| 1Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, so he did not go to practice divinations as he had done once and again. He turned his face toward the desert. |
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אוַיַּ֣רְא בִּלְעָ֗ם כִּ֣י ט֞וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹֽא־הָלַ֥ךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם לִקְרַ֣את נְחָשִׁ֑ים וַיָּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר פָּנָֽיו: |
| וַיַּרְא בִּלְעָם כִּי טוֹב וגו' - Balaam saw that it pleased… He said: “I do not need to inquire of the Holy One, blessed be He, for I know that He will not want to curse them.” |
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וַיַּרְא בִּלְעָם כִּי טוֹב וגו'.
אָמַר אֵינִי צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק עוֹד בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כִּי לֹא יַחְפֹּץ לְקַלְּלָם:
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| לא הָלַךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַעַם - So he did not go (lit.) as on previous occasions - i.e., as he had done on two occasions. |
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לא הָלַךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַעַם.
כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים:
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| לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים - To practice divinations - i.e., to divine so that God might happen to meet him as he wished. He said: “Whether or not He wants to curse them, I will mention their sins and the curse will automatically take affect upon the mention of the sin.” |
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לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים.
לְנַחֵשׁ אוּלַי יִקָּרֶה ה' לִקְרָתוֹ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, אָמַר רוֹצֶה וְלֹא רוֹצֶה לְקַלְּלָם, אַזְכִּיר עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם, וְהַקְּלָלָה עַל הַזְכָּרַת עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם תָּחוּל:
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| וַיָּשֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָֽיו - He turned his face toward the desert. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “he turned his face toward the calf that the Israelites made in the desert.” |
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וַיָּשֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָֽיו.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
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| 2Balaam raised his eyes, and He saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes. The spirit of God descended upon him. |
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בוַיִּשָּׂ֨א בִלְעָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שֹׁכֵ֖ן לִשְׁבָטָ֑יו וַתְּהִ֥י עָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹהִֽים: |
| וַיִּשָּׂא בִלְעָם אֶת־עֵינָיו - Balaam raised his eyes - i.e., he wished to cast an evil eye upon them. Thus, you have been shown his three traits: an evil eye along with the conceit and greed stated above. |
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וַיִּשָּׂא בִלְעָם אֶת־עֵינָיו.
בִּקֵּשׁ לְהַכְנִיס בָּהֶם עַיִן רָעָה, וַהֲרֵי יֵשׁ לְךָ שָׁלֹשׁ מִדּוֹתָיו — עַיִן רָעָה וְרוּחַ גְּבוֹהָה וְנֶפֶשׁ רְחָבָה הָאֲמוּרִים לְמַעְלָה:
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| שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו - Dwelling according to its tribes - i.e., he saw each tribe dwelling separately and not intermingled with others, and moreover, he saw that their entrances did not face one another, so that one could not peer even into his friend’s tent. |
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שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו.
רָאָה כָל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט שׁוֹכֵן לְעַצְמוֹ וְאֵינָן מְעֹרָבִין, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין פִּתְחֵיהֶם מְכֻוָּנִין זֶה כְנֶגֶד זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יָצִיץ לְתוֹךְ אֹהֶל חֲבֵרוֹ:
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| וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִֽים - The spirit of God descended upon him - i.e., his intention aligned with God’s in that he decided not to curse them. |
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וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִֽים.
עָלָה בְלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יְקַלְּלֵם:
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| 3He began to recite his parable and said, “This is the word of Balaam son of Be’or, the word of the man with one open eye socket and one seeing eye. |
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גוַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר נְאֻ֤ם בִּלְעָם֙ בְּנ֣וֹ בְעֹ֔ר וּנְאֻ֥ם הַגֶּ֖בֶר שְׁתֻ֥ם הָעָֽיִן: |
| בְּנוֹ בְעֹר - Son of Be’or - is the equivalent of בֶּן בְּעֹר, similar to לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם “to a spring of water.” According to the Aggadic explanation, both Balaam and Balak were greater than their fathers: בָּלָק בְּנוֹ צִפּוֹר signifies that his father Tzipor was his son (his inferior) in kingship, and Balaam was greater than his father in prophecy – he was a maneh son of a half-maneh. |
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בְּנוֹ בְעֹר.
