וילך שפי, “he went alone.” Onkelos translates it in this manner. The word does not occur elsewhere in the Bible.

Ibn Ezra believes that it is derived from שפיים, meaning “a high place.” The word אל was omitted. We have a parallel construction in Numbers 11,35 נסעו העם חצרות, “the people journeyed to Chatzerot,” where the word אל is also absent. The Torah reveals that Bileam made desperate efforts to find a spot from which he could see at one and the same time the entire Jewish camp; the fact that they were arranged in different directions made this impossible. He moved in the manner of someone trying to find clues on the ground. The word שפי would indicate the fact that the people were scattered (מפוזרות) in different directions. שפ"י is thus an acronym for שה פזורה ישראל "Israel is like scattered sheep" (Jeremiah 50,17). A Midrashic approach (Sotah 10): Bileam was lame on one foot and could not walk upright, dragging one foot behind, his posture making him appear as constantly being at a slant. Samson was lame on both feet, as evidenced by the fact that he is described as שפיפון (Genesis 49,17), while Bileam is described here as שפי.

ויקר אלו-הים אל בלעם, “G’d ‘chanced’ upon Bileam.” According to the plain meaning of the text the fact that G’d arranged to appear to Bileam was a compliment to the people of Israel. Not only is this expression unusual but the expression ויבא אלו-הים אל בלעם (22,20) is equally strange, never occurring in connection with G’d communicating with any other prophet. This expression only occurs when G’d appeared to people below the level of prophet, such as Avimelech and Lavan (Genesis 20,3 and 31,24). The word ויקר suggests that Bileam experienced a type of inspiration normally only granted to real prophets who enjoy Holy Spirit at the time when they isolate themselves from society, deliberately seek solitude, and are trembling at the thought of being in the Lord’s presence (compare Nachmanides). Later on you will find (verse 16) that ויקר ה' אל בלעם, that Bileam even experienced a vision from Hashem, a higher attribute than אלו-הים. This occurred as a result of Bileam’s visions already having elevated him to a status where he could receive prophetic inspirations from the same celestial source as did Moses. It was then that he realised that the notion of cursing Israel was quite absurd seeing Israel was under the protective wings of the attribute of Mercy. As long as Bileam had been “visited” only by the attribute of Justice he had dared hope that he would somewhere find a weak spot in Israel’s spiritual armor enabling him to curse them so that the attribute of Justice would be arraigned ready to pounce on the people. As soon as G’d addressed him in His capacity as Hashem, Bileam realised that he had hoped in vain. This great “spiritual promotion” which Bileam experienced when he was addressed by the attribute of Hashem did not last long as it had only occurred for the sake of the Jewish people not because of Bileam’s own spiritual achievements. G’d did not want the nations of the world to argue that if they had been granted the caliber of prophet of a Moses they themselves would have become spiritually uplifted similar to the Jewish people. By giving Bileam powers and insights similar to those of Moses, G’d demonstrated to the nations of the world that in spite of having at their disposal a spiritually outstandingly gifted individual such as Bileam this had had no impact on their moral/ethical modes of behavior. This also gave the Jewish people an argument in favor of their preferred standing vis-a-vis G’d when they could point to the fact that the prophet and spiritual leader of all these nations had conceded the spiritual superiority of the Jewish people in that he sang their praises. As soon as Bileam had concluded singing the praises of the Jewish people, i.e. their moral superiority over the other nations, G’d removed this spirit of prophecy from him. He reverted to relying on charms and that is why he wound up being killed by the sword instead of securing for himself the death of the righteous which he had wished himself.

A Midrashic approach, based on Vayikra Rabbah 1,12 commenting on the words ויקר אלו-הים אל בלעם. The difference between Jewish prophets and Gentiles who experienced revelations by G’d or visions is 1) the former experience these visions by day whereas Gentiles do so only at night. In connection with Moses’ prophetic experiences the Torah speaks of: “it was on the day that Hashem spoke with Moses,” (Exodus 6,3) whereas in connection with communications by G’d to Gentiles the Torah writes: “G’d came to Avimelech in a dream at night;” (Genesis 20,3); G’d came to Lavan in a dream at night (Genesis 31,24);” G’d appeared to Bileam at night (Numbers 22,20).” The whole matter may be illustrated by a parable. A king had both a wife and a mistress. Whenever he would visit his wife he was not ashamed to do so by day in view of all the people. When he felt the need to visit his mistress he did so only at night, feeling embarrassed to be seen. Something similar occurs when G’d communicates with the prophets of the Jewish people. He has no need to hide the fact and does so by day and He speaks to them outright. This is documented by Leviticus 1,1 “G’d called to Moses.” When He communicates with the prophets of the Gentile nations He does so only in a חצי דבור, “half a communication,” that is why the Torah did not introduce this vision with the word ויקרא, but with the incomplete word ויקר. 2) When G’d addresses the Jewish prophets He uses language which is pure and holy, the word ויקרא brings to mind וקרא זה אל זה ואמר קדוש. When He addresses the prophets of other nations He uses words reminding us of ritual impurity (ויקר suggests קרי, nocturnal seminal emission). 3) A third difference, explained in the form of a parable. A king has two friends both of whom want to have an audience. One is healthy, the other is leprous. Whereas the king grants interviews to both friends he invites the healthy one into his palace while leaving his palace to interview to leprous friend outside. The words ויקר אלו-הים אל בלעם, suggest that “G’d went out to encounter Bileam.”

את שבעת המזבחות ערכתי, “I have prepared the seven altars (Bileam speaking).” According to the plain meaning of the text Bileam spoke of the seven altars which Balak had built, on which he, Bileam, had offered sacrifices to the Lord. These offerings were supposed to ensure that G’d would look upon Bileam with favour.

According to the Midrash, The reason he used the letter ה when referring to the altars, was to allude to the fact that prior to him seven people had similarly built altars for the Lord and had found grace. The people were: Adam, Kayin, Hevel, Noach, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov. Each one of these people had built only one altar for the Lord whereas he, Bileam, had built seven altars. [There are other versions of this Midrash omitting mention of Kayin’s altar seeing his offering had been rejected and substituting Moses as building an altar. Ed.].

An approach based on astrology: The reason the Torah speaks about Bileam favouring the number seven is because it represents the medium between four different kinds of cycles, the cycle represented by the day, the cycle described by the week, the cycle described by the month, and the cycle described by the year. The cycle represented by the day is a reference to the orbit described by the sun around earth each day in an east-west direction (remember the author lived in an era prior to Copernicus, Ed.). The “weekly cycle” is a reference to another cycle which repeats itself constantly but at weekly intervals. Similarly, we have the monthly cycle and the annual cycle, all the cycles repeating themselves at regular and predetermined intervals. The cycle which is the medium between the daily cycle and the monthly cycle is the weekly cycle consisting of seven days, i.e. featuring the number seven. It is viewed as something in between the lunar and the solar cycles, the month representing a lunar cycle whereas the day represents a solar cycle. (Compare Maimonides in Moreh Nevuchim 3,43). Seeing that all matters related to nature are governed by this medium cycle and Torah always approximates nature, many commandments reflect this number seven which represents the “happy medium” between the solar and the lunar cycles, both pillars of the system we call “laws of nature.” The number seven also symbolizes the seven planets whose orbits dominate nature in a very recognizable manner. If, say Passover would extend for an entire year, i.e. corresponding to the fourth of the cycles we mentioned, it would not be recognized for what it is and represents. On the other hand, if Passover would be observed for only a single day, corresponding to the first of the cycles, it would be too short to be meaningful. If it were to be observed for a whole month it would be too long and it would lose its meaning and impact on the people observing it. This is why the Torah legislated that it be observed for seven days, corresponding to the second cycle we mentioned. Bileam took his cue from studying the Torah and its relationship to natural events and this is why he chose to build seven altars, not 30, or not one. This is the opinion of Maimonides.

A kabbalistic approach: The number seven, the use of the definitive article, i.e. the letter ה when referring to the altars was all carefully calculated by Bileam. He realised that there was a seven-fold connection, link, between G’d and Israel and he wanted to sever each one of them by first matching Israel’s attachment to G’d through building seven altars in G’d’s honour (compare Zohar Balak Sullam edition page 164). Israel is directly connected to G’d on all seven lower emanations. Bileam hoped to draw down to him divine emanations of goodwill not only from these seven emanations but also from the three higher emanations. In this way he would excel what the Jewish people had achieved. His 42 sacrifices rose heavenward from three separate locations.

It is possible that the seven altars represented the seven days of the week and the seven lights on the lampstand, מנורה, which are also known as צרור החיים, “a bundle of life.” These represent seven sources of life which are channeled from heaven to earth according to the degree of concentration with which man longs for them. [If I understand it correctly Bileam assumed a reciprocal action and interaction between the offerings he sent to heaven and the inspiration he would receive from heaven in return. Ed.] All of this is alluded to in the letter ה before the word מזבחות, i.e. he meant that his seven altars corresponded to the seven altars in the celestial spheres he was aware of. When he used the word ואעל, “I made rise up,” to describe the offerings he presented instead of the word הקרבתי, this was not accidental. He alluded to the interaction between heaven and earth or vice versa.

According to Ibn Ezra who refers to Job 42,8 the mystical dimension of what Bileam did is concealed in the words of that verse, i.e. that G’d commanded Job’s friends who had been guilty of misrepresenting G’d’s attributes and ways of judgment, to offer seven bulls and seven rams after bringing them to Job. Job would then pray for them to receive a pardon for their trespass against the Lord. Bileam realized the mystical power which reposed in the offering of these seven bulls and seven rams in each location. Just as G’d is perceived as שלם, complete, the number seven represents the concept of a complete cycle. By offering a complete cycle to the Complete One, Bileam hoped to attain the בינה input from the eighth emanation called בינה.

מן ארם ינחני בלק...מהררי קדם, “from Aram, Balak...led me, from the mountains of the east;” The word קדם here means “east.” When Bileam quoted Balak as asking him: ארה לי יעקב, “curse Yaakov for me,” he ridiculed Balak for even imagining that it would be possible to curse a nation of whom G’d had said that they were “part of Hashem” (Deut. 32,9). If it had not been for Yaakov, i.e. the Jewish people, i.e. Avraham who had saved Lot the ancestor of Moav, Balak’s nation would not even exist at all. Lot had been saved from the destruction of Sodom only by an act of kindness G’d performed on account of Avraham as we know from Genesis 19,29: “when G’d destroyed the towns of the valley, He remembered Avraham and sent Lot away from there.” Bileam also conceded that he himself was only on earth due to Yaakov who had served Lavan who had admitted that his blessings were due to Yaakov’s presence (Genesis 30,27). The Torah speaks of the sons of Lavan in Genesis 31,1. He, Bileam, was one of the direct descendants of Lavan. In view of the above, how could either he or Balak be so ungrateful as to curse the very people responsible for their existence on earth?

לכה ארה לי יעקב, “come curse Yaakov on my behalf!” In this verse Bileam mentions both names of Israel, i.e. Yaakov and Israel. This is proof that when one curses one must mention all the names of the person to be cursed in order for the curse to have any effect. Also, one needs to use the two attributes of the name of G’d representing the attribute of night and the attribute of day. This is why Bileam mentioned both the attribute י-ה-ו-ה and the attribute א-ל in verse 8. [Bileam would not have needed to change the name of G’d’s attribute and could have said: מה אקוב לא קבה א-ל ומה אזעם לא זעם א-ל. You will note that in Psalms 7,12 David does combine זעם with the attribute א-ל, i.e. the problem is not with the type of curse but with the attributes of G’d invoked. Ed.]. In fact, Job did something similar when he cursed the day he was born and said (Job 3,8) יקבהו אררי יום. He had already cursed both the day and the night separately in the earlier verses of that chapter. According to our traditional sources the separate mention of day and night in verse 3 of that chapter was heretical, suggesting that separate powers are in charge of day and night respectively. Concerning that statement our sages in Shemot Rabbah 30,8 claim that this was heresy, (although Nachmanides points out that Jeremiah (20,14) appears to have been guilty of the same offense and no one accused him of heresy). It is also necessary to see the intended victim of one’s curse with one’s own eyes as the curse will then be far more effective. This is why Balak went out of his way to take Bileam to the tops of surrounding hills and mountains. The same principle applies to blessings. In order for blessings to be fully effective the person to be blessed must be within an area that the one bestowing the blessing can see with his eyes. All his names should be mentioned just as Bileam did in 24,5 when he spoke of the goodness of the tents of Yaakov and the dwellings of Israel. When Balak is quoted as having said to Bileam: “curse Yaakov for me,” the question is why he did not simply say: “curse Yaakov?” Actually Balak had not added the word לי “for me.” Bileam had added it to point to the incongruity of Balak’s request. By adding the word לי, Bileam hinted that Balak’s request to curse the Jewish people was equivalent to Balak asking that he himself be cursed seeing he could not have existed but for the Jewish people. We find support for this in Tanchuma Balak 12 where the Midrash says: “whoever curses these people curses himself seeing G’d had told Avraham that anyone cursing him or his descendants would be himself be cursed by G’d” (Genesis 12,3). Every type of curse Balak mentioned in connection with his attempt to have Israel cursed (22,11; 23,13; 23,27) always is accompanied by the word לי, the Torah’s way of saying that such a curse would boomerang on himself.

מה אקב לא קבה א-ל, “what point is there in my cursing when G’d has not cursed (the same people) first?” Bileam refers to the fact that even when the Jewish people had deserved to be cursed after their disloyal acts committed during the episode of the golden calf, G’d still did not cease to love them. How did Bileam know? The protective clouds did not cease to envelop the people, the manna did not cease to descend from heaven every day, the water from the traveling well did not stop flowing. This was not merely Bileam’s surmise; we have an explicit verse in Nechemyah 9, 18-20: “Even though they made themselves a molten calf and said: ‘this is your God who brought you out of Egypt,’ thus committing great impieties, You, in Your abundant compassion, did not abandon them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud did not depart from them to lead them on the way by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to give them light in the way they were to go. You endowed them with Your good spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth; You gave them water when they were thirsty.”

It is possible to explain the choice of Bileam’s words מה אקב לא קבה א-ל as a reference to Yaakov who had been called א-ל by G’d Himself (Genesis 33,20). How could one curse someone who was characterised by G’d Himself as possessing divine attributes? Even when Yaakov had been angry (at his sons Shimon and Levi) and he had cursed (Genesis 49,7), he did not curse the two sons but only their anger, אפם. When Bileam continued: “how can I be wrathful when Hashem has not been wrathful?” He meant that during all these 40 years G’d had not been sufficiently angry at them. His own wisdom was only effective if G’d had first been sufficiently angry at the people (Berachot 7).

כי מראש צורים אראנו, “for from the top of rocks I behold it.” According to the plain meaning of the text this is a reference to a place of high altitude which the Torah already alluded to when it described Bileam as climbing a solitary top in verse 3.

A Midrashic approach based on Tanchuma 12: The word צורים is a simile for the patriarchs; the word מגבעות, “from elevated hills,” is a simile for the twelve founding fathers of the nations, Yaakov’s sons. The reason Bileam referred to the patriarchs as צורים is because they towered spiritually like mountains tower physically. They have been compared to mountains elsewhere such as in Micah 6,2: “Hearken, you mountains to the case (argument) of the Lord;” The same prophet also calls on these same “mountains” to hear what the Lord is saying when he portrays G’d as submitting His claims against the Jewish people. At the same time the prophet also portrays G’d as appealing to the hills. What is the point of mentioning the hills after the mountain? Clearly both words are similes. Seeing Avraham was the original rock of faith in G’d, his faith, etc., is compared to the leading rock, ראש צורים. The reason the twelve sons of Yaakov are described as hills is that they were on a lower spiritual level than the patriarchs, just as hills are lower than mountains. Having thus referred to the founders of the nation, Bileam now addresses the people at large by saying: הן עם לבדד ישכון ובגוים לא יתחשב, “they are a nation that dwells in splendid isolation, do not consider themselves as belonging to the nations.” The entire sequence of the verses 8-9 is to be understood as: “how can I curse or even express wrath when the nation I am looking at has such an outstanding past and to uproot such a nation is no easy matter both because of their past and because of the future in store for them Their past makes cursing them impossible as towering individuals such as Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov cannot be uprooted by mere mortals. The merits accumulated by the mountains and the hill, i.e. the patriarchs and the twelve sons of Yaakov are more powerful than physical mountains and hills. They (their descendants) will ultimately inherit the earth. When all the other idol-worshipping nations will perish this people alone will survive; this is the deeper meaning of the words: “they will dwell in solitude.” The word לבדד is similar to the word לבד, alone, or the word בדד as we have it in Lamentations 1,1. A hermit is described as בדד, as he isolates himself מתבודד, whereas the word לבדד conveys a double meaning. 1) the people are unique, no other people is like it. 2) They reside in freely chosen solitude, similar to the statement Moses made about G’d in Deut. 32,12 ה' בדד ינחנו “the Lord alone (unaided) guided it (the Jewish nation).“ Seeing Bileam wanted to convey both meanings of the word he did not simply describe the Jewish people as בדד ישכון, dwelling alone, but added the letter ל. The uniqueness of the Jewish people consists both of its sets of laws, the Torah, and of its religion, faith in the invisible Creator not in any intermediaries. Just as the G’d of Israel is unique among the deities of the nations so His people are not an integral part of the family of nations.

Moses also alluded to this in his parting address to the people when he said (Deut. 33,29) about the people אשריך ישראל מי כמוך, “hail you Israel, who is like you? He continued extolling the uniqueness of Israel’s G’d saying אין כאל ישורון, “there is none like the G’d of Yeshurun. We find that Daniel foretold the destruction of the other nations whereas the Jewish nation would survive forever (Daniel 7,11), a prediction aimed especially at the Roman Empire which though given a prolongation of life will utterly perish. [The Roman Empire had not even begun during Daniel’s life time. Ed.]. In verses 13-14 of the same chapter Daniel contrasts the eternal survival of the Jewish nation under the kingship of the Messiah with what he had predicted about the fourth kingdom (exile of the Jewish people).

An investigative/astrological approach: When Bileam speaks about the צורים, the “rocks,” he refers to the seven planets which form the “bottom line,” or “bedrock” of the world view held by the philosophers of his time. The “hills”, גבעות refer to the 12 zodiac constellations. Bileam drew a comparison between the signs of the zodiac which are affixed to the planetary system in space and to the fixed stars which were perceived as anchored in the earth (read: ‘matter’). Bileam was able to recognize that whereas the people whose world-view, religious orientation, was matter-bound would ultimately perish whereas the Jewish people whose entire orientation was dictated by considerations linking earth to celestial phenomena would survive the collapse of the terrestrial universe when the time comes for this. [The author discussed the time and the meaning of the word עולם, לעולם ועד and יובל as well as יובל הגדול in connection with that legislation in Leviticus 25,8 and elsewhere. Ed.]. The compliment Bileam paid the Jewish people at this time was that they would not have to change their world outlook and their faith when these cataclysmic events would occur as opposed to all other nations who would then recognize the error of their ways [freely translated. Ed.].

מי מנה עפר יעקב, “Who has counted the dust of Yaakov?” According to the plain meaning of the text Bileam asks a rhetorical question: “who can possibly count all the Israelites, they are far too numerous to be counted.” When he said ומספר רובע ישראל, this is a continuation of the same thought, i.e. “who can count even a quarter of the Jewish people?” The word Rova may be a reference to one of the flags, seeing the four camps of the Jewish people each had a flag signifying which group they belonged to. תמות נפשי מות ישרים, “may my (own) soul die the death of the upright.” At this time Bileam wishes for death provided that his own death would also be an entrance to the future in store for the Israelites after the death of their bodies. Just as they have an eternal future seeing they are an integral part of Hashem, so Bileam wished himself a similar future. The reason he gave expression to such a wish at this time was that he had foreseen quite a different death for himself, i.e. a violent death by the sword (according to Ibn Ezra).

A Midrashic approach to these verses (based on Tanchuma Balak 12). The words: “who counted,” or “who can count the dust of Yaakov,” is a rhetorical question describing all the commandments which the Jewish people perform involving dust, i.e. the dust of red cow (Numbers 19,9), the dust of the parchment containing a portion of the Torah which a Sotah has to drink to clear her name from suspicion of infidelity to her husband (Numbers 5,17). Thus far the Midrash. Seeing that there are only very few commandments involving the use of earth, dust, the meaning of the Midrash must be that the reward for performance of the commandments involving dust is viewed as especially great, unlimited in fact. Another Midrashic approach views the word עפר as עופר, “young male offspring of the hind.” Bileam acknowledges in an oblique reference the piety of young men (Israelites) who have a powerful sexual urge but conquer their urge to make sure they do not become guilty of indulging it with partners forbidden to them.

