| 1Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel; so he did not go in search of omens as he had done time and time again, but turned his face toward the desert. |
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אוַיַּ֣רְא בִּלְעָ֗ם כִּ֣י ט֞וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹֽא־הָלַ֥ךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם לִקְרַ֣את נְחָשִׁ֑ים וַיָּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר פָּנָֽיו: |
| Balaam saw that it pleased. He said, “I no longer have to test the Holy One, blessed is He, for He will not want to curse them.” |
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וַיַּרְא בִּלְעָם כִּי טוֹב וגו'.
אָמַר אֵינִי צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹּק עוֹד בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כִּי לֹא יַחְפֹּץ לְקַלְּלָם:
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| so he did not go… as he had done time and time again. As he had done twice - [Mid. Aggadah] |
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לא הָלַךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַעַם.
כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים:
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| in search of omens. To divine that perhaps God would chance to meet him as he wished. He said, “Whether He wishes to curse them or not, I will mention their sins so that on the mention of their sins the curse can take effect.” - [Mid. Aggadah] |
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לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים.
לְנַחֵשׁ אוּלַי יִקָּרֶה ה' לִקְרָתוֹ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, אָמַר רוֹצֶה וְלֹא רוֹצֶה לְקַלְּלָם, אַזְכִּיר עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם, וְהַקְּלָלָה עַל הַזְכָּרַת עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם תָּחוּל:
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| but turned his face toward the desert. As the Targum paraphrases [“He directed his face toward the desert, where the Israelites had made the golden calf,” or “He directed his face toward the golden calf, which the Israelites had made in the desert.” See Ramban, Midrash Aggadah, Mechokekei Yehudah (Minchath Yehudah, fn. 1)]. |
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וַיָּשֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָֽיו.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
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| 2Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes, and the spirit of God rested upon him. |
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בוַיִּשָּׂ֨א בִלְעָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שֹׁכֵ֖ן לִשְׁבָטָ֑יו וַתְּהִ֥י עָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹהִֽים: |
| Balaam raised his eyes. He sought to cast an evil eye upon them, so here you have his three attributes: an evil eye, a haughty spirit, and greed mentioned above (22:13, 18). - [Avoth 5:19, Mid. Tanchuma Balak 6, Num. Rabbah 20:10] |
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וַיִּשָּׂא בִלְעָם אֶת־עֵינָיו.
בִּקֵּשׁ לְהַכְנִיס בָּהֶם עַיִן רָעָה, וַהֲרֵי יֵשׁ לְךָ שָׁלֹשׁ מִדּוֹתָיו — עַיִן רָעָה וְרוּחַ גְּבוֹהָה וְנֶפֶשׁ רְחָבָה הָאֲמוּרִים לְמַעְלָה:
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| dwelling according to its tribes. He saw each tribe dwelling by itself, not intermingling [with other tribes], and he saw that the openings of their tents did not face each other, so that they should not peer into each other’s tents. — [B.B. 60a, Mid. Aggadah] |
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שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו.
רָאָה כָל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט שׁוֹכֵן לְעַצְמוֹ וְאֵינָן מְעֹרָבִין, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין פִּתְחֵיהֶם מְכֻוָּנִין זֶה כְנֶגֶד זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יָצִיץ לְתוֹךְ אֹהֶל חֲבֵרוֹ:
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| and the spirit of God rested upon him. It entered his mind not to curse them. |
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וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִֽים.
עָלָה בְלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יְקַלְּלֵם:
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| 3He took up his parable and said, "The word of Balaam the son of Beor and the word of the man with an open eye. |
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גוַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר נְאֻ֤ם בִּלְעָם֙ בְּנ֣וֹ בְעֹ֔ר וּנְאֻ֥ם הַגֶּ֖בֶר שְׁתֻ֥ם הָעָֽיִן: |
| the son of Beor. Heb. בְּנוֹ בְעֹר, lit., his son was Beor. [However, the word בְּנוֹ is used here] as in “to a spring לְמַעְיְנוֹ of water” (Ps. 114:8) [see Rashi 23:18]. The Midrash Aggadah expounds: Both were greater than their fathers; Balak, his son was Zippor, for his [Balak’s] father was his son, as it were, with regard to royalty. And Balaam was greater than his father in prophecy; he was a maneh [a coin equaling one hundred zuz] the son of a peras [a coin equaling fifty zuz, half the value of a maneh]. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Sanh. 105a] |
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בְּנוֹ בְעֹר.
