Regarding the matter that they did not greet you with bread and water. Rashi explains that this refers to the advice they gave to cause you to sin, but this is not explicitly stated in the scripture, and the main point seems to be missing from the text. Furthermore, it is not reasonable to distance two nations just because they did not greet them with bread. Rather, certainly the main reason is because they caused them to sin, and this matter is explained in the scripture that they did not greet them with bread and water so that they would be hungry and thirsty from the journey’s fatigue, and through this, they would necessarily eat from their idolatrous sacrifices and drink from their wine flasks which lead to licentiousness, as concluded in Sanhedrin (106a) that anyone who is tired and weary does not distinguish between what is forbidden and what is permitted, and eats and drinks whatever is given to him. The Holy One, blessed be He, knew their intention in this manner, and therefore they were distanced. Therefore, it is said regarding the matter that they did not greet you, meaning, regarding that hidden matter which they intended by not greeting them. And although females were the primary agents in the acts of immorality, nevertheless the main guilt lies with the men, whose way it is to take the initiative, and it was the men who began the corruption and they forced their daughters into prostitution. For this reason, the Israelites spared the females in the war against Midian, because they erred due to this law that only the males were to be distanced. This is a more precious interpretation than what all the commentators have said about this, and it resolves all the questions that they asked.

“And the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you.” This language requires explanation, for how can it be said that the curse itself will be a blessing? Even though blessings came in place of the curses, related to the matters with which he wanted to curse them, still the curse itself is not a blessing. There is also difficulty with what our Sages of blessed memory said (Sanhedrin 105b): “From the blessings of that wicked one [Balaam], you learn what was in his heart to curse them, etc.” And they conclude that all of them [his blessings] reverted to curses except for [the blessing regarding] synagogues, etc., as it is said, And the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you. It does not say “curses,” etc., implying that only one of them was turned into a blessing. And it is difficult to understand what distinguishes this blessing from others, and furthermore, what in the language of the verse implies that specifically synagogues returned to being a blessing.

And the explanation for all this is, that Balaam was a sorcerer and he saw in the astrological signs of Israel that indicated all these things which he sought to curse them with: that they would not have synagogues, etc., their kingdom would not endure, etc. It is known that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not disrupt the natural order because of the merits of Israel except in places where there is no way to turn the natural order toward good. But in places where it is possible to fulfill the judgment of the natural order and interpret it in another way, then the Holy One, blessed be He, does not disrupt it. This is similar to a star whose name is “Evil” that was rising against Israel and indicated bloodshed, but the Holy One, blessed be He, turned it into the blood of circumcision. As our Sages said (Shabbat 156): “One who is born under the influence of Mars will be a shedder of blood, let him be a ritual slaughterer, etc.,” as explained above in Parashat Bo (10:10). And all the curses enumerated there in the Gemara — that the Divine Presence would not rest upon them, that their kingdom would not endure, that they would not have olive trees and vineyards, etc. — in all of these, there was no way to interpret them for good in order to fulfill the judgment of the natural order without Israel being harmed. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, had to completely disrupt the natural order from these indications. Consequently, they all reverted to curses when Israel sinned and did not have merit that could stand in its power against the natural order.

But regarding the instruction that they shall not have synagogues and study halls, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not need to override the natural order, because there was room to fulfill the judgment of the natural order that they would not have synagogues, but it is for their benefit. This is as Rashi explained your dwellings [mishkenotekha], Israel — that they are mortgaged [memushkanim] for their sins, as it is said The Lord has spent His fury and kindled a fire in Zion (Lamentations 4:11). And this is certainly a great benefit that God expends His wrath on wood and stones, and we are saved. For one who has a pledge to give for his debt, they do not collect from him lives [i.e., he is not personally harmed]. And this is what is meant by The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you — because the very wording of the curse itself, which is “they shall not have synagogues,” was turned into a blessing, for through not having synagogues, lives are saved. And this is what Balaam said: How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel. Meaning, it is for your benefit that they are your dwelling places — mortgaged on your behalf — and you are saved. Therefore, this matter did not revert to being a curse, for the judgment of the natural order was fulfilled and not overridden. Thus, it is not relevant to say that the instruction of the natural order will return to its original state when Israel is not meritorious.

“And you shall have a shovel [yated] with your azeinecha [weapons].” In Tractate Ketubot (5b), Bar Kapara expounded: What is meant by And you shall have a shovel [yated] with your azeinecha? Do not read it as “azeincha” [your weapons] but as “oznecha” [your ears], because if a person hears something improper, he should place his finger in his ears, as they resemble pegs [or stakes]. And it was taught in the school of Rabbi Yishmael (ibid. 5b): Why is the entire ear hard but its lobe soft? So that if a person hears something improper, he can fold the lobe into it. The lobe is at the end of the ear, and it is soft because a wise person will make his ear hear the end [consequence] of a dispute, for any dispute that is not for the sake of Heaven will not endure in the end. Remembering this outcome helps him abandon the quarrel and make himself like a man who does not hear. However, the words of Bar Kapara require explanation, for what did he see that made him completely remove the verse from its simple meaning, disconnecting it from both what comes before and after? And his interpretation of “azeinecha” as referring to the ear is something that the ear cannot bear to hear [i.e., it is difficult to accept].

And what seems most likely to me is that he intended to interpret this verse, in relation to what is said When you go out as a camp against your enemies, guard yourself from any evil thing and our Sages interpreted (Sifrei Teitzei 119) evil thing meaning “evil speech,” namely that one should guard oneself from slander [lashon hara]. And the Yalkut brings regarding this the verse You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue (Job 5:21). And the Ramban explained the reason for this: so that strife should not increase among them, and they should not strike each other with a greater blow than [they would receive from] the enemies. And it was difficult for Bar Kappara that it says guard yourself from any evil thing, [meaning] evil speech, but it does not explain how one should guard against it. Therefore, he saw fit to say that the verse and you shall have a spade among your tools explains the nature of the guarding, and it is as stated You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue. This means that one should hide and conceal oneself, like one who hides his face from it, and act as if not hearing, and be among those who are insulted but do not insult in return, who hear their disgrace but do not respond, and through this one will quiet the quarrel. As one sage said: “No man has ever insulted me except once,” meaning that he did not respond to those who insulted him, and through this silenced them so they would not return to expose his nakedness a second time. And through this he “covered his excrement,” namely the disgrace of his shame, which is undoubtedly comparable to vomit and excrement. And this is the primary “weapon” of a person, for through silence he will be victorious, not by responding in kind.

And according to this understanding, “your weapons” is like its plain meaning, a weapon, and in the letter vav [and] of and a stake [veyated] this entire exposition is hinted at. For every vav adds to the previous matter, telling you that protection from all evil speech of slander is to place one’s finger, which resembles a stake, into one’s ear — this is one’s weapon that saves from the scourge of the tongue. And Scripture says that similarly there is another stake in addition to the standard weapon, with which one digs in the earth to cover one’s excrement. So too, the vav extends to include a similar case: the finger that resembles a stake, with which one digs in the ear to make oneself as if not hearing, and thereby covers one’s shame and filth, as it is written and he who covers shame is prudent (Proverbs 12:16). The finger is an additional weapon beyond the standard weapons with which one fights in ordinary battles with the hands. But in a battle coming from the scourge of the tongue, nothing is better than hiding with one’s finger, and this is one’s weapon against the mouth that speaks slander and archers who shoot with the arrow of their sharpened tongue. There is no shield against them except silence. In this way, there is no need to change the word your weapons, for it is literally a weapon, and Scripture placed this protection next to the verse speaking about covering excrement because they are both the same matter.

You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog etc. Since dogs are also brazen, mating publicly, therefore they never know satisfaction, for the small organ is hungry when it is satiated. And the harlot has a forehead of brass, thus both of them are equal in promiscuity and impudence. Therefore, it is not proper to bring [their revenue] to a place of holiness, for there is the fence of modesty, and there is the headplate [of the High Priest] which atones for you had the forehead of a harlot (Jeremiah 3:3), while they [their revenues] still retain their impudence and recklessness, for both are an abomination to the Lord your God, meaning their transmutations [into money].

“You shall not delay in fulfilling it, etc.” Since a person’s evil inclination is particularly powerful regarding vowed matters, and as long as his vow remains upon him, the evil inclination provokes him even more. They say to him, “Is it not enough what the Torah has forbidden to you? Don’t add to it by increasing the provocation of the evil inclination within you.” Therefore it says, You shall not delay in fulfilling it — not to remain for many days in its trap. And that is why it says, And if you refrain from vowing, there will be no sin in you — meaning the evil inclination that causes you to sin. But if you delay in fulfilling it, then the Lord will surely demand it of you, and whatever the Holy One, blessed be He, demands of you, the evil inclination incites you not to seek Him. Therefore, it will be a sin in you for certain, because this evil inclination will find a place to provoke you and say, “This is not a complete obligation upon you, and for the sake of a mere statement should there be an obligation upon you to do it?” And after this, it will come to incite and lead you astray from the rest of God’s commandments as well. And what it says, it will be a sin in you is similar to what our Sages said (Shabbat 105b): There shall not be within you a foreign god — this refers to the evil inclination. And the command there shall not be in you means that you should not provoke it within your soul.

Another explanation of “if you delay in fulfilling it.” For if it displeases you to diminish your wealth, know that the Lord will surely demand it from you in another way, and you will lose so much money according to the value of the vow. Thus, the mark of sin will be upon you, and you will not gain the money either, as you will lose it elsewhere.