A scientific/astrological approach: “counting the dust of Yaakov” is an allusion to resurrection of the dead in the future. Seeing that Bileam has already mused about how Israel will survive the destruction of the earth in the distant future whereas the nations of the world will perish, he now muses on the innumerable Jews who will be resurrected from their graves at that time and who will join their brethren who have survived the cataclysm. We know that this will be so from Daniel 12,2: “and many of those who have been asleep in the earth will wake up.” Bileam referred to these people with two different words, מנין and מספר, both meaning “number of.” The reason may be that Israel has been compared to the stars and the psalmist employs the root מנה as well as the root ספר to describe G’d counting stars (Psalms 147,4) מונה מספר לכוכבים, “He counts the number of the stars.” Bileam also refers to Israel both as Israel and as Yaakov in the same verse. We have already explained that Yaakov is the term used to describe the Jewish people in the context of their physical functions whereas the name Israel is applied when their spiritual functions are mentioned. The prophet Isaiah 43,1 speaks of בוראך יעקב ויוצרך ישראל, “the One who created you as Yaakov and fashioned you as Israel.” The second stage of Yaakov’s development is described as resulting in ישראל. The same prophet draws similar distinctions when he describes G’d’s creation of darkness as opposed to His fashioning light, i.e. something superior to darkness. Negative phenomena in this world qualify only for the elementary part of creation בריאה, as opposed to יצירה (compare Isaiah 45,7). By associating עפר with Yaakov, and רובע with Israel, Bileam hints that the soul upon leaving the body returns the four constituent parts of the body to the earth, the dust. The soul is immortal by definition. When Bileam spoke about his נפש dying this was an inaccuracy seeing the soul cannot “die.” [The assumption being that “death” means dissolution of matter which had previously been amalgamated to form a functioning whole. Ed.]. Bileam referred to his body dying. This is not the only time the word נפש means “body.” When the Torah speaks about a נפש כי תחטא what is meant is “the soul in a body which sins,” seeing that a soul without a body is incapable of committing a sin. Similarly, when Leviticus 7,18 speaks of הנפש האוכלת, “the soul which eats,” clearly the meaning is the body inhabited by a soul which eats, as disembodied souls cannot eat. The reason we often find the word נפש when a whole personality, a functioning human being is meant is simply that the body without a soul is nothing; it would hardly do to refer to a human being merely as a “body.” When the Torah wants to include every type of human being, i.e. male, female, minor, senior, priest or layman, the word נפש includes them all. Bileam revealed in these verses that there is a world (after death of the body) consisting of disembodied souls only, and that there is also a resurrection at a later stage when these disembodied souls will be reunited with their former bodies. This latter world is the ultimate purpose of man and his having been created to first live in this terrestrial universe. It is presumed to be generally known that immediately upon death of the body the soul enters the domain of disembodied spirits. Bileam had expressed the hope that when he would die he (his soul) would qualify for immediate transfer to that world (not the region in which the soul is being judged which precedes it). When he added the word ותהי אחריתי כמוהו, he meant: ”may my ultimate destiny be like that of the Jewish people,” i.e. may I enjoy the delights of life in a perfect world after my soul has been reunited with my body. All of this is included in what Bileam termed מות ישרים, ‘the death of the upright.’ The very fact that Bileam wished himself this kind of death and this kind of afterlife is proof that he paid the Jewish people the greatest compliment possible. He thereby acknowledged that Israel would inherit the physical world of the future also. If we had been paid a similar compliment by a Jewish prophet it would have been far less meaningful as Jewish prophets are naturally prejudiced in favour of their own people. When a Gentile, by definition one of our accusers, is forced to affirm our superiority, i.e. to say “Amen” to G’d’s praises of His people, this is of special significance.

התיצב כה על עלתך ואנכי אקרה כה, “stand here by your burnt-offering and I will seek a manifestation (of G’d) thus.” Bileam had reasoned that the Israelites had relied on G’d’s promise to Avraham (after the former had been taught to offer sacrifices in Genesis 15) כה יהיה זרעך, “thus will be your descendants.” They also relied on the merit of receiving the priestly blessing which G’d had introduced by telling the priests כה תברכו את בני ישראל, “thus you shall bless the Children of Israel” (Numbers 6,23). Moses, when requesting permission to traverse the land of Edom had also quoted his own people, Edom’s “brother” as saying: כה אמר אחיך ישראל, “thus said your brother Israel.” Seeing that the formula כה appears to be an appropriate formula for people to gain their objectives, Bileam used the formula כה when “inviting” divine inspiration or grace. He hoped to achieve with his wisdom what Balak would accomplish with his offerings. This is why he used the word כה both when telling Balak to stand by his sacrifices and when referring to his own part in the proceedings.

לא איש אל ויכזב, “G’d is not a man that He should deceive.” Bileam meant: “with words.” Seeing G’d had told him not to curse the people, the idea that Balak would instruct Bileam to curse the Jewish people from a certain lookout point and that G’d would agree was quite absurd.

ההוא אמר לא יעשה, “Would He say and not carry out (what He said)?” If the word הוא refers to G’d the whole line is a question. If Bileam merely meant to explain something based on his wisdom, the word הוא refers to a human being who has second thoughts about an oral undertaking on his part who now will not carry out such an undertaking, someone who promises but does not keep his promise.

A Midrashic approach based on Tanchuma Massey 7: Bileam who foresaw that there would arise a man in the future who would proclaim himself as god (the founder of Christianity) exclaimed how can it be that a mere mortal so deceives his peers? He predicted that this individual would have to regret what he said seeing he would not be able to demonstrate the truth of it [seeing he was executed. Who can execute a god? Even men who had not claimed to be god were saved from fiery furnaces, etc. Should the god not be able to take care of himself if he really were god? Ed.]. However, of G’d it is to be expected that when He promises something good that He will invariably fulfill this promise, i.e. לא איש אל ויכזב, “G’d is not like man who promises without delivering.” On the other hand, when G’d threatens something harmful, such a threat need not come true (as it is merely a warning for the intended victim to change his ways). This is expressed here in the words ההוא אמר ולא יעשה, “He may say something (and is not bound by it) to carry it out.” Example: G’d told Avraham (Genesis 15,5) to count the stars and to see if he could count them, meaning that his descendants would be equally numerous. The promise was fulfilled as Moses told the people in Deut. 1,10: “here you are today as numerous as the stars in heaven” [no one challenged that statement. Ed.]. This was an illustration of the words: “G’d is not man that He deceives.” On the other hand, although we find the prophet Hoseah 1,9 telling the people (in the name of G’d) “you are not My people,” in Hoseah 2,25 the same prophet assures the people “I will say to Lo-Ammi,“ [the people who had previously been told that they were not G’d’s people. Ed.] “you are My people.” This is an illustration of what Bileam meant when he said about G’d: “He may say, but need not do.” This is the way Tanchuma understands the verse.

הנה ברך לקחתי, “here I have received instructions to bless.” This is an introductory comment similar to Genesis 27,39: “here from the fat parts of the earth, etc.” Bileam meant to say that he received the blessings from above, seeing G’d had put the words in his mouth. וברך לא אשיבנה, “whom He has blessed I will not contradict. it.” Seeing that the power of speech is G’d’s monopoly (as we know from Exodus 3,11).

לא הביט און ביעקב, “He has not seen iniquity in Yaakov.” According to the plain meaning of the text Bileam meant that the people are not guilty of any iniquity. If they were guilty of iniquities the good they experience at this time would not endure long seeing that G’d’s promises are all linked to the condition of the recipients of blessing remaining worthy of them. Seeing that at this point in time they are not guilty of any iniquity ה' אלו-היו עמו, “the Lord G’d is with it (the nation).” Not only that, but they enjoy the privilege of blowing the teruah, i.e. the sound of the shofar of the King (G’d Who blew it at Mount Sinai) signifying His approval.

I have heard that the reason why Bileam had to refer to G’d as “King” in the course of his blessings was because G’d made him reverse his intended curse. We know that if a blessing is reversed for some reason, the person concerned would be wiped out instantly through the power of G’d’s curse. In Hebrew such destruction would spell כלם. The letters in the word כלם are the same as in the word מלך, “king”, only rearranged. Bileam surreptitiously chose the word כלם, anticipating a moment when G’d angers and would reverse the blessings the Jewish people enjoyed at that moment. By mentioning the word מלך, the Torah indicated that any curse Bileam had had in mind was already converted into the opposite, a blessing, just as the word כלם reversed means King instead of destruction. This was what Moses referred to in Deut. 23,6 when he reminded the people [who, of course had been unaware of all this seeing none of it had been witnessed by a single Israelite. Ed.] that G’d in His great mercy had turned all of Bileam’s intended curses into blessings.

Some commentators understand these words as: “when is the Lord G’d with the people? When they blow the teruah of the King, i.e. when they demonstrate that they journey at G’d’s command as indicated by the pillar of cloud moving from the Tabernacle.” [The reason that this sound is blown, compare Numbers 10,6]. According to this interpretation the word תרועה is related to רעות, companionship, i.e. the people seek out the Shechinah, G’d’s companionship.

A kabbalistic approach: The expression ה' אלו-היו is a reference to the mighty hand of G’d employed during His orchestration of the Exodus. Moses had described this in the following words: אשר הוצאת מארץ מצרים בכח גדול וביד חזקה, “who took you out of Egypt with great force and a strong hand” (Exodus 32,11). Bileam paraphrased these attributes of G’d when describing the assistance Israel received from above. He acknowledged that the attribute Hashem was indeed Israel’s national G’d. This is the כח גדול Moses had spoken of.

ותרועת מלך בו, “and their King’s acclaim is in their midst.” This is a reference to the “strong hand” we mentioned earlier. To make sure we understand this Bileam added immediately: ”the G’d who took them out of Egypt.” This is also why Onkelos renders this as “the Presence of their King is among them.” The word תרועה is related to רעיא, the כלה described in Song of Songs [chapter 4,8 where the Targum understands the word as the “Jewish people, the companion of G’d.”]

אל מוציאם ממצרים, “the G’d who takes them out of Egypt.” Bileam counters Balak’s statement that the people of Israel had left Egypt under their own power, without Divine assistance (compare 22,5). He explains that G’d performed outstanding miracles overcoming horoscopic forces according to which the Israelites should have remained in Egypt much longer. Seeing he had already referred to תרועת מלך (in the sense of their being the King’s companion) he now describes that their companionship is the result of His taking them out of Egypt.

כתועפות ראם לו, “is for them like the horns of an aggressive ox.” In this simile Bileam compares G’d’s power to that of a wild ox just as elsewhere Hoseah had compared Him to a roaring lion (Hoseah 11,10). These two animals are the most powerful ones in creation; seeing that the Torah employs syntax which is understandable in terms of our use of the language it is not a downgrading of G’d’s greatness to employ such similes. The Torah endeavours to make its message understandable to our ears (Tanchuma Yitro 13 et al).

A Midrashic approach: the word תועפות is derived from עוף, bird. When the Israelites sin even marginally, G’d reduces their loftiness like a bird descending; on the other hand, when they perform G’d’s commandments they soar like birds (Tanchuma Balak 14). The Midrash derives this thought from Isaiah 60,8: “who are these who fly like heavy clouds?”

כי לא נחש ביעקב, “for there is no divination in Yaakov,” seeing the people are close companions of the Lord and cleave to Him they have no need for divination, magic, etc. Israel can have prophetic revelation about what G’d is going to do at any time it chooses. All G’d’s activities have been decreed in advance.

A Midrashic approach: The words כעת יאמר ליעקב ולישראל מה פעל א-ל, mean that this is a reference to the arch-angel Michael of whom Daniel said (Daniel 12,1) “at that time there will stand Michael, the great heavenly prince, who stands in support of the children of your people, etc.,” The words יאמר ליעקב ולישראל refer to times when the Israelites experience G’d’s goodness seeing they qualify for the title of יראיך, “the ones who revere You.” We have another verse in Isaiah 23,18 where the prophet assures G’d’s manifest support for those who revere Him i.e. “for those who sit before the Lord will have adequate food and clothing.”

הן עם כלביא יקום, “behold they are a people who will arise like a lion.” This was a hint that Israel would defeat the kings of Canaan (according to Ibn Ezra). I think it is more likely that it is an allusion to the war against Midian (the punitive expedition in Numbers 31,49) an unheard of miracle as it was a war in which Israel did not suffer a single casualty. Five Midianite kings were slain in that war. There were no fewer than 32,000 young women who had still retained their virginity (31,35); we can therefore imagine the total number of warriors that the 12,000 Israelites must have faced in that campaign. ודם חללים ישתה “and drink the blood of the corpses.” This is a reference to the booty that was seized.

A Midrashic view: The comment about Israel rising like a lion is a simile about Jews getting out of bed in the morning and devoting themselves to the performance of G’d’s commandments, such as the wearing of tzitzit, wearing phylacteries, and reciting the kriyat shema. The comment about “lying down only after consuming the prey,” is also a simile. Even when lying down to sleep at night they do not go to sleep without first consigning their souls to G’d in heaven. He prophesied that Moses would not die until after Israel had avenged itself from the Midianites. We know this from Numbers 31,2: “take vengeance for the people of Israel from Midian; after that you will be gathered in.”