כְּמוֹ "לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם" (תהלים קי"ד); וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה שְׁנֵיהֶם הָיוּ גְדוֹלִים מֵאֲבוֹתֵיהֶם, בָּלָק בְּנוֹ צִפּוֹר — אָבִיו בְּנוֹ הוּא בְמַלְכוּת, וּבִלְעָם גָּדוֹל מֵאָבִיו בִּנְבִיאוּת — מָנֶה בֶן פְּרָס הָיָה (סנהדרין ק"ה; תנחומא):
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| שְׁתֻם הָעָֽיִן - means: His eye was put out and removed, exposing its socket. This is found in Mishnaic Hebrew: “enough time to bore a hole (שֶׁיִּשְׁתֹּם), seal it up, and let the seal dry.” Our rabbis said: Since he said: וּמִסְפָּר אֶת רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, i.e., that the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and counts the copulations (רְבִיעוֹתֵיהֶן) of Israel, anticipating the time when the seed from which the righteous person is born will arrive, he said to himself: “Should God, who is holy and whose servants are holy, look at such things?” Because of this, Balaam’s eye was blinded. Some explain שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן as meaning “open-eyed,” as Onkelos translates it: דְּשַׁפִּיר חָזֵי “who sees well.” However, since he said שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן “whose eye is open” and did not say שְׁתֻם הָעֵינַיִם “whose eyes are open,” we infer that he was blind in one eye. |
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שְׁתֻם הָעָֽיִן.
עֵינוֹ נְקוּרָה וּמוּצֵאת לַחוּץ וְחֹר שֶׁלָּהּ נִרְאֶה פָתוּחַ, וּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה הוּא, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִשְׁתֹּם וְיִסְתֹּם וְיִגֹּב (עבודה זרה ס"ט); וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר וּמִסְפָּר אֶת רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל — שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹשֵׁב וּמוֹנֶה רְבִיעוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, מָתַי תָּבֹא טִפָּה שֶׁנּוֹלַד הַצַּדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ, מִי שֶׁהוּא קָדוֹשׁ וּמְשָׁרְתָיו קְדוֹשִׁים יִסְתַּכֵּל בִּדְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ? וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה נִסְמַת עֵינוֹ שֶׁל בִּלְעָם (נדה ל"א); וְיֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים שתם העין — פְּתוּחַ הָעַיִן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס, וְעַל שֶׁאָמַר שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן וְלֹא אָמַר שְׁתוּם הָעֵינַיִם, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁסּוּמָא בְאַחַת מֵעֵינָיו הָיָה (סנהדרין ק"ה):
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| 4The word of the one who hears God’s sayings, who sees the vision of the Almighty lying down with open eyes. |
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דנְאֻ֕ם שֹׁמֵ֖עַ אִמְרֵי־אֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַֽחֲזֵ֤ה שַׁדַּי֙ יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה נֹפֵ֖ל וּגְל֥וּי עֵינָֽיִם: |
| נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָֽיִם - Lying down with open eyes. Its contextual meaning is as Onkelos translates it, that God appears to him only at night, when he lies down. And its Midrashic explanation is: when God would appear to him, he would not have the strength to remain standing on his feet, and he would fall upon his face, because he was uncircumcised and it was repulsive for God to appear to him as he stands upright before Him. |
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נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָֽיִם.
פְּשׁוּטוֹ כְתַרְגּוּמוֹ — שֶׁאֵין נִרְאֶה עָלָיו אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה כְּשֶׁהוּא שׁוֹכֵב; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: כְּשֶׁהָיָה נִגְלֶה עָלָיו לֹא הָיָה בוֹ כֹּחַ לַעֲמֹד עַל רַגְלָיו וְנוֹפֵל עַל פָּנָיו, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה עָרֵל, וּמָאוּס לִהְיוֹת נִגְלֶה עָלָיו בְּקוֹמָה זְקוּפָה לְפָנָיו:
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| 5How good are your tents, Jacob, your encampments, Israel! |
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המַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹֽהָלֶ֖יךָ יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| מַה־טֹּבוּ אֹֽהָלֶיךָ - How good are your tents. He praised the tents because he saw that their openings did not face one another. |
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מַה־טֹּבוּ אֹֽהָלֶיךָ.
עַל שֶׁרָאָה פִתְחֵיהֶם שֶׁאֵינָן מְכֻוָּנִין זֶה מוּל זֶה:
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| מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ - means “your encampments,” as Onkelos translates it, i.e., your organized division into tribes. Another explanation: מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ – How good will be “the Tent (Sanctuary) of Shiloh” and the permanent Temple when they are established, for there they offer sacrifices to atone for themselves. |
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מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ.
חֲנִיּוֹתֶיךָ, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר, מה טבו אהליך — מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהֶל שִׁילֹה וּבֵית עוֹלָמִים בְּיִשּׁוּבָן, שֶׁמַּקְרִיבִין בָּהֶן קָרְבָּנוֹת לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם:
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| מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ - i.e., they are beneficial even when they are destroyed, because they serve as collateral (מַשְׁכּוֹן) for them, such that their destruction achieves atonement even for capital offenses involving their very souls, as it says: “God used up His rage” – and how did He use it up? “He set fire to Zion.” |
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מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ.
אַף כְּשֶׁהֵן חֲרֵבִין, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן מַשְׁכּוֹן עֲלֵיכֶם, וְחֻרְבָּנָן כַּפָּרָה עַל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּלָּה ה' אֶת חֲמָתוֹ" (איכה ד'), וּבַמֶּה כִלָּה? (שם) "וַיַּצֶּת אֵשׁ בְּצִיּוֹן" (תנחומא משפטים):
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| 6They will extend like streams, like gardens by the river, like aloes that God planted, like cedars by the water. |
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וכִּנְחָלִ֣ים נִטָּ֔יוּ כְּגַנֹּ֖ת עֲלֵ֣י נָהָ֑ר כַּֽאֲהָלִים֙ נָטַ֣ע יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּֽאֲרָזִ֖ים עֲלֵי־מָֽיִם: |
| כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ - They will extend like streams - i.e., that are lengthened and drawn to extend afar. Our rabbis said: From the blessings of that wicked man, we learn how he intended to curse them when he planned “to turn his face towards the desert,” and when the Omnipresent changed his words, Balaam blessed them in accordance with the very curses that he had wished to say, etc., as stated in Chapter Chelek. |
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כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ.
שֶׁנֶּאֶרְכוּ וְנִמְשְׁכוּ לִנְטוֹת לְמֵרָחוֹק; אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִבִּרְכוֹתָיו שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע אָנוּ לְמֵדִים מֶה הָיָה בְלִבּוֹ לְקַלְּלָם כְּשֶׁאָמַר לְהָשִׁית אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָיו, וּכְשֶׁהָפַךְ הַמָּקוֹם אֶת פִּיו, בֵּרְכָם מֵעֵין אוֹתָם קְלָלוֹת שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לוֹמַר כו', כִּדְאִיתָא בְחֵלֶק (סנהדרין ק"ח):
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| כַּֽאֲהָלִים - Like aloes. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: כְּבוּסְמַיָּא “like spices,” related to: מֹר וַאֲהָלוֹת “myrrh and aloes.” |
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כַּֽאֲהָלִים.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן "מֹר וַאֲהָלוֹת" (תהלים מ"ה):
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| נָטַע ה' - That God planted - in the Garden of Eden. Another explanation of כַּאֲהָלִים נָטַע ה': like the sky that is spread out like a tent (אֹהֶל), as it says: “and He spreads the sky out like a tent in which to dwell.” |
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נָטַע ה'.
בְּגַן עֵדֶן; לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר כאהלים נטע ה' — כַּשָּׁמַיִם הַמְּתוּחִין כְּאֹהֶל:
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| נָטַע ה' - We find the verb נטע used concerning pitching tents, as it says: “He will pitch (וְיִטַּע) the tents of his palace.” |
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נָטַע ה'.
לְשׁוֹן נְטִיעָה מָצִינוּ בְאֹהָלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְיִטַּע אָהֳלֵי אַפַּדְנוֹ" (דניאל י"א):
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| 7Water will flow from your wells. Your seed will have abundant water. Your king will be raised over Agag, and your kingdom will be exalted. |
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זיִזַּל־מַ֨יִם֙ מִדָּ֣לְיָ֔ו וְזַרְע֖וֹ בְּמַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים וְיָרֹ֤ם מֵֽאֲגַג֙ מַלְכּ֔וֹ וְתִנַּשֵּׂ֖א מַלְכֻתֽוֹ: |
| מִדָּלְיָו - means “from their wells.” Its explanation is as Onkelos translates it: “The king anointed from their descendants will become great.” |
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מִדָּלְיָו.
מִבְּאֵרוֹתָיו, וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
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| וְזַרְעוֹ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים - Your seed will have abundant water. This expression denotes success: His descendants will be like seed planted over water. |
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וְזַרְעוֹ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים.
לְשׁוֹן הַצְלָחָה הוּא זֶה — כְּזֶרַע הַזָּרוּעַ עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם:
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| וְיָרֹם מֵֽאֲגַג מַלְכּוֹ - Your king will be raised over Agag - i.e., their first king, Saul, will conquer Agag, king of Amalek. |
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וְיָרֹם מֵֽאֲגַג מַלְכּוֹ.
מֶלֶךְ רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁלָּהֶם יִכְבֹּשׁ אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק:
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| וְתִנַּשֵּׂא מַלְכֻתֽוֹ - Your kingdom will be exalted - i.e., Jacob’s kingdom will be exalted more and more, for David and Solomon will rule after Saul. |
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וְתִנַּשֵּׂא מַלְכֻתֽוֹ.
שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר, שֶׁיָּבֹא אַחֲרָיו דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה:
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| 8God, who has taken you out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness, will consume the nations that are your adversaries, skin their bones, and dye His arrows in their blood. |
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חאֵ֚ל מֽוֹצִיא֣וֹ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם כְּתֽוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם ל֑וֹ יֹאכַ֞ל גּוֹיִ֣ם צָרָ֗יו וְעַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶ֛ם יְגָרֵ֖ם וְחִצָּ֥יו יִמְחָֽץ: |
| אֵל מֽוֹצִיאוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם - God, who has taken you out of Egypt - i.e., Who brings them all this greatness? It is God, who brought them out of Egypt, and with His strength and loftiness, He will destroy the nations that are their adversaries. |
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אֵל מֽוֹצִיאוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם.
מִי גוֹרֵם לָהֶם הַגְּדֻלָּה הַזֹּאת? אֵל הַמּוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּתֹקֶף וְרוּם שֶׁלּוֹ, יֹאכַל אֶת הַגּוֹיִם שֶׁהֵם צָרָיו:
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| וְעַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶם - Their bones - i.e., of the adversaries. |
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וְעַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶם.
שֶׁל צָרִים:
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| יְגָרֵם - Menachem ben Saruk explained this as meaning “breaking,” similar to: לֹא גָרְמוּ לַבֹּקֶר “they did not break bones in the morning,” and also: וְאֶת חֲרָשֶׂיהָ תְּגָרֵמִי “and its shards you will crush.” But I am of the opinion that it is related to “bone,” meaning that with his teeth, he pulls off the surrounding flesh and the marrow inside, reducing the bone to a bare state. |
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יְגָרֵם.
מְנַחֵם פָּתַר בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן שְׁבִירָה, וְכֵן "לֹא גָרְמוּ לַבֹּקֶר" (צפניה ג'), וְכֵן "וְאֶת חֲרָשֶׂיהָ תְּגָרֵמִי" (יחזקאל כ"ג), וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְשׁוֹן עֶצֶם הוּא, שֶׁמְּגָרֵר הַבָּשָׂר בְּשִׁנָּיו מִסָּבִיב, וְהַמֹּחַ שֶׁבִּפְנִים, וּמַעֲמִיד הָעֶצֶם עַל עַרְמִימוּתוֹ:
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| וְחִצָּיו יִמְחָֽץ - Onkelos translates this as referring to חִצָּיו of adversaries, i.e., “their portion,” similar to בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים, which he translates as מָרֵי פַלְגוּתָא, denoting sharing and dividing up. Similarly, יִמְחָץ is related to: “she wounded (וּמָחֲצָה) and penetrated his temple.” The phrase thus means: “they will divide up their land.” However, חִצִּים can be explained literally as “arrows”: the arrows of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be drenched in the blood of the adversaries, i.e., He will immerse and dye them in their blood, as in: “so that your foot be drenched (תִּמְחַץ) in blood.” It does not differ from its usual sense of “a blow,” as in: מָחַצְתִּי “I strike,” for something dyed with blood appears as though stricken and wounded. |
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וְחִצָּיו יִמְחָֽץ.
אֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם חֶצְיוֹ שֶׁל צָרִים — חֲלֻקָּה שֶׁלָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ (בראשית מ"ט) "בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים" — מָרֵי פַּלְגּוּתָא, וְכֵן יִמְחָץ לְשׁוֹן "וּמָחֲצָה וְחָלְפָה רַקָּתוֹ" (שופטים ה') — שֶׁיֶחֱצוּ אֶת אַרְצָם. וְיֵשׁ לִפְתֹּר לְשׁוֹן חִצִּים מַמָּשׁ — חִצָּיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִמְחַץ בְּדָמָם שֶׁל צָרִים, יִטְבֹּל וְיִצְטַבַּע בְּדָמָם, כְּמוֹ "לְמַעַן תִּמְחַץ רַגְלְךָ בְּדָם" (תהלים ס"ח), וְאֵינוֹ זָז מִלָּשׁוֹן מַכָּה, כְּמוֹ "מָחַצְתִּי" (דברים ל"ב), שֶׁהַצָּבוּעַ בְּדָם נִרְאֶה כְּאִלּוּ מָחוּץ וְנָגוּעַ:
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| 9You will settle and dwell like a lion, like a fearsome lion that no one would dare rouse. Those who bless you will be blessed, and those who curse you will be cursed.” |
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טכָּרַ֨ע שָׁכַ֧ב כַּֽאֲרִ֛י וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֣י יְקִימֶ֑נּוּ מְבָֽרֲכֶ֣יךָ בָר֔וּךְ וְאֹֽרֲרֶ֖יךָ אָרֽוּר: |
| כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּֽאֲרִי - (lit.) They will crouch and lie like a lion - means as Onkelos translates it: They will settle in their land with force and strength. |
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כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּֽאֲרִי.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ — יִתְיַשְּׁבוּ בְאַרְצָם בְּכֹחַ וּגְבוּרָה:
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| 10Balak became angry with Balaam, and he clapped his hands in frustration. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. |
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יוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיִּסְפֹּ֖ק אֶת־כַּפָּ֑יו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בָּלָ֜ק אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם לָקֹ֤ב אֹֽיְבַי֙ קְרָאתִ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּה֙ בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ בָרֵ֔ךְ זֶ֖ה שָׁל֥שׁ פְּעָמִֽים: |
| וַיִּסְפֹּק - And he clapped - i.e., he hit one upon the other. |
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וַיִּסְפֹּק.
הִכָּה זוֹ עַל זוֹ:
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| 11Now, flee back to your place. I said I would honor you greatly, but God has prevented you from receiving any honor from me.” |
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יאוְעַתָּ֖ה בְּרַח־לְךָ֣ אֶל־מְקוֹמֶ֑ךָ אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ כַּבֵּ֣ד אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֔ וְהִנֵּ֛ה מְנָֽעֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִכָּבֽוֹד: |
| 12Balaam said to Balak, “But I even told the messengers you sent to me, |
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יבוַיֹּ֥אמֶר בִּלְעָ֖ם אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א גַּ֧ם אֶל־מַלְאָכֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥חְתָּ אֵלַ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 13‘Even if Balak would give me enough silver and gold to fill his house, I cannot transgress the word of God to do either good or evil on my own; I can speak only what God speaks.’ |
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יגאִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֨י בָלָ֜ק מְלֹ֣א בֵיתוֹ֘ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָב֒ לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת טוֹבָ֛ה א֥וֹ רָעָ֖ה מִלִּבִּ֑י אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֲדַבֵּֽר: |
| לַֽעֲבֹר אֶת־פִּי ה' - Transgress the word of God. Here it does not say: אֱלֹהָי “my God,” as stated earlier, since Balaam knew that he had become repulsive to the Holy One, blessed be He, and been banished from His presence. |
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לַֽעֲבֹר אֶת־פִּי ה'.
כָּאן לֹא נֶאֱמַר "אֱלֹהַי" כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה (כ"ב י"ח), לְפִי שֶׁיָּדַע שֶׁנִּבְאַשׁ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְנִטְרַד:
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