## Kli Yakar on Numbers Chapter 23

###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:8:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:8:1)

**מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל.** הוּא אוֹמֵר לִי ״אָרָה״ שֶׁהוּא גְּדוֹלָה מִן ״קָבָה״, אֲפִלּוּ בְּ״קָבָה״ אֵין לִי כֹּחַ, קַל וָחֹמֶר בְּ״אָרָה״. אֲבָל לְפִי רַשִׁ״י שֶׁ״קָּבָה״ גְּדוֹלָה מֵ״אָרָה״ לֹא יִתְיַשֵּׁב כְּלָל מַה שֶׁהִתְחִיל בְּ״אָרָה״ וְסִיֵּם בְּ״קָבָה״. וְיִתָּכֵן לְפָרֵשׁ, מָה אֶקּוֹב לֹא קַבֹּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת אֵל, כִּי הָאֻמּוֹת כְּשֶׁהַצָּרָה בָּא עֲלֵיהֶם הוּא מְקַלֵּל בְּמַלְכּוֹ וּבֵאלֹהָיו, אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָן כֵּן, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ אִם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּחֹזֶק וָתֹקֶף כְּהוֹרָאַת שֵׁם ״אֵל״, מִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא קַבֹּה, וְאֵינוֹ מְקַלֵּל אֶלָּא מְבָרֵךְ גַּם עַל הָרָעָה. לְפִיכָךְ גַּם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא יָקֹב אוֹתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בִּשְׁעַת קַלְקָלָתָם. ״וּמָה אֶזְעֹם לֹא זָעַם ה׳״, כִּי הָאֻמּוֹת מְהַפְּכִין ה׳ מִמִּדַּת הָרַחֲמִים לַדִּין, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעוֹלָם לֹא זָעַם אֶת ה׳, לֹא הִכְעִיס אֶת מִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים לְהַפְּכָהּ לְמִדַּת הַדִּין.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**How can I execrate whom God has not execrated,** he says to me, “Curse them,” which is greater than execrate [*kavah*], [but] even a simple execration [*kavah*] I don’t have the power [to do], how much less so a more severe curse [*arah*]. But according to Rashi, who [says] that *kavah*> is greater than *arah*, it doesn’t fit at all why he started with *arah* and ended with *kavah*. And it’s possible to explain **How can I curse Israel who has not cursed God,** because when trouble comes upon the nations, they curse their king and their god. But Israel is not like that — even if the Holy One, blessed be He, comes upon them with strength and force, as indicated by the name El, nevertheless they do not execrate, and they do not curse but rather bless even for the bad. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not curse them even in their time of disgrace. **And how can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced,** because the nations transform the Lord from the attribute of mercy to judgment, but Israel has never denounced the Lord, never angered the attribute of mercy to turn it into the attribute of judgment.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:9:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:9:1)

