Daf 207a (דַּף ר״ז ע״א)

And even Bil‘am was more eager than Balak (וַאֲפִילּוּ בִּלְעָם תָּאִיב הֲוָה יַתִּיר מִבָּלָק). And that knowledge which he possessed, he would know it at night (וְהַהִיא יְדִיעָא דְּאִיהוּ הֲוָה יָדַע בְּלֵילְיָא הֲוָה יָדַע), because those lower and impure crowns are only found in the first watch of the night (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין וַחֲמָרֵי לָא שְׁכִיחוּ אֶלָּא בְּמִשְׁמָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה דְּלֵילְיָא), and for that reason he had a she-ass (וְעַל דָּא הֲוָה לֵיהּ אֲתָנָא), so that she might couple with the male donkeys in the beginning of the night (דְּהַאי גִּיסָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא חֲמָרֵי בַּהֲדָהּ בְּרֵישָׁא דְּלֵילְיָא). And if you should say: but it is written, “And Elohim came to Bil‘am at night” (וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא כְּתִיב וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם לַיְלָה). So it is indeed (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), and we have already established that it was the appointed officer who was appointed over them who came to him (וְאוֹקִימְנָא הַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּמְמָנָא עֲלַיְיהוּ וְהוּא הֲוָה אָתֵי לָקוֳבְלֵיהּ), just as it is written (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא) (Bereshit 31) “And Elohim came to Lavan the Aramean…” (וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי וְגוֹ׳). And all of it is one matter (וְכֹלָּא חַד מִלָּה). Because of this he said to the nobles of Balak: “Stay here overnight” (בְּגִין דָּא אִיהוּ אָמַר לְרַבְרְבֵי בָּלָק לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה).

Since that appointed one would come, Bil‘am would approach his she-ass (כֵּיוָן דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי הַהוּא מְמָנָא בִּלְעָם הֲוָה אָתֵי לְגַבֵּי אֲתָנֵיהּ), and perform his actions and speak his words (וַעֲבַד עוֹבַדֵיהּ וְאָמַר מִלֵּי), and then the she-ass would inform him (וּכְדֵין אַתְנָא אוֹדָעָא לֵיהּ). And he would observe the act in order to bring down that spirit upon him (וְאִיהוּ אַחְזֵי עוֹבָדָא לְמִשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי הַהוּא רוּחָא). And what did he observe (וּמַאי אַחְזֵי). He knew that the donkeys, who are from the Sitra achra, wander and are released at the beginning of the night (הוּא הֲוָה יָדַע דַּחֲמָרֵי שָׂטָאן וְשָׁרָאן בְּקַדְמִיתָא דְּלֵילְיָא), so he would perform the act (כְּדֵין אַחְזֵי עוֹבָדָא), and he would be with his she-ass in a designated place (וְקָאֵים לַאֲתָנֵיהּ בַּאֲתַר מְתַתְקָן), and he would do his acts and arrange his words (וְעָבִיד עוֹבָדוֹי וְסִדֵּר מִלּוֹי). And then the one who comes would come (וּכְדֵין הֲוָה אָתֵי מַאן דְּאָתֵי), and make it known to him through that she-ass (וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ עַל יְדָא דְּהַהִיא אָתוֹן). Since at night He had already said to him, “You shall not go with them” (כֵּיוָן דְּלֵילְיָא חַד אָמַר לֵיהּ לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם) what reason is there to return again to this? (מַאי טַעְמָא תָּב תִּנְיָינוּת לְהַאי). Rather, they were standing under the authority of Above (אֶלָּא אִינּוּן בִּרְשׁוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא קַיְימֵי) and we have learned: “In the path that a person desires to go, they lead him” and so forth (וְהָא תָּנֵינָן בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לָלֶכֶת בָּהּ מוֹלִיכִין וְכוּ׳). At first it is written: “You shall not go with them” (בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם). Once Kudsha Berikh Hu saw that his desire was to go (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּרְעוּתָא הוּא לְמֵיהַךְ) He said to him: “Arise, go with them, but only the word…” (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ׳).

What did Bil‘am do? All that night he was contemplating (מָה עֲבַד בִּלְעָם כָּל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא הֲוָה מְהַרְהֵר) and he said: And where is my honor, if I have been bound in another crown? (וְאָמַר וּמָה אָנְהוּ יְקָרָא דִּילִי אִי בְּקִטּוּרָא אַחֲרָא אִתְקַטַּרְנָא). He searched the whole night in his sorcery (אַשְׁגַּח כָּל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא בְּחַרְשׁוֹי) and found no side where it would be under his authority (וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח סִטְרָא דִּיְהֵא הוּא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ) except from the side of his she-ass (אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דַּאֲתָנֵיהּ). And this is what Rabbi Yitzchak said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah (וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה) among these lower crowns there is a right side and a left side (בְּאִלֵּין כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין אִית יְמִינָא וְאִית שְׂמָאלָא). From the side of the right are donkeys (מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא חֲמָרֵי) as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא) and from the side of the left are she-asses (וּמִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלֵי אֲתָנֵי). And it was taught: Ten are on the right and ten are on the left (וְתָאנָא עֲשָׂרָה אִינּוּן לִימִינָא וְעֲשָׂרָה לִשְׂמָאלָא). And this is what Rabbi Yose said (וְדָא הוּא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Yosef, when he separated from his father, knew through supernal wisdom (יוֹסֵף כַּד אִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵאֲבוֹי יָדַע בְּחָכְמְתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא) the secret of the holy supernal crowns (בְּרָזָא דְּכִתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין עִלָּאִין). Once he was in Egypt, he studied their wisdom (כֵּיוָן דְּהֲוָה בְּמִצְרַיִם אוֹלִיף בְּהַהִיא חָכְמְתָא דִּלְהוֹן) in those lower crowns (בְּאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין), how those of the right were held (הֵיךְ אֲחִידָן אִינּוּן דִּימִינָא) and those of the left (וְאִינּוּן דִּשְׂמָאלָא). Ten of the right and ten of the left, donkeys and she-asses (עֲשָׂרָה דִּימִינָא וַעֲשָׂרָה דִּשְׂמָאלָא חֲמָרֵי וַאֲתָנֵי). And because of this he hinted to his father based on what he had learned there (וּבְגִין כַּךְ רָמַז לַאֲבוֹי מִמָּה דְּאוֹלִיף תַּמָּן) as it is written: “And to his father he sent as follows, ten donkeys…” (דִּכְתִיב וּלְאָבִיו שָׁלַח כְּזֹאת עֲשָׂרָה חֲמוֹרִים וְגוֹ׳) (Bereshit 45).

Rabbi Yose said: Those of the right are all encompassed as one, which is called donkey (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אִינּוּן דִּימִינָא כְּלִילָן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּחַד דְּאִקְרֵי חֲמוֹר). And this is the donkey of which it is written: “You shall not plow with an ox and donkey together” (וְהַאי הוּא הַהוּא חֲמוֹר דִּכְתִיב לֹא תַחֲרוֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמוֹר יַחְדָּיו) (Deuteronomy 22). And this is the donkey upon which the King Messiah is destined to rule (וְהַאי הוּא חֲמוֹר דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְמִשְׁלַט עָלֵיהּ) as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And those of the left are all encompassed as one which is called she-ass (וְאִינּוּן דִּשְׂמָאלָא כְּלִילָן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּחַד דְּאִקְרֵי אָתוֹן) for from that side emerges the wild one, the accuser of children (דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָהָא נָפִיק עִירֹה קִטְרוּגָא דְּדַרְדְּקֵי) as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And this is what is written: “Lowly and riding upon a donkey and upon a young donkey, son of she-asses” (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב עָנִי וְרוֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר וְעַל עַיִר בֶּן אֲתוֹנוֹת) (Zechariah 9). She-asses is written deficient, meaning ten that are all encompassed as one (אֲתָנַת חָסֵר עֲשָׂרָה דִּכְלִילָן כְּחַד). And this is what Rabbi Shim‘on said (וְדָא הוּא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), what is the meaning of what is written: “Binding his foal to the vine” (מַאי דִּכְתִּיב אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן עִירֹה) (Bereshit 49). “Binding to the vine” refers to Kudsha Berikh Hu, who is destined to bind on behalf of Yisrael, who are called “vine” (אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְקַשְּׁרָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִקְרוּן גֶּפֶן). “His foal” is their accuser (עִירֹה דְּאִיהוּ קַטֵּיגוֹרָא דִּילְהוֹן), and because they are called “choice vine,” as it is written: “And I planted you a noble vine” (וּבְגִין דְּאִקְרוּן שׂוֹרֵק דִּכְתִּיב וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק) (Jeremiah 2). “The son of his she-ass” is that which emerges from the side of that she-ass (בְּנִי אֲתוֹנוֹ הַהוּא דְּנָפִיק מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַאי אָתוֹן). And these ten on the right and ten on the left are included in these two, and all of them are found in Kesem (sorcery) (וְהָנֵי י׳ מִימִינָא וְי׳ מִשְּׂמָאלָא וְאִתְכְּלִילָן בְּהָנֵי תְּרֵי כֹּלָּא אִינּוּן מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּקֶסֶ״ם). And there are ten others on the right and ten on the left which are found in Nachash (divination) (וְאִית עֲשָׂרָה אַחֲרָנִין דִּימִינָא וְעֲשָׂרָה דִּשְׂמָאלָא דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּנַחַ״שׁ). And about this it is written: “For there is no Nachash (divination) in Ya'akov, and no Kesem (sorcery) in Yisrael” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל) (Numbers 23). What is the reason? Because Hashem his God is with him (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ). From the side of Nachash (divination) comes the ox (מִסִּטְרָא דְּנַחַ״שׁ נָפַק שוֹ״ר), and from the side of Kesem (sorcery) comes the donkey (מִסִּטְרָא דְּקֶסֶ״ם נָפַק חֲמוֹ״ר). And this is the ox and the donkey (וְדָא הוּא שוֹר וַחֲמוֹר). And therefore Bil‘am, once he knew that he had become attached to another domain (וְעַל דָּא בִּלְעָם כֵּיוָן דְּיָדַע דְּאִתְקְשַׁר בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא), and it was said to him “But the word…” (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ אַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ׳), he was disgraced by it (אַבְּאִישׁ לֵיהּ) and he said: “And where is my honor?” (וְאָמַר וּמַה אָנְהִי יְקָרָא דִּילִי). Immediately he looked into his sorcery (מִיָּד אִסְתַּכַּל בְּחַרְשׁוֹי) and he did not find that it was under his authority (וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח דִּיְהֵא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ) except for this she-ass (אֶלָּא הַאי אָתוֹן).

Immediately, as it is written: “And Bil‘am arose in the morning and saddled his she-ass” (מִיָּד וַיָּקָם בִּלְעָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת אֲתוֹנוֹ) (Numbers 22), to fulfill his own desire through her (לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ בָּהּ) and the desire of Balak (וּרְעוּתָא דְּבָלָק). And because of this it is written: “And the anger of Elohim burned because he was going” (וְעַל דָּא וַיִּחַר אַף אֱלֹהִים כִּי הוֹלֵךְ הוּא). He specifically was going (הוּא דַּיְיקָא), for he removed himself from that domain, from what He had said to him: “But the word…” (דְּאַפִּיק גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵרְשׁוּתֵיהּ מִמַּה דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ׳). Come and see that it is so (תָּא חֲזֵי דְּהָכִי הוּא), for at first He gave him permission and said “Arise, go with them” (דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא יָהַב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא וְאָמַר קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם). But now that he was going, why does it say “And the anger of Elohim burned”? (הַשְׁתָּא דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל אֲמַאי וַיִּחַר אַף אֱלֹהִים). Rather, because “he was going” means that he went under his own authority (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּהוֹלֵךְ הוּא הוּא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ דִּילֵיהּ) departing from what had been said to him, “But the word…” (לְנָפְקָא מֵהַהוּא דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר).