Daf 200a (דַּף ר״ש ע״א)

That wicked one said (אָמַר הַהוּא רָשָׁע): The former ones strove but were not able (קַדְמָאֵי אִשְׁתְּדָּלוּ וְלָא יָכִילוּ). The generation of dispersion strove but were not able (דוֹר הַפְלָגָה אִשְׁתְּדָּלוּ, וְלָא יָכִילוּ). They acted, but a mouth was lacking among them, for their language was confused, and they were not able (עָבְדוּ עוֹבָדָא, וּפוּמָא חָסֵר מִנַּיְיהוּ, דְּלִישָׁנְהוֹן אִתְבַּלְבָּל, וְלָא יָכִיל). But you—behold your mouth is sharp, and your tongue is set in order with these two sides (אֲבָל אַנְתְּ, הָא פּוּמָךְ שַׁנָּן, וְלִישָׁנָךְ מְתֻּתְקָּן בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין אִלֵּין): “Whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed” (אֵת אֲשֶׁר תְּבָרֵךְ מְבוֹרָךְ, וַאֲשֶׁר תָּאוֹר יוּאָר).

That side which you desire to remove above, with your mouth and your tongue, shall be removed (הַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאַתְּ בָּעֵי לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא בְּפוּמָךְ וְלִישָׁנָךְ, אִסְתְּלִיק). And that side which you desire to lower, with the power of your mouth you shall lower (וְהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאַתְּ בָּעֵי לְמֵילַט, בְּחֵילָא דְּפוּמָךְ תֵּילוֹט). And all depends upon you, for the work is already prepared (וְכֹלָּא בָּךְ תַּלְיָיא, דְּהָא עוֹבָדָא אִתְתָּקַּן). But all depends on the word, and therefore (Some say: on the deed) “like the act of the serpent I have prepared” (אֲבָל בְּמִלָּה תַּלְיָיא כֹּלָּא, וְעַל דָּא – נ״א: בְּעוֹבָדָא – כְּעוֹבָדָא דְּנָחָשׁ אֲנָא אַתְקִין). And you will complete all with your mouth: that side which is blessed is blessed, and that side which is cursed is cursed (וְאַנְתְּ תַּשְׁלִים כֹּלָּא בְּפוּמָךְ, הַהוּא סִטְרָא דִּתְּבָרֵךְ מְבוֹרָךְ, וְהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּתָּאוֹר יוּאָר).

But he did not know that Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְהוּא לָא יָדַע דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Job 12): “He removes the speech of the trusted ones, and takes away the understanding of the elders” (מֵסִיר שָׂפָה לְנֶאֱמָנִים, וְטָעַם זְקֵנִים יִקַּח). And all stands in His authority (וְכֹלָּא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ קַיְּימָא). “He removes the speech of the trusted ones”—these are the generation of dispersion, whose tongues He confused, that they should not rule by speech at all (מֵסִיר שָׂפָה לְנֶאֱמָנִים, אֵלּוּ דּוֹר הַפְלָגָה, דְּבִלְבֵּל לִישָׁנֵהוֹן, דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן בְּמִלָּה כְּלָל). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Bereshit 11): “So that one did not understand the speech of his fellow” (אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ אִישׁ שְׂפַת רֵעֵהוּ). “And the understanding of elders He takes away”—these are Bil‘am and Balak, who both were together in one occasion, as it is written (וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקָּח, אֵלּוּ בִּלְעָם וּבָלָק, דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ הֲווֹ בְּעֵיטָא חֲדָא, דִּכְתִיב: וַיַּעַל בָּלָק וּבִלְעָם פַּר וְאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): that wicked one Bil‘am, all his works were evil, in the height of his heart (הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּבִלְעָם, כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי לְבִישׁ, בְּרוּם לִבָּא). Both of them offered sacrifices, as it is written: “And Balak and Bil‘am offered a bull and a ram on the altar” (תַּרְוַויְיהוּ הֲווֹ סַלְּקִין קָרְבְּנָא, דִּכְתִיב: וַיַּעַל בָּלָק וּבִלְעָם). And all the altars, Balak would arrange (וְכָל מַדְבְּחִין בָּלָק הֲוָה מְסַדֵּר), but he, the wicked one, would praise himself and say: “Seven altars I have arranged, and I have offered a bull and a ram on the altar” (וְאִיהוּ רָשָׁע, הֲוָה מַשְׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ וְאָמַר: אֶת שֶׁבַע הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת עָרַכְתִּי, וָאַעַל פָּר וְאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ). But Balak he did not join with him (וְאִלּוּ לְבָלָק לָא שָׁתַּף בַּהֲדֵיהּ). Kudsha Berikh Hu said: Wicked one, I know it all (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: רָשָׁע, כֹּלָּא יְדַעְנָא). But return to Balak, and you shall not speak except “Thus you shall say” (אֶלָּא שׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק, וְאַתְּ לָא צָרִיךְ לְמַלְּלָא, אֶלָּא וְכֹה תְּדַבֵּר). This is what is written: “And the understanding of elders He takes away” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקָּח).