כְּמוֹ "לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם" (תהלים קי"ד); וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה שְׁנֵיהֶם הָיוּ גְדוֹלִים מֵאֲבוֹתֵיהֶם, בָּלָק בְּנוֹ צִפּוֹר — אָבִיו בְּנוֹ הוּא בְמַלְכוּת, וּבִלְעָם גָּדוֹל מֵאָבִיו בִּנְבִיאוּת — מָנֶה בֶן פְּרָס הָיָה (סנהדרין ק"ה; תנחומא):
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| with an open eye. Heb. שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן. His eye had been gouged out and its socket appeared open. This term שְׁתֻם is mishnaic; “enough time to bore a hole (יִשְׁתֹּם) [in a cask], seal it, and dry it” (A.Z. 69a). Our Rabbis said, Because he said, “the number of the seed of Israel” (23:10), implying that the Holy One, blessed is He, sits and counts the seed that issues from the Israelite sexual unions, waiting for the drop from which a righteous man will be born, he thought, “The One Who is holy, and Whose ministers are holy should direct His attention to matters such as these?” On account of this, Balaam’s eye was blinded (Mid. Aggadah). Some say that the phrase means “of the open eye,” [meaning of clear sight], as Onkelos renders. As for its saying, “with an open eye” rather than “with open eyes,” this teaches us that he was blind in one eye. — [Sanh. 105a] |
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שְׁתֻם הָעָֽיִן.
עֵינוֹ נְקוּרָה וּמוּצֵאת לַחוּץ וְחֹר שֶׁלָּהּ נִרְאֶה פָתוּחַ, וּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה הוּא, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִשְׁתֹּם וְיִסְתֹּם וְיִגֹּב (עבודה זרה ס"ט); וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר וּמִסְפָּר אֶת רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל — שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹשֵׁב וּמוֹנֶה רְבִיעוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, מָתַי תָּבֹא טִפָּה שֶׁנּוֹלַד הַצַּדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ, מִי שֶׁהוּא קָדוֹשׁ וּמְשָׁרְתָיו קְדוֹשִׁים יִסְתַּכֵּל בִּדְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ? וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה נִסְמַת עֵינוֹ שֶׁל בִּלְעָם (נדה ל"א); וְיֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים שתם העין — פְּתוּחַ הָעַיִן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס, וְעַל שֶׁאָמַר שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן וְלֹא אָמַר שְׁתוּם הָעֵינַיִם, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁסּוּמָא בְאַחַת מֵעֵינָיו הָיָה (סנהדרין ק"ה):
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| 4The word of the one who hears God's sayings, who sees the vision of the Almighty, fallen yet with open eyes. |
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דנְאֻ֕ם שֹׁמֵ֖עַ אִמְרֵי־אֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַֽחֲזֵ֤ה שַׁדַּי֙ יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה נֹפֵ֖ל וּגְל֥וּי עֵינָֽיִם: |
| fallen yet with open eyes. The plain meaning is as understood by the Targum [Onkelos], that He appeared to him only at night, while he was lying down. The Midrashic explanation is that when He appeared to him, he had no strength to stand on his feet, so he fell on his face, for since he was uncircumcised, it was a disgrace to appear before Him while he was standing upright in His presence. — [Mid. Aggadah] |
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נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָֽיִם.
פְּשׁוּטוֹ כְתַרְגּוּמוֹ — שֶׁאֵין נִרְאֶה עָלָיו אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה כְּשֶׁהוּא שׁוֹכֵב; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: כְּשֶׁהָיָה נִגְלֶה עָלָיו לֹא הָיָה בוֹ כֹּחַ לַעֲמֹד עַל רַגְלָיו וְנוֹפֵל עַל פָּנָיו, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה עָרֵל, וּמָאוּס לִהְיוֹת נִגְלֶה עָלָיו בְּקוֹמָה זְקוּפָה לְפָנָיו:
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| 5How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! |
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המַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹֽהָלֶ֖יךָ יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| How goodly are your tents. For he saw that the entrances were not facing each other. — [B.B. 60a] |
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מַה־טֹּבוּ אֹֽהָלֶיךָ.
עַל שֶׁרָאָה פִתְחֵיהֶם שֶׁאֵינָן מְכֻוָּנִין זֶה מוּל זֶה:
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| your dwelling places. Your encampments, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders. Another explanation: “How goodly are your tents”-How goodly are the tent of Shiloh and the eternal Temple when they are inhabited, for offerings are brought up in them to atone for you." |
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מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ.
חֲנִיּוֹתֶיךָ, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר, מה טבו אהליך — מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהֶל שִׁילֹה וּבֵית עוֹלָמִים בְּיִשּׁוּבָן, שֶׁמַּקְרִיבִין בָּהֶן קָרְבָּנוֹת לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם:
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| your dwelling places. Heb. מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶי, even when they are desolate, for they are held as a pledge (מַשְׁכּוֹן) for you, and their desolate state atones for your souls, as it says, “The Lord has spent His fury” (Lam. 4:11). How did He spend it? “He has kindled a fire in Zion” (ibid.) - [See Mid. Tanchuma Pekudei 4] |
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מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ.
אַף כְּשֶׁהֵן חֲרֵבִין, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן מַשְׁכּוֹן עֲלֵיכֶם, וְחֻרְבָּנָן כַּפָּרָה עַל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּלָּה ה' אֶת חֲמָתוֹ" (איכה ד'), וּבַמֶּה כִלָּה? (שם) "וַיַּצֶּת אֵשׁ בְּצִיּוֹן" (תנחומא משפטים):
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| 6They extend like streams, like gardens by the river, like aloes which the Lord planted, like cedars by the water. |
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וכִּנְחָלִ֣ים נִטָּ֔יוּ כְּגַנֹּ֖ת עֲלֵ֣י נָהָ֑ר כַּֽאֲהָלִים֙ נָטַ֣ע יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּֽאֲרָזִ֖ים עֲלֵי־מָֽיִם: |
| They extend like streams. They extend and are drawn out for a distance. Our Rabbis said: From this wicked man’s blessings we can determine how he intended to curse them when he decided to turn his face toward the desert. For when the Omnipresent reversed [the words of] his mouth, he blessed them in a way corresponding to the curses he intended to say…, as is stated in [the chapter of] Cheilek (Sanh. 105b). |
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כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ.
שֶׁנֶּאֶרְכוּ וְנִמְשְׁכוּ לִנְטוֹת לְמֵרָחוֹק; אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִבִּרְכוֹתָיו שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע אָנוּ לְמֵדִים מֶה הָיָה בְלִבּוֹ לְקַלְּלָם כְּשֶׁאָמַר לְהָשִׁית אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָיו, וּכְשֶׁהָפַךְ הַמָּקוֹם אֶת פִּיו, בֵּרְכָם מֵעֵין אוֹתָם קְלָלוֹת שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לוֹמַר כו', כִּדְאִיתָא בְחֵלֶק (סנהדרין ק"ח):
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| like aloes. Heb. כַּאִהָלִים, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders, [aromatic plants], as in the expression as, “myrrh and aloes (וַאֲהָלוּת)” (Song 4:14). |
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כַּֽאֲהָלִים.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן "מֹר וַאֲהָלוֹת" (תהלים מ"ה):
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| which the Lord planted. in the Garden of Eden. Another interpretation: Like the firmament which is stretched out like a tent (אֹהֶל) as it says, “and he spread them out like a tent (כָּאֹהֶל) to dwell in” (Is. 40:22) (Targum Jonathan and Yerushalmi). (This interpretation is incorrect because, if so, it would have been vowelized כְּאֹהָלִים, with a cholam. - This is obviously a copyist’s comment, because Rashi proceeds to defend this interpretation. Editor’s note) |
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נָטַע ה'.
בְּגַן עֵדֶן; לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר כאהלים נטע ה' — כַּשָּׁמַיִם הַמְּתוּחִין כְּאֹהֶל:
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| which the Lord planted. We find the expression ‘planting’ in relation to tents, as it says, “And he will pitch (וַיִטַּע) his palatial tents” (Dan. 11:45). |
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נָטַע ה'.
לְשׁוֹן נְטִיעָה מָצִינוּ בְאֹהָלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְיִטַּע אָהֳלֵי אַפַּדְנוֹ" (דניאל י"א):
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| 7Water will flow from his wells, and his seed shall have abundant water; his king shall be raised over Agag, and his kingship exalted. |
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זיִזַּל־מַ֨יִם֙ מִדָּ֣לְיָ֔ו וְזַרְע֖וֹ בְּמַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים וְיָרֹ֤ם מֵֽאֲגַג֙ מַלְכּ֔וֹ וְתִנַּשֵּׂ֖א מַלְכֻתֽוֹ: |
| from his wells. Heb. מִדָּלְיָו, from his wells; the meaning is as the Targum [Onkelos interprets it, namely, “the king anointed from his sons shall be great.”] |
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מִדָּלְיָו.
מִבְּאֵרוֹתָיו, וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
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| and his seed shall have abundant water. This expression denotes prosperity, like seed [which flourishes when] planted close to water. |
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וְזַרְעוֹ בְּמַיִם רַבִּים.
לְשׁוֹן הַצְלָחָה הוּא זֶה — כְּזֶרַע הַזָּרוּעַ עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם:
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| His king shall be raised over Agag. Their first king [Saul] will capture Agag, king of Amalek. — [Mid. Aggadah] |
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וְיָרֹם מֵֽאֲגַג מַלְכּוֹ.
מֶלֶךְ רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁלָּהֶם יִכְבֹּשׁ אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק:
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| and his kingship exalted. [The kingship of Jacob] will become greater and greater, for following him [Saul] will come David and Solomon. — [Mid. Aggadah] |
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וְתִנַּשֵּׂא מַלְכֻתֽוֹ.
שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר, שֶׁיָּבֹא אַחֲרָיו דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה:
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| 8God, Who has brought them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness He shall consume the nations which are his adversaries, bare their bones and dip His arrows [into their blood]. |
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חאֵ֚ל מֽוֹצִיא֣וֹ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם כְּתֽוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם ל֑וֹ יֹאכַ֞ל גּוֹיִ֣ם צָרָ֗יו וְעַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶ֛ם יְגָרֵ֖ם וְחִצָּ֥יו יִמְחָֽץ: |
| God, Who has brought them out of Egypt. Who caused them all this greatness? God, Who brought them out of Egypt with His power and loftiness. He will consume the nations who are his adversaries. |
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אֵל מֽוֹצִיאוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם.
מִי גוֹרֵם לָהֶם הַגְּדֻלָּה הַזֹּאת? אֵל הַמּוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּתֹקֶף וְרוּם שֶׁלּוֹ, יֹאכַל אֶת הַגּוֹיִם שֶׁהֵם צָרָיו:
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| their bones. of these adversaries. |
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וְעַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶם.
שֶׁל צָרִים:
|
| bare. Heb. יְגָרֵם. Menachem (Machbereth p. 59) interprets this word as ‘breaking up.’ Similarly, “They [the wolves] did not gnaw the (גָרְמוּ) [bones] in the morning” (Zeph. 3:3), and similarly, “its shards you shall break (תְּגָרֵמִי)” (Ezek. 23:34). I, however, maintain that it means ‘bone,’ [and the meaning is:] He strips the surrounding flesh with his teeth and the marrow from within, leaving the bone in its bare state. |
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יְגָרֵם.
מְנַחֵם פָּתַר בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן שְׁבִירָה, וְכֵן "לֹא גָרְמוּ לַבֹּקֶר" (צפניה ג'), וְכֵן "וְאֶת חֲרָשֶׂיהָ תְּגָרֵמִי" (יחזקאל כ"ג), וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְשׁוֹן עֶצֶם הוּא, שֶׁמְּגָרֵר הַבָּשָׂר בְּשִׁנָּיו מִסָּבִיב, וְהַמֹּחַ שֶׁבִּפְנִים, וּמַעֲמִיד הָעֶצֶם עַל עַרְמִימוּתוֹ:
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| and dip His arrows. חִצָּיו יִמְחָץ. Onkelos interprets it as referring to the half of the adversaries- [that is,] their part, as in, בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים (Gen. 49:23) [which the Targum renders as] “those who should take half.” So [according to the Targum] the יִמְחָץ is [used here] as in the expression, “she split (וּמָחֲצָה) and struck through his temple” (Jud. 5:26), [hence, here it means,] they divided [among themselves] their [the adversaries’] land. It is also possible to interpret it in the literal sense, which is “arrows.” The arrows of the Holy One, blessed is He, will be dipped (יִמְחָץ) into the blood of the adversaries-He will dip and stain [the arrows] with blood, as in, “in order that your foot may wade (תִּמְחַץ) through blood” (Ps. 68: 24). This is not a departure from the general meaning of ‘wounding,’ as in, “I have wounded (מָחַצְתִּי)” (Deut. 32:39), for anything stained with blood appears as if it is wounded and stricken. |
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וְחִצָּיו יִמְחָֽץ.
אֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם חֶצְיוֹ שֶׁל צָרִים — חֲלֻקָּה שֶׁלָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ (בראשית מ"ט) "בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים" — מָרֵי פַּלְגּוּתָא, וְכֵן יִמְחָץ לְשׁוֹן "וּמָחֲצָה וְחָלְפָה רַקָּתוֹ" (שופטים ה') — שֶׁיֶחֱצוּ אֶת אַרְצָם. וְיֵשׁ לִפְתֹּר לְשׁוֹן חִצִּים מַמָּשׁ — חִצָּיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִמְחַץ בְּדָמָם שֶׁל צָרִים, יִטְבֹּל וְיִצְטַבַּע בְּדָמָם, כְּמוֹ "לְמַעַן תִּמְחַץ רַגְלְךָ בְּדָם" (תהלים ס"ח), וְאֵינוֹ זָז מִלָּשׁוֹן מַכָּה, כְּמוֹ "מָחַצְתִּי" (דברים ל"ב), שֶׁהַצָּבוּעַ בְּדָם נִרְאֶה כְּאִלּוּ מָחוּץ וְנָגוּעַ:
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| 9He crouches and lies like a lion and like a lioness; who will dare rouse him? Those who bless you shall be blessed, and those who curse you shall be cursed. |
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טכָּרַ֨ע שָׁכַ֧ב כַּֽאֲרִ֛י וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֣י יְקִימֶ֑נּוּ מְבָֽרֲכֶ֣יךָ בָר֔וּךְ וְאֹֽרֲרֶ֖יךָ אָרֽוּר: |
| He crouches and lies like a lion. As the Targum [Onkelos] renders, they will settle in their land with might and power. |
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כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּֽאֲרִי.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ — יִתְיַשְּׁבוּ בְאַרְצָם בְּכֹחַ וּגְבוּרָה:
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| 10Balak's anger flared against Balaam, and he clapped his hands. Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. |
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יוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיִּסְפֹּ֖ק אֶת־כַּפָּ֑יו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בָּלָ֜ק אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם לָקֹ֤ב אֹֽיְבַי֙ קְרָאתִ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּה֙ בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ בָרֵ֔ךְ זֶ֖ה שָׁל֥שׁ פְּעָמִֽים: |
| he clapped. He struck one [hand] against the other. — [Onkelos , Menachem, Mid. Aggadah] |
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וַיִּסְפֹּק.
הִכָּה זוֹ עַל זוֹ:
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| 11Now, hurry back to your place. I said I would honor you greatly, but the Lord has deprived you of honor." |
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יאוְעַתָּ֖ה בְּרַח־לְךָ֣ אֶל־מְקוֹמֶ֑ךָ אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ כַּבֵּ֣ד אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֔ וְהִנֵּ֛ה מְנָֽעֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִכָּבֽוֹד: |
| 12Balaam said to Balak, "But I even told the messengers you sent to me, saying, |
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יבוַיֹּ֥אמֶר בִּלְעָ֖ם אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א גַּ֧ם אֶל־מַלְאָכֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥חְתָּ אֵלַ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 13'If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot transgress the word of the Lord to do either good or evil on my own; only what the Lord speaks can I speak.' |
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יגאִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֨י בָלָ֜ק מְלֹ֣א בֵיתוֹ֘ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָב֒ לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת טוֹבָ֛ה א֥וֹ רָעָ֖ה מִלִּבִּ֑י אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֲדַבֵּֽר: |
| transgress the word of the Lord. Here it does not say, “my God,” as it says the first time [22:18], because he realized that he was loathsome to the Holy One, blessed is He, and had been banished [by Him]. — [Mid. Aggadah] |
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לַֽעֲבֹר אֶת־פִּי ה'.
כָּאן לֹא נֶאֱמַר "אֱלֹהַי" כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה (כ"ב י"ח), לְפִי שֶׁיָּדַע שֶׁנִּבְאַשׁ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְנִטְרַד:
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| 14And now, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you...what this people will do to your people at the end of days." |
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ידוְעַתָּ֕ה הִנְנִ֥י הוֹלֵ֖ךְ לְעַמִּ֑י לְכָה֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַֽעֲשֶׂ֜ה הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֛ה לְעַמְּךָ֖ בְּאַֽחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִֽים: |
| I am going to my people. “From now I am like the rest of my people,” for the Holy One, blessed is He, had departed from him. |
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הוֹלֵךְ לְעַמִּי.
מֵעַתָּה הֲרֵינִי כִשְׁאָר עַמִּי, שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵעָלָיו:
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| Come, I will advise you. what action you should take. What is that counsel? “The God of these [people] hates immorality [thus, entice them to sin with your women…] as it is related in [the chapter of] Cheilek (Sanh. 106a). The proof that Balaam offered this counsel to cause them to stumble through immorality is that it says, ”They were the ones who were involved with the children of Israel on Balaam’s advice" (31:16). |
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לְכָה אִיעָצְךָ.
מַה לְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת, וּמַה הִיא הָעֵצָה? אֱלֹהֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ שׂוֹנֵא זִמָּה הוּא כו', כִּדְאִיתָא בְחֵלֶק (סנהדרין ק"ו); תֵּדַע שֶׁבִּלְעָם הִשִּׂיא עֵצָה זוֹ לְהַכְשִׁילָם בְּזִמָּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר "הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם" (במדבר ל"א):
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| what this people will do to your people. This is an elliptical verse, [and it means,] I will advise you how to make them stumble, and tell you how they will punish Moab at the end of days. “And crush the princes of Moab” (verse 17); the Targum [Onkelos] elaborates on the abbreviated Hebrew. |
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אֲשֶׁר יַֽעֲשֶׂה הָעָם הַזֶּה לְעַמְּךָ.
