Rashi on TanakhNumbers 23

Perhaps, Adonoy will appear to me. He does not usually speak with me by day.

He went away alone. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, “alone.” The word denotes placidity and quiet, as nothing but silence accompanied him.

Chanced to appear. The word denotes a casual occurrence; it denotes disgrace; it denotes the uncleanness of seminal emission. As if to say, “reluctantly and in humiliation.” He appeared to him by day only in order to display the preciousness of Bnei Yisroel.’

The seven altars. “I have arranged seven altars” is not written here, but אֶת־שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחֹת . He (Bil’am) said before Him: “Their patriarchs built seven altars before you, so I arranged [altars] to correspond with all of them. Avrohom built four: “He built an altar there to God, who had appeared to him.” “From there, he moved to the mountain, etc.,” “Avraham pitched his tent, etc.,” and one on Mount Moriah. Yitzchak built one: “He built an altar there, etc.” Ya’akov built two: One in Shechem, and one in Beis El.

And I offered an ox and a ram on the altar. But Avraham only offered up a single ram.

Curse Yaakov for me; Go, invoke wrath against Yisroel. He instructed him to curse them with both names, in case one of them was not the principal one.

How can I curse, when God has not cursed. When they deserved to have been cursed, they were not cursed. When their father mentioned their sin, “For they killed a man in their rage,” he cursed only their rage, as it is said, “Cursed is their rage.” When their father entered deceitfully to his father, he deserved to have been cursed. What is said there? “Let him also be blessed.” Of those who were to declare blessings it is said, “these [tribes] shall stand to bless the people.” Of those who were to declare curses, is not said, “these shall stand to curse the people,” but “these shall stand at the curse” — He did not want to invoke the word “curse” against them.

If Adonoy has not been angry. I have no power, except that I know how to pinpoint the moment when the Holy One, Blessed is He, is angry. But He was not angry during all those days that I came to you. This is why it is said, “My people, remember, now, what [Balak] advised, etc., and what Bil’am replied to him, etc., so that you may know God’s righteousness.”

For I view it from the mountain peaks (lit. head of the mountains). I gaze at their origins, the beginnings of their roots, and I perceive that they are well founded and powerful, like the mountains and the hills, because of the patriarchs and the matriarchs.

Behold! A people which shall dwell alone. This was acquired for them by their forefathers — to dwell alone, as rendered by Targum [Onkelos].

And will not be reckoned among the nations. As Targum [Onkelos] explains, they will not be annihilated with the other nations, as it is said, “for I shall annihilate all the nations, etc.” They will not be reckoned with the rest. Another interpretation: When they rejoice, no nation rejoices with them, as it is said, “God shall give them repose alone.” But when the nations prosper, they partake with each of them, without debiting the balance of their account. This is [the meaning of] “and will not be reckoned among the nations.”

Who can count the dust of Yaakov. As Targum [Onkelos] interprets, “the children of the house of Yaakov, etc., . . . of the four camps” — of the four banners. Another interpretation [of] the dust of Yaakov, One cannot reckon the commandments which they perform with dust. “Do not plow with an ox and a donkey,” “do not plant kilayim,” the dust of the [red] cow, the dust of the sotah, and similar ones.

Or count the seed of Yisroel. The seed which emanates during their intercourse.

May my soul die the death of the righteous. Among them.

Curse them for me. The word denotes a command: “Curse them for me.”

Field of Tzofim. This was an elevated area where a lookout was stationed to watch for forces which might approach the city.

To the peak of the mountain. Bil’am was not as great a sorcerer as Balak. Balak divined that Bnei Yisroel would suffer a severe breach there, for Moshe died there. He thought that the curse would descend upon them from there, that this is the breach that I divine.

I will be called here by chance. By the Holy One, blessed is He. I will be called by chance. This denotes the reflexive usage.

And placed the word in his mouth. What is this placing, and what would Scripture have been lacking if it had said, “return to Balak and say the following”? But when he heard that he was not permitted to curse, he said, “Why should I return to Balak merely to bring him grief”? So the Holy One, Blessed is He, placed a rein and a bit in his mouth, like a man who equips his animal with a bit to lead it wherever he wishes. He said to him, “You will be forced to return to Balak.”

Accompanied by the Moavite dignitaries. Above it states “and all the Moavite dignitaries.” When they saw that it was hopeless, some departed, leaving only some others.

What did Adonoy say? This denotes derision, as if to say, “you are not your own master.”

Arise, Balak. When he saw that he was ridiculing him, he intended to irritate him. “Stand on your feet! You are not permitted to remain seated while I serve as the Omnipresent’s emissary to you.”

Son of (lit. his son) Tzipor. This is a Scriptural usage, like “beasts (lit. his beasts) of the forest,” “beasts (lit. his beasts) of the earth,” “into a spring (lit. his spring) of water.”

God is not like man, etc. He has already sworn to them to bring them and give them possession of the land of the seven nations, and you think that you can kill them in the wilderness?

Would He say, etc. The word denotes a question. Targum [Onkelos] translates “who retract and reconsider” — they retract, then reconsider whether to change their minds.

Behold I was commanded to bless. You ask me, “what has God said”? I have received [instructions] from Him to bless them. [Bless. Similar “to bless.”]

[When] He has blessed, I cannot reverse it. He has blessed them, and I will not reverse his blessing.

He has blessed. As if it were וּבִרֵךְ . This is how the letter ר is conjugated, like אוֹיֵב חֵרֵף, as if it were חִרֵף . Similarly, וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ One who lauds and blesses the thief, saying “have no fear, you will not be punished, you will be at peace,” angers the Holy One, Blessed is He. But one cannot say that בֵּרֵךְ is a noun, for if so, it would be vocalized with a minor patach [segol, בֶּרֶךְ], with the accent above. However, because it connotes action, it is vocalized with a minor komatz [tzayreh, בֵּרֵךְ], with the accent below.

One does not see evildoers in Yaakov. As Targum [Onkelos] renders. Another interpretation: By following its plain meaning, it may be expounded beautifully. The Holy One, Blessed is He, does not look at the evil in Yaakov. When they transgress His commandments, He does not pursue them exactingly by reflecting on the wickedness and wrongdoing of their violation of His doctrines.

Transgression. The word [עמל, (lit. tediousness)] denotes sin, as in “sin conceives,” “for you observe sinful and infuriating behaviour.” Because sinfulness is tedious before the Omnipresent.

Adonoy, his God, is with him. Even when they anger Him and are rebellious, He does not leave them.

He has the King’s friendship. The word denotes affection and friendship, like “David’s comrade” — one who loves David, “and he gave it to his fellow.” Similarly, Onkelos renders “the King’s Presence is among them.”

God Who has brought them out of Egypt. You said, “behold, a nation came out of Egypt” — they did not leave by themselves, God delivered them.

Has shown His great strength to them. Like the power of His loftiness and elevation. Similarly, “and silver [shall be your] strength.” It denotes strength. Now I say that the word [תּוֹעֲפֹת] is from וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף. (“and let birds fly,”) someone who flies to a lofty elevation — this is a great application of power. וְתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם, lofty flight. Another interpretation [of] תוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם, “the power of the re’emim.” The Rabbis explain that this refers to the demons and evil spirits.

For there is no sorcery in Yaakov. For they deserve to be blessed, since there are no sorcerers or magicians among them.

In due time, it will be said to Yaakov, etc. There is destined to be another time such as this, when their preciousness will be revealed before everyone’s eyes, for they will be seated before Him studying the Torah from His mouth, and their partition will be further within, than the administering angels, who will ask them, “What has God done”? This is [the meaning of] what is said, “your eyes shall behold your master.” Another interpretation: יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב does not refer to the future, but to the present. They have no need for magicians and sorcerers, for at any time when it is necessary that Yaakov and Yisroel be told what the Holy One, Blessed is He, has done, and what He has decreed on high, they do not perform magic or sorcery. Rather, they are told through their prophets what the Omnipresent’s decree is, or, the Urim and Tummim informs them. Onkelos, however, does not interpret this way.

Behold, a people that rises like a young lion, etc. When they rise from their slumber in the morning, they are as vigorous as the young lion and the lion, to snatch the mitzvos wearing a Tallis, reading the Shema, and putting on the Tefillin.

He does not lie down. At night on his bed until he consumes and destroys every harmful spirit which comes to attack him. How is this? He reads the bedtime Shema, and entrusts his soul in the hand of the Omnipresent. If a corps or army comes to attack them, the Holy One, Blessed is He, protects them — and fights their battles, and strikes them (the attackers) dead. Another interpretation of “behold, a people rises like a lion, etc.,” is as Targum [Onkelos] renders.

And drinks the blood of its kill. He prophesied that Moshe would not die until he would strike the Midianite kings dead, and he (Bil’am) would be killed with them, as it is said, “and Bil’am the son of Beor, the sorcerer, the Bnei Yisroel killed by the sword, with the others whom they killed.”

Also do not curse them. The first “also” is added to the second “also,” and the second “also” to the first “also.” Similarly, “also to me, also to you, let him not be.” Similarly, “also the youth, also the virgin.”

And you will curse them for me. This is not a command, like “curse them,” but the future tense. “Perhaps it will be proper in His eyes, and you will curse them for me, from there.” “Malduras lui” (you will curse them), in Old French.

To the peak of Pe’or. Balak was a great sorcerer, and he saw that they were destined to be smitten through Pe’or, but he didn’t know in what way. He said, “Perhaps the curse will descend on them from there.” It is similar with all the star gazers — they see, but do not know what they see.