Another matter: “And the understanding of elders He takes away” (דָּבָר אַחֵר וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקָּח), as it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Numbers 22): “And the elders of Moav and the elders of Midyan went, with divinations in their hand” (וַיֵּלְכוּ זִקְנֵי מוֹאָב וְזִקְנֵי מִדְיָן וּקְסָמִים בְּיָדָם). The reason is that He took away from them the power of those elders, and they were not able to rule with their sorceries at all (טַעֲמָא דְּאִינּוּן זְקֵנִים נָטַל מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְלָא יָכִילוּ לְמִשְׁלַט בְּחַרְשַׁיְיהוּ כְּלַל). “And they spoke to him the words of Balak” (וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו דִּבְרֵי בָּלָק)—words openly, and not in whisper (מִלִּין בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא, וְלָא בִּלְחִישׁוּ). Defective was his ear, defective his eye, defective his leg (פָּגִים אוּדְנָא הֲוָה, וּפָגִים עֵינָא, וּפָגִים רַגְלָא).

From three places he was defective (מִתְּלַת דּוּכְתִּין הֲוָה פָּגִים). He was prepared for the Sitra achra, and thus was needed for the Sitra achra: a place where there is defect, weapon to its weapon (מְתוּקָן הֲוָה לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, אֲתָר דְּשַׁרְיָא פָּגִים, זִינָא לְזִינֵיהּ). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Numbers 22): “And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring back word to you” (וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה וַהֲשִׁיבוֹתִי). Concerning them it is written: “And they spoke to him” (אִינּוּן כְּתִיב, וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו). But concerning him it is written: “And he said to them” (וְאִיהוּ כְּתִיב, וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם). “Lodge here this night”—for night is the time that belongs to the Sitra achra, to sorceries, when the evil sides are present and rule and spread in the world (לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה, בְּגִין דְּלֵילְיָא אִיהוּ שַׁעֲתָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא הֲוִי, לְחַרְשַׁיָּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי וְשַׁלְטֵי סִטְרֵי בִּישִׁין וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטָן בְּעָלְמָא). “As Hashem speaks to me” (כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר יְיָ אֵלָי)—he praised himself with the Name of Hashem (שַׁבּוּחֵי קָא מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ בִּשְׁמָא דַּיְיָ).

“And the princes of Moav stayed” (וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב), but the princes of Midyan separated from them, and did not want to remain there (וְשָׂרֵי מִדְיָן אִתְפְּרָשׁוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְלָא בָּעוּ לְמֵיתַב תַּמָּן). And the elders of Moav remained, as it is written: “And the princes of Moav stayed”—alone (וְסָבֵי מוֹאָב אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ, דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב, בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ). Rightly did the men of Midyan act, for they separated entirely from them (יָאוּת עַבְדֵי מִדְיָן, דְּאִתְפְּרָשׁוּ מִכָּל וְכָל מִנַּיְיהוּ). And if not that they struck at the end, being in the occasion of Bil‘am, to send their women to Yisrael at Shittim to lead them astray (וְאִלְמָלֵא לָא הֲווֹ מָחָאן בְּסוֹפָא דַּהֲווֹ בְּעֵיטָא דְּבִלְעָם, לְשָׁלְחָא נְשֵׁיהוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים לְמִטְעֵי לוֹן). And Scripture proved their guilt, as it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Numbers 25): “For they are adversaries to you through their schemes with which they deceived you concerning Pe‘or, and concerning Kozbi the daughter of the prince of Midyan, their sister, etc.” (כִּי צוֹרְרִים הֵם לָכֶם בְּנִכְלֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר נִכְּלוּ לָכֶם עַל דְּבַר פְּעוֹר, וְעַל דְּבַר כָּזְבִּי בַּת נְשִׂיא מִדְיָן אֲחוֹתָם וְגוֹ׳). In these two things they sinned, and their sin was great (בִּתְרֵין אִלֵּין חָאבוּ, וַהֲוָה חוֹבָא דִּלְהוֹן סַגִּי). They struck with the tail afterward (מָחוּ בִּזְנָבָא לְבָתַר). And because of this, these remained with him, and those went away alone (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִלֵּין אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְאִלֵּין אַזְלוּ בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ).