**כִּי מֵרֹאשׁ צוּרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ.** יִחוּס שֶׁלּוֹ אֵינוֹ מִן תֶּרַח אֶלָּא מִן אַבְרָהָם שֶׁנִּקְרָא ״צוּר״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נא א-ב): ״הַבִּיטוּ אֶל צוּר חֻצַּבְתֶּם וְגוֹ׳, הַבִּיטוּ אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֲבִיכֶם״. וְאוֹתוֹ צוּר – תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ עִם ה׳ הָיָה, וּבִעֵר כָּל הַגִּלּוּלִים מִן הָאָרֶץ. ״וּמִגְּבָעוֹת״, אֵלּוּ הָאִמָּהוֹת, ״אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ״, מִשָּׁם רֹאשׁ יִחוּס שֶׁלּוֹ. ״הֶן עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן״ וְגוֹ׳, מִיּוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְאַבְרָהָם ״לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ״ וְגוֹ׳, מֵאָז וָהָלְאָה נִתְבּוֹדֵד מִן כָּל אֻמָּה, וְאֵין לוֹ צֵרוּף לֹא לְבֵית אָבִיו וְלֹא לְשׁוּם אֻמָּה, כִּי לָקַח אוֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים לְחֶלְקוֹ. וְתֵדַע שֶׁכָּךְ הוּא, כִּי לֹא נָתַן הַקב״ה מִסְפָּר לְשׁוּם אֻמָּה כִּי אִם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהוּא הַדָּבָר הַמּוֹרֶה עַל מַעֲלָתָן כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ לְמַעְלָה פָּרָשַׁת בְּמִדְבַּר. וְעַל זֶה אָמַר: ״מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב״ וְגוֹ׳, כִּי זֶה מוֹפֵת שֶׁאֵין לוֹ צֵרוּף עִם כָּל אֻמָּה וְלָשׁוֹן. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר: ״וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב״, כִּי כָל חֶשְׁבּוֹן עִנְיָנוֹ הַמִּסְפָּר, וְאָמַר שֶׁכָּל הַגּוֹיִם אֵין לָהֶם חֶשְׁבּוֹן פְּרָטִי אֶלָּא כְּלָלִי, אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לָהֶם מִסְפָּר פְּרָטִי, אֲפִלּוּ בִּהְיוֹת יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּחוֹל הַיָּם. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר: ״מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב״, אֲפִלּוּ בִּזְמַן שֶׁהֵם רַבִּים כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ נָתַן לָהֶם מִנְיָן פְּרָטִי, וְלֹא דַּי בְּמִסְפָּר זֶה, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁאַחַר הַמִּסְפָּר עֲשָׂאָם אַרְבָּעָה דְּגָלִים וְנָתַן שֵׁנִית מִסְפָּר מְיֻחָד לְכָל דֶּגֶל שֶׁהוּא רְבִיעִית הַמַּחֲנֶה. זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר: ״וּמִסְפָּר אֶת רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל״, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה, אֶלָּא שֶׁבָּא לְהַרְאוֹת שֶׁהֵם עִקַּר הָעוֹלָם כְּאִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בָּעוֹלָם זוּלָתָם, וְכָל מַה שֶּׁחוּץ מֵהֶם אֵינוֹ נֶחְשָׁב מִכְּלַל אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם. וְזֶה רְאָיָה שֶׁתֶּרַח אֲבִי אַבְרָהָם אֵינוֹ מִכְּלַל הַיִּשּׁוּב, וְאֵין אַבְרָהָם מִתְיַחֵס אַחֲרָיו כְּלָל.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**As I see them from the mountain tops [*rosh tzurim*]:** [Israel’s] pedigree is not from Terach but rather from Abraham, who was called *tzur*, as it is stated, *Look to the rock [tzur*]you were hewn from, to the quarry you were dug from. Look back to Abraham your father (Isaiah 51:1-2). And that *tzur* acted completely with the Lord and destroyed all of the idols from the land. *Gaze on them from the heights*: These are the matriarchs. The head of its pedigree is from there. *They are a people that dwells apart, etc.*: From the day that it was said to Abraham, *Go from your land, etc.*, from then on, he isolated himself from every nation and has no connection to his father’s home or to any other nation, for the Lord took him as His portion. And know that it is so! For the Holy One, blessed be He, has not given a number to any nation besides Israel. And this thing indicates their importance, as we explained above in Parashat Bemidbar. And about this, he said, *who can count the dust of Jacob, etc.*. As this is a sign that it has no partnership with any [other] nation or language. And this is [the meaning of] *not reckoned among the nations*. For the notion of any reckoning is a number. So he said that none of the nations have a specific reckoning but rather a general [one]. But Israel has a specific number, even as Judah and Israel are like the sand of the sea. And this is [the meaning of] *who can count the dust of Jacob, etc.* — even at the time that they are as numerous as the dust of the earth, they are given a specific number. And this number is not enough, but rather even after the numbering, He made them four camps and again gave a particular number to each camp, which is a fourth of the [whole] camp. And this is [the meaning of] what is written, *and the number of the fourth part of Israel*. And why so much? Rather, it comes to show us that they are the essence of the world; as if there are not four directions in the world without them, and anything that is beyond them is not considered part of the four directions of the world at all. And this is proof that Terach, the father of Abraham, was not part of the [clan], and Abraham is not related to him at all.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:10:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:10:1)

וְאָמַר **תָּמֹת נַפְשִׁי מוֹת יְשָׁרִים.** לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, ״וּתְהִי אַחֲרִיתִי כָּמֹהוּ״ לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד, כִּי הַמִּיתָה דַּוְקָא בַּגּוּף הַבָּא מֵאָב וָאֵם, שֶׁקָּרָא ״יְשָׁרִים״. ״וּתְהִי אַחֲרִיתִי כָּמֹהוּ״ כִּי הָאַחֲרִית וְהַהִשָּׁאֲרוּת הוּא בַּנְּשָׁמוֹת הַבָּאִים מִמְּקוֹר הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְהַנְּשָׁמָה דּוֹמָה לַבּוֹרֵא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים (ברכות י.), לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ״כָּמֹהוּ״. וְהָרִיבָ״ה פֵּרֵשׁ שֶׁסוֹפֵי תֵּיבוֹת שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק יַעֲקֹב בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא בִּלְעָם, וְזֶהוּ ״אַחֲרִיתִי כָּמֹהוּ״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And he said, “May I die the death of the upright,” which is in the plural form, and “May my end be like his,” which is in the singular form**. Since death is specifically with the body that comes from the father and mother, he called them the upright [in plural]. But *May my end be like his* is because the end and the remnant are in the souls which come from the source of God, may He be blessed. And the soul is similar to the Creator in five ways (Berakhot 10a). That is why it is stated, *like his/His*. And Rabbi Yaakov Baal HaTurim explained that the final letters of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have the numerical equivalent of Balaam. And that is *May my end be like his*.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:14:1)

**וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ שְׂדֵה צוֹפִים.** אַחַר שֶׁלֹּא יָכוֹל לִמְצֹא שֶׁמֶץ פְּסוּל עַל זֶה בַּשָּׁרָשִׁים, חָזַר לִהְיוֹת צוֹפֶה וּמַבִּיט בָּעֲנָפִים, דְּהַיְנוּ לָבֹא עַל הַתּוֹלָדוֹת מִצַּד חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל שֶׁעָשׂוּ. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר ״אֶפֶס קָצֵהוּ תִּרְאֶה וְכֻלּוֹ לֹא תִרְאֶה״, כִּי אֵין הָאָבוֹת בִּכְלַל הַבָּנִים. וְעוֹד, שֶׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל כִּי אִם הַמּוּקְצִים שֶׁבָּעָם, שֶׁהֲרֵי שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי לֹא הִסְכִּימוּ. וְאָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶנּוּ מִשָּׁם״, כִּי עַל יְדֵי הָעֵגֶל נַעֲשׂוּ מְגֻלִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות לב כה): ״וַיַּרְא מֹשֶׁה אֶת הָעָם כִּי פָרֻעַ הוּא״, פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ״י, מְגֻלֶּה. וְרָאוּ כָּל הָעַמִּים כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ סָר מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עַל יְדֵי הָעֵגֶל, וְזֶהוּ ״שְׂדֵה צוֹפִים״ שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן הַבָּטָה.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**“And he took him to the field of Tzofim [watchers/seers].”** After he could not find any trace of disqualification from idolatry through the roots, he returned to watch and look at the branches, namely to address the offspring through the sin of the Golden Calf that they made. And regarding this, it is said, *you will see only its edge but you will not see all of it*, because the patriarchs are not included among the children. Furthermore, only the inferior elements of the nation made the Golden Calf, as the tribe of Levi did not consent to it. And he said, *from where you will see them*, because through the Golden Calf they became exposed, as it is written *And Moses saw that the people were exposed* (Exodus 32:25), which Rashi explains as “uncovered,” and all the nations saw that the name of God had departed from them because of the Golden Calf. This is the meaning of *field of Tzofim*, which is an expression of watching/observing.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:2
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:14:2)

וּבָאָה הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֵלָיו שֶׁגַּם בָּזֶה טָעוּ, כִּי ״לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן״ זֶה ״בְּיַעֲקֹב״, כִּי אִם הָעֵרֶב רַב לְבַדּוֹ הָיָה מָקוֹר אֶל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַהוּא. ״וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר וְגוֹ׳ לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב וּבֶן אָדָם וְיִתְנֶחָם״, הֵבִיא לוֹ מוֹפֵת עַל טָעוּתוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל (שם לב יד): ״וַיִּנָּחֶם ה׳ עַל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת לְעַמּוֹ״, וְכִי יֵשׁ נְחָמָה לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, וַהֲלֹא לֹא אָדָם הוּא לְהִתְנַחֵם. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אֲפִלּוּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה מֵעוֹלָם לֹא עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לְכַלּוֹתָם, כִּי לֹא פָשְׁעוּ בּוֹ, אַךְ הָעֵרֶב רַב הָיָה הָעִקָּר בַּמַּעֲשֶׂה הַהוּא שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַל יְדֵי נַחַשׁ וְקֶסֶם, וְחָשַׁב ה׳ פֶּן יִטְעוּ גַּם יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרָיו, וְהָיָה מְגַזֵּם לָהֶם בְּכִלָּיוֹן כִּי עָבֵיד אִינֵּשׁ דְּגָזֵים וְלָא עָבֵיד, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ״אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת״, וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר ״אֲשֶׁר בִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת״, אֶלָּא מֵעוֹלָם לֹא בִּקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת דֶּרֶךְ גִּזּוּם לְבַד, וְלֹא כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת מַמָּשׁ. וְזֶה דַּוְקָא ״לְעַמּוֹ״, דְּהַיְנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבָל עַל הָעֵרֶב רַב לֹא נִחַם כְּלָל, וְעֹזְבֵי ה׳ יִכְלוּ עַל יְדֵי הָעֳנָשִׁים הַמְבֹאָרִים פָּרָשַׁת כִּי תִשָּׂא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ״י, בְּשָׁלֹשׁ מִיתוֹת נִדּוֹנוּ שָׁם כוּ׳. וְאֶצְלֵנוּ נִרְאֶה כְּאִלּוּ נִחַם ה׳ עַל זֹאת, וְאֵל ה׳ הוּא הַיּוֹדֵעַ (יהושע כב כב) שֶׁגַּם מִתְּחִלָּה כָּךְ הָיְתָה דַּעְתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ. אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְזִידִין בַּדָּבָר אִם כֵּן וַדַּאי יִעֵד לָהֶם עֹנֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ וְהָיְתָה כָּאן נֶחָמָה מַמָּשׁ, וְזֶה אֵינוֹ, כִּי לֹא בֶּן אָדָם הוּא וְיִתְנֶחָם, אֶלָּא ״הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה״, שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה שָׁם כִּי אִם אֲמִירָה וְדִבּוּר לְבַד דֶּרֶךְ גִּזּוּם וְלֹא כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְהָקִים, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה״, ״וְלֹא יְקִימֶנָּה״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And the answer came to him that they were wrong about this as well,** for He did not see iniquity in Jacob, only the mixed multitude alone was the source of that deed. *And he took up his discourse and said, etc., God is not a man that He should lie, or a son of man that He should change His mind*. He brought him proof of his error, for it is said regarding the incident of the Golden Calf, *And the Lord relented from the evil which He said He would do to His people* (Exodus 32:14). Is there a change of mind before the Blessed One? Is He not *not a man* that He should change His mind?
Rather, certainly, even initially, it never entered His blessed mind to destroy them, for they did not transgress against Him; but the mixed multitude was the main party in that deed, which they performed through sorcery and divination. And God considered that perhaps Israel might also err after it, so He threatened them with destruction, for a person may threaten but not carry out. Therefore it says *which He said He would do* and not *which He sought to do*, because He never sought to do it but only spoke of doing it as a mere threat, not to actually do it. And this specifically *to His people*, meaning the children of Israel, but regarding the mixed multitude, He did not relent at all, and *those who forsake the Lord shall perish* through the punishments explained in Parshat Ki Tisa, as Rashi explained with the three types of death sentences given there, etc.
And to us it appears as if God changed His mind about this, but *God, the Lord, He knows* (Joshua 22:22) that even from the beginning this was His blessed intention. But if Israel had acted deliberately in the matter, then certainly He would have decreed an actual punishment for them, and there would have been a genuine change of mind, but this is not the case because *He is not a son of man that He should change His mind*. Rather, *He has said, and will He not do it?* — meaning there was only a statement and a verbal threat, not an intention to actually do and establish it. This is what is meant by *and will He not do it, and will He not fulfill it?*


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:3
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:14:3)

וְהַכֶּפֶל שֶׁבְּפָסוּק זֶה טַעֲמוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר הַקב״ה לְמֹשֶׁה ״הַנִּיחָה לִּי וְיִחַר אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם״ וְגוֹ׳ (שמות לב י), הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה שָׁם אֲמִירָה רַכָּה וְהַבְטָחָה טוֹבָה לְמֹשֶׁה, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ: ״וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל״, וְהָיָה שָׁם דִּבּוּר קָשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם לֹא נִתְקַיְּמוּ. וְכְנֶגֶד הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמֹשֶׁה נֶאֱמַר כָּאן: ״לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב״, כִּי לְשׁוֹן כִּזּוּב מוֹרֶה עַל הַמַּבְטִיחַ לְהֵטִיב וְאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם, וּכְנֶגְדוֹ נֶאֱמַר: ״הַהוּא אָמַר״, אֲמִירָה רַכָּה, ״וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה״, וּכְנֶגֶד הָרָעָה אָמַר: ״וּבֶן אָדָם וְיִתְנֶחָם״, כִּי לְשׁוֹן נֶחָמָה הוּא עַל הָרָעָה, וּכְנֶגֶד זֶה אָמַר: ״וְדִבֶּר וְלֹא יְקִימֶנָּה״, וּבְדֶרֶךְ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**The repetition in this verse is explained as follows:** When God said to Moses, *Leave Me alone so that My anger may burn against them and I will destroy them, etc.* (Exodus 32:10), there was a gentle statement and a good promise to Moses saying, *I will make you into a great nation*, and there was a harsh pronouncement against Israel. Neither of these came to pass. Corresponding to the good that He said He would do for Moses, it says here, *God is not a man that He should lie*, for the term “lying” refers to one who promises to do good but does not fulfill it. Corresponding to this it says, *He has said* — a gentle saying — *and will He not do it?* And corresponding to the evil, it says, *or a son of man that He should change His mind*, for the term “changing one’s mind” refers to changing course regarding harm. Corresponding to this it says, *He has spoken, and will He not fulfill it?* as has been explained.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:4
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:14:4)

וְאָמַר **הִנֵּה בָרֵךְ לָקָחְתִּי.** הַיְינוּ לִי, כִּי כְּבָר אָמַרְתִּי ״וּתְהִי אַחֲרִיתִי כָּמֹהוּ״, וְאִם אֲקַלְלֵם אֲקַלֵּל גַּם עַצְמִי, לְכָךְ ״לֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנָּה״. ״לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב״, אַתָּה לְקַחְתַּנִי שְׂדֵה צוֹפִים לִהְיוֹת צוֹפֶה וּמַבִּיט בְּאָוֶן וְעָמָל שֶׁלָּהֶם, מָה אוּכַל לְהַבִּיט אִם ה׳ לֹא הִבִּיט בָּהֶם עָמָל וְאָוֶן? וַאֲפִלּוּ הַחוֹטְאִים הָהֵם לֹא כָּפְרוּ בֵּאלֹהִים לְגַמְרֵי אֶלָּא שִׁתְּפוּ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם לְדָבָר אַחֵר, כִּי לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ״אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ״ בְּוָי״ו, וְאָמְרוּ רז״ל (סנהדרין סג.) אִלְמָלֵא וָי״ו שֶׁבְּ״הֶעֱלוּךָ״ נִתְחַיְּבוּ שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּלָיָה, כִּי בְּוָי״ו יֵשׁ הוֹרָאָה שֶׁלֹּא נָתְנוּ תִּפְלָה בֵּאלֹהִים אֶלָּא הוֹדוּ כִּי ה׳ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וְהָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה נִתְמַנָּה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה, לְכָךְ אָמְרוּ ״אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ״. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר כָּאן: ״ה׳ אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ״, שֶׁטָּעֲנוּ כִּי ה׳ אֱלֹהָיו הוּא עִמּוֹ, עִם הָעֵגֶל, וּמָסַר לוֹ הַהַנְהָגָה לִהְיוֹת בֵּינֵיהֶם כְּמֶלֶךְ וְלֹא אֱלֹהִים מַמָּשׁ, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר: ״וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And He said: Behold, I have received a blessing,** which means for myself, because I already said *May my end be like his*, and if I curse them, I will also curse myself. Therefore, I will not retract it. *He does not see iniquity in Jacob*. You brought me to a viewing field to observe and look at their iniquity and trouble. How can I look if the Lord does not see iniquity and trouble in them? Even those sinners did not completely deny God but rather associated God’s name with something else. This is why it says *who brought you up* with the letter vav [making who plural]. And our Sages said (Sanhedrin 63a): “If not for the vav in *who brought you up*, the enemies of Israel [a euphemism for Israel] would have been destroyed,” because with the vav there is an indication that they did not deny God completely, but acknowledged that the Lord is God, and this calf was appointed as king over all the earth by divine decree. Therefore they said *who brought you up* [in plural]. And this is the meaning of *the Lord his God is with him* — they claimed that the Lord their God is with him, with the calf, and handed over the leadership to it to be among them as a king, not as an actual god. This is what is meant by *the signal of the King is in him*.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:5
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:14:5)

אוֹ יֹאמַר, שֶׁאַף בִּשְׁעַת הַחֵטְא ״ה׳ אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ״, לֹא כָּפְרוּ בּוֹ לְגַמְרֵי, וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם נִשְׁאַר בּוֹ. וְתֵדַע שֶׁכָּךְ הוּא, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה ״רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלֵיתָ״, (שמות לב ז), הַיְינוּ הָעָם שֶׁהֶעֱלָה מֹשֶׁה, וְזֶה וַדַּאי לֹא אָמַר כְּלַפֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי ״אֵל מוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם״ וְלֹא מֹשֶׁה הוֹצִיאָם, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי שֶׁכְּלַפֵּי הָעֵרֶב רַב אָמַר שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה הֶעֱלָם מִדַּעְתּוֹ. וְהָרְאָיָה שֶׁלְּכָךְ אָמַר מֹשֶׁה: ״לָמָה ה׳ יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ״ וְגוֹ׳ (שם לב יא), דְּהַיְינוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר ״אֵל מוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם״, כִּי לְשׁוֹן ״הוֹצֵאתָ״ שַׁיָּךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לְמִצְרַיִם וְיָצְאוּ, אֲבָל גַּבֵּי הָעֵרֶב רַב אָמַר ״כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלֵיתָ״, כִּי לְשׁוֹן יְצִיאָה אֵין שַׁיָּךְ בָּהֶם, כִּי מִי הִכְנִיסָם שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ. וּכְפִי הַפְּשָׁט יִתָּכֵן לְפָרֵשׁ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר ״רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלֵיתָ״ בְּמַעֲלָה עַל יְדֵי בִּזַּת מִצְרַיִם, כִּי מִשָּׁם נִתְעַשְּׁרוּ, וְעַל יְדֵי רֹב זָהָב עָשׂוּ הָעֵגֶל. לְכָךְ אָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלֵיתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם״, כִּי נִתְעַלּוּ בְּעֹשֶׁר שֶׁל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. אֲבָל בִּתְפִלַּת מֹשֶׁה לֹא הָיָה מָקוֹם לְהַזְכִּיר זֶה, לְכָךְ אָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**Or it may say that even at the time of sin, “the Lord his God is with him,”** they did not completely deny Him, and the signal of the King of the world remained in them. And you should know that this is so, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: *Go down, for your people have become corrupt, whom you brought up* (Exodus 32:7). That is, the people that Moses brought up, and this was certainly not said regarding Israel, for it was God who brought them out of Egypt, not Moses who brought them out. Rather, it was certainly said regarding the mixed multitude, whom Moses brought up on his own initiative. And the proof is that Moses said: *Why, O Lord, does Your anger burn against Your people whom You brought out, etc.* (Exodus 32:11), meaning Israel, whom God brought out of Egypt. For the term *brought out* applies to Israel who entered Egypt and came out. But regarding the mixed multitude, He said: *For your people have become corrupt, whom you brought up*, because the term “bring out” does not apply to them, for who put them in that they should come out? And according to the simple meaning, it is possible to explain that the Holy One, blessed be He, said: *Go down, for your people have become corrupt, whom you brought up* in status through the spoils of Egypt, for from there they became wealthy, and through abundance of gold they made the calf. Therefore, He said: *whom you brought up from the land of Egypt*, for they were elevated by the wealth of the land of Egypt. But in Moses’ prayer, there was no place to mention this; therefore he said: *whom You brought out*.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:6
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:14:6)

**כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳.** וּכְבָר יָדַעְתָּ כִּי הָעֵגֶל נַעֲשָׂה עַל יְדֵי כִּשּׁוּף, וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא נַחַשׁ וְקֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַדַּאי לֹא עָשָׂאוּ הָעֵגֶל כִּי אִם הָעֵרֶב רַב. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, אִם אֵין בָּהֶם נַחַשׁ וְקֶסֶם אִם כֵּן בַּמֶּה יִוָּדַע לָהֶם הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳, עַל זֶה אָמַר: ״כָּעֵת יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה פָּעַל אֵל״, כִּי כָּל הַקּוֹרוֹת הַתְּלוּיִין בְּעֵת וּזְמַן הַהוֹוִים וְנִפְסָדִים, ״יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב״, אֲפִלּוּ לִקְטַנֵּיהֶם, וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א יב לב): ״וּמִבְּנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר יוֹדְעֵי בִינָה לַעִתִּים״, וּ״לְיִשְׂרָאֵל״ דְּהַיְינוּ לַחֲשׁוּבֵיהֶם, ״יֵאָמֵר מַה פָּעַל אֵל״, כִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָרוּחָנִיִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כּוֹנְנָם בְּיָדָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות טו יז): ״מִקְּדָשׁ ה׳ כּוֹנְנוּ יָדֶיךָ״, וּכְתִיב (תהלים לא כ): ״מָה רַב טוּבְךָ וְגוֹ׳ פָּעַלְתָּ לַחוֹסִים בָּךְ״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**“For there is no divination in Jacob, etc.”** You already know that the [golden] calf was made through sorcery, and since there is no divination or magic in Israel, certainly the Israelites did not make the calf, but rather the mixed multitude. And if you ask: If they have no divination or magic, then how will they know what God has spoken? Regarding this, it says, *at this time it is told to Jacob and to Israel what God has done.* For all events dependent on time and season that come into being and pass away will be told to Jacob, even to their little ones, as it is said: *And from the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times* (1 Chronicles 12:32). And to Israel — that is, to their distinguished ones — it will be told what God has done, because spiritual matters were established by the Holy One, blessed be He, with His own hands, as it is written: *The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established* (Exodus 15:17), and it is written: *How abundant is Your goodness… that You have done for those who take refuge in You* (Psalms 31:20).


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:7
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:14:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:14:7)

**הֵן עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם.** יָדוּעַ שֶׁכָּל עִקַּר מַעֲשֵׂה כִּשּׁוּף בַּלַּיְלָה, כִּי בוֹ תִרְמוֹשׂ כָּל חַיְתוֹ יָעַר, אֵלּוּ הַמַּזִּיקִים, וְכָל הָעוֹסְקִים עִמָּהֶם הֵם מֻכִּים וּמְעֻנִּים, וְיֵרֶא בַּבֹּקֶר וְהִנֵּה פְּנֵיהֶם זֹעֲפִים, לֹא תֹּאַר וְלֹא הָדָר לָהֶם, וְהֵם חֲלוּשֵׁי כֹּחַ, כִּי רֻבָּם מַרְעִיבִים אֶת עַצְמָם כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה עֲלֵיהֶם רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה. וְהֵן עָם זֶה כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם מִשְּׁנָתוֹ, חָזָק וּבָרִיא אוּלָם. וְזֶה מוֹפֵת שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עֵסֶק בְּנַחַשׁ וְקֶסֶם, וְאַדְרַבָּה, ״לֹא יִשְׁכַּב עַד יֹאכַל טֶרֶף, וּכְפֵרוּשׁ רַשִׁ״י שֶׁאוֹמֵר קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל מִטָּתוֹ וּמַבְרִיחַ הַמַּזִּיקִין מֵעָלָיו, וְאִם כֵּן וַדַּאי אֵין לוֹ עֵסֶק עִמָּהֶם כְּלָל. וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ נָכוֹן.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**Behold, a people rises like a lion.** It is known that the main practice of sorcery is at night, for in it roam all the beasts of the forest — these are the harmful spirits. And all those who engage with them are afflicted and tormented, and when they wake in the morning, their faces are angry, with neither form nor splendor, and they are weak in strength. For most of them starve themselves so that the spirit of impurity may rest upon them. But behold, this people rises from their sleep like a lion, strong and perfectly healthy, and this is proof that they have no dealings with divination and sorcery. On the contrary, *he does not lie down until he devours prey*, as Rashi explains, that they recite the Shema before bed and drive away harmful spirits from themselves. Thus, certainly, they have no dealings with them at all. And this is the correct interpretation.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:15:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:15:1)

**וְאָנֹכִי אִקָּרֶה כֹּה.** פֵּרֵשׁ רַבֵּינוּ בְּחַיֵּי, לְבַטֵּל מֵהֶם בִּרְכַּת ״כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ״ (בראשית טו ה) וְ״כֹה תְבָרְכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ (במדבר ו כג). בָּזֶה רָאִיתִי לְתָרֵץ מַה שֶּׁמַּסִּיק בְּרַבָּתִי (במ״ר כ ז) כִּי אָמַר ״אוּלַי נַכֶּה בּוֹ״, לֹא בִּקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא לְנַכּוֹת מֵהֶם חֵלֶק עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה מִן שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא וְהַיְינוּ עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף. וְיֵשׁ לְהַקְשׁוֹת, מַה תּוֹעֶלֶת הָיָה לוֹ בָּזֶה אִם יֶחְסְרוּ עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף מִן שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, גַּם יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק לָמָּה נָפְלוּ בַּעֲצָתוֹ עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף וְלֹא יוֹתֵר וְלֹא פָּחוֹת. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי שֶׁעִקַּר כַּוָּנָתוֹ הָיְתָה לְבַטֵּל מֵהֶם בִּרְכַּת ״כֹּה״, כִּי עַל יְדֵי זֶה יָחוּלוּ הַקְּלָלוֹת, לְכָךְ לֹא בִּקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא לְנַכּוֹת חֵלֶק עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמְּנַכִּין מִן הַסְּאָה חֵלֶק עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה (ב״ב צג:) כָּךְ בִּקֵּשׁ לְנַכּוֹת חֵלֶק עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה, דְּהַיְינוּ עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף כְּמִסְפַּר ״כֹּה״. וְלֹא עָלְתָה בְּיָדוֹ, כִּי לֹא הִפִּיל אֶלָּא עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף, עַד כֹּה וְלֹא עַד בִּכְלָל, כִּי בְּבוֹאוֹ לְמִסְפַּר עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה עָמְדוּ לָהֶם הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁל ״כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ״, וְ״כֹה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And I will encounter here/thus**. Rabbenu Bachya explained [this means Balaam sought] to nullify from them the blessing of *thus shall your descendants be* (Genesis 15:5) and *thus shall you bless the children of Israel* (Numbers 6:23). With this, I can resolve what is concluded in Bamidbar Rabbah (20:7) that when he said *perhaps we will strike him*, he only sought to reduce them by a twenty-fourth portion of the 600,000, which is 25,000. One might ask: What benefit would this have given him if 25,000 were missing from 600,000? Also, we should examine why exactly 24,000 fell due to his counsel — not more, not less. Rather, certainly his main intention was to nullify from them the blessing of *koh [thus]* because through this, curses would take effect. Therefore, he only sought to reduce a twenty-fourth portion, just as one deducts a twenty-fourth portion from a se’ah measure (Bava Batra 93b). Similarly, he sought to reduce a twenty-fourth portion, namely 25,000, corresponding to the numerical value of *koh* (25). But he did not fully succeed, for he only caused the fall of 24,000 — *until koh [thus]* but not including *koh*. For when it came to the number twenty-five, the blessings of *thus shall you bless* and *thus shall your descendants be* stood firm for them.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:28:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 23:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/23:28:1)

**וַיִּקַּח בָּלָק אֶת בִּלְעָם רֹאשׁ הַפְּעוֹר.** מֵעַתָּה חָזְרוּ לַדֶּרֶךְ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי רָאוּ שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם מָקוֹם לִתֵּן שֶׁמֶץ וָדֹפִי לֹא בַּשָּׁרָשִׁים וְלֹא בָּעֲנָפִים. אִם כֵּן הֵמָּה בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת, וְכָל דָּבָר הַשָּׁלֵם מִכָּל צַד, בְּיוֹתֵר יֵשׁ מָקוֹם לָעַיִן הָרַע לִשְׁלוֹט בּוֹ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ רֵעֵהוּ בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל וִיסַפֵּר בְּשִׁבְחוֹ בְּקוֹל רָם, וְיִשְׁמְעוּ כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת וְיִתְקַנְּאוּ בָּהֶם וְיַכְנִיסוּ בָּהֶם עַיִן הָרַע, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה קְלָלָה תֵּחָשֵׁב לוֹ. וְעַל כֵּן לְקָחוֹ רֹאשׁ הַפְּעוֹר, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּפְעַר פִּיו לִבְלִי חֹק וִיסַפֵּר בְּמַעֲלָתָן בְּקוֹל רָם.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor.** Now they returned to the third approach, because they saw that they had no place to cast aspersion or blemish, neither on the roots nor on the branches. If so, they [the Israelites] are in a state of perfect completion, and anything that is perfect in every way is more susceptible to the evil eye having power over it. This happens when one blesses one’s fellow with a loud voice and recounts his praises loudly so that all the nations hear and become jealous of them, introducing the evil eye among them, and through this, it will be considered a curse for him. Therefore, they took [him to] the top of Peor so that he would open his mouth without restraint and loudly recount their virtues.