מִקְרָא קָצָר הוּא זֶה: אִיעָצְךָ לְהַכְשִׁילָם וְאֹמַר לְךָ מַה שֶּׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לְהָרַע לְמוֹאָב בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים — "וּמָחַץ פַּאֲתֵי מוֹאָב"; הַתַּרְגּוּם מְפָרֵשׁ קֹצֶר הָעִבְרִי:
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| 15He took up his parable and said, "The word of Balaam, son of Beor, the word of a man with an open eye. |
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טווַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר נְאֻ֤ם בִּלְעָם֙ בְּנ֣וֹ בְעֹ֔ר וּנְאֻ֥ם הַגֶּ֖בֶר שְׁתֻ֥ם הָעָֽיִן: |
| 16The word of the one who hears God's sayings and perceives the thoughts of the Most High; who sees the vision of the Almighty, fallen yet with open eyes. |
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טזנְאֻ֗ם שֹׁמֵ֨עַ֙ אִמְרֵי־אֵ֔ל וְיֹדֵ֖עַ דַּ֣עַת עֶלְי֑וֹן מַֽחֲזֵ֤ה שַׁדַּי֙ יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה נֹפֵ֖ל וּגְל֥וּי עֵינָֽיִם: |
| and perceives the thoughts of the Most High. to determine the precise moment that He becomes angry. - [Ber. 7a] |
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וְיֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן.
לְכַוֵּן הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁכּוֹעֵס בָּהּ (סנהדרין ק"ה):
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| 17I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not soon. A star has gone forth from Jacob, and a staff will arise from Israel which will crush the princes of Moab and uproot all the sons of Seth. |
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יזאֶרְאֶ֨נּוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א עַתָּ֔ה אֲשׁוּרֶ֖נּוּ וְלֹ֣א קָר֑וֹב דָּרַ֨ךְ כּוֹכָ֜ב מִיַּֽעֲקֹ֗ב וְקָ֥ם שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמָחַץ֙ פַּֽאֲתֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב וְקַרְקַ֖ר כָּל־בְּנֵי־שֵֽׁת: |
| I see it. I see that prominence and greatness of Jacob, but it is not at present, only at a later time. |
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אֶרְאֶנּוּ.
רוֹאֶה אֲנִי שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב וּגְדֻלָּתוֹ, אַךְ לֹא עַתָּה הִיא, אֶלָּא לְאַחַר זְמַן:
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| A star has gone forth. As the Targum [Onkelos] renders, an expression similar to “He has bent (דָּרַ) his bow” (Lam. 2:4), for a star shoots out like an arrow; in old French, destent, as if to say, his good fortune shall rise [prosper]. |
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דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן "דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ" (איכה ב'), שֶׁהַכּוֹכָב עוֹבֵר כְּחֵץ, וּבְלַעַז דישט"נט, כְּלוֹמַר יָקוּם מַזָּל:
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| and a staff will arise. A king who rules dominantly. |
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וְקָם שֵׁבֶט.
מֶלֶךְ רוֹדֶה וּמוֹשֵׁל:
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| which will crush the princes of Moab. This refers to David, of whom it says, “he laid them on the ground and measured two cord-lengths to put to death…” (II Sam. 8:2). - [Mid. Aggadah] |
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וּמָחַץ פַּֽאֲתֵי מוֹאָב.
זֶה דָוִד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "הַשְׁכֵּב אוֹתָם אַרְצָה וַיְמַדֵּד שְׁנֵי חֲבָלִים לְהָמִית" וְגוֹ' (שמואל ב ח'):
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| and uproot. Heb. וְקַרְקַר is a term denoting ‘digging’ as in, “I dug (קַרְתִּי)” (II Kings 19:24); “to the hole of the pit from which you were dug out (נֻקַּרְתֶּם)” (Is. 51:1); “may the ravens of the valley pick it out (יִקְּרוּהָ)” (Prov. 30:17); in French, forer. |
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וְקַרְקַר.
לְשׁוֹן קוֹרֶה, כְּמוֹ "אֲנִי קַרְתִּי" (מלכים ב י"ט), "מַקֶּבֶת בּוֹר נֻקַּרְתֶּם" (ישעיהו נ"א), "יִקְּרוּהָ עֹרְבֵי נַחַל" (משלי ל'), פורי"ר בְּלַעַ"ז:
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| all the sons of Seth. All the nations, for they are all descended from Seth, the son of Adam [lit., the first man]. |
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כָּל־בְּנֵי־שֵֽׁת.
כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁכֻּלָּם יָצְאוּ מִן שֵׁת בְּנוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן:
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| 18Edom shall be possessed, and Seir shall become the possession of his enemies, and Israel shall triumph. |
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יחוְהָיָ֨ה אֱד֜וֹם יְרֵשָׁ֗ה וְהָיָ֧ה יְרֵשָׁ֛ה שֵׂעִ֖יר אֹֽיְבָ֑יו וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עֹ֥שֶׂה חָֽיִל: |
| and Seir shall become the possession of his enemies. For his enemy, Israel. |
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וְהָיָה יְרֵשָׁה שֵׂעִיר.
לְאוֹיְבָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל:
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| 19A ruler shall come out of Jacob, and destroy the remnant of the city." |
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יטוְיֵ֖רְדְּ מִיַּֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְהֶֽאֱבִ֥יד שָׂרִ֖יד מֵעִֽיר: |
| A ruler shall come out of Jacob. There will be another ruler from Jacob. |
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וְיֵרְדְּ מִיַּֽעֲקֹב.
וְעוֹד יִהְיֶה מוֹשֵׁל אַחֵר מִיַּעֲקֹב:
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| and destroy the remnant of the city. Of the most prominent [city] of Edom, that is, Rome. He says this regarding the King Messiah, of whom it says, “and may he reign from sea to sea,” (Ps. 72:8),“ and the house of Esau shall have no survivors” (Obad. 1:18). - [Mid. Aggadah] |
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וְהֶֽאֱבִיד שָׂרִיד מֵעִֽיר.
הַחֲשׁוּבָה שֶׁל אֱדוֹם, הִיא רוֹמִי, וְעַל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ אוֹמֵר כֵּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "וְיֵרְדְּ מִיָּם עַד יָם" (תהלים ע"ב) "וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂרִיד לְבֵית עֵשָׂו" (עוב' י"ח):
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| 20When he saw Amalek, he took up his parable and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, and his fate shall be everlasting destruction." |
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כוַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֔ק וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר רֵאשִׁ֤ית גּוֹיִם֙ עֲמָלֵ֔ק וְאַֽחֲרִית֖וֹ עֲדֵ֥י אֹבֵֽד: |
| He saw Amalek. He perceived the retribution destined to befall Amalek. |
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וַיַּרְא אֶת־עֲמָלֵק.
נִסְתַּכֵּל בְּפֻרְעֲנוּתוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק:
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| Amalek was the first of the nations. He came before all of them to make war with Israel, and so Targum renders. And his fate shall be to perish by their hand, as it says, “You shall obliterate the remembrance of Amalek” (Deut. 25:19). |
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רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם עֲמָלֵק.
הוּא קָדַם אֶת כֻּלָּם לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל — וְכָךְ תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס — ואחריתו לֵאָבֵד בְּיָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק" (דברים כ"ה):
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| 21When he saw the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, "How firm is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in a cliff. |
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כאוַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־הַקֵּינִ֔י וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֵיתָן֙ מֽוֹשָׁבֶ֔ךָ וְשִׂ֥ים בַּסֶּ֖לַע קִנֶּֽךָ: |
| He saw the Kenite and said. Since the Kenites were encamped near Amalek, as it is said, “Saul said to the Kenite…” (I Sam. 15:6), he mentions him after Amalek. He perceived the greatness of the sons of Jethro [known also as Keni], of whom it is said, “Tirathites (תִּרְעָתִים), Shimathites (שִׁמְעָתִים), Sochathites (סוֹכָתִים)” (I Chron. 2:55), [expounded on in Sifrei (Beha’alothecha 42) as follows: תִּרְעָתִים, so called because they heard the shofar blast (תְּרוּעָה) on Mount Sinai, because they would cry out (מַתְרִיעִים) and be answered, because they dwelled at the entrance to the gates (תַּרְעֵי) of Jerusalem; שִׁמְעָתִים, so called because they obeyed (שָׁמְעוּ) their father’s command (to abstain from drinking wine and to live in tents, as in Jer. 35:8, 9); סוֹכָתִים, so called because they did not anoint themselves (לֹא סָכוּ) with oil and because they dwelt in booths (סֻכּוֹת)]. |
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וַיַּרְא אֶת־הַקֵּינִי.
לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה קֵינִי תָּקוּעַ אֵצֶל עֲמָלֵק, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל הַקֵּינִי" וְגוֹ' (שמואל א ט"ו), הִזְכִּירוֹ אַחַר עֲמָלֵק; נִסְתַּכֵּל בִּגְדֻלָּתָן שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִתְרוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם (דבהי"א ב') "תִּרְעָתִים שִׁמְעָתִים שׂוּכָתִים" (ספרי במדבר י'; סנהדרין ק"ד):
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| How firm is your dwelling place. [Balaam asks Jethro, who is Keni,] “I wonder how you merited this? Were you not with me in the counsel [we gave Pharaoh] ”Come, let us deal wisely with them"? (Exod. 1:10) Yet now you have settled yourself in the firmness and strength of Israel. — [Sanh. 106a] |
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אֵיתָן מֽוֹשָׁבֶךָ.
תָּמֵהַּ אֲנִי מֵהֵיכָן זָכִיתָ לְכָךְ הֲלֹא אַתָּה עִמִּי הָיִיתָ בַּעֲצַת "הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ" (שמות א'), וְעַתָּה נִתְיַשַּׁבְתָּ בְאֵיתָן וּמָעוֹז שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל (סנהדרין ק"ו):
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| 22For if Kain is laid waste, how far will Assyria take you captive?" |
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כבכִּ֥י אִם־יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְבָ֣עֵֽר קָ֑יִן עַד־מָ֖ה אַשּׁ֥וּר תִּשְׁבֶּֽךָּ: |
| For if Kain is laid waste. Fortunate are you that you are settled in this stronghold, for you will never be banished from the world. Even if you are destined to be exiled with the ten tribes, and be eliminated from the place where you had settled, what of it? |
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כִּי אִם־יִֽהְיֶה לְבָעֵֽר קָיִן וגו'.
אַשְׁרֶיךָ שֶׁנִּתְקַעְתָּ לְתֹקֶף זֶה, שֶׁאֵינְךָ נִטְרָד עוֹד מִן הָעוֹלָם, כִּי אַף אִם אַתָּה עָתִיד לִגְלוֹת עִם עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים, וְתִהְיֶה לְבָעֵר מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּתְיַשַּׁבְתָּ שָׁם, מַה בְּכָךְ?
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| how far will Assyria take you captive?. How far will he exile you? Perhaps as far as Halah or Habor? That is not considered being banished from the world, but being moved from one place to another, and you shall return with the other exiles. |
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עַד־מָה אַשּׁוּר תִּשְׁבֶּֽךָּ.
עַד הֵיכָן הוּא מַגְלֶה אוֹתְךָ? שֶׁמָּא לַחְלַח וְחָבוֹר? אֵין זֶה טֵרוּד מִן הָעוֹלָם, אֶלָּא טִלְטוּל מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, וְתָשׁוּב עִם שְׁאָר הַגָּלֻיּוֹת:
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| 23He took up his parable and said, "Alas! Who can survive these things from God? |
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כגוַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר א֕וֹי מִ֥י יִֽחְיֶ֖ה מִשֻּׂמ֥וֹ אֵֽל: |
| He took up his parable…. Since he mentioned the captivity by Assyria, he says- |
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וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וגו'.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁבִיַּת אַשּׁוּר, אָמַר:
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| Alas! Who can survive these things from God?. Who can save himself from the One who designates these things, so that the One who decrees [namely, God] should not put these things [into effect] against him? [And what are these terrible things?] That Sennacherib will arise and confuse all the nations, and furthermore, “ships will come from the Kittites”-the Kittites, who are the Romans, shall go forth in huge warships against Assyria. |
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אוֹי מִי יִֽחְיֶה מִשֻּׂמוֹ אֵֽל.
מִי יָכוֹל לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִשּׂוּמוֹ אֶת אֵלֶּה — שֶׁלֹּא יָשִׂים עָלָיו הַגּוֹזֵר אֶת אֵלֶּה, שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד סַנְחֵרִיב וִיבַלְבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, וְעוֹד יָבֹאוּ:
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| 24Ships will come from the Kittites and afflict Assyria and afflict those on the other side, but he too will perish forever." |
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כדוְצִים֙ מִיַּ֣ד כִּתִּ֔ים וְעִנּ֥וּ אַשּׁ֖וּר וְעִנּוּ־עֵ֑בֶר וְגַם־ה֖וּא עֲדֵ֥י אֹבֵֽד: |
| Ships will come from the Kittites.
The people of Kittites - the Romans - will cross in big ships against Assyria.
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צים מִיַּד כִּתִּים.
וְיַעַבְרוּ כִתִּיִּים, שֶׁהֵן רוֹמִיִּים, בְּבִירָנִיּוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת עַל אַשּׁוּר:
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| and afflict those on the other side. And they shall afflict those on the other side of the river [Euphrates]. |
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וְעִנּוּ עֵבֶר.
וְעִנּוּ אוֹתָם שֶׁבְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר:
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| but he too will perish forever. Similarly does Daniel explain [concerning the Roman empire], “until the beast was slain and its body destroyed” (Dan. 7:11). |
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וְגַם־הוּא עֲדֵי אֹבֵֽד.
וְכֵן פֵּרֵשׁ דָּנִיֵּאל "עַד דִּיקְטִילַת חֵיוְתָא וְהוּבַד גִּשְׁמַהּ" (דניאל ז'):
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| ships. Heb. וְצִים, huge ships, as it is written,“ וְצִי אַדִּיר ” (Is. 33:21) which the Targum [Jonathan] renders as“a great ship.” - [Yoma 77b] |
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וְצִים.
סְפִינוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, כְּדִכְתִיב (ישעיהו ל"ג) "וְצִי אַדִּיר", תַּרְגּוּמוֹ "וּבוּרְנִי רַבְּתָא" (יומא ע"ז):
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| 25Balaam arose, went, and returned home, and Balak went on his way. |
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כהוַיָּ֣קָם בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ וַיָּ֣שָׁב לִמְקֹמ֑וֹ וְגַם־בָּלָ֖ק הָלַ֥ךְ לְדַרְכּֽוֹ: |