Another matter: “And the princes of Moav stayed with Bil‘am” (דָּבָר אַחֵר וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב עִם בִּלְעָם). How proper it would have been for the sons of Midyan to go, if their intention was such (כַמָה יָאוּת הֲוָה לוֹן לִבְנֵי מִדְיָן דְּאַזְלֵי, אִי רְעוּתָא דִלְהוֹן הָכִי). But the sitting of those of Moav caused them good, because they remained there (אֲבָל יְשִׁיבָה דְּיָתִיבוּ אִינּוּן דְּמוֹאָב, גַּרְמָא לוֹן טַב, בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ תַּמָּן). And those who went, those of Midyan, caused themselves evil (וּמַאן דְּאָזְלוּ אִינּוּן דְּמִדְיָן, גַּרְמֵי לוֹן בִּישׁ). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). These had regard for the honor of the word of Kudsha Berikh Hu, and remained (אִלֵּין חַשְׁשׁוּ לִיקָרָא דְּמִלָּה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְיָתִיבוּ). But these had no regard for it at all, and went their way (וְאִלֵּין לָא חַשְׁשׁוּ לָהּ כְּלוּם, וְאָזְלוּ לְאָרְחַיְיהוּ). At the time when that wicked one said: “And I will bring back word to you, as Hashem shall speak to me” (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָמַר הַהוּא רָשָׁע: וַהֲשִׁיבוֹתִי אֶתְכֶם דָּבָר כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר יְיָ), immediately those of Moav trembled at this word, and remained there (מִיַּד אִזְדַּעֲזָעוּ אִינּוּן דְּמוֹאָב לְמִלָּה דָּא, וְיָתִיבוּ תַּמָּן).

But those of Midyan did not regard this at all, and went away, and were punished afterward (וְאִינּוּן דְּמִדְיָן לָא חַשְׁשׁוּ לְדָא כְּלוּם, וְאָזְלוּ לוֹן, וְאִתְעֲנָשׁוּ לְבָתַר). And because of this it is written: “And the princes of Moav stayed with Bil‘am” (וְעַל דָּא וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב עִם בִּלְעָם). In that night, that wicked one whispered incantations, and performed with secret arts, and drew upon himself a spirit from above (בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא, הַהוּא רָשָׁע לָחִישׁ לְחִישִׁין, וְעֲבִיד בְּלָטִין, וְאַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵיהּ רוּחָא מִלְעֵילָּא). Immediately: “And Elohim came to Bil‘am”—Elohim, plain, his level from the Sitra achra of the left (מִיַד וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם, אֱלֹהִים סְתָם, דַּרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Numbers 22): “And He said: Who are these men with you?” (וַיֹּאמֶר מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה עִמָּךְ). His level was from the Sitra achra of the left, for he needed to ask (דַּרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ, מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא הֲוָה, דְּקָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִשְׁאַל).

And even though the friends have already aroused this in another manner (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּחַבְרַיָּיא אַתְּעֲרוּ בְּדָא, בְּגַוְונָא אַחֲרָא), and they said that Kudsha Berikh Hu made for him a trial in words (וְאִינּוּן אַמְרֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נִסְיוֹנָא עֲבַד לֵיהּ בְּמִלּוֹי). There were three: one, Chizkiyah; one, Yechezkel; and one, Bil‘am (תְּלָתָא הֲווֹ, חַד חִזְקִיָּה, וְחַד יְחֶזְקֵאל, וְחַד בִּלְעָם). Two did not stand as was proper, and one did stand (תְּרֵין לָא קַיְימוּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וְחַד קָאִים). And who is it? Yechezkel (וּמַנוּ. יְחֶזְקֵאל). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Ezekiel 37): “Shall these bones live?” (הֲתִחְיֶינָה הָעֲצָמוֹת הָאֵלֶּה). And he returned and said: “And I said, Hashem Elohim, You know” (וְאִיהוּ תָּב וְאָמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה יָדָעְתָּ).

Chizkiyahu said (חִזְקִיָּהוּ אָמַר), as it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (II Kings 20): “From a far land they have come to me, from Babylon” (מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה בָּאוּ אֵלַי מִבָּבֶל). Bil‘am said (בִּלְעָם אָמַר): “Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Moav, has sent to me” (בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב שָׁלַח אֵלַי). He considered himself in the eyes of kings and rulers (חָשִׁיב אֲנָא בְּעֵינֵי מַלְכִין וְשַׁלִּיטִין). But Kudsha Berikh Hu questioned him in order to trip him (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁאִיל לֵיהּ לְמִטְעֵי לֵיהּ). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Job 12): “He makes nations great, and He destroys them” (מַשְׂגִּיא לַגּוֹיִם וַיְּאַבְּדֵם). And it has already been explained (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ).