Bilam’s Curse

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Bilam was a prophet who had the abilities and potential to match Moshe, but did not choose to be righteous. He was hired by Balak to curse the Jews. He was sought out because his abilities were famous. But he had an additional ability – he could identify a certain moment of the day in which God is angry.

How are we to understand this?

The Midrash teaches that originally, God wanted to create the world through a prism of strict justice – evil would be instantly punished, and good would be instantly rewarded. But it was found that existence would be untenable this way, and would never last. It was decided that an equal amount of mercy would be added to creation, and have the two balance into equilibrium.

What Bilam could identify was the moment of indignance at the literal “injustice” of existence not being held to account.

Tosfos in Brachos wonders how much someone could really manage to say in this brief and transitory moment, and answers that he could gaze at his targets and say “כלם” – “Destroy them”.

The Maharal points out how כלם is the reverse anagram of מלך – king, a critical function in Judaism.

In Devarim, Moshe’s final speech to the people, he tells them the mitzva of appointing a king – שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ – Appoint a king over yourselves (17:15). The function of the king is a hierarchy that organises and implements a structure. He perfects the system.

In the book of Shmuel, the prophet is approached and asked for a king “like the tribes and nations have”, and they are rebuked. But weren’t they correct; was it not one of things Moshe told them?

The Maharal explains that מלך is the initial letters of מח, לב, כבד – brain, heart, liver. These are identified as metaphors for the procedure and development of action. There is a thought, a feeling, and an instinct. The order is critical – the brain, the intellect has to run the system, and everything follows suit. This is the charge of every Jew – to become a master of the self – מלך – like the actual king, to perfect the structure.

What the Jews asked Shmuel was not for this king – they wanted a king “like the tribes and nations have”. This is not the kingdom function that is critical to the Jews fundamental makeup.

What Bilam tried to do was invert this capacity – he wanted to curse the Jews “כלם” – the reverse of מח, לב, כבד, and the order would degenerate into כבד, לב, מח – where the instinct is dominant, and intellect and soul are enslaved to it – the antithesis of the Jews charge, and truly the ultimate curse.

Blessing or Curse?

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Rashi says that we don’t want Bilam‘s blessing, as we don’t want the bee’s sting or it’s honey. Rashi asks where the leap is from realizing it would be fruitless to curse them, to actually wanting to bless them.  The question makes it difficult to understand the parable; if you don’t get stung, of course you want the honey!
R’ Yosef Shwartz (the Giznei Yosef) explains that the reason behind the fact that Rivka’s family had blessed her, and she became barren. From here its clear that an evil person’s blessings are not fulfilled and in this case, it was, to the degree that the blessing was, in effect, a curse.
This was Bilam‘s intention. He would NOT be miskayem (fulfilling) the blessing, as was the case with Rivka! Clearly this blessing (honey) has the sting in the tail! Therefore, Rashi’s nimshal (explanation of the connection of the story to the matter at hand) is very apt indeed!
The difference is that Rivka’s family blessed her and this is the source that an evil person’s blessing is not mekuyam (fulfilled), to the degree that she became barren. But the Jews were already blessed by Hashem, so Bilam‘s “blessing” couldn’t not be  fulfilled as it was after the fact they were chosen and blessed! That’s why it says, “I (God) have blessed them” – so your “blessing” can’t have an effect one way or another!

How Good Are Your Tents, Jacob!

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In Bamidbar 24:5 it say, מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל- How great are your tents, Jacob. Rashi explains, מה טובו אהליך: על שראה פתחיהם שאינן מכוונין זה מול זה- How great are your tents: For he saw that the entrances were not facing each other. The general understand in Rashi is that there was a tremendous zechus (merit) for the Jews because they were careful with each others privacy. This trait of tznius (modesty) compelled Bilam (of course, with Divine Intervention) to bless the Jews.
Rabbi Meir Shapiro explains this in a different vein, ‘rooh sheayn pischeyhen mechuvanot ze keneged zeh’. Pesach can be translated as an entrance or as an opening. The Gemara tells us that God is extremely generous towards the Jews. He offers us a deal-come towards Me (with repentance and good deeds) and I will come towards you; open an opening for Me the breadth of a needle head, and I will come towards you with an opening the size of a ballroom. God asks us to do just one small thing for Him and He will shower us with abundance.
Rabbi Meir Shapiro explains that Bilam wanted to curse the Jews. He saw that their openings were not opposite each other, simply meaning they only have to do a little amount and God pays them with exponential growth. Hence, he understood the way in which God love His children and realized that there was no point in cursing them. In fact, he may as well bless them!

What Goes Around…

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The Pasuk says ” ….עֵד הַגַּל הַזֶּה – This pile (of stones) shall be a witness…”(31:52)

Many Midrashim mention that Yaakov thrust a sword into the wall as a second witness. The Da’as Zkeinim mentions this and then points out that Bilam ben Be’or’s downfall was with these two, a wall and a sword. Why is this relevant?

He quotes a Gemara in Sanhedrin (105.) that “תנא הוא בעור הוא כושן רשעתים הוא לבן הארמי – Be’or is the same person as Lavan the Aramean and Kushan Reshasaim (an evil king in judges)”, both of whom were mockers and scoffers who caused great difficulties for the Jews. Bilam was Lavan’s son.

Bilam was damaged by a wall, (Numbers 22:25) as it says “וַתִּלְחַץ אֶת-רֶגֶל בִּלְעָם, אֶל-הַקִּיר – and his foot was crushed against the wall”, and killed by the sword (ibid. 31:8) “וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן-בְּעוֹר, הָרְגוּ בֶּחָרֶב – also Bilam son of Be’or was slain by the sword”.

There is a terrifying story in the Gemara quoted by Rashi and Tosfos (Taanis 8.) that a young boy found a girl who’d fallen into a deep pit, and promised to rescue her on the condition that she marry him. She consented, and they made the pit she was in and a passing animal witnesses. He rescued her and they went their separate ways, and years later he married another woman, who bore him two sons. Unfortunately, one died falling into a pit, and another was killed by this animal. The woman asked why these bizarre misfortunes had befallen them, and he remembered the witnesses and his vow. His wife told him to divorce her and find this girl, which he did.

This is similar to the case of Bilam in that the witnesses came back to “remind” them of their duties, a clear demonstration of measure for measure.

Perhaps we can suggest an additional point to ponder: when Yakov entered Lavan’s house, he clearly did not have sons, as otherwise why would he send his daughters to tend the sheep, surely a man’s job? (We see this too by Yisro’s daughters). Yet in this week’s Sedra he clearly has sons (31:1). Lavan only had daughters until the blessing that Yakov brought with him gave him sons, and his own son broke his vow that nothing should befall his daughters.

These are a fulfilment of the Pasuk “יַד הָעֵדִים תִּהְיֶה בּוֹ בָרִאשֹׁנָה לַהֲמִיתוֹ – The hand of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death”.