ב"ה

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First Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 22

2Balak son of Tzipor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.		בוַיַּ֥רְא בָּלָ֖ק בֶּן־צִפּ֑וֹר אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לָֽאֱמֹרִֽי:
וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן־צִפּוֹר אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל לָֽאֱמֹרִֽי - Balak son of Tzipor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. Balak, being aware of the arrangement between the Canaanite kings and Sichon and Og, said to the Moabites: “These two kings, Sichon and Og, upon whom we relied to protect us from invaders, could not stand up to them; all the more is this true for us, should they attack us.” Therefore, upon realizing that their protectors were now gone, “Moab became terrified.”		וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן־צִפּוֹר אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל לָֽאֱמֹרִֽי. אָמַר, אֵלּוּ שְׁנֵי מְלָכִים שֶׁהָיִינוּ בְטוּחִים עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא עָמְדוּ בִּפְנֵיהֶם, אָנוּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, לְפִיכָךְ "וַיָּגָר מוֹאָב" (תנחומא):
3Moab became terrified of the people, for they were numerous. So Moab became sick due to the Israelites.		גוַיָּ֨גָר מוֹאָ֜ב מִפְּנֵ֥י הָעָ֛ם מְאֹ֖ד כִּ֣י רַב־ה֑וּא וַיָּ֣קָץ מוֹאָ֔ב מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וַיָּגָר - this denotes fear, as in: גּוּרוּ לָכֶם “Be afraid for yourselves.” 1		וַיָּגָר. לְשׁוֹן מוֹרָא, כְּמוֹ "גּוּרוּ לָכֶם" (איוב י"ט):
וַיָּקָץ מוֹאָב - means: “Moab became sick of their lives,” similar to קַצְתִּי בְחַיַּי “I am disgusted with my life,” 2 this being an abbreviated verse.		וַיָּקָץ מוֹאָב. קָצוּ בְחַיֵּיהֶם (כְּמוֹ "קַצְתִּי בְחַיַי", וְהוּא מִקְרָא קָצָר):
4Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this assembly will devour everything around us, as the work-bull devours the greens of the field.” Balak son of Tzipor was king of Moab at that time.		דוַיֹּ֨אמֶר מוֹאָ֜ב אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן עַתָּ֞ה יְלַֽחֲכ֤וּ הַקָּהָל֙ אֶת־כָּל־סְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּ כִּלְחֹ֣ךְ הַשּׁ֔וֹר אֵ֖ת יֶ֣רֶק הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּבָלָ֧ק בֶּן־צִפּ֛וֹר מֶ֥לֶךְ לְמוֹאָ֖ב בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽוא:
אֶל־זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן - To the elders of Midian. Surely these nations had always hated each other, as it says: “who defeated Midian in the field of Moab,” 3 indicating that Midian had waged war against Moab. However, out of fear of Israel, they now made peace between one another. And why did Moab see fit to take advice from Midian? Since they saw that the Israelites were winning supernatural victories, they said: “The leader of these people became great in Midian. Let us ask them what quality he possesses that enables him to win these victories.” They answered them: “His power rests solely in his mouth, i.e., in prayer.” So Moab said: “We will also come against them with a man whose power rests in his mouth.”		אֶל־זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן. וַהֲלֹא מֵעוֹלָם הָיוּ שׂוֹנְאִים זֶה אֶת זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הַמַּכֶּה אֶת מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב" (בראשית ל"ו), שֶׁבָּאוּ מִדְיָן עַל מוֹאָב לַמִּלְחָמָה? אֶלָּא מִיִּרְאָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשׂוּ שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם; וּמָה רָאָה מוֹאָב לִטֹּל עֵצָה מִמִּדְיָן? כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹצְחִים שֶׁלֹּא כְמִנְהַג הָעוֹלָם, אָמְרוּ מַנְהִיגָם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ בְּמִדְיָן נִתְגַּדֵּל, נִשְׁאַל מֵהֶם מַה מִּדָּתוֹ, אָמְרוּ לָהֶם אֵין כֹּחוֹ אֶלָּא בְּפִיו, אָמְרוּ, אַף אָנוּ נָבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּאָדָם שֶׁכֹּחוֹ בְּפִיו (תנחומא):
כִּלְחֹךְ הַשּׁוֹר - As the work-bull devours - for whatever a bull devours is bereft of any potential blessing.		כִּלְחֹךְ הַשּׁוֹר. כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַשּׁוֹר מְלַחֵךְ אֵין בּוֹ בְרָכָה (שם):
בָּעֵת הַהִֽוא - At that time. He was not suited to be king, for he was only one of the Midianite princes, but when Sichon died, Moab appointed him king over them as a temporary measure.		בָּעֵת הַהִֽוא. לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי לְמַלְכוּת, מִנְּסִיכֵי מִדְיָן הָיָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּת סִיחוֹן מִנּוּהוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְצֹרֶךְ שָׁעָה (שם):
5He sent messengers to Balaam son of Be’or, to Petor, which is situated on the river, the land of his people, to call for him, saying, “A people has come out of Egypt, and behold, they have covered the ‘eye’ of the land. And they are stationed opposite me.		הוַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח מַלְאָכִ֜ים אֶל־בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֗וֹר פְּת֠וֹרָה אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַל־הַנָּהָ֛ר אֶ֥רֶץ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹ לִקְרֹא־ל֑וֹ לֵאמֹ֗ר הִ֠נֵּ֠ה עַ֣ם יָצָ֤א מִמִּצְרַ֨יִם֙ הִנֵּ֤ה כִסָּה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ וְה֥וּא ישֵׁ֖ב מִמֻּלִֽי:
פְּתוֹרָה - Balaam was given this nickname, פָּתוֹרָא being Aramaic for “table” (שֻׁלְחָן), for he was like a money-changer (שֻׁלְחָנִי) before whom everyone shows his coins. Similarly, all kings used to send him their letters enlisting his services. But according to the contextual sense of Scripture, this was the name of Balaam’s place.		פְּתוֹרָה. כְּשֻׁלְחָנִי זֶה שֶׁהַכֹּל מְרִיצִין לוֹ מָעוֹת, כָּךְ כָּל הַמְּלָכִים מְרִיצִין לוֹ אִגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם, וּלְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא כָּךְ שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם (שם):
אֶרֶץ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּוֹ - The land of his people - i.e., of Balak. He came from there, and Balaam had prophesied, saying to him, “You will be king in the future.” And should you ask: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, rest His Divine Presence upon a wicked gentile? The answer is: So that the nations not have an excuse for their wicked behavior, saying, “Were we to have had prophets, we would have returned to the proper path.” He therefore provided them with prophets. However, these prophets abused their privilege: They broke down the universally accepted moral restrictions, for originally the nations restricted themselves from immoral behavior, but Balaam advised them to abandon themselves to immorality.		אֶרֶץ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּוֹ. שֶׁל בָּלָק, מִשָּׁם הָיָה, וְזֶה הָיָה מִתְנַבֵּא וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ, עָתִיד אַתָּה לִמְלֹךְ; וְאִם תֹּאמַר מִפְּנֵי מָה הִשְׁרָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁכִינָתוֹ עַל גּוֹי רָשָׁע? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה פִתְחוֹן פֶּה לָאֻמּוֹת לוֹמַר, אִלּו הָיוּ לָנוּ נְבִיאִים, חָזַרְנוּ לְמוּטָב, הֶעֱמִיד לָהֶם נְבִיאִים וְהֵם פָּרְצוּ גֶדֶר הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה הָיוּ גְדוּרִים בַּעֲרָיוֹת, וְזֶה נָתַן לָהֶם עֵצָה לְהַפְקִיר עַצְמָן לִזְנוּת:
לִקְרֹא־לוֹ - To call for him - i.e., the summons was for him, for his benefit, for Balak arranged with him a large sum of money as payment.		לִקְרֹא־לוֹ. הַקְּרִיאָה הָיְתָה שֶׁלּוֹ וְלַהֲנָאָתוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה פוֹסֵק לוֹ מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה:
עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם - A people has come out of Egypt - and if you ask: “How does this harm you?” –		עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם. וְאִם תֹּאמַר מַה מַּזִּיקְךָ?
הִנֵּה כִסָּה אֶת־עֵין הָאָרֶץ - Behold, they have covered the ‘eye’ of the land - i.e., Sichon and Og, who were protecting us. They attacked them and killed them.		הִנֵּה כִסָּה אֶת־עֵין הָאָרֶץ. סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג שֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹמְרִים אוֹתָנוּ עָמְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וַהֲרָגוּם:
וְהוּא ישֵׁב מִמֻּלִֽי - And they are stationed opposite me. מִמֻּלִי is written here without a ו, and therefore implies: “They are ready to annihilate me,” similar to כִּי אֲמִילַם “I cut them down.” 4		וְהוּא ישֵׁב מִמֻּלִֽי. חָסֵר כְּתִיב, קְרוֹבִים הֵם לְהַכְרִיתֵנִי כְּמוֹ (תהילים קי"ח) כִּי אֲמִילַם (תנחומא):
6So now, please come and curse this people for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will be able to strike them and drive them out of the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.”		ווְעַתָּה֩ לְכָה־נָּ֨א אָֽרָה־לִּ֜י אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה כִּֽי־עָצ֥וּם הוּא֙ מִמֶּ֔נִּי אוּלַ֤י אוּכַל֙ נַכֶּה־בּ֔וֹ וַֽאֲגָֽרְשֶׁ֖נּוּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ֙ מְבֹרָ֔ךְ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר:
נַכֶּה־בּוֹ - (lit.) We will strike them - i.e., I and my people will strike them. Another explanation: נַכֶּה is a Mishnaic term, as in: “he deducts (מְנַכֶּה) from the amount,” 5 thus here meaning: “to somewhat reduce their numbers.”		נַכֶּה־בּוֹ. אֲנִי וְעַמִּי נַכֶּה בָהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר — לְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה הוּא (ב"מ ק"ה), מְנַכֶּה לוֹ מִן הַדָּמִים — לְחַסֵּר מֵהֶם מְעַט (תנחומא):
כִּֽי־יָדַעְתִּי וגו' - For I know…. through the war of Sichon, when you helped him defeat Moab.		כִּֽי־יָדַעְתִּי וגו'. עַל יְדֵי מִלְחֶמֶת סִיחוֹן שֶׁעֲזַרְתּוֹ לְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב:
7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went, with magic charms in their hands. They came to Balaam and conveyed Balak’s message to him.		זוַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ זִקְנֵ֤י מוֹאָב֙ וְזִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּקְסָמִ֖ים בְּיָדָ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו דִּבְרֵ֥י בָלָֽק:
וּקְסָמִים בְּיָדָם - With magic charms in their hands - i.e., all sorts of magic charms, so that he not say, “I do not have my tools with me.” Another explanation: The elders of Midian took this omen (קֶסֶם) “in their hand”: They said, “If he comes with us this time, this indicates his assistance will prove substantial, but if he delays us, he will be of no use.” Therefore, when he said to them: “Lodge here for the night,” they said, “There is no hope for him,” and they left him and went off, as it says: “So the Moabite nobles stayed with Balaam” – but the Midianite elders left.		וּקְסָמִים בְּיָדָם. כָּל מִינֵי קְסָמִים, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אֵין כְּלֵי תַשְׁמִישִׁי עִמִּי; דָּבָר אַחֵר — קֶסֶם זֶה נָטְלוּ בְיָדָם זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן, אָמְרוּ אִם יָבֹא עִמָּנוּ בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת יֵשׁ בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ, וְאִם יִדְחֵנוּ אֵין בּוֹ תוֹעֶלֶת, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם "לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה" אָמְרוּ אֵין בּוֹ תִקְוָה, הִנִּיחוּהוּ וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב עִם בִּלְעָם", אֲבָל זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן הָלְכוּ לָהֶם (שם):
8He said to them, “Lodge here for the night, and I will give you an answer in accordance with how God will speak to me.” So the Moabite nobles stayed with Balaam.		חוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם לִ֤ינוּ פֹה֙ הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַֽהֲשִֽׁבֹתִ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ דָּבָ֔ר כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י וַיֵּֽשְׁב֥וּ שָׂרֵֽי־מוֹאָ֖ב עִם־בִּלְעָֽם:
לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה - Lodge here for the night. The Holy Spirit would only rest upon him at night, and the same applies with all prophets of the gentile nations. Similarly, Laban received a Divine message in a dream at night, as it says: “God appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream that night.” 6 God’s appearance to them at night is like a man secretly visiting his concubine.		לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה. אֵין רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שׁוֹרָה עָלָיו אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה, וְכֵן לְכָל נְבִיאֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, וְכֵן לָבָן בַּחֲלוֹם הַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ל"א) "וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי בַּחֲלוֹם הַלַּיְלָה" כְּאָדָם הַהוֹלֵךְ אֵצֶל פִּילַגְשׁוֹ בְּהֵחָבֵא (תנחומא; ויקרא רבה א'):
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר ה' אֵלָי - In accordance with how God will speak to me. If he advises me to go with people like you, then I will go with you, but maybe it is only honorable for Him to let me go with nobles greater than you.		כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר ה' אֵלָי. אִם יַמְלִיכֵנִי לָלֶכֶת עִם בְּנֵי אָדָם כְּמוֹתְכֶם, אֵלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם, שֶׁמָּא אֵין כְּבוֹדוֹ לְתִתִּי לַהֲלֹךְ אֶלָּא עִם שָׂרִים גְּדוֹלִים מִכֶּם:
וַיֵּֽשְׁבוּ - here denotes remaining.		וַיֵּֽשְׁבוּ. לְשׁוֹן עַכָּבָה:
9God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”		טוַיָּבֹ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֛י הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה עִמָּֽךְ:
מִי הָֽאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה עִמָּֽךְ - Who are these men with you?. With these words, God came to allow him to err. Balaam said: “Sometimes not everything is revealed to Him and He is not always fully alert. I will thus find a time when I can curse the Israelites, and He will not realize it.”		מִי הָֽאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה עִמָּֽךְ. לְהַטְעוֹתוֹ בָא, אָמַר פְּעָמִים שֶׁאֵין הַכֹּל גָּלוּי לְפָנָיו, אֵין דַּעְתּוֹ שָׁוָה עָלָיו, אַף אֲנִי אֶרְאֶה עֵת שֶׁאוּכַל לְקַלֵּל וְלֹא יָבִין (תנחומא):
10Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Tzipor, king of Moab, sent messengers to me, saying,		יוַיֹּ֥אמֶר בִּלְעָ֖ם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים בָּלָ֧ק בֶּן־צִפֹּ֛ר מֶ֥לֶךְ מוֹאָ֖ב שָׁלַ֥ח אֵלָֽי:
בָּלָק בֶּן־צפור וגו' - Balak son of Tzipor… By mentioning the Moabite king, he was implying: “Even though I am not esteemed in Your eyes, I am esteemed in the eyes of kings.”		בָּלָק בֶּן־צפור וגו'. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינִי חָשׁוּב בְּעֵינֶיךָ, חָשׁוּב אֲנִי בְּעֵינֵי הַמְּלָכִים (שם):
11‘Behold the people coming out of Egypt has covered the “eye” of the land. Come and curse them for me; perhaps I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.’”		יאהִנֵּ֤ה הָעָם֙ הַיֹּצֵ֣א מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וַיְכַ֖ס אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֑רֶץ עַתָּ֗ה לְכָ֤ה קָֽבָה־לִּי֙ אֹת֔וֹ אוּלַ֥י אוּכַ֛ל לְהִלָּ֥חֶם בּ֖וֹ וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּֽיו:
קָֽבָה־לִּי - Curse for me. This is a stronger term than אָרָה לִּי, 7 because this term is used when he enunciates God’s Name when pronouncing the curse.		קָֽבָה־לִּי. זוֹ קָשָׁה מֵאָרָה לִּי, שֶׁהוּא נוֹקֵב וּמְפָרֵשׁ (שם):
וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּֽיו - And drive them out - from the world; but Balak only said: “and drive them out of the land.” 8 I only wish to cast their threat off of me. But Balaam hated them more than Balak, as he wished to annihilate them altogether.		וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּֽיו. מִן הָעוֹלָם, וּבָלָק לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא וַאֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ — אֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא לְהַסִּיעָם מֵעָלַי, וּבִלְעָם הָיָה שׂוֹנְאָם יוֹתֵר מִבָּלָק (שם):
12God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them! You must not curse the people, because they are blessed.”		יבוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם לֹ֥א תֵלֵ֖ךְ עִמָּהֶ֑ם לֹ֤א תָאֹר֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י בָר֖וּךְ הֽוּא:
לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם - You must not go with them. Balaam then said to Him, “If so, I will curse them in my place,” to which God said to him: לֹא תָאֹר אֶת הָעָם – “You must not curse the people whatsoever.” So Balaam said, “If so, I will bless them,” to which God said, “They do not need your blessing, כִּי בָרוּךְ הוּא – because they are blessed.” A parable for this concept is: We say to the wasp: “Give us neither from your honey nor from your sting!”		לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם. אָמַר לוֹ אִם כֵּן אֲקַלְּלֵם בִּמְקוֹמִי, אָמַר לוֹ לא תאר את העם, אָמַר לוֹ אִם כֵּן אֲבָרְכֵם, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינָם צְרִיכִים לְבִרְכָתְךָ, כי ברוך הוא, מָשָׁל, אוֹמְרִים לְצִרְעָה לֹא מִדֻּבְשֵׁךְ וְלֹא מֵעֻקְצֵךְ (שם):

Footnotes

Bava Metzia 105b.

Second Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 22

13When Balaam arose in the morning, he said to Balak’s nobles, “Return to your country, for God has refused to let me go with you.”		יג וַיָּ֤קָם בִּלְעָם֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־שָׂרֵ֣י בָלָ֔ק לְכ֖וּ אֶל־אַרְצְכֶ֑ם כִּ֚י מֵאֵ֣ן יְהֹוָ֔ה לְתִתִּ֖י לַֽהֲלֹ֥ךְ עִמָּכֶֽם:
לַֽהֲלֹךְ עִמָּכֶֽם - To go with you - but only with nobles greater than you. From here, we learn that he was conceited, for he did not want to reveal that he needed the approval of the Omnipresent, instead taking an arrogant tone. For this reason, “Balak continued to send dignitaries….”		לַֽהֲלֹךְ עִמָּכֶֽם. אֶלָּא עִם שָׂרִים גְּדוֹלִים מִכֶּם, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁרוּחוֹ גְבוֹהָה, וְלֹא רָצָה לְגַלּוֹת שֶׁהוּא בִרְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, אֶלָּא בִלְשׁוֹן גַּסּוּת, לְפִיכָךְ ויסף עוד בלק:
14Moab’s nobles arose and came to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”		ידוַיָּק֨וּמוּ֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵאֵ֥ן בִּלְעָ֖ם הֲלֹ֥ךְ עִמָּֽנוּ:
15So Balak continued to send dignitaries, more numerous and higher in rank than these.		טווַיֹּ֥סֶף ע֖וֹד בָּלָ֑ק שְׁלֹ֣חַ שָׂרִ֔ים רַבִּ֥ים וְנִכְבָּדִ֖ים מֵאֵֽלֶּה:
16They came to Balaam and said to him, “So said Balak son of Tzipor, ‘Please do not hesitate to come to me.		טזוַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֗וֹ כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ בָּלָ֣ק בֶּן־צִפּ֔וֹר אַל־נָ֥א תִמָּנַ֖ע מֵֽהֲלֹ֥ךְ אֵלָֽי:
17For I will honor you greatly and do whatever you tell me to do. So please come and curse this people for me.’”		יזכִּֽי־כַבֵּ֤ד אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאמַ֥ר אֵלַ֖י אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֑ה וּלְכָה־נָּא֙ קָֽבָה־לִּ֔י אֵ֖ת הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה:
כִּֽי־כַבֵּד אֲכַבֶּדְךָ מְאֹד - For I will honor you greatly - i.e., I will give you more than whatever you have received in the past.		כִּֽי־כַבֵּד אֲכַבֶּדְךָ מְאֹד. יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיִיתָ נוֹטֵל לְשֶׁעָבַר אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ (שם):
18Balaam answered and said to Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak would give me enough silver and gold to fill his house, I can do nothing, neither small nor great, that would transgress the word of God, my God.		יחוַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־עַבְדֵ֣י בָלָ֔ק אִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֥י בָלָ֛ק מְלֹ֥א בֵית֖וֹ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּ֨י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔י לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת קְטַנָּ֖ה א֥וֹ גְדוֹלָֽה:
מְלֹא בֵיתוֹ כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב - Enough silver and gold to fill his house. From here we learn that Balaam was greedy and desired others’ possessions. He said: “Balak really ought to give me all his silver and gold, for otherwise he would have to hire many armies to fight the Israelites, and even then, maybe he would succeed in defeating them and maybe not, whereas I will certainly succeed.”		מְלֹא בֵיתוֹ כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב. לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁנַּפְשׁוֹ רְחָבָה וּמְחַמֵּד מָמוֹן אֲחֵרִים, אָמַר רָאוּי לוֹ לִתֵּן לִי כָּל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי צָרִיךְ לִשְׂכֹּר חַיָּלוֹת רַבּוֹת, סָפֵק נוֹצֵחַ סָפֵק אֵינוֹ נוֹצֵחַ, וַאֲנִי וַדַּאי נוֹצֵחַ (שם):
לֹא אוּכַל לַֽעֲבֹר - (lit.) I cannot transgress. He was forced to reveal that he was dependent on others, and unwittingly prophesied here that he would be unable to nullify the blessings with which the patriarchs had been blessed by the Divine Presence.		לֹא אוּכַל לַֽעֲבֹר. עַל כָּרְחוֹ גִלָּה שֶׁהוּא בִרְשׁוּת אַחֵרִים, וְנִתְנַבֵּא כָאן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְכוּ הָאָבוֹת מִפִּי הַשְּׁכִינָה (שם):
19Now, you too, please remain here overnight, and I will know what more God will speak to me.”		יטוְעַתָּ֗ה שְׁב֨וּ נָ֥א בָזֶ֛ה גַּם־אַתֶּ֖ם הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְאֵ֣דְעָ֔ה מַה־יֹּסֵ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה דַּבֵּ֥ר עִמִּֽי:
גַּם־אַתֶּם - You too. This was a prophetic slip of the tongue: You, too, will ultimately go off disappointed like the previous delegates.		גַּם־אַתֶּם. פִּיו הִכְשִׁילוֹ — גַּם אַתֶּם סוֹפְכֶם לֵילֵךְ בְּפַחֵי נֶפֶשׁ כָּרִאשׁוֹנִים:
מַה־יֹּסֵף - What more [God will speak]. He will not change His words from blessing to curse, but hopefully He will not add more to their blessing. He unwittingly prophesied here that God would later give them additional blessings through him.		מַה־יֹּסֵף. לֹא יְשַׁנֶּה דְבָרָיו מִבְּרָכָה לִקְלָלָה, הַלְוַאי שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף לְבָרֵךְ; כָּאן נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁעָתִיד לְהוֹסִיף לָהֶם בְּרָכוֹת עַל יָדוֹ (שם):
20God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If these men have come to call for you, arise and go with them, but whatever I tell you, you must do.”		כוַיָּבֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֥ים \| אֶל־בִּלְעָם֘ לַ֒יְלָה֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ אִם־לִקְרֹ֤א לְךָ֙ בָּ֣אוּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים ק֖וּם לֵ֣ךְ אִתָּ֑ם וְאַ֗ךְ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־אֲדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ אֹת֥וֹ תַֽעֲשֶֽׂה:
אִם־לִקְרֹא לְךָ - If [the men have come] to call for you - i.e., if the calling is for your benefit and you anticipate receiving payment for it, then: “arise and go with them.”		אִם־לִקְרֹא לְךָ. אִם הַקְּרִיאָה שֶׁלְּךָ וְסָבוּר אַתָּה לִטֹּל עָלֶיהָ שָׂכָר, קום לך אתם:
וְאַךְ - (lit.) But only - even against your will – “whatever I tell you, you must do.” Despite this, Balaam went, saying, “Maybe I will persuade Him to do my bidding, and He will agree to let me curse them.”		וְאַךְ. עַל כָּרְחֲךָ את הדבר אשר אדבר אליך אתו תעשה; וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן וַיֵּלֶךְ בִּלְעָם, אָמַר שֶׁמָּא אֲפַתֶּנּוּ וְיִתְרַצֶּה:

Third Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 22

21Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his she-donkey. He went with the Moabite dignitaries.		כאוַיָּ֤קָם בִּלְעָם֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַיַּֽחֲב֖שׁ אֶת־אֲתֹנ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ עִם־שָׂרֵ֥י מוֹאָֽב:
וַיַּֽחֲבשׁ אֶת־אֲתֹנוֹ - Saddled his she-donkey - From here we learn that hatred causes a breakdown in standard conduct, for here he saddled the donkey himself in his enthusiasm to curse the Israelites. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “You wicked man! Their father Abraham has already preempted your efforts with similar enthusiasm to do My will, as it says: “Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.” 1		וַיַּֽחֲבשׁ אֶת־אֲתֹנוֹ. מִכָּאן שֶׁהַשִּׂנְאָה מְקַלְקֶלֶת אֶת הַשּׁוּרָה, שֶׁחָבַשׁ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ; אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רָשָׁע כְּבָר קְדָמְךָ אַבְרָהָם אֲבִיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כ"ב) "וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ" (תנחומא):
עִם־שָׂרֵי מוֹאָֽב - With the Moabite dignitaries - i.e., his heart (his evil intention) was the same as theirs.		עִם־שָׂרֵי מוֹאָֽב. לִבּוֹ כְּלִבָּם שָׁוֶה:
22God became angry because he was going. An angel of God stationed himself on the road to thwart him. He was riding on his she-donkey, and his two servants were with him.		כבוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף אֱלֹהִים֘ כִּֽי־הוֹלֵ֣ךְ הוּא֒ וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֞ב מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ לְשָׂטָ֣ן ל֑וֹ וְהוּא֙ רֹכֵ֣ב עַל־אֲתֹנ֔וֹ וּשְׁנֵ֥י נְעָרָ֖יו עִמּֽוֹ:
כִּֽי־הוֹלֵךְ הוּא - Because he was going - i.e., although he had seen that the matter was displeasing to the Omnipresent, he nevertheless went eagerly.		כִּֽי־הוֹלֵךְ הוּא. רָאָה שֶׁהַדָּבָר רַע בְּעֵינֵי הַמָּקוֹם וְנִתְאַוָּה לֵילֵךְ:
לְשָׂטָן לוֹ - To thwart him. It was an angel of mercy, and he wished to prevent him from sinning, so that he not sin and incur destruction.		לְשָׂטָן לוֹ. מַלְאָךְ שֶׁל רַחֲמִים הָיָה, וְהָיָה רוֹצֶה לְמָנְעוֹ מִלַּחֲטֹא, שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֱטָא וְיֹאבַד (שם):
וּשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו עִמּֽוֹ - And his two servants were with him. From here we learn that when an important person goes on a journey, he should take along two men to attend to him, so that they in turn can attend to each other.		וּשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו עִמּֽוֹ. מִכָּאן לְאָדָם חָשׁוּב הַיּוֹצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ יוֹלִיךְ עִמּוֹ שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים לְשַׁמְּשׁוֹ, וְחוֹזְרִים וּמְשַׁמְּשִׁים זֶה אֶת זֶה (שם):
23The she-donkey saw the angel of God stationed on the road with his sword drawn in his hand. The she-donkey turned aside from the road and went into a field. Balaam beat the she-donkey to get it back onto the road.		כגוַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאָתוֹן֩ אֶת־מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֜ה נִצָּ֣ב בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וְחַרְבּ֤וֹ שְׁלוּפָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ וַתֵּ֤ט הָֽאָתוֹן֙ מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וַיַּ֤ךְ בִּלְעָם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אָת֔וֹן לְהַטֹּתָ֖הּ הַדָּֽרֶךְ:
וַתֵּרֶא הָֽאָתוֹן - The she-donkey saw - but Balaam did not see the angel, because the Holy One, blessed be He, allows animals to see more than humans, who possess intelligence and would therefore become overwhelmed if they were to see destructive forces, so they do not see benevolent angels either.		וַתֵּרֶא הָֽאָתוֹן. וְהוּא לֹא רָאָה שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רְשׁוּת לַבְּהֵמָה לִרְאוֹת יוֹתֵר מִן הָאָדָם, שֶׁמִּתוֹךְ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דַּעַת, תִּטָּרֵף דַּעְתּוֹ כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה מַזִּיקִין:
וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ - With his sword drawn in his hand. God said: “This wicked man put aside his own skill – for the weapon of the gentile nations is the sword – by coming against them to use his mouth, which is their skill. I, too, will take hold of his skill and come against him with it.” And this indeed was his end: “They slew Balaam son of Be’or by the sword.” 2		וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ. אָמַר, רָשָׁע זֶה הִנִּיחַ כְּלִי אֻמָּנוּתוֹ, שֶׁכְּלִי זֵינָן שֶׁל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בַּחֶרֶב, וְהוּא בָא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּפִיו שֶׁהוּא אֻמָּנוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם, אַף אֲנִי אֶתְפֹּשׂ אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ וְאָבֹא עָלָיו בְּאֻמָּנוּתוֹ, וְכֵן סוֹפוֹ — "וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הָרְגוּ בֶחָרֶב" (במדבר ל"א):
24The angel of God stood in a path of the vineyards, with a wall on one side and a wall on the other side.		כדוַיַּֽעֲמֹד֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּמִשְׁע֖וֹל הַכְּרָמִ֑ים גָּדֵ֥ר מִזֶּ֖ה וְגָדֵ֥ר מִזֶּֽה:
בְּמִשְׁעוֹל - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: בִּשְׁבִיל – in a path, related to: “If the dust of Samaria suffices for footsteps (לִשְׁעָלִים),” 3 referring to dust that sticks to the soles of the feet as they tread; and similarly: “Who measured water with His step (בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ),” 4 i.e., with His feet and His stride.		בְּמִשְׁעוֹל. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "בִּשְׁבִיל", וְכֵן "אִם יִשְׂפֹּק עֲפַר שֹׁמְרוֹן לִשְׁעָלִים" (מלכים א כ') — עָפָר הַנִּדְבָּק בְּכַפּוֹת הָרַגְלַיִם בְּהִלּוּכָן, וְכֵן "מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם" (ישעיהו מ') — בְּרַגְלָיו וּבְהִלּוּכוֹ:
גָּדֵר מִזֶּה וְגָדֵר מִזֶּה - With a wall on one side and a wall on the other side. The term גָּדֵר typically refers to a wall of stones.		גָּדֵר מִזֶּה וְגָדֵר מִזֶּה. סְתָם גָּדֵר שֶׁל אֲבָנִים הוּא:
25The she-donkey saw the angel of God, and she was pressed against the wall. She pressed Balaam’s leg against the wall, and he beat her again.		כהוַתֵּ֨רֶא הָֽאָת֜וֹן אֶת־מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֗ה וַתִּלָּחֵץ֙ אֶל־הַקִּ֔יר וַתִּלְחַ֛ץ אֶת־רֶ֥גֶל בִּלְעָ֖ם אֶל־הַקִּ֑יר וַיֹּ֖סֶף לְהַכֹּתָֽהּ:
וַתִּלָּחֵץ - She was pressed - herself.		וַתִּלָּחֵץ. הִיא עַצְמָהּ:
וַתִּלְחַץ - She pressed - something else, i.e., Balaam’s leg.		וַתִּלְחַץ. אֶת אֲחֵרִים, אֶת רֶגֶל בִּלְעָם:
26The angel of God passed further ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no room to turn right or left.		כווַיּ֥וֹסֶף מַלְאַךְ־יְהֹוָ֖ה עֲב֑וֹר וַיַּֽעֲמֹד֙ בְּמָק֣וֹם צָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר אֵֽין־דֶּ֥רֶךְ לִנְט֖וֹת יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאול:
וַיּוֹסֶף מַלְאַךְ־ה' עֲבוֹר - The angel of God (lit.) continued passing - i.e., to pass further ahead of him, to go in order to be in front of him elsewhere, similar to: וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם “He went ahead of them.” 5 There is an aggadic explanation in Tanchuma: 6 Why did the angel choose to stand in three places? He showed Balaam symbolic representations of the three patriarchs.		וַיּוֹסֶף מַלְאַךְ־ה' עֲבוֹר. לַעֲבֹר עוֹד לְפָנָיו — לַהֲלֹךְ לִהְיוֹת לְפָנָיו בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, כְּמוֹ "וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם" (בראשית ל"ג); וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ בְּתַנְחוּמָא: מָה רָאָה לַעֲמֹד בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת? סִימָנֵי אָבוֹת הֶרְאָהוּ:
27The she-donkey saw the angel of God, and she crouched down under Balaam. Balaam became angry, and he beat the she-donkey with a stick.		כזוַתֵּ֤רֶא הָֽאָתוֹן֙ אֶת־מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתִּרְבַּ֖ץ תַּ֣חַת בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הָֽאָת֖וֹן בַּמַּקֵּֽל:
28God opened the mouth of the she-donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?”		כחוַיִּפְתַּ֥ח יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־פִּ֣י הָֽאָת֑וֹן וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לְבִלְעָם֙ מֶה־עָשִׂ֣יתִי לְךָ֔ כִּ֣י הִכִּיתָ֔נִי זֶ֖ה שָׁל֥שׁ רְגָלִֽים:
זֶה שָׁלשׁ רְגָלִֽים - These three times. By using the term רְגָלִים it was intimating to him: “You seek to uproot the nation that celebrates three pilgrim festivals each year.”		זֶה שָׁלשׁ רְגָלִֽים. רָמַז לוֹ: אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לַעֲקֹר אֻמָּה הַחוֹגֶגֶת שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים בַּשָּׁנָה? (תנחומא):
29Balaam said to the she-donkey, “For you have humiliated me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”		כטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר בִּלְעָם֙ לָֽאָת֔וֹן כִּ֥י הִתְעַלַּ֖לְתְּ בִּ֑י ל֤וּ יֶשׁ־חֶ֨רֶב֙ בְּיָדִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה הֲרַגְתִּֽיךְ:
הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: חַיִכְתּ בִּי, denoting ridicule and degradation.		הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן גְּנַאי וּבִזָּיוֹן:
לוּ יֶשׁ־חֶרֶב בְּיָדִי - If I had a sword in my hand. This statement caused great embarrassment for him in front of the nobles: He is on the way to kill an entire nation with his mouth, yet for this she-donkey he requires a weapon!		לוּ יֶשׁ־חֶרֶב בְּיָדִי. גְּנוּת גְּדוֹלָה הָיָה לוֹ דָבָר זֶה בְּעֵינֵי הַשָּׂרִים — זֶה הוֹלֵךְ לַהֲרֹג אֻמָּה שְׁלֵמָה בְּפִיו וּלְאָתוֹן זוֹ צָרִיךְ כְּלֵי זַיִן:
30The she-donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your she-donkey, on which you have ridden since you first started, until now? Have I been accustomed to act like this to you?” He said, “No.”		לוַתֹּ֨אמֶר הָֽאָת֜וֹן אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם הֲלוֹא֩ אָֽנֹכִ֨י אֲתֹֽנְךָ֜ אֲשֶׁר־רָכַ֣בְתָּ עָלַ֗י מֵעֽוֹדְךָ֙ עַד־הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה הַֽהַסְכֵּ֣ן הִסְכַּ֔נְתִּי לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת לְךָ֖ כֹּ֑ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹֽא:
הַֽהַסְכֵּן הִסְכַּנְתִּי - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “was I ever accustomed,” similar to: “Does a man learn (יִסְכָּן) for God?” 7 Our sages expounded this verse in the Talmud: The nobles said to him: “Why did you not ride on a horse?” He said to them: “I left it out to pasture,” etc., as stated in Tractate Avodah Zarah. 8		הַֽהַסְכֵּן הִסְכַּנְתִּי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וְכֵן "הַלְאֵל יִסְכָּן גָּבֶר" (איוב כ"ב); וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ מִקְרָא זֶה בַּתַּלְמוּד, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ מַאי טַעְמָא לָא רְכַבְתְּ אַסּוּסְיָא? אֲמַר לְהוּ בִּרְטִיבָא שְׁדַאי לֵיהּ כו', כִּדְאִיתָא בְמַסֶּכֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (דף ד'):
31God then opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of God standing in the road, with a sword drawn in his hand. He bowed and prostrated himself on his face.		לאוַיְגַ֣ל יְהֹוָה֘ אֶת־עֵינֵ֣י בִלְעָם֒ וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ נִצָּ֣ב בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְחַרְבּ֥וֹ שְׁלֻפָ֖ה בְּיָד֑וֹ וַיִּקֹּ֥ד וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לְאַפָּֽיו:
32The angel of God said to him, “Why have you beaten your she-donkey these three times? Behold, I came out to thwart you, for you hastened on the journey against me.		לבוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה עַל־מָ֗ה הִכִּ֨יתָ֙ אֶת־אֲתֹ֣נְךָ֔ זֶ֖ה שָׁל֣וֹשׁ רְגָלִ֑ים הִנֵּ֤ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ יָצָ֣אתִי לְשָׂטָ֔ן כִּֽי־יָרַ֥ט הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּֽי:
כִּֽי־יָרַט הַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּֽי - Our rabbis, the sages of the Mishnah, 9 expounded יָרַט as an acronym: יָרְאָה “the donkey was afraid,” רָאֲתָה “it saw,” נָטְתָה “it turned aside,” and the reason it did this is because הַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּי – the way that you, Balaam, are taking is against me, i.e., chosen with the intention to anger me and provoke me. But according to its literal meaning, it means: “for the way is hastening against me,” יָרַט being similar to רֶטֶט “shaking,” i.e., I saw that the traveler, Balaam, was hastening and hurrying on the way that was intended to anger me and to disobey me. It is an abbreviated verse, similar to וַתְּכַל דָּוִד “David pined,” 10 short for: “the soul of David pined.” Another explanation: יָרַט denotes will or pleasure, similar to: “through wicked people יִרְטֵנִי,” 11 meaning, He appeases and comforts me through wicked people who only provoke.		כִּֽי־יָרַט הַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּֽי. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ חַכְמֵי הַמִּשְׁנָה דְּרָשׁוּהוּ נוֹטָרִיקוֹן — יָרְאָה, רָאֲתָה, נָטְתָה בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּי (שבת ק"ה), כְּלוֹמַר לְקִנְאָתִי וּלְהַקְנִיטֵנִי; וּלְפִי מַשְׁמָעוֹ כִּי חָרַד הַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּי, לְשׁוֹן רֶטֶט — כִּי רָאִיתִי בַעַל הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁחָרַד וּמִהֵר הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא לְכַעְסִי וּלְהַמְרוֹתִי, וּמִקְרָא קָצָר הוּא, כְּמוֹ "וַתְּכַל דָּוִד" (שמואל ב י"ג); לִישָׁנָא אַחֲרִינָא יָרַט לְשׁוֹן רָצוֹן, וְכֵן "עַל יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים יִרְטֵנִי" (איוב ט"ז) — מְפַיֵּס וּמְנַחֵם אוֹתִי עַל יְדֵי רְשָׁעִים שֶׁאֵינָן אֶלָּא מַקְנִיטִים:
33When the she-donkey saw me, she turned aside these three times. Had she not turned aside before me, I would have also killed you now and spared her.”		לגוַתִּרְאַ֨נִי֙ הָֽאָת֔וֹן וַתֵּ֣ט לְפָנַ֔י זֶ֖ה שָׁל֣שׁ רְגָלִ֑ים אוּלַי֙ נָֽטְתָ֣ה מִפָּנַ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֛ה גַּם־אֹֽתְכָ֥ה הָרַ֖גְתִּי וְאוֹתָ֥הּ הֶֽחֱיֵֽיתִי:
אוּלַי נָֽטְתָה - אוּלַי here is equivalent to לוּלֵא – “had it not,” for sometimes אוּלַי is used in the sense of לוּלֵא.		אוּלַי נָֽטְתָה. כְּמוֹ לוּלֵי, פְּעָמִים שֶׁאוּלַי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן לוּלֵי:
גַּם־אֹֽתְכָה הָרַגְתִּי - (lit.) I would have killed also you. This is an inverted verse, and is to be understood as if it were written: גַּם הָרַגְתִּי אוֹתְךָ, i.e., not only would you have undergone delay through me, but also your death.		גַּם־אֹֽתְכָה הָרַגְתִּי. הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא מְסֹרָס וְהוּא כְמוֹ גַּם הָרַגְתִּי אוֹתְךָ, כְּלוֹמַר, לֹא הָעַכָּבָה בִּלְבַד קְרָאַתְךָ עַל יָדִי, כִּי גַם הַהֲרִיגָה:
וְאוֹתָהּ הֶֽחֱיֵֽיתִי - And spared her - but now that it spoke up and rebuked you, and you were unable to stand up to its rebuke – as it says: “He said, ‘No’” 12 – I have killed it, so that people not say, “This is the one that silenced Balaam with its rebuke so that he was unable to respond!” God killed the donkey because the Omnipresent is concerned for human dignity, and a similar reason applies to the law regarding an animal used for bestiality: “and you must kill the animal,” 13 and also: “you must kill the woman and the animal.” 14		וְאוֹתָהּ הֶֽחֱיֵֽיתִי. וְעַתָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדִּבְּרָה וְהוֹכִיחַתְךָ, וְלֹא יָכֹלְתָּ לַעֲמֹד בְּתוֹכַחְתָּהּ — כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב ויאמר לא — הֲרַגְתִּיהָ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, זוֹ הִיא שֶׁסִּלְּקָה בִלְעָם בְּתוֹכַחְתָּהּ וְלֹא יָכוֹל לְהָשִׁיב, שֶׁחָס הַמָּקוֹם עַל כְּבוֹד הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְכֵן (ויקרא כ') "וְהָרַגְתָּ אֶת הָאִשָּׁה וְאֶת הַבְּהֵמָה", וְכֵן (שם) "אֶת הַבְּהֵמָה תַּהֲרֹגוּ" (תנחומא):
34Balaam said to the angel of God, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing on the road before me. Now, if it displeases you, I will turn back.”		לדוַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם אֶל־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ חָטָ֔אתִי כִּ֚י לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י אַתָּ֛ה נִצָּ֥ב לִקְרָאתִ֖י בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְעַתָּ֛ה אִם־רַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ אָשׁ֥וּבָה לִּֽי:
כִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי - For I did not know. That he was forced to admit this fact was also an embarrassment for him, for he had boasted that he knows the mind of the Most High, yet here his mouth testified: “I did not know.”		כִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי. גַּם זֶה גְנוּתוֹ, וְעַל כָּרְחוֹ הוֹדָה, שֶׁהוּא הָיָה מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן, וּפִיו הֵעִיד לֹא יָדַעְתִּי (שם):
אִם־רַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ אָשׁוּבָה לִּֽי - If it displeases you, I will turn back. Balaam used this argument to challenge the Omnipresent, saying to the angel: “God Himself instructed me to go, yet you, an angel, contravene His words. He is evidently accustomed to this, that He says one thing and an angel revokes it. He said to Avraham: ‘Please take your son…,’ 15 and through an angel He cancelled His words. The same applies to me: If it displeases you, I must return.”		אִם־רַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ אָשׁוּבָה לִּֽי. לְהַתְרִיס נֶגֶד הַמָּקוֹם הִיא תְשׁוּבָה זוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ הוּא בְעַצְמוֹ צִוַּנִי לָלֶכֶת וְאַתָּה מַלְאָךְ מְבַטֵּל אֶת דְּבָרָיו, לָמוּד הוּא בְּכָךְ שֶׁאוֹמֵר דָּבָר וּמַלְאָךְ מַחֲזִירוֹ, אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם "קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ" וְגוֹ' (בראשית כ"ב), וְעַל יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ בִּטֵּל אֶת דְּבָרוֹ, אַף אֲנִי אִם רַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ צָרִיךְ אֲנִי לָשׁוּב:
35The angel of God said to Balaam, “Go with these men, but the word I will speak to you—that is what you must speak.” So Balaam went with Balak’s dignitaries.		להוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם לֵ֚ךְ עִם־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְאֶ֗פֶס אֶת־הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־אֲדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ אֹת֣וֹ תְדַבֵּ֑ר וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ בִּלְעָ֖ם עִם־שָׂרֵ֥י בָלָֽק:
לֵךְ עִם־הָאֲנָשִׁים - Go with these men - for along the path a person wishes to proceed, he is led.		לֵךְ עִם־הָאֲנָשִׁים. בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לֵילֵךְ בָּהּ, מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ:
לֵךְ עִם־הָאֲנָשִׁים - Go with these men - for your portion is with them, as you will ultimately be annihilated from the world along with them.		לֵךְ עִם־הָאֲנָשִׁים. כִּי חֶלְקְךָ עִמָּהֶם וְסוֹפְךָ לֹאבַד מִן הָעוֹלָם (מכות י'):
וְאֶפֶס - (lit.) But only - even against your will – “the word I will speak to you….”		וְאֶפֶס. עַל כָּרְחֲךָ את הדבר אשר אדבר וגו':
עִם־שָׂרֵי בָלָֽק - With Balak’s dignitaries. He was as happy to curse the Israelites as they were.		עִם־שָׂרֵי בָלָֽק. שָֹמַח לְקַלְּלֵם כְּמוֹתָם:
36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out toward him to the city of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon River, and which is at the edge of the border.		לווַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע בָּלָ֖ק כִּ֣י בָ֣א בִלְעָ֑ם וַיֵּצֵ֨א לִקְרָאת֜וֹ אֶל־עִ֣יר מוֹאָ֗ב אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גְּב֣וּל אַרְנֹ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּקְצֵ֥ה הַגְּבֽוּל:
וַיִּשְׁמַע בָּלָק - Balak heard. Balaam had sent messengers to inform him of his arrival.		וַיִּשְׁמַע בָּלָק. שָׁלַח שְׁלוּחִים לְבַשְּׂרוֹ:
אֶל־עִיר מוֹאָב - To the city of Moab - i.e., its metropolis, its most important city. Balak thus intimated: “See what these people wish to uproot.”		אֶל־עִיר מוֹאָב. אֶל מֶטְרוֹפּוֹלִין שֶׁלּוֹ — עִיר הַחֲשׁוּבָה שֶׁלּוֹ, לוֹמַר רְאֵה מָה אֵלּוּ מְבַקְשִׁים לַעֲקֹר (תנחומא):
37Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I indeed incapable of honoring you?”		לזוַיֹּ֨אמֶר בָּלָ֜ק אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם הֲלֹא֩ שָׁלֹ֨חַ שָׁלַ֤חְתִּי אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ לִקְרֹא־לָ֔ךְ לָ֥מָּה לֹֽא־הָלַ֖כְתָּ אֵלָ֑י הַֽאֻמְנָ֔ם לֹ֥א אוּכַ֖ל כַּבְּדֶֽךָ:
הַֽאֻמְנָם לֹֽא־אוּכַל כַּבְּדֶֽךָ - Am I indeed incapable of honoring you?. By saying this he unwittingly prophesied that Balaam would ultimately depart from him in disgrace.		הַֽאֻמְנָם לֹֽא־אוּכַל כַּבְּדֶֽךָ. נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לָצֵאת מֵעִמּוֹ בְקָלוֹן (שם):
38Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! But do I have any power to say anything? The word that God puts into my mouth—that is what I will speak.”		לחוַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם אֶל־בָּלָ֗ק הִֽנֵּה־בָ֨אתִי֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ עַתָּ֕ה הֲיָכֹ֥ל אוּכַ֖ל דַּבֵּ֣ר מְא֑וּמָה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָשִׂ֧ים אֱלֹהִ֛ים בְּפִ֖י אֹת֥וֹ אֲדַבֵּֽר:

Footnotes

1 Kings 20:10.

Tanchuma 8.

Avodah Zarah 4b.

Shabbat 105a.

Fourth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 22

39Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiryat Chutzot.		לט וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ בִּלְעָ֖ם עִם־בָּלָ֑ק וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ קִרְיַ֥ת חֻצֽוֹת:
קִרְיַת חֻצֽוֹת - Kiryat Chutzot. This name means: a city full of marketplaces, where men, women, and children thronged outdoors, intimating: “Look and have pity that these not be uprooted.”		קִרְיַת חֻצֽוֹת. עִיר מְלֵאָה שְׁוָקִים, אֲנָשִׁים וָטַף בְּחוּצוֹתֶיהָ, לוֹמַר רְאֵה וְרַחֵם שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָקְרוּ אֵלּוּ:
40Balak slaughtered one of the cattle and one of the flock and sent them to Balaam and to the dignitaries with him.		מוַיִּזְבַּ֥ח בָּלָ֖ק בָּקָ֣ר וָצֹ֑אן וַיְשַׁלַּ֣ח לְבִלְעָ֔ם וְלַשָּׂרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ:
בָּקָר וָצֹאן - (lit.) Cattle and flock - i.e., a small amount: only one ox and one sheep.		בָּקָר וָצֹאן. דָּבָר מוּעָט:
41In the morning, Balak took Balaam and led him up to the heights of Ba’al, and from there he saw part of the people.		מאוַיְהִ֣י בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח בָּלָק֙ אֶת־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲלֵ֖הוּ בָּמ֣וֹת בָּ֑עַל וַיַּ֥רְא מִשָּׁ֖ם קְצֵ֥ה הָעָֽם:
בָּמוֹת בָּעַל - The heights of Ba’al. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: לְרָמַת דַּחַלְתֵּהּ “to the heights of his deity,” Ba’al being the name of an idol.		בָּמוֹת בָּעַל. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, "לְרָמַת דַּחַלְתֵּהּ", שֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 23

1Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”		אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר בִּלְעָם֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק בְּנֵה־לִ֥י בָזֶ֖ה שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת וְהָכֵ֥ן לִי֙ בָּזֶ֔ה שִׁבְעָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה אֵילִֽים:
2Balak did as Balaam had requested, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.		בוַיַּ֣עַשׂ בָּלָ֔ק כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיַּ֨עַל בָּלָ֧ק וּבִלְעָ֛ם פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ:
3Balaam said to Balak, “Remain next to your ascent-offering, and I will go. Perhaps God will communicate with me reluctantly, and He will show me something that I can relate to you.” So he went alone.		גוַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם לְבָלָ֗ק הִתְיַצֵּב֘ עַל־עֹֽלָתֶ֒ךָ֒ וְאֵֽלְכָ֗ה אוּלַ֞י יִקָּרֶ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לִקְרָאתִ֔י וּדְבַ֥ר מַה־יַּרְאֵ֖נִי וְהִגַּ֣דְתִּי לָ֑ךְ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ שֶֽׁפִי:
אוּלַי יִקָּרֶה ה' לִקְרָאתִי - Perhaps God will (lit.) happen to meet me - for He does not usually speak with me during the day.		אוּלַי יִקָּרֶה ה' לִקְרָאתִי. אֵינוֹ רָגִיל לְדַבֵּר עִמִּי בַּיּוֹם:
וַיֵּלֶךְ שֶֽׁפִי - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: He went alone. This term denotes calm (שֹׁפִי) and quiet, that there was nothing with him but silence.		וַיֵּלֶךְ שֶֽׁפִי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ יְחִידִי, לְשׁוֹן שֹׁפִי וְשֶׁקֶט, שֶׁאֵין עִמּוֹ אֶלָּא שְׁתִיקָה:
4God communicated reluctantly with Balaam, who said to Him, “I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.”		דוַיִּקָּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אֶת־שִׁבְעַ֤ת הַמִּזְבְּחֹת֙ עָרַ֔כְתִּי וָאַ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ:
וַיִּקָּר - (lit.) Chanced - is a term denoting transience, a derogatory term related to seminal impurity (קֶרִי), i.e., with reluctance and contempt. God would not have appeared to him by day if not to demonstrate how dear Israel is to Him.		וַיִּקָּר. לְשׁוֹן עֲרַאי, לְשׁוֹן גְּנַאי, לְשׁוֹן טֻמְאַת קֶרִי, כְּלוֹמַר בְּקֹשִׁי וּבְבִזָּיוֹן, וְלֹא הָיָה נִגְלֶה אֵלָיו בַּיּוֹם אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַרְאוֹת חִבָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל (בראשית רבה נ"ב):
אֶת־שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחֹת - The seven altars. It is not written here: “I have set up seven altars,” but rather “the seven altars.” Balaam said to God: “The forefathers of this people built before You seven altars, but I have prepared as many as all of them together.” Abraham built four, as stated: “He built an altar there to God who appeared to him”; 1 “From there he moved on to the mountains…he built an altar there to God”; 2 “Abram set up tents…he built an altar there to God”; 3 and one on Mount Moriah. 4 Isaac built one: “He built an altar there…,” 5 and Jacob built two: one at Shechem 6 and one at Bethel. 7		אֶת־שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחֹת. שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחֹת עָרַכְתִּי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא אֶת שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחֹת, אָמַר לְפָנָיו אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ בָּנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחוֹת וַאֲנִי עָרַכְתִּי כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּן, אַבְרָהָם בָּנָה אַרְבָּעָה — "וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַה' הַנִּרְאֶה אֵלָיו" (בראשית י"ב), "וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם הָהָרָה" וְגוֹ' (שם), "וַיֶּאֱהַל אַבְרָהָם" וְגוֹ' (שם י"ג), וְאֶחָד בְּהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה; וְיִצְחָק בָּנָה אֶחָד — "וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ" וְגוֹ' (שם כ"ו), וְיַעֲקֹב בָּנָה שְׁתַּיִם, אֶחָד בִּשְׁכֶם וְאֶחָד בְּבֵית אֵל:
וָאַעַל פָּר וָאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ - And I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar - whereas Abraham offered only one ram.		וָאַעַל פָּר וָאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ. וְאַבְרָהָם לֹא הֶעֱלָה אֶלָּא אַיִל אֶחָד (תנחומא צו):
5God placed His message into Balaam’s mouth. He said, “Return to Balak and speak thus.”		הוַיָּ֧שֶׂם יְהֹוָ֛ה דָּבָ֖ר בְּפִ֣י בִלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֛אמֶר שׁ֥וּב אֶל־בָּלָ֖ק וְכֹ֥ה תְדַבֵּֽר:
6When he returned, he was standing next to his ascent-offering, together with all the Moabite dignitaries.		ווַיָּ֣שָׁב אֵלָ֔יו וְהִנֵּ֥ה נִצָּ֖ב עַל־עֹֽלָת֑וֹ ה֖וּא וְכָל־שָׂרֵ֥י מוֹאָֽב:
7He began to recite his parable, and said, “Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east, saying, ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, invoke God’s wrath against Israel!’		זוַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר מִן־אֲ֠רָ֠ם יַנְחֵ֨נִי בָלָ֤ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מוֹאָב֙ מֵֽהַֽרְרֵי־קֶ֔דֶם לְכָה֙ אָֽרָה־לִּ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וּלְכָ֖ה זֹֽעֲמָ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
אָֽרָה־לִּי יַֽעֲקֹב וּלְכָה זֹֽעֲמָה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - Curse Jacob for me, and come, invoke [God’s] wrath against Israel. He had told him to curse them referring to both their names, in case one of them is not distinct enough.		אָֽרָה־לִּי יַֽעֲקֹב וּלְכָה זֹֽעֲמָה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל. בִּשְׁנֵי שְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם אָמַר לוֹ לְקַלְּלָם שֶׁמָּא אֶחָד מֵהֶם אֵינוֹ מֻבְהָק:
8How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I invoke God’s wrath? God has not been angered!		חמָ֣ה אֶקֹּ֔ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה אֵ֑ל וּמָ֣ה אֶזְעֹ֔ם לֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה:
מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל - How can I curse whom God has not cursed - i.e., even when Israel ought to have been cursed, they were not cursed: When their father mentioned Simeon and Levi’s sin – “for in their anger they killed a man” –he cursed only their anger, as it says: “Cursed be their rage.” 8 When their father Jacob came with cunning to his father, he deserved to be cursed, yet what does it say there? “He will indeed be blessed.” 9 In the instructions for blessing them, it says: אֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם “the following tribes will stand for the Levites to bless the people,” 10 yet in the instructions for cursing it does not say: וְאֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ לְקַלֵּל אֶת הָעָם “and the following will stand…to curse the people,” but עַל הַקְּלָלָה “for the curse,” for He does not wish to describe the act of cursing as being directed at them.		מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל. כְּשֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִים לְהִתְקַלֵּל לֹא נִתְקַלְּלוּ — כְּשֶׁהִזְכִּיר אֲבִיהֶם אֶת עֲוֹנָם "כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ", לֹא קִלֵּל אֶלָּא אַפָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אָרוּר אַפָּם" (בראשית מ"ט); כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס אֲבִיהֶם בְּמִרְמָה אֵצֶל אָבִיו הָיָה רָאוּי לְהִתְקַלֵּל, מַה נֶּאֱמַר שָׁם? "גַּם בָּרוּךְ יִהְיֶה" (שם כ"ז), בַּמְבָרְכִים נֶאֱמַר "אֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם", בַּמְקַלְּלִים לֹא נֶאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ לְקַלֵּל אֶת הָעָם אֶלָּא "וְאֵלֶּה יַעַמְדוּ עַל הַקְּלָלָה" (דברים כ"ז) — לֹא רָצָה לְהַזְכִּיר עֲלֵיהֶם שֵׁם קְלָלָה (תנחומא):
לֹא זָעַם ה' - God has not been angered. My power is only that I can precisely determine the moment when the Holy One, blessed be He, is angry, but He has not been angry during all these days since I came to you. And this is the meaning of what it says: “My people, remember now what King Balak of Moab planned and what Balaam answered him…so that you may recognize the righteous deeds of God.” 11		לֹא זָעַם ה'. אֲנִי אֵין כֹּחִי אֶלָּא שֶׁאֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ לְכַוֵּן הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כוֹעֵס בָּהּ, וְהוּא לֹא כָעַס כָּל הַיָּמִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁבָּאתִי אֵלֶיךָ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מיכה ו') "עַמִּי זְכָר נָא מַה יָּעַץ" וְגוֹ' "וּמֶה עָנָה אֹתוֹ בִּלְעָם" וְגוֹ' "לְמַעַן דַּעַת צִדְקוֹת ה'" (סנהדרין ק"ה):
9For from their beginning, I see them as mountain peaks, and I behold them as hills. See a nation that will dwell alone. It will not be reckoned among the nations.		טכִּֽי־מֵרֹ֤אשׁ צֻרִים֙ אֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ וּמִגְּבָע֖וֹת אֲשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ הֶן־עָם֙ לְבָדָ֣ד יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתְחַשָּֽׁב:
כִּֽי־מֵרֹאשׁ צֻרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ - (lit.) For I see them from the summit of rocks - means: I look at their beginnings (רֵאשִׁיתָם) and at the origin of their roots, and I see that they are as sturdy and strong as those rocks and hills, through the merit of the patriarchs and matriarchs.		כִּֽי־מֵרֹאשׁ צֻרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ. אֲנִי מִסְתַּכֵּל בְּרֵאשִׁיתָם וּבִתְחִלַּת שָׁרְשֵׁיהֶם וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתָם מְיֻסָּדִים וַחֲזָקִים כְּצוּרִים וּגְבָעוֹת הַלָּלוּ עַל יְדֵי אָבוֹת וְאִמָּהוֹת (תנחומא):
הֶן־עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן - See a nation that will dwell alone. This is what their ancestors gained for them, that they will dwell alone, which is understood as Onkelos translates it: הָא עַמָּא בִּלְחוֹדֵיהוֹן עֲתִידִין דְּיַחְסְנוּן עָלְמָא “this people alone are destined to inherit the world.”		הֶן־עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן. הוּא אֲשֶׁר זָכוּ לוֹ אֲבוֹתָיו — לִשְׁכֹּן בָּדָד, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּֽׁב - It will not be reckoned among the nations. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וּבְעַמְמַיָּא לָא יִתְּדָנוּן גְּמֵירָא “they will not be annihilated together with the other nations,” as it says: “I will make an end of all the nations…but of you I will not make an end”; 12 they are not counted with the rest. Another explanation: When they rejoice in their ultimate reward, no other nation will rejoice with them, as it says: ה׳ בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ (lit.) “God will lead them alone,” 13 yet when the nations prosper, Israel will enjoy each one’s blessing, yet it is not deducted from their reckoning; and this is the meaning of וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב: “that which they benefit along with the other nations will not be reckoned.”		וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּֽׁב. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לֹא יִהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂין כָּלָה עִם שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ל') "כִּי אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה בְּכָל הַגּוֹיִם" וְגוֹ', אֵינָן נִמְנִין עִם הַשְּׁאָר. דָּבָר אַחֵר — כְּשֶׁהֵן שְׂמֵחִין אֵין אֻמָּה שְׂמֵחָה עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "ה' בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ" (דברים ל"ב), וּכְשֶׁהָאֻמּוֹת בְּטוֹבָה הֵן אוֹכְלִין עִם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד וְאֵין עוֹלֶה לָהֶם מִן הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן, וְזֶהוּ ובגוים לא יתחשב (תנחומא):
10Has anyone counted the young children of Jacob, and the number of one of the four of Israel? May my soul die the death of the upright, and let my end be like theirs!”		ימִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַֽחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ:
מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַֽעֲקֹב וגו' - (lit.) Who can count the dust of Jacob… “Dust” here means as Onkelos translates it: דַּעְדְקַיָּא דְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וכו׳ “Who can count the infants of the house of Jacob, about whom it is said: ‘They will be as numerous as the dust of the earth’?” His translation of רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל is חֲדָא מֵאַרְבַּע מַשִּׁרְיָתָא – one of the four divisions of the Israelite camp. Another explanation of “the dust of Jacob”: One cannot calculate the commandments that they fulfill with dirt of the earth: “You must not plow with both a work-bull and a donkey,” 14 “you must not sow your field with a mixture of species,” 15 the ashes of the red cow, the dust used in the trial of the suspected adulteress, and other commandments similar to them.		מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַֽעֲקֹב וגו'. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "דַּעְדְּקַיָּא דְבֵית יַעֲקֹב", מֵאַרְבַּע מַשִּׁרְיָתָא — מֵאַרְבָּעָה דְּגָלִים; דָּבָר אַחֵר, עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב, אֵין חֶשְׁבּוֹן בַּמִּצְוֹת שֶׁהֵם מְקַיְּמִין בְּעָפָר, "לֹא תַחֲרֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמֹר" (דברים כ"ב), "לֹא תִזְרַע כִּלְאָיִם" (ויקרא י"ט), אֵפֶר פָּרָה וַעֲפַר סוֹטָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם (תנחומא):
וּמִסְפָּר אֶת־רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל - And the number (lit.) of a quarter of Israel - means: their copulations (רְבִיעוֹתֵיהֶן), i.e., the offspring produced by their marital relations.		וּמִסְפָּר אֶת־רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל. רְבִיעוֹתֵיהֶן, זֶרַע הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַתַּשְׁמִישׁ שֶׁלָּהֶם (עי' נדה ל"א):
תָּמֹת נַפְשִׁי מוֹת יְשָׁרִים - May my soul die the death of the upright - among them.		תָּמֹת נַפְשִׁי מוֹת יְשָׁרִים. שֶׁבָּהֶם:
11Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I hired you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed, yes, blessed them!”		יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם מֶ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתָ לִ֑י לָקֹ֤ב אֹֽיְבַי֙ לְקַחְתִּ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ בָרֵֽךְ:
12He answered, saying, “Is not what God puts into my mouth what I must take care to say?”		יבוַיַּ֖עַן וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הֲלֹ֗א אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָשִׂ֤ים יְהֹוָה֙ בְּפִ֔י אֹת֥וֹ אֶשְׁמֹ֖ר לְדַבֵּֽר:

Footnotes

Genesis 49:6, 7.

Fifth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 23

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. You will curse them for me from there.”		יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו בָּלָ֗ק לְךָ־נָּ֨א אִתִּ֜י אֶל־מָק֤וֹם אַחֵר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְאֶ֣נּוּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אֶ֚פֶס קָצֵ֣הוּ תִרְאֶ֔ה וְכֻלּ֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִרְאֶ֑ה וְקָבְנוֹ־לִ֖י מִשָּֽׁם:
וְקָבְנוֹ־לִי - This is an imperative: “curse them for me.”		וְקָבְנוֹ־לִי. לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, קַלְּלֵהוּ לִי:
14He took him to the field of the lookouts, to the peak. He built seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.		ידוַיִּקָּחֵ֨הוּ֙ שְׂדֵ֣ה צֹפִ֔ים אֶל־רֹ֖אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֑ה וַיִּ֨בֶן֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֔ת וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ:
שְׂדֵה צֹפִים - Field of the lookouts. This was a high point where a lookout would stand to watch for any army that might be approaching the city.		שְׂדֵה צֹפִים. מָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ הָיָה שֶׁשָּׁם הַצּוֹפֶה עוֹמֵד לִשְׁמֹר אִם יָבֹא חַיִל עַל הָעִיר:
רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה - To the peak. Balaam was not as expert a diviner as Balak. Balak foresaw that some misfortune would befall Israel there, for there Moses would die. He thought that the curse would take effect on them from there, “and this is the misfortune that I foresee.”		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):
15He said to Balak, “Remain here next to your ascent-offering, and I will be reluctantly communicated with here.”		טווַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק הִתְיַצֵּ֥ב כֹּ֖ה עַל־עֹֽלָתֶ֑ךָ וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י אִקָּ֥רֶה כֹּֽה:
אִקָּרֶה כֹּה - (lit.) I will be chanced upon here - by the Holy One, blessed be He.		אִקָּרֶה כֹּה. מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,:
16God communicated reluctantly with Balaam and placed a message into his mouth. He said, “Return to Balak and speak thus.”		טזוַיִּקָּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיָּ֥שֶׂם דָּבָ֖ר בְּפִ֑יו וַיֹּ֛אמֶר שׁ֥וּב אֶל־בָּלָ֖ק וְכֹ֥ה תְדַבֵּֽר:
וַיָּשֶׂם דָּבָר בְּפִיו - And placed a message into his mouth. What was the nature of this placing, and what is lacking in the verse when it says: “Return to Balak and speak thus” that it needs to be preceded by this phrase? It is only stated in order to tell us that when Balaam realized that he was not being given permission to curse, he said: “Why should I go back to Balak to disappoint him?” But the Holy One, blessed be He, placed a bit and a hook in his mouth like a person pricking an animal’s mouth with a hook to direct it to the place he wishes, and said to him: “Against your will, you must return to Balak.”		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):
17When he came to him, he was still standing next to his ascent-offering, and the Moabite dignitaries were with him. Balak said to him, “What did God say?”		יזוַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וְהִנּ֤וֹ נִצָּב֙ עַל־עֹ֣לָת֔וֹ וְשָׂרֵ֥י מוֹאָ֖ב אִתּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ בָּלָ֔ק מַה־דִּבֶּ֖ר יְהֹוָֽה:
וְשָׂרֵי מוֹאָב אִתּוֹ - And the Moabite dignitaries were with him. Whereas earlier it says: וְכָל שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב “with all the Moabite dignitaries,” 1 now, when they saw that there was no hope for them from him, some of them went away, and only a portion of them remained.		וְשָׂרֵי מוֹאָב אִתּוֹ. וּלְמַעְלָה הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְכָל שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב", כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ תִקְוָה הָלְכוּ לָהֶם מִקְצָתָם וְלֹא נִשְׁאֲרוּ אֶלָּא מִקְצָתָם:
מַה־דִּבֶּר ה' - What did God say?. This was spoken mockingly, intimating: “You are not in control of yourself.”		מַה־דִּבֶּר ה'. לְשׁוֹן צְחוֹק הוּא זֶה, כְּלוֹמַר אֵינְךָ בִרְשׁוּתְךָ (שם):
18He began to recite his parable and said, “Arise, Balak, and hear! Listen closely to me, son of Tzipor.		יחוַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר ק֤וּם בָּלָק֙ וּֽשֲׁמָ֔ע הַֽאֲזִ֥ינָה עָדַ֖י בְּנ֥וֹ צִפֹּֽר:
קוּם בָּלָק - Arise, Balak. Since he saw that Balak was mocking him, he attempted to vex him by saying: “Stand up on your feet! You have no right to sit when I am being sent to you with a message from the Omnipresent.”		קוּם בָּלָק. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָהוּ מְצַחֵק בּוֹ, נִתְכַּוֵּן לְצַעֲרוֹ — "עֲמֹד עַל רַגְלֶיךָ, אֵינְךָ רַשַּׁאי לֵישֵׁב, וַאֲנִי שָׁלוּחַ אֵלֶיךָ בִשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם" (שם):
בְּנוֹ צִפֹּֽר - Son of Tzipor. This addition of a ו suffix to a noun in construct state is occasional Scriptural usage, as in: חַיְתוֹ יָעַר “beasts of the forest,” 2 וְחַיְתוֹ אֶרֶץ “and wildlife of the earth,” 3 לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם “to a spring of water.” 4		בְּנוֹ צִפֹּֽר. לְשׁוֹן מִקְרָא הוּא זֶה, כְּמוֹ "חַיְתוֹ יָעַר" (תהלים נ') "וְחַיְתוֹ אֶרֶץ" (בראשית א'), "לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם" (תהילים קי"ד):
19God is not a man that He should lie, nor is He a mortal that He should reconsider. Would He say something and not do it? Would He speak and not fulfill what He said?		יטלֹ֣א אִ֥ישׁ אֵל֙ וִֽיכַזֵּ֔ב וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם וְיִתְנֶחָ֑ם הַה֤וּא אָמַר֙ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְדִבֶּ֖ר וְלֹ֥א יְקִימֶֽנָּה:
לֹא אִישׁ וגו' - God is not a man…. i.e., He has already sworn to them to bring them to the land of the seven Canaanite nations and to give it to them to possess, and you think it is possible to nullify His word in order to kill them in the desert?		לֹא אִישׁ וגו'. כְּבָר נִשְׁבַּע לָהֶם לַהֲבִיאָם וּלְהוֹרִישָׁם אֶרֶץ שִׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת וְאַתָּה סָבוּר לַהֲמִיתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר?:
הַהוּא אָמַר וגו' - Would He say… This is a rhetorical question. Onkelos translates וְיִתְנֶחָם as: וְתָיְבִין וּמִתְמַלְכִין “nor like the acts of human beings that they resolve to carry out but go back and reconsider,” i.e., they reassess their plan, deciding to retract it.		הַהוּא אָמַר וגו'. בִּלְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְתָיְבִין וּמִתְמַלְּכִין — חוֹזְרִים וְנִמְלָכִין לַחֲזֹר בָּהֶם:
20I have received an instruction to bless them; He has blessed, and I cannot retract it.		כהִנֵּ֥ה בָרֵ֖ךְ לָקָ֑חְתִּי וּבֵרֵ֖ךְ וְלֹ֥א אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה:
הִנֵּה בָרֵךְ לָקָחְתִּי - (lit.) Behold, I have taken to bless. You ask me: “What did God say?” I respond: “I received an instruction from Him to bless them.” is equivalent to לְבָרֵךְ “to bless.”		הִנֵּה בָרֵךְ לָקָחְתִּי. אַתָּה שׁוֹאֲלֵנִי "מַה דִּבֶּר ה'?", קִבַּלְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָם:
וּבֵרֵךְ וְלֹא אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה - means: He has blessed them, and I will not retract His blessing.		וּבֵרֵךְ וְלֹא אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה. הוּא בֵּרֵךְ אוֹתָם וַאֲנִי לֹא אָשִׁיב אֶת בִּרְכָתוֹ:
וּבֵרֵךְ - is equivalent to וּבִרֵךְ. This is the form used when ר is a middle root-letter, as in: אוֹיֵב חֵרֵף “the enemy who blasphemed,” 5 which is equivalent to חִרֵף; and similarly: וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ, 6 which means: one who praises and blesses a thief, saying, “Do not fear, for you will not be punished and you will have peace,” angers the Holy One, blessed be He. You cannot say that בֵּרֵךְ is a noun (“blessing”), for if so, it should be vocalized with a patach katan (segol) on both syllables and accented on the first syllable (בֶּֽרֶךְ), but since it is a verbal form, it is vocalized with a kamatz katan (tzeireh), with its accent on the last syllable (בֵּרֵךְ).		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:
21I have looked and not found any idolaters in Jacob, nor any dishonest workers in Israel. God, their God, is with them, and they retain the King’s friendship.		כאלֹֽא־הִבִּ֥יט אָ֨וֶן֙ בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹֽא־רָאָ֥ה עָמָ֖ל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּתְרוּעַ֥ת מֶ֖לֶךְ בּֽוֹ:
לֹֽא־הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַֽעֲקֹב וגו' - (lit.) He has not seen any iniquity in Jacob. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “I have looked [and found that] there are no idolaters in Jacob.” Another explanation: According to its contextual meaning, it can be expounded with a fitting Midrash: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not look at any sin that Jacob possesses. When they transgress His words, He is not particular with them by paying attention to their iniquity and their perversity in contravening His law.		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 —
עָמָל - this word, usually meaning “toil” or “trouble,” here denotes transgression, as in: “he conceives transgression (עָמָל),” 7 and “for You see transgression (עָמָל) and vexation,” 8 for transgression is troublesome to the Omnipresent.		עָמָל. לְשׁוֹן עֲבֵרָה, כְּמוֹ "וְהָרָה עָמָל" (תהלים ז'), "כִּי אַתָּה עָמָל וָכַעַס תַּבִּיט" (שם י'), לְפִי שֶׁהָעֲבֵרָה הִיא עָמָל לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם:
ה' אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ - God, their God, is with them - i.e., even when they provoke Him and disobey Him, He does not move from their midst.		ה' אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ. אֲפִלּוּ מַכְעִיסִין וּמַמְרִים לְפָנָיו, אֵינוֹ זָז מִתּוֹכָן:
וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּֽוֹ - תְּרוּעָה here denotes endearment and friendship, as in: רֵעֶה דָוִד, 9 meaning “a friend of David,” and וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְמֵרֵעֵהוּ “and he gave her to his friend”; 10 and similarly Onkelos translates it: וּשְׁכִינַת מַלְכְּהוֹן בֵּינֵיהוֹן “and the Presence of their King is among them.”		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":
22God took them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness,		כבאֵ֖ל מֽוֹצִיאָ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם כְּתֽוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם לֽוֹ:
אֵל מֽוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרָיִם - God took them out of Egypt. You said: “A people has come out of Egypt,” 11 but they did not come out on their own; rather, God took them out.		אֵל מֽוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרָיִם. אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ "הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם", לֹא יָצָא מֵעַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא הָאֱלֹהִים הוֹצִיאָם:
כְּתֽוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם לֽוֹ - means: “in accordance with the strength of His loftiness (רוּם) and height.” Similarly, we find: וְכֶסֶף תּוֹעָפוֹת “and powerful silver.” 12 Both usages of תוֹעֲפֹת denote power. I am of the opinion that תוֹעֲפֹת is related to וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף “and let fowl fly,” 13 in this case meaning: God who flies high above, indicating great power; תוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם thus means “flying high.” Another explanation: תּוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם means: “the might of re’emim,” and our rabbis 14 said that this refers to demons.		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):
23because there are no diviners in Jacob and no stick-diviners in Israel. Just like then, it will be said to Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought?’		כגכִּ֤י לֹא־נַ֨חַשׁ֙ בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹא־קֶ֖סֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כָּעֵ֗ת יֵֽאָמֵ֤ר לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מַה־פָּעַ֖ל אֵֽל:
כִּי לֹא־נַחַשׁ בְּיַֽעֲקֹב - Because there are no diviners in Jacob - i.e., they are worthy of blessing because there are no diviners of auspicious omens or soothsayers among them.		כִּי לֹא־נַחַשׁ בְּיַֽעֲקֹב. כִּי רְאוּיִים הֵם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם מְנַחֲשִׁים וְקוֹסְמִים:
כָּעֵת יֵֽאָמֵר לְיַֽעֲקֹב וגו' - Just like then, it will be said to Jacob…. i.e., in the future, there will again be a time when God’s affection for them will be manifest to all, just like it is at this time of the Giving of the Torah, for throughout the messianic age they will be seated before Him studying the Torah directly from Him, located closer to Him than His own ministering angels, and the angels will ask them: “What has God wrought?” About this it says: “and your eyes will see your Teacher.” 15 Another explanation: יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב is not in the future tense but in the present continuous: They have no need for diviners or soothsayers, for whenever Jacob and Israel must be told what the Holy One, blessed be He, has wrought and what He has decreed on High, they need not consult diviners or soothsayers; rather, what the Omnipresent has decreed is communicated to them directly by their prophets, or the urim and tumim inform them. Onkelos, however, did not translate it like this.		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:
24Behold a people that rises like a fearsome lion, raising itself like a lion. It does not lie down until it consumes prey, and drinks the blood of its slain enemies.”		כדהֶן־עָם֙ כְּלָבִ֣יא יָק֔וּם וְכַֽאֲרִ֖י יִתְנַשָּׂ֑א לֹ֤א יִשְׁכַּב֙ עַד־יֹ֣אכַל טֶ֔רֶף וְדַם־חֲלָלִ֖ים יִשְׁתֶּֽה:
הֶן־עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וגו' - Behold a people that rises like a fearsome lion…. i.e., when they arise from sleep in the morning, they overcome obstacles like a fearsome lion and like a lion, grabbing the opportunity to perform the commandments: to wear a ritually-tasseled garment, to recite the Shema, and to put on tefilin.		הֶן־עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וגו'. כְּשֶׁהֵן עוֹמְדִין מִשְּׁנָתָם שַׁחֲרִית, הֵן מִתְגַּבְּרִין כְּלָבִיא וְכַאֲרִי לַחֲטֹף אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת — לִלְבֹּשׁ טַלִּית, לִקְרֹא אֶת שְׁמַע וּלְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין:
לֹא יִשְׁכַּב - It does not lie down - at night on its bed until it consumes and destroys any harmful force that may seek to prey upon them. How so? They recite the Shema at bedtime and entrust their souls into the hand of the Omnipresent. If a camp or army attempts to harm them, the Holy One, blessed be He, protects them and fights their wars, making the enemies fall slain. Another explanation: הֶן עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וגו׳ means as Onkelos translates it: “This people dwells like a fearsome lion…it will not settle in its land until it has slain its prey and taken possession of the property of the nations.”		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:
וְדַם־חֲלָלִים יִשְׁתֶּֽה - And drinks the blood of its slain enemies. He hereby prophesied that Moses would not die until he had slain the kings of Midian, and that he, Balaam, would be killed along with them, as it says: “the Israelites killed the soothsayer Balaam son of Be’or by the sword, upon their other slain.” 16		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):
25Balak said to Balaam, “You must neither curse them nor bless them!”		כהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם גַּם־קֹ֖ב לֹ֣א תִקֳּבֶ֑נּוּ גַּם־בָּרֵ֖ךְ לֹ֥א תְבָֽרֲכֶֽנּוּ:
גַּם־קֹב לֹא תִקֳּבֶנּוּ - You must neither curse them - The first גַּם adds to the second גַּם, and the second גַּם to the first גַּם. A similar case is: גַּם לִי גַם לָךְ לֹא יִהְיֶה “let him be neither mine nor yours,” 17 and also: גַּם בָּחוּר גַּם בְּתוּלָה “the young man and the young girl.” 18		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):
26Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Have I not spoken to you, saying, ‘Everything God says is what I must do’?”		כווַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶֽׂה:

Footnotes

Gitin 68b.

1 Kings 3:26.

Sixth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 23

27Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to a different place. Perhaps God will assent that you curse them for me from there.”		כז וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם לְכָה־נָּא֙ אֶקָּ֣חֲךָ֔ אֶל־מָק֖וֹם אַחֵ֑ר אוּלַ֤י יִישַׁר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקַבֹּ֥תוֹ לִ֖י מִשָּֽׁם:
וְקַבֹּתוֹ לִי - That you curse them for me. This is not an imperative form like וְקָבְנוֹ, 1 but an indication of the future: “Perhaps He will agree and you will curse them from there”; “maldiras lui” in Old French.		וְקַבֹּתוֹ לִי. אֵין זֶה לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי כְּמוֹ וְקָבְנוֹ, אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד — אוּלַי יִישַׁר בְּעֵינָיו וְתִקָּבֶנּוּ לִי מִשָּׁם, מלדי"רש בְּלַעַז:
28So Balak took Balaam to the peak of Pe’or, overlooking the wastelands.		כחוַיִּקַּ֥ח בָּלָ֖ק אֶת־בִּלְעָ֑ם רֹ֣אשׁ הַפְּע֔וֹר הַנִּשְׁקָ֖ף עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַיְשִׁימֹֽן:
רֹאשׁ הַפְּעוֹר - To the peak of Pe’or. Balak was a diviner, and he foresaw that they would suffer through Pe’or, but he did not know how, and thought: Perhaps from there the curse will take effect on them. The same applies to all stargazers: they see but do not know what they are seeing.		רֹאשׁ הַפְּעוֹר. קוֹסֵם גָּדוֹל הָיָה בָלָק וְרָאָה שֶׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לִלְקוֹת עַל יְדֵי פְעוֹר, וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ בַּמֶּה, אָמַר שֶׁמָּא הַקְּלָלָה תָחוּל עֲלֵיהֶם מִשָּׁם וְכֵן כָּל הַחוֹזִים בַּכּוֹכָבִים רוֹאִים וְאֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מָה רוֹאִים (סוטה י"ב):
29Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”		כטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר בִּלְעָם֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק בְּנֵה־לִ֥י בָזֶ֖ה שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת וְהָכֵ֥ן לִי֙ בָּזֶ֔ה שִׁבְעָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה אֵילִֽם:
30Balak did as Balaam told him, and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.		לוַיַּ֣עַשׂ בָּלָ֔ק כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ:

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 24

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.		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.”		וַיַּרְא בִּלְעָם כִּי טוֹב וגו'. אָמַר אֵינִי צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק עוֹד בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כִּי לֹא יַחְפֹּץ לְקַלְּלָם:
לא הָלַךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַעַם - So he did not go (lit.) as on previous occasions - i.e., as he had done on two occasions.		לא הָלַךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַעַם. כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים:
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.”		לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים. לְנַחֵשׁ אוּלַי יִקָּרֶה ה' לִקְרָתוֹ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, אָמַר רוֹצֶה וְלֹא רוֹצֶה לְקַלְּלָם, אַזְכִּיר עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם, וְהַקְּלָלָה עַל הַזְכָּרַת עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם תָּחוּל:
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.”		וַיָּשֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָֽיו. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
2Balaam raised his eyes, and He saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes. The spirit of God descended upon him.		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. 2		וַיִּשָּׂא בִלְעָם אֶת־עֵינָיו. בִּקֵּשׁ לְהַכְנִיס בָּהֶם עַיִן רָעָה, וַהֲרֵי יֵשׁ לְךָ שָׁלֹשׁ מִדּוֹתָיו — עַיִן רָעָה וְרוּחַ גְּבוֹהָה וְנֶפֶשׁ רְחָבָה הָאֲמוּרִים לְמַעְלָה:
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.		שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו. רָאָה כָל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט שׁוֹכֵן לְעַצְמוֹ וְאֵינָן מְעֹרָבִין, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין פִּתְחֵיהֶם מְכֻוָּנִין זֶה כְנֶגֶד זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יָצִיץ לְתוֹךְ אֹהֶל חֲבֵרוֹ:
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.		וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִֽים. עָלָה בְלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יְקַלְּלֵם:
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.		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.” 3 According to the Aggadic explanation, 4 both Balaam and Balak were greater than their fathers: בָּלָק בְּנוֹ צִפּוֹר 5 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.		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):
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.” 6 Our rabbis said: 7 Since he said: וּמִסְפָּר אֶת רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, 8 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.		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):
4The word of the one who hears God’s sayings, who sees the vision of the Almighty lying down with open eyes.		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.		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:
5How good are your tents, Jacob, your encampments, Israel!		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.		מַה־טֹּבוּ אֹֽהָלֶיךָ. עַל שֶׁרָאָה פִתְחֵיהֶם שֶׁאֵינָן מְכֻוָּנִין זֶה מוּל זֶה:
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.		מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ. חֲנִיּוֹתֶיךָ, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר, מה טבו אהליך — מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהֶל שִׁילֹה וּבֵית עוֹלָמִים בְּיִשּׁוּבָן, שֶׁמַּקְרִיבִין בָּהֶן קָרְבָּנוֹת לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם:
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.” 9		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):
6They will extend like streams, like gardens by the river, like aloes that God planted, like cedars by the water.		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. 10		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):
כַּֽאֲהָלִים - Like aloes. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: כְּבוּסְמַיָּא “like spices,” related to: מֹר וַאֲהָלוֹת “myrrh and aloes.” 11		כַּֽאֲהָלִים. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן "מֹר וַאֲהָלוֹת" (תהלים מ"ה):
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.” 12		נָטַע ה'. בְּגַן עֵדֶן; לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר כאהלים נטע ה' — כַּשָּׁמַיִם הַמְּתוּחִין כְּאֹהֶל:
נָטַע ה' - We find the verb נטע used concerning pitching tents, as it says: “He will pitch (וְיִטַּע) the tents of his palace.” 13		נָטַע ה'. לְשׁוֹן נְטִיעָה מָצִינוּ בְאֹהָלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְיִטַּע אָהֳלֵי אַפַּדְנוֹ" (דניאל י"א):
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.		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.”		מִדָּלְיָו. מִבְּאֵרוֹתָיו, וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
וְזַרְעוֹ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים - Your seed will have abundant water. This expression denotes success: His descendants will be like seed planted over water.		וְזַרְעוֹ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים. לְשׁוֹן הַצְלָחָה הוּא זֶה — כְּזֶרַע הַזָּרוּעַ עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם:
וְיָרֹם מֵֽאֲגַג מַלְכּוֹ - Your king will be raised over Agag - i.e., their first king, Saul, will conquer Agag, king of Amalek.		וְיָרֹם מֵֽאֲגַג מַלְכּוֹ. מֶלֶךְ רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁלָּהֶם יִכְבֹּשׁ אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק:
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.		וְתִנַּשֵּׂא מַלְכֻתֽוֹ. שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר, שֶׁיָּבֹא אַחֲרָיו דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה:
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.		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.		אֵל מֽוֹצִיאוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם. מִי גוֹרֵם לָהֶם הַגְּדֻלָּה הַזֹּאת? אֵל הַמּוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּתֹקֶף וְרוּם שֶׁלּוֹ, יֹאכַל אֶת הַגּוֹיִם שֶׁהֵם צָרָיו:
וְעַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶם - Their bones - i.e., of the adversaries.		וְעַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶם. שֶׁל צָרִים:
יְגָרֵם - Menachem ben Saruk explained this as meaning “breaking,” similar to: לֹא גָרְמוּ לַבֹּקֶר “they did not break bones in the morning,” 14 and also: וְאֶת חֲרָשֶׂיהָ תְּגָרֵמִי “and its shards you will crush.” 15 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.		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:
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, 16 denoting sharing and dividing up. Similarly, יִמְחָץ is related to: “she wounded (וּמָחֲצָה) and penetrated his temple.” 17 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.” 18 It does not differ from its usual sense of “a blow,” as in: מָחַצְתִּי “I strike,” 19 for something dyed with blood appears as though stricken and wounded.		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:
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.”		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.		כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּֽאֲרִי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ — יִתְיַשְּׁבוּ בְאַרְצָם בְּכֹחַ וּגְבוּרָה:
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.		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.		וַיִּסְפֹּק. הִכָּה זוֹ עַל זוֹ:
11Now, flee back to your place. I said I would honor you greatly, but God has prevented you from receiving any honor from me.”		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,		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.’		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, 20 since Balaam knew that he had become repulsive to the Holy One, blessed be He, and been banished from His presence.		לַֽעֲבֹר אֶת־פִּי ה'. כָּאן לֹא נֶאֱמַר "אֱלֹהַי" כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה (כ"ב י"ח), לְפִי שֶׁיָּדַע שֶׁנִּבְאַשׁ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְנִטְרַד:

Footnotes

Numbers 23:13.

Rashi 22:13 and 18.

Psalms 114:8.

Tanchuma 13.

Numbers 23:18.

Avodah Zarah 69a.

Nidah 31a.

Sanhedrin 105b.

Seventh Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 24

14And now I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what to do, and prophesy what this people will do to your people at the end of days.”		ידוְעַתָּ֕ה הִנְנִ֥י הוֹלֵ֖ךְ לְעַמִּ֑י לְכָה֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַֽעֲשֶׂ֜ה הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֛ה לְעַמְּךָ֖ בְּאַֽחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִֽים:
הוֹלֵךְ לְעַמִּי - I am going to my people - i.e., “from now on I am like the rest of my people” – for the Holy One, blessed be He, had left him.		הוֹלֵךְ לְעַמִּי. מֵעַתָּה הֲרֵינִי כִשְׁאָר עַמִּי, שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵעָלָיו:
לְכָה אִיעָצְךָ - Come, I will advise you - what you should do. And what is the advice? The God of these people abhors immorality…as stated in Chapter Chelek. 1 You can tell that it was Balaam who gave this advice to have them fall through immorality, for it says regarding the Midianite women: “They are the same ones who were involved with the Israelites on Balaam’s advice.” 2		לְכָה אִיעָצְךָ. מַה לְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת, וּמַה הִיא הָעֵצָה? אֱלֹהֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ שׂוֹנֵא זִמָּה הוּא כו', כִּדְאִיתָא בְחֵלֶק (סנהדרין ק"ו); תֵּדַע שֶׁבִּלְעָם הִשִּׂיא עֵצָה זוֹ לְהַכְשִׁילָם בְּזִמָּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר "הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם" (במדבר ל"א):
אֲשֶׁר יַֽעֲשֶׂה הָעָם הַזֶּה לְעַמְּךָ - What this people will do to your people. This is an abbreviated verse: “I will advise you how to make them fall, and I will also tell you what evil they will ultimately bring upon Moab in the end of days: “He will strike the princes of Moab.” 3 Onkelos’ translation explains what the Hebrew states briefly.		אֲשֶׁר יַֽעֲשֶׂה הָעָם הַזֶּה לְעַמְּךָ. מִקְרָא קָצָר הוּא זֶה: אִיעָצְךָ לְהַכְשִׁילָם וְאֹמַר לְךָ מַה שֶּׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לְהָרַע לְמוֹאָב בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים — "וּמָחַץ פַּאֲתֵי מוֹאָב"; הַתַּרְגּוּם מְפָרֵשׁ קֹצֶר הָעִבְרִי:
15He 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.		טווַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר נְאֻ֤ם בִּלְעָם֙ בְּנ֣וֹ בְעֹ֔ר וּנְאֻ֥ם הַגֶּ֖בֶר שְׁתֻ֥ם הָעָֽיִן:
16The word of the one who hears God’s sayings and knows the mind of the Most High; who sees the vision of the Almighty, fallen yet with open eyes.		טזנְאֻ֗ם שֹׁמֵ֨עַ֙ אִמְרֵי־אֵ֔ל וְיֹדֵ֖עַ דַּ֣עַת עֶלְי֑וֹן מַֽחֲזֵ֤ה שַׁדַּי֙ יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה נֹפֵ֖ל וּגְל֥וּי עֵינָֽיִם:
וְיֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן - And knows the mind of the Most High - i.e., to precisely determine the moment when God is angry.		וְיֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן. לְכַוֵּן הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁכּוֹעֵס בָּהּ (סנהדרין ק"ה):
17I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not soon. A star will shoot forth from Jacob; a staff will arise from Israel. He will strike the princes of Moab, and undermine all the descendants of Seth.		יזאֶרְאֶ֨נּוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א עַתָּ֔ה אֲשׁוּרֶ֖נּוּ וְלֹ֣א קָר֑וֹב דָּרַ֨ךְ כּוֹכָ֜ב מִיַּֽעֲקֹ֗ב וְקָ֥ם שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמָחַץ֙ פַּֽאֲתֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב וְקַרְקַ֖ר כָּל־בְּנֵי־שֵֽׁת:
אֶרְאֶנּוּ - I see it - I see the praise of Jacob and his greatness, yet it is not now, but only later, so you need not feel threatened by them.		אֶרְאֶנּוּ. רוֹאֶה אֲנִי שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב וּגְדֻלָּתוֹ, אַךְ לֹא עַתָּה הִיא, אֶלָּא לְאַחַר זְמַן:
דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב - A star will shoot forth. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: יְקוּם מַלְכָּא מִיַּעֲקֹב “a king will arise from Jacob”. A star will shoot forth דָּרַךְ is related to: דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ “He stretched his bow,” 4 as the star goes forth like a released arrow, and in Old French: “destent”; i.e., good fortune will rise.		דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן "דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ" (איכה ב'), שֶׁהַכּוֹכָב עוֹבֵר כְּחֵץ, וּבְלַעַז דישט"נט, כְּלוֹמַר יָקוּם מַזָּל:
וְקָם שֵׁבֶט - A staff will arise. i.e., an authoritative and ruling king.		וְקָם שֵׁבֶט. מֶלֶךְ רוֹדֶה וּמוֹשֵׁל:
וּמָחַץ פַּֽאֲתֵי מוֹאָב - He will strike the princes of Moab - This refers to King David, about whom it says: “he had the Moabites lie on the ground, measuring two-thirds of the rope’s length, to be put to death….” 5		וּמָחַץ פַּֽאֲתֵי מוֹאָב. זֶה דָוִד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "הַשְׁכֵּב אוֹתָם אַרְצָה וַיְמַדֵּד שְׁנֵי חֲבָלִים לְהָמִית" וְגוֹ' (שמואל ב ח'):
וְקַרְקַר - And undermine. This term is related to boring a hole, as in: “I have dug (קַרְתִּי),” 6 “and at the hole of the pit whence you were dug (נֻקַּרְתֶּם),” 7 “the valley ravens will pick at it (יִקְּרוּהָ)”; 8 “foreir” in Old French.		וְקַרְקַר. לְשׁוֹן קוֹרֶה, כְּמוֹ "אֲנִי קַרְתִּי" (מלכים ב י"ט), "מַקֶּבֶת בּוֹר נֻקַּרְתֶּם" (ישעיהו נ"א), "יִקְּרוּהָ עֹרְבֵי נַחַל" (משלי ל'), פורי"ר בְּלַעַ"ז:
כָּל־בְּנֵי־שֵֽׁת - All the descendants of Seth. i.e., all the nations, who are all descended from Seth son of Adam, the first man.		כָּל־בְּנֵי־שֵֽׁת. כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁכֻּלָּם יָצְאוּ מִן שֵׁת בְּנוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן:
18Edom will become a possession; Se’ir will become a possession of his enemies. And Israel will prosper.		יחוְהָיָ֨ה אֱד֜וֹם יְרֵשָׁ֗ה וְהָיָ֧ה יְרֵשָׁ֛ה שֵׂעִ֖יר אֹֽיְבָ֑יו וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עֹ֥שֶׂה חָֽיִל:
וְהָיָה יְרֵשָׁה שֵׂעִיר - Se’ir will become a possession - for its enemies, Israel.		וְהָיָה יְרֵשָׁה שֵׂעִיר. לְאוֹיְבָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל:
19A ruler will come out of Jacob. He will destroy the remnant of the city.”		יטוְיֵ֖רְדְּ מִיַּֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְהֶֽאֱבִ֥יד שָׂרִ֖יד מֵעִֽיר:
וְיֵרְדְּ מִיַּֽעֲקֹב - (lit.) And from Jacob will rule - i.e., there will be yet another ruler from Jacob.		וְיֵרְדְּ מִיַּֽעֲקֹב. וְעוֹד יִהְיֶה מוֹשֵׁל אַחֵר מִיַּעֲקֹב:
וְהֶֽאֱבִיד שָׂרִיד מֵעִֽיר - He will destroy the remnant of the city - i.e., from the most significant city of Edom, referring to Rome. This is speaking about the Messianic King, about whom it says: “He will rule (וְיֵרְדְּ) from sea to sea,” 9 and “there will be no remnant (שָׂרִיד) from the House of Esau.” 10		וְהֶֽאֱבִיד שָׂרִיד מֵעִֽיר. הַחֲשׁוּבָה שֶׁל אֱדוֹם, הִיא רוֹמִי, וְעַל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ אוֹמֵר כֵּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "וְיֵרְדְּ מִיָּם עַד יָם" (תהלים ע"ב) "וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂרִיד לְבֵית עֵשָׂו" (עוב' י"ח):
20When he saw Amalek, he began to recite his parable and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, and his end will be everlasting destruction.”		כוַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֔ק וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר רֵאשִׁ֤ית גּוֹיִם֙ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וְאַֽחֲרִית֖וֹ עֲדֵ֥י אֹבֵֽד:
וַיַּרְא אֶת־עֲמָלֵק - When he saw Amalek - i.e., he envisaged the punishment destined for Amalek.		וַיַּרְא אֶת־עֲמָלֵק. נִסְתַּכֵּל בְּפֻרְעֲנוּתוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק:
רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם עֲמָלֵק - Amalek was the first of the nations - i.e., he was first of all to fight against Israel, and this is how Onkelos translated it. And his end will be to be destroyed at their hand, as it says: “you must obliterate the remembrance of Amalek.” 11		רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם עֲמָלֵק. הוּא קָדַם אֶת כֻּלָּם לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל — וְכָךְ תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס — ואחריתו לֵאָבֵד בְּיָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק" (דברים כ"ה):
21When he saw the Keinite, he began to recite his parable and said, “How firm is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in a cliff!		כאוַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־הַקֵּינִ֔י וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֵיתָן֙ מֽוֹשָׁבֶ֔ךָ וְשִׂ֥ים בַּסֶּ֖לַע קִנֶּֽךָ:
וַיַּרְא אֶת־הַקֵּינִי - When he saw the Keinite. Since the Keinites were settled next to Amalek, similar to that which it says: “Saul said to the Keinites, ‘Turn away and go down from among the Amalekites lest I destroy you with them,’” 12 he mentioned him after Amalek. He envisaged the greatness of the descendants of Jethro, about whom it says: “Tir’atites, Shim’atites, Suchatites, these are the Keinites….” 13		וַיַּרְא אֶת־הַקֵּינִי. לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה קֵינִי תָּקוּעַ אֵצֶל עֲמָלֵק, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל הַקֵּינִי" וְגוֹ' (שמואל א ט"ו), הִזְכִּירוֹ אַחַר עֲמָלֵק; נִסְתַּכֵּל בִּגְדֻלָּתָן שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִתְרוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם (דבהי"א ב') "תִּרְעָתִים שִׁמְעָתִים שׂוּכָתִים" (ספרי במדבר י'; סנהדרין ק"ד):
אֵיתָן מֽוֹשָׁבֶךָ - How firm is your dwelling place. I wonder how you merited this, as you were with me when we advised Pharaoh: “Let us deal cleverly with them,” 14 and now you sit amid the might and fortress of Israel!		אֵיתָן מֽוֹשָׁבֶךָ. תָּמֵהַּ אֲנִי מֵהֵיכָן זָכִיתָ לְכָךְ הֲלֹא אַתָּה עִמִּי הָיִיתָ בַּעֲצַת "הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ" (שמות א'), וְעַתָּה נִתְיַשַּׁבְתָּ בְאֵיתָן וּמָעוֹז שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל (סנהדרין ק"ו):
22For if the Keinite will be laid waste, how far will Assyria take you captive?”		כבכִּ֥י אִם־יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְבָ֣עֵֽר קָ֑יִן עַד־מָ֖ה אַשּׁ֥וּר תִּשְׁבֶּֽךָּ:
כִּי אִם־יִֽהְיֶה לְבָעֵֽר קָיִן וגו' - For if the Keinite is laid waste…. i.e., You are fortunate in having become established in this firm position, as now you will never be driven from the world. For even if you will be exiled along with the ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel and removed from the place where you settled, what does it matter? –		כִּי אִם־יִֽהְיֶה לְבָעֵֽר קָיִן וגו'. אַשְׁרֶיךָ שֶׁנִּתְקַעְתָּ לְתֹקֶף זֶה, שֶׁאֵינְךָ נִטְרָד עוֹד מִן הָעוֹלָם, כִּי אַף אִם אַתָּה עָתִיד לִגְלוֹת עִם עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים, וְתִהְיֶה לְבָעֵר מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּתְיַשַּׁבְתָּ שָׁם, מַה בְּכָךְ?
עַד־מָה אַשּׁוּר תִּשְׁבֶּֽךָּ - How far will Assyria take you captive? - i.e., how far will he exile you? Maybe to Chalach and Chavor? That is not banishment from the world, merely displacement from one location to another, and eventually you will return with the other exiles.		עַד־מָה אַשּׁוּר תִּשְׁבֶּֽךָּ. עַד הֵיכָן הוּא מַגְלֶה אוֹתְךָ? שֶׁמָּא לַחְלַח וְחָבוֹר? אֵין זֶה טֵרוּד מִן הָעוֹלָם, אֶלָּא טִלְטוּל מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, וְתָשׁוּב עִם שְׁאָר הַגָּלֻיּוֹת:
23He began to recite his parable and said, “Alas! Who can survive when God will impose these things?		כגוַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר א֕וֹי מִ֥י יִֽחְיֶ֖ה מִשֻּׂמ֥וֹ אֵֽל:
וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וגו' - He began to recite his parable… Having mentioned the captivity of Assyria, he said:		וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וגו'. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁבִיַּת אַשּׁוּר, אָמַר:
אוֹי מִי יִֽחְיֶה מִשֻּׂמוֹ אֵֽל - Alas! Who can survive when [God] will impose these things? - means: who can keep himself safe from Him imposing these things, i.e., that the One pronouncing these decrees not impose them on him? For Sennacherib king of Assyria will arise and dislocate all the nations and later will come, 15.		אוֹי מִי יִֽחְיֶה מִשֻּׂמוֹ אֵֽל. מִי יָכוֹל לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִשּׂוּמוֹ אֶת אֵלֶּה — שֶׁלֹּא יָשִׂים עָלָיו הַגּוֹזֵר אֶת אֵלֶּה, שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד סַנְחֵרִיב וִיבַלְבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, וְעוֹד יָבֹאוּ:
24Ships from the Kittites will afflict Assyria, and afflict those on the other side. But he, too, will perish forever.”		כדוְצִים֙ מִיַּ֣ד כִּתִּ֔ים וְעִנּ֥וּ אַשּׁ֖וּר וְעִנּוּ־עֵ֑בֶר וְגַם־ה֖וּא עֲדֵ֥י אֹבֵֽד:
צים מִיַּד כִּתִּים - ships from the Kittites - the Kittites, i.e., the Romans, will cross over with large warships against Assyria.		צים מִיַּד כִּתִּים. וְיַעַבְרוּ כִתִּיִּים, שֶׁהֵן רוֹמִיִּים, בְּבִירָנִיּוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת עַל אַשּׁוּר:
וְעִנּוּ עֵבֶר - And afflict those on the other side - means: and afflict those living across the Euphrates River.		וְעִנּוּ עֵבֶר. וְעִנּוּ אוֹתָם שֶׁבְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר:
וְגַם־הוּא עֲדֵי אֹבֵֽד - But he, too, will perish forever. and so Daniel stated in his dream regarding the future kingdom: “until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed.” 16		וְגַם־הוּא עֲדֵי אֹבֵֽד. וְכֵן פֵּרֵשׁ דָּנִיֵּאל "עַד דִּיקְטִילַת חֵיוְתָא וְהוּבַד גִּשְׁמַהּ" (דניאל ז'):
וְצִים - are large ships, as it says: וְצִי אַדִּיר, 17 which Targum Yonatan translates as וּבוּרְנִי רַבְּתָא “a massive ship.”		וְצִים. סְפִינוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, כְּדִכְתִיב (ישעיהו ל"ג) "וְצִי אַדִּיר", תַּרְגּוּמוֹ "וּבוּרְנִי רַבְּתָא" (יומא ע"ז):
25Balaam arose, departed, and returned home, and Balak went on his way.		כהוַיָּ֣קָם בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ וַיָּ֣שָׁב לִמְקֹמ֑וֹ וְגַם־בָּלָ֖ק הָלַ֥ךְ לְדַרְכּֽוֹ:

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 25

1Israel settled in Shitim. The people began to stray with the daughters of the Moabites.		אוַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּשִּׁטִּ֑ים וַיָּ֣חֶל הָעָ֔ם לִזְנ֖וֹת אֶל־בְּנ֥וֹת מוֹאָֽב:
בַּשִּׁטִּים - In Shitim. That was its name.		בַּשִּׁטִּים. כָּךְ שְׁמָהּ:
לִזְנוֹת אֶל־בְּנוֹת מוֹאָֽב - To stray with the daughters of the Moabites - through Balaam’s advice, as stated in Chapter Chelek. 18		לִזְנוֹת אֶל־בְּנוֹת מוֹאָֽב. עַל יְדֵי עֲצַת בִּלְעָם, כִּדְאִיתָא בְחֵלֶק (סנהדרין ק"ו):
2They invited the people to the feast-offerings of their gods, and the people ate and prostrated themselves to their gods.		בוַתִּקְרֶ֣אןָ לָעָ֔ם לְזִבְחֵ֖י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אכַל הָעָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲו֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן:
וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן - And prostrated themselves to their gods. When an Israelite’s urge was strong and he said to her, “Submit to me for carnal relations,” she would take out an image of Pe’or from her bosom and say to him, “Worship this first.”		וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶֽן. כְּשֶׁתָּקַף יִצְרוֹ וְאוֹמֵר לָהּ הִשָּׁמְעִי לִי, וְהִיא מוֹצִיאָה לוֹ דְּמוּת פְּעוֹר מֵחֵיקָהּ וְאוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ הִשְׁתַּחֲוֵה לָזֶה:
3Israel became attached to Ba’al Pe’or. God became angry with Israel.		גוַיִּצָּ֥מֶד יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבַ֣עַל פְּע֑וֹר וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
פְּעוֹר - Pe’or. It was so called because they bared (פּוֹעֲרִין) their posterior and defecated in front of it, and this was its mode of worship.		פְּעוֹר. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁפּוֹעֲרִין לְפָנָיו פִּי הַטַּבַּעַת וּמוֹצִיאִין רְעִי, וְזוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ (סנהדרין ס'):
וַיִּֽחַר־אַף ה' בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל - God’s became angry with Israel - i.e., He sent a plague against them.		וַיִּֽחַר־אַף ה' בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל. שָׁלַח בָּהֶם מַגֵּפָה:
4God said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and hang the guilty before God, facing the sun; then God’s anger will be removed from Israel.”		דוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה קַ֚ח אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְהוֹקַ֥ע אוֹתָ֛ם לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה נֶ֣גֶד הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְיָשֹׁ֛ב חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל:
קַח אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁי הָעָם - Take all the leaders of the people - to judge those who worshiped Pe’or.		קַח אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁי הָעָם. לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הָעוֹבְדִים לִפְעוֹר:
וְהוֹקַע אוֹתָם - And hang them - i.e., those who worshiped Pe’or.		וְהוֹקַע אוֹתָם. אֶת הָעוֹבְדִים:
וְהוֹקַע - The term וְהוֹקַע denotes hanging, as we find regarding the sons of Saul: וְהוֹקַעֲנוּם לַה׳, 19 where hanging is explicitly mentioned. One guilty of idolatry must be stoned, and all those who are stoned must be hanged.		וְהוֹקַע. הִיא תְלִיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בִּבְנֵי שָׁאוּל "וְהוֹקַעֲנוּם לַה'" (שמואל ב כ״א:ו׳) וְשָׁם תְּלִיָּה מְפֹרֶשֶׁת (סנהדרין ל"ד); עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בִּסְקִילָה וְכָל הַנִּסְקָלִין נִתְלִין (סנהדרין מ"ה):
נֶגֶד הַשָּׁמֶשׁ - Facing the sun - i.e., for all to see. And according to an aggadic explanation 20 it means: The sun identified each of the sinners, as the cloud above him would roll back so that the sun shone directly upon him.		נֶגֶד הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. לְעֵין כֹּל. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מוֹדִיעַ אֶת הַחוֹטְאִים, הֶעָנָן נִקְפָּל מִכְּנֶגְדּוֹ וְהַחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת עָלָיו:
5Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you must kill his men who became attached to Ba’al Pe’or.”		הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה אֶל־שֹֽׁפְטֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִרְגוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֲנָשָׁ֔יו הַנִּצְמָדִ֖ים לְבַ֥עַל פְּעֽוֹר:
הִרְגוּ אִישׁ אֲנָשָׁיו - Each of you must kill his men - i.e., each of the judges of Israel killed two men, and the judges of Israel numbered 78,000, as stated in Sanhedrin. 21		הִרְגוּ אִישׁ אֲנָשָׁיו. כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִדַּיָּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה הוֹרֵג שְׁנַיִם, וְדַּיָּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל שְׁמוֹנַת רִבּוֹא וּשְׁמוֹנַת אֲלָפִים כִּדְאִיתָא בְסַנְהֶ' (דף י"ח:):
6An Israelite man came and brought the Midianite woman to his brethren in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the entire community of the Israelites. They were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.		ווְהִנֵּ֡ה אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בָּ֗א וַיַּקְרֵ֤ב אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֔ית לְעֵינֵ֣י משֶׁ֔ה וּלְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהֵ֣מָּה בֹכִ֔ים פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא - An Israelite man came. The tribe of Simeon rallied to Zimri, who was their prince, and said to him: “We are being sentenced to death and you sit by silently, etc.,” as stated in Chapter Elu Hen HaNisrafin. 22		וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא. נִתְקַבְּצוּ שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל שִׁמְעוֹן אֵצֶל זִמְרִי שֶׁהָיָה נָשִׂיא שֶׁלָּהֶם, אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אָנוּ נִדּוֹנִין בְּמִיתָה וְאַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּאֵלּוּ הֵן הַנִּשְׂרָפִין (סנהדרין פ"ב):
אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִית - The Midianite woman - Kozbi daughter of Tzur.		אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִית. כָּזְבִּי בַת צוּר:
לְעֵינֵי משֶׁה - In the sight of Moses. He said to him: “Moses! Is this Midianite forbidden or permitted? If you say she is forbidden, then who permitted the daughter of Jethro the Midianite to you?”… as stated there.		לְעֵינֵי משֶׁה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, מֹשֶׁה, זוֹ אֲסוּרָה אוֹ מֻתֶּרֶת? אִם תֹּאמַר אֲסוּרָה, בַּת יִתְרוֹ מִי הִתִּירָהּ לְךָ, וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא הָתָם:
וְהֵמָּה בֹכִים - They were weeping. He forgot the law that anyone who has carnal relations publicly with a gentile woman may be executed by zealous people, and everyone burst out crying upon seeing his inability to act. During the incident of the Golden Calf, Moses had stood up in front of 600,000 men, as it says: “he ground the calf into fine powder…,” 23 yet here his hands were weak. In fact, this was Divinely arranged so that Pinechas come and earn the distinction he deserved.		וְהֵמָּה בֹכִים. נִתְעַלְּמָה מִמֶּנּוּ הֲלָכָה, גָּעוּ כֻלָּם בִּבְכִיָּה; בָּעֵגֶל עָמַד מֹשֶׁה כְּנֶגֶד שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּטְחַן עַד אֲשֶׁר דָּק" וְגוֹ' (שמות ל"ב), וְכָאן רָפוּ יָדָיו? אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבֹא פִינְחָס וְיִטֹּל אֶת הָרָאוּי לוֹ (תנחומא):
7Pinechas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest saw and arose from the community, and took a spear in his hand.		זוַיַּ֗רְא פִּֽינְחָס֙ בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֔ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיָּ֨קָם֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֥ח רֹ֖מַח בְּיָדֽוֹ:
וַיַּרְא פִּֽינְחָס - Pinechas…saw. i.e., he saw what was taking place and remembered the law in this situation. He said to Moses: “I have received a teaching from you that if one has carnal relations publicly with a gentile woman, zealous people may execute him.” Moses answered him: “Let the one who reads the letter be the agent to execute it.” Immediately “he took a spear in his hand….”		וַיַּרְא פִּֽינְחָס. רָאָה מַעֲשֶׂה וְנִזְכַּר הֲלָכָה — אָמַר לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה מְקֻבַּלְנִי מִמְּךָ הַבּוֹעֵל אֲרַמִּית קַנָּאִין פּוֹגְעִין בּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ "קַרְיָנָא דְּאִגַּרְתָּא אִיהוּ לֶיהֱוֵי פַּרְוַנְקָא", מִיָּד ויקח רמח בידו וגו' (סנהדרין פ"ב):
8He went after the Israelite man into the tent and pierced both of them, the Israelite man and the woman through her stomach, and the plague against the Israelites ceased.		חוַיָּבֹ֠א אַחַ֨ר אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־הַקֻּבָּ֗ה וַיִּדְקֹר֙ אֶת־שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֚ת אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־קֳבָתָ֑הּ וַתֵּֽעָצַר֙ הַמַּגֵּפָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
אֶל־הַקֻּבָּה - means into the tent.		אֶל־הַקֻּבָּה. אֶל הָאֹהֶל:
אֶל־קֳבָתָהּ - Through her stomach - as in: וְהַלְּחָיַיִם וְהַקֵּבָה “the cheeks and the stomach.” 24 In fact, he miraculously struck directly through Zimri’s male organ and her female organ, and thus everyone saw that he did not kill them unjustly. Many additional miracles were performed for him then, as stated there.		אֶל־קֳבָתָהּ. כְּמוֹ "וְהַלְּחָיַיִם וְהַקֵּבָה" (דברים י"ח), כִּוֵּן בְּתוֹךְ זַכְרוּת שֶׁל זִמְרִי וְנַקְבוּת שֶׁלָּהּ וְרָאוּ כֻלָּם שֶׁלֹא לְחִנָּם הֲרָגָם, וְהַרְבֵּה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ כו', כִּדְאִיתָא הָתָם:
9Those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.		טוַיִּֽהְי֕וּ הַמֵּתִ֖ים בַּמַּגֵּפָ֑ה אַרְבָּעָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָֽלֶף:

Footnotes

Sanhedrin 106a.

Numbers 31:16.

Numbers 24:17.

Lamentations 2:4.

2 Samuel 8:2.

2 Kings 19:24.

1 Samuel 15:6.

Sanhedrin 106a.

2 Samuel 21:6.

Tanchuma 19.

Sanhedrin 18a.

Sanhedrin 82a.

Maftir Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 25

7Pinechas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest saw and arose from the community, and took a spear in his hand.		זוַיַּ֗רְא פִּֽינְחָס֙ בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֔ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיָּ֨קָם֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֥ח רֹ֖מַח בְּיָדֽוֹ:
וַיַּרְא פִּֽינְחָס - Pinechas…saw. i.e., he saw what was taking place and remembered the law in this situation. He said to Moses: “I have received a teaching from you that if one has carnal relations publicly with a gentile woman, zealous people may execute him.” Moses answered him: “Let the one who reads the letter be the agent to execute it.” Immediately “he took a spear in his hand….”		וַיַּרְא פִּֽינְחָס. רָאָה מַעֲשֶׂה וְנִזְכַּר הֲלָכָה — אָמַר לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה מְקֻבַּלְנִי מִמְּךָ הַבּוֹעֵל אֲרַמִּית קַנָּאִין פּוֹגְעִין בּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ "קַרְיָנָא דְּאִגַּרְתָּא אִיהוּ לֶיהֱוֵי פַּרְוַנְקָא", מִיָּד ויקח רמח בידו וגו' (סנהדרין פ"ב):
8He went after the Israelite man into the tent and pierced both of them, the Israelite man and the woman through her stomach, and the plague against the Israelites ceased.		חוַיָּבֹ֠א אַחַ֨ר אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־הַקֻּבָּ֗ה וַיִּדְקֹר֙ אֶת־שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֚ת אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־קֳבָתָ֑הּ וַתֵּֽעָצַר֙ הַמַּגֵּפָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
אֶל־הַקֻּבָּה - means into the tent.		אֶל־הַקֻּבָּה. אֶל הָאֹהֶל:
אֶל־קֳבָתָהּ - Through her stomach - as in: וְהַלְּחָיַיִם וְהַקֵּבָה “the cheeks and the stomach.” 1 In fact, he miraculously struck directly through Zimri’s male organ and her female organ, and thus everyone saw that he did not kill them unjustly. Many additional miracles were performed for him then, as stated there.		אֶל־קֳבָתָהּ. כְּמוֹ "וְהַלְּחָיַיִם וְהַקֵּבָה" (דברים י"ח), כִּוֵּן בְּתוֹךְ זַכְרוּת שֶׁל זִמְרִי וְנַקְבוּת שֶׁלָּהּ וְרָאוּ כֻלָּם שֶׁלֹא לְחִנָּם הֲרָגָם, וְהַרְבֵּה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ כו', כִּדְאִיתָא הָתָם:
9Those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.		טוַיִּֽהְי֕וּ הַמֵּתִ֖ים בַּמַּגֵּפָ֑ה אַרְבָּעָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים אָֽלֶף:

Footnotes

Deuteronomy 18:3.

Haftarah

Michah (Micah) Chapter 5

6And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples-like dew sent by the Lord, like torrents of rain upon vegatation that does not hope for any man and does not wait for the sons of men.		ווְהָיָ֣ה \| שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים כְּטַל֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵ֑שֶׂב אֲשֶׁ֚ר לֹֽא־יְקַוֶּה֙ לְאִ֔ישׁ וְלֹ֥א יְיַחֵ֖ל לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם:
like dew sent by the Lord. which does not come to the world through man, and people do not ask for it, so Israel will not hope for the help of man, but for the Lord.		כטל מאת ה'. שאין בא לעולם ע"י אדם ולא יבקשו פני אדם עליו כך לא יקוה ישראל לעזרת איש כי אם בה':
7And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples-like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, if it passes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and no one [can] save anything.		זוְהָיָה֩ שְׁאֵרִ֨ית יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב בַּגּוֹיִ֗ם בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים כְּאַרְיֵה֙ בְּבַֽהֲמ֣וֹת יַ֔עַר כִּכְפִ֖יר בְּעֶדְרֵי־צֹ֑אן אֲשֶׁ֧ר אִם עָבַ֛ר וְרָמַ֥ס וְטָרַ֖ף וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל:
like a lion among the beasts of the forest. So will their king rule over all.		כאריה בבהמות יער. כך יהי מלכם שליט בכל:
which treads down and tears in pieces. Heb. רָמַס. This is the lion’s treading down [an animal] when he [the lion] is hungry and eating it in its place. Tearing (טָרַף) is when he carries the prey to his den for his cubs and his lionesses.		ורמס וטרף. רמס היא דריסת הארי כשהוא רעב ואוכלו במקומו וטרף הוא כשנושא את הטרף למעונותיו בשביל גורותיו ולבאותיו:
8Your hand shall be raised above your oppressors, and all your enemies shall be destroyed.		חתָּרֹ֥ם יָדְךָ֖ עַל־צָרֶ֑יךָ וְכָל־אֹֽיְבֶ֖יךָ יִכָּרֵֽתוּ:
9And it shall come to pass on that day, says the Lord, that I will cut your horses out of your midst, and I will destroy your chariots.		טוְהָיָ֚ה בַיּֽוֹם־הַהוּא֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י סוּסֶ֖יךָ מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְהַֽאֲבַדְתִּ֖י מַרְכְּבֹתֶֽיךָ:
that I will cut your horses. the Egyptian aid upon which you rely to supply you with horses.		והכרתי סוסיך. היא עזרת מצרים שאתם נשענים עליהם להמציאכם סוסים:
10And I will destroy the cities of your land, and I will break down all your fortresses.		יוְהִכְרַתִּ֖י עָרֵ֣י אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וְהָֽרַסְתִּ֖י כָּל־מִבְצָרֶֽיךָ:
And I will destroy your cities. And you will no longer need fortified cities.		והכרתי ערי ארצך. ולא תצטרך לערי מבצר:
11And I will destroy sorcery from your hand, and you will have no soothsayers.		יאוְהִכְרַתִּ֥י כְשָׁפִ֖ים מִיָּדֶ֑ךָ וּֽמְעֽוֹנְנִ֖ים לֹ֥א יִֽהְיוּ־לָֽךְ:
12And I will destroy your graven images and your monuments from your midst, and you shall no longer prostrate yourself to your handiwork.		יבוְהִכְרַתִּ֧י פְסִילֶ֛יךָ וּמַצֵּֽבוֹתֶ֖יךָ מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְלֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֥ה ע֖וֹד לְמַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדֶֽיךָ:
13And I will uproot your asherim from your midst, and I will destroy your enemies.		יגוְנָֽתַשְׁתִּ֥י אֲשֵׁירֶ֖יךָ מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּ֖י עָרֶֽיךָ:
and I will destroy your enemies. Heb. עָרֶיךָ. Jonathan renders: And I will destroy your enemies. Similarly, (Isa. 14:21) “And fill the surface of the earth with enemies (עָרִים) ,” and (I Sam. 28:16) “And has become your adversary (עָרֶךָ).”		והשמדתי עריך. ואשיצי בעלי דבבך וכן (ישעיהו י״ד:כ״א) ומלאו פני תבל ערים וכן (שמואל א כח) ויהי עריך:
14And in anger and fury I will execute vengeance upon the nations who have paid no heed.		ידוְעָשִׂ֜יתִי בְּאַ֧ף וּבְחֵמָ֛ה נָקָ֖ם אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א שָׁמֵֽעוּ:

Michah (Micah) Chapter 6

1Hear now what the Lord says; Rise; contend with the mountains, and may the hills hear My voice.		אשִׁמְעוּ־נָ֕א אֵ֥ת אֲשֶֽׁר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֹמֵ֑ר קוּם רִ֣יב אֶת־הֶֽהָרִ֔ים וְתִשְׁמַ֥עְנָה הַגְּבָע֖וֹת קוֹלֶֽךָ:
with the mountains. with the Patriarchs.		את ההרים. את האבות:
the hills. the Matriarchs.		הגבעות. האמהות:
2Hear ye, O mountains, the controversy of the Lord; and you mighty ones, the foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with His people, and with Israel He shall contend.		בשִׁמְע֚וּ הָרִים֙ אֶת־רִ֣יב יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהָאֵֽתָנִ֖ים מֹ֣סְדֵי אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י רִ֚יב לַֽיהֹוָה֙ עִם־עַמּ֔וֹ וְעִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִתְוַכָּֽח:
3O My people, what have I done, and how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.		געַמִּ֛י מֶֽה־עָשִׂ֥יתִי לְךָ֖ וּמָ֣ה הֶלְאֵתִ֑יךָ עֲנֵ֥ה בִֽי:
what have I done for you. Put your heart to recognizing what benefit I have done for you.		מה עשיתי לך. תן לבך להכיר מה טוב עשיתי לך:
and how have I wearied you. with My worship?		ומה הלאתיך. בעבודתי:
Testify against Me. Heb. ענה בי: Testify against me.		ענה בי. העד בי:
4For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.		דכִּ֚י הֶעֱלִתִ֙יךָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּמִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִ֖ים פְּדִיתִ֑יךָ וָֽאֶשְׁלַ֣ח לְפָנֶ֔יךָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה אַֽהֲרֹ֥ן וּמִרְיָֽם:
For I brought you up. Although I bestowed all this benefit upon you, I did not weary you with much worship or with large sacrifices.		כי העליתיך. אע"פ שעשיתי לך כל הטובה הזאת לא הלאתיך בעבודה גדולה ובקרבנות גדולים:
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Jonathan paraphrases: Moses to teach the transmission of the laws, Aaron to atone for the people, and Miriam to instruct the women.		את משה אהרן ומרים. ת"י משה לאלפא מסורת דינין ואהרן לכפרא על עמא ומרים לאוראה לנשיא:
5My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab planned, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him. From Shittim to Gilgal, may you recognize the righteous deeds of the Lord.		העַמִּ֗י זְכָר־נָא֙ מַה־יָּעַ֗ץ בָּלָק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֔ב וּמֶה־עָנָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר מִן־הַשִּׁטִּים֙ עַד־הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל לְמַ֥עַן דַּ֖עַת צִדְק֥וֹת יְהֹוָֽה:
and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him. (Num. 23:8) “How shall I be angry if God is not angry?” For I did not become angry all those days. [from Berachot 7a]		ומה ענה אותו בלעם בן בעור. מה אזעום לא זעם ה' (במדבר כ״ג:ח׳) שלא כעסתי כל אותן הימים:
from Shittim. where you sinned before Me. You should recognize My righteous deeds, for I did not withhold My kindness and My assistance from you until I brought you to Gilgal, and I conquered the land before you.		מן השטים. שחטאתם לי שם דעו צדקותי שלא מנעתי טובתי ועזרתי מכם עד הבאתי אתכם לגלגל וכבשתי לפניכם שם את הארץ:
6With what shall I come before the Lord, bow before the Most High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?		ובַּמָּה֙ אֲקַדֵּ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה אִכַּ֖ף לֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י מָר֑וֹם הַֽאֲקַדְּמֶ֣נּוּ בְעוֹל֔וֹת בַּֽעֲגָלִ֖ים בְּנֵ֥י שָׁנָֽה:
bow. I will be humbled.		אכף. אהיה כפוף:
7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriad streams of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?		זהֲיִרְצֶ֚ה יְהֹוָה֙ בְּאַלְפֵ֣י אֵילִ֔ים בְּרִֽבְב֖וֹת נַֽחֲלֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן הַֽאֶתֵּ֚ן בְּכוֹרִי֙ פִּשְׁעִ֔י פְּרִ֥י בִטְנִ֖י חַטַּ֥את נַפְשִֽׁי:
streams of oil. for meal offerings.		נחלי שמן. למנחות:
Shall I give my firstborn?. as a sacrifice for my transgression.		האתן בכורי. קרבן לפשעי:
8He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk discreetly with your God.		חהִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־טּ֑וֹב וּמָה־יְהֹוָ֞ה דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־עֲשׂ֚וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
He has told. The Holy One, blessed be He, has told you what is good for you to do.		הגיד. הקב"ה לך אדם מה טוב לך לעשות:
and to walk discreetly. Jonathan renders: Walk discreetly in the fear of your God. Another explanation: And walk discreetly. The standard of flesh and blood is not like the standard of the Holy One, blessed be He. The standard of flesh and blood is: If one man embarrasses his fellow and comes to placate him, the fellow says to him, “I will not accept your apology until so and so and so and so, before whom you disgraced me, come.” But the Holy One, blessed be He, desires only that the man’s return to Him be between the two of them. [from Pesikta d’Rav Kahana 163b]		והצנע לכת. ת"י הוי צנוע למיהך בדחלא דאלהך, ד"א והצנע לכת לא כמדת הקב"ה מדת בשר ודם מדת בשר ודם אדם מבייש את חבירו ובא לפייסו ואומר לו איני מתרצה לך עד שיבא פלוני ופלוני שבזיתני לפניהם אבל הקב"ה אין חפץ אלא שישוב אליו בינו לבין עצמו:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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