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):