִשְׁכַּב֙ עַד־יֹ֣אכַל טֶ֔רֶף וְדַם־חֲלָלִ֖ים יִשְׁתֶּֽה: |
| Behold, a people that rises like a lioness: When they awaken from their sleep in the morning they show the vigor of a lioness and a lion in grasping mitzvoth, to don a ‘tallith ’ [prayer shawl], recite the shema and put on ‘tefillin’ [phylacteries]. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20] |
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הֶן־עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וגו':
כְּשֶׁהֵן עוֹמְדִין מִשְּׁנָתָם שַׁחֲרִית, הֵן מִתְגַּבְּרִין כְּלָבִיא וְכַאֲרִי לַחֲטֹף אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת — לִלְבֹּשׁ טַלִּית, לִקְרֹא אֶת שְׁמַע וּלְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין:
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| It does not lie down: [I.e., a Jew does not lie down] on his bed at night until he consumes and destroys any harmful thing that comes to tear him. How so? He recites the shema on his bed and entrusts his spirit to the hand of the Omnipresent. Should an army or a troop come to harm them, the Holy One, blessed is He, protects them, fights their battles and strikes them [their attackers] down dead.[Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20] Another interpretation: “Behold a people that rises like a lioness…” as the Targum [Onkelos] renders [it: namely, It will not settle in its land until it destroys (the enemy) and takes possession of the land of the nations]. |
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לֹא יִשְׁכַּב:
בַּלַּיְלָה עַל מִטָּתוֹ עַד שֶׁהוּא אוֹכֵל וּמְחַבֵּל כָּל מַזִּיק הַבָּא לְטָרְפוֹ, כֵּיצַד? קוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע עַל מִטָּתוֹ וּמַפְקִיד רוּחוֹ בְּיַד הַמָּקוֹם, בָּא מַחֲנֶה וְגַיִס לְהַזִּיקָם, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹמְרָם וְנִלְחָם מִלְחֲמוֹתָם וּמַפִּילָם חֲלָלִים (שם); דָּבָר אַחֵר — הן עם כלביא יקום וגו', כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
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| and drinks the blood of the slain: He prophesied that Moses would not die until he would strike down the Midianite kings dead, and he [Balaam] would be slain with them, as it says, “Balaam the son of Beor the soothsayer did the children of Israel slay with the sword with those that were slain by them” (Josh. 13:22). - [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20] |
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וְדַם־חֲלָלִים יִשְׁתֶּֽה:
נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁאֵין מֹשֶׁה מֵת עַד שֶׁיַּפִּיל מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן חֲלָלִים וְיֵהָרֵג הוּא עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע י"ג) "וְאֶת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הַקּוֹסֵם הָרְגוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּחֶרֶב אֶל חַלְלֵיהֶם" (עי' תנחומא):
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| 25Balak said to Balaam, "You shall neither curse them nor shall you bless them." |
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כהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם גַּם־קֹ֖ב לֹ֣א תִקֳּבֶ֑נּוּ גַּם־בָּרֵ֖ךְ לֹ֥א תְבָֽרֲכֶֽנּוּ: |
| You shall neither curse them nor shall you bless them: The first גַּם [literally, also, in the clause, “You shall neither…”] adds something to the second גַּם [in the clause “nor shall you curse”] and the second גַּם adds something to the first גַּם [as if he said, Neither bless them nor curse them; neither curse them nor bless them]. Similarly, “It shall be neither mine (גַּם לִי) nor yours (גַּם לָךְְ)” (I Kings 3:26) and similarly, “both the youth (גַּם בָּחוּר) and the maiden (גַּם בְּתוּלָה)” (Deut. 32:25). |
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גַּם־קֹב לֹא תִקֳּבֶנּוּ:
גַם רִאשׁוֹן מוֹסִיף עַל גַּם הַשֵּׁנִי וְגַם הַשֵּׁנִי עַל גַּם רִאשׁוֹן, וְכֵן "גַּם לִי גַם לָךְ לֹא יִהְיֶה" (מלכים א ג'), וְכֵן "גַּם בָּחוּר גַּם בְּתוּלָה" (דברים ל"ב):
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| 26Balaam answered and said to Balak, "Have I not spoken to you, saying, 'Everything the Lord speaks that I shall do." |
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כווַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה: |
