Rashi on TanakhNumbers 22

Balak saw . . . all that Yisroel had done to the Emorite. He said, “Those two kings whom we relied on could not withstand them, certainly we can not.” Therefore, “Moav became terrified.”

[Moav] became terrified. The word denotes fear, as in “fear for yourselves.”

Moav detested. They detested their lives, similar to “I am disgusted with my life.” This is a shortened sentence.

To the elders of Midian. But were they not ancient enemies, as it is said, “who attacked Midian in the field of Moav,” when Midian went to war against Moav? Still, because of their fear of Yisroel, they made peace. But why did Moav see fit to accept advice from Midian? When they saw the supernatural victories of Yisroel, they said, “Their leader was raised in Midian. Let us ask them what his character is.” They told them: “He has no power, except with the mouth.” They said, “We, too, will confront them with a man whose power is with his mouth.”

Just as the ox laps up. Whatever an ox laps up is no longer marked by blessing.

At that time. He was unsuited for royalty. He was one of the chieftains of Midian, and when Sichon died, he was appointed over them temporarily.

To Pesor. Like the money changer, to whom everyone dispatches money. Similarly, all the monarchs dispatched their correspondence to him. According to the plain meaning of the passage, this was the name of the place.

The land of his people. Balak’s — he came from there. This person (Bil’am) prophesied, and said to him, “You are destined to be a king.” Should you ask, why did the Holy One, Blessed is He, visit His Divine Presence on an evil gentile? So that the nations might not extenuate themselves by saying, “If we had prophets, we would have repented.” He established prophets for them, and they breached a universal barrier; they had originally refrained from promiscuity, but this person (Bil’am) advised them to indulge freely in promiscuity.

To call him. The invitation was his, for his benefit, as he offered him a large sum of money.

A nation came out of Egypt. You may ask, “Why is this harmful to you”?

Behold, they have covered the face of the earth. Sichon and Og, who were our guardians, were killed by them.

And is located across from me. This is written incompletely. They are nearby, to cut me down, as in, “I cut them down.”

[Enable] us to strike at him. My people and I will strike at them. Another interpretation: This term is found in the Mishnah, “He reduces the price for him” — to diminish them a little.

For I know, etc. Through the war of Sichon, whom you assisted in striking down Moav.

With magic chas in their hands. All types of magic charms, so that he could not say, “My tools are not with me.” Another interpretation. The elders of Midian took up this mystical omen: They said, “If he comes with us this time, there is something to him; but if he rebuffs us, it is useless.” This is why, when he said to them, “Spend the night here,” they said, “It is hopeless.” They left him there and departed, as it is said, “the Moavite chieftains stayed with Bil’am,” but the elders of Midian departed.

Spend this night here. The Sacred spirit visits him only at night. It is the same with all of the gentile prophets, and it was the same with Lavan — in a dream at night, as it is said, “God appeared to Lavan the Aramean in a dream that night,” like a man who visits his concubine secretly.

According to what Adonoy tells me. If He advises me to go with people like you, I will go with you. Perhaps it is beneath His dignity to allow me to go, unless it is with higher ranking officials than you.

Remained (lit. sat) The word denotes remaining.

Who are these men with you? He gave him the opportunity for error. He (Bil’am) said, “At times, not everything is revealed to Him. He is not omniscient. So I shall divine a time when I can curse without his understanding.”

Balak son of Tzipor, etc. Although I am not distinguished in Your eyes, I am distinguished in the eyes of kings.

Curse for me. This [קָבָה לִּי] is harsher than אָרָה לִּי, as it is specific and clear.

And banish him. From the world. Balak only said, “I will banish them from the land,” I seek only to get them away from me. Bil’am hated them more than Balak.

Do not go with them. He (Bil’am) said to Him, “if so, I will curse them here.” He (God) said to him, “You shall not curse the people.” He (Bil’am) said to Him, “If so, I will bless them.” He (God) said to him, “They do not need your blessing.” For they are blessed. [This follows] the proverb: One says to the wasp, “Neither your honey nor your sting.”

To go with you. But with higher ranking officials than you. We learn that he was arrogant, and was unwilling to reveal that he was under God’s domination, except in insolent terms. Therefore, “Balak persisted. . .”

I will honor you greatly. More than you have received in the past, I will give you.

Silver and gold enough to fill his house. We learn that he was avaricious, and he coveted the money of others. He said, “He should rightfully give me all his gold and silver, since he would have to hire great armies, which may or may not succeed, whereas I will certainly succeed.”

I cannot transgress. He was forced to reveal that he was dominated by others. And he prophesied here that he would be unable to nullify the blesings which the patriarchs received by word of the Divine Presence.

You also. His mouth ensnared him. You, too, will, in the end, leave in frustration, like the first ones.

What more will [Adonoy tell me]. He will not alter his word from a blessing to a curse. Would that he does not add a blessing. Here, he prophesied that He (God) would bless them further through him (Bil’am).

If [the men have come] to call you. If the invitation is for you, any you expect remuneration, then rise and go with them.

However. In spite of you, whatever I will say to you, you will do. Nevertheless, “Bil’am went.” He said, “perhaps I can convince him to agree.”

[He] saddled his donkey. From here [we derive] that hatred breeds impropriety — he saddled it himself. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, “Evil one, their patriarch Avrohom has already preceded you”! as it is said: “Avrohom rose early and saddled his donkey.”

With the Moavite dignitaries. His heart (intent) was exactly the same as theirs.

Because he went. He saw that the thing was evil in the Omnipresent’s eyes, and yet he craved to go.

To thwart him. He was an angel of mercy, who wanted to prevent him from sinning, so that he would not sin and perish.

Accompanied by his two attendants. From here we derive that when a distinguished person embarks on a journey, he should bring along two people to attend him, who will, in turn, attend to one another.

The donkey saw. But he [Bilam] did not see, for the Holy One, Blessed is He, granted an animal greater perception than a man, who, because of his intelligence, would become deranged from the perception of destructive spirits.

With his sword drawn in his hand. He said, ”This evil one abandoned the tools of his trade, for the weapon of the gentile nations is the sword, whereas he accosted them with his mouth, which is their calling. So I will take hold of his [tool], and accost him with his calling. This, too, is the way he came to his end — “and Bil’am the son of B’or, they killed with the sword.”

In a narrow path. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, בִּשְׁבִיל, “in the path.” Similarly, “If the dust of Shomron is sufficient for the paths . . .,” the dust which attaches itself to the soles of the feet when walking. Similarly, “Who measured the waters with his step”? with his feet, when walking.

With a barrier at either side. Unless specified otherwise, גָּדֵר, refers to a barrier of stone.

She was pressed. She (the donkey), herself.

And pressed. Others — Bil’am’s foot.

Adonoy’s angel passed further ahead. Passing further before him, proceeding to place himself before him in a different place, as in, “he passed before them.” There is a Midrash Aggadah in Tanchuma: Why did he see fit to stop in three places? He showed him the signs of the patriarchs.

These three times (lit. legs). He hinted to him: “You seek to uproot a people which celebrates three pilgrimages a year?”

You ridiculed. This follows Targum [Onkelos]. The word denotes insult and humiliation.

Would that I had a sword in my hand. This matter was extremely disparaging for him in the eyes of the dignitaries. This man is en route to kill an entire nation verbally, yet, for this donkey, he requires weapons of war!

Was it ever my habit. This follows Targum [Onkelos]. Similarly, “does man benefit God by learning”? The Rabbis extrapolate this passage in the Talmud: They (the dignitaries) said to him, “Why are you not riding a horse”? He (Bil’am) said to them, ”I sent it out to pasture,” etc., as stated in Maseches Avodah Zarah.

Because your way is contrary to me. Our Rabbis, the sages of the Mishnah, expound this as an acronym: “She was afraid [of me], she saw [me], and she turned, because the course is against me,” as if to say, “to arouse my vengefulness, and to anger me.” According to the plain interpretation, “because the course hurried against me.” The word [יָרַט] denotes hurrying. Because I saw that the traveler along the course (Bil’am) hastened and hurried on the course to anger and defy me. This is a shortened passage, similar to “Dovid longed.” Another interpretation: יָרַט denotes desire. Similarly, “through the wicked, He strives for my good will,” He attempts to appease and comfort me through the wicked, who only anger me.

Had she not turned aside. Like לוּלֵא, “if not.” Sometimes אוּלַי, (lit. “perhaps”) is used to connote לוּלֵא, “if not.”

I would surely have killed you. This verse should be rearranged, to read “I would also have killed you.” As if to say, ”Not only would you have been restrained by me, but you also would have been killed.”

And she, I would let live. But now, because she spoke and admonished you, and you were unable to withstand her admonishment as it is written, “He said, ‘No”’ — I killed her, so that it should not be said, “this is the one that drove away Bil’am with her admonishment, and he was unable to reply.” For the Omnipresent is solicitous with human dignity. Similarly, “you shall kill the woman and the animal.” Similarly, “kill the animal.”

Because I did not know. This, too, was disparaging, but he was forced to concede. He had boasted that he could divine the thoughts of Heaven, but his own mouth bore witness, “I did not know.”

If it is wicked in your eyes, I shall return. This reply was an attack against the Omnipresent. He (Bil’am) said to him, “He Himself commanded me to go, yet you, an angel, are nullifying His words. This is customary with Him — He says something, and an angel withdraws it. He said to Avrohom, ‘please take your son, etc.’ then nullified His words through an angel. I, too, if it is wicked in your eyes, must return.”

Go with the men. A man is led along the path he wishes to follow.

Go with the men. Since your portion is with them — in the end you will perish from the earth.

But. In spite of your wishes, “the word that I will speak.”

With Balak’s dignitaries. He reveled in cursing them as much as they.

Balak heard. He dispatched emissaries to inform him.

To the city of Moav. To his metropolis, his most prominent city, as if to say, “Look at what they are trying to uproot”!

Am I really incapable of honoring you? He prophesied that he would, in the end, depart from him in disgrace.

Kiryas Chutzos The city filled with market places, with men, women, and children in its outer areas. As if to say, “observe, and take pity, so that they will not be uprooted.”

Cattle and sheep. A small amount — only one of the cattle, and one sheep.

Bamos Ba’al. As Targum [Onklos] renders, “To the heights of his deity.” [Ba’al is] the name of